It is the ONLY strategy. It doesn't matter whether you call them homeys and they protect you because of a mutual pact or you call them police and they protect you because of some mythical higher duty. You survive or you die. The best way to ensure survival is to be the toughest and surround yourself with the toughest.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil, for I am the meanest son of a **** in the valley.
Again, that's been tried throughout history, with varying degrees of success. However, a society that is constantly picking fights with its neighbors will eventually find everyone else turning on it. Look at Germany.
And yet it is what we return to because it is what works. If you and I live long enough to see the fall of the West (and we are almost there so we may) you will see us return to it again.
Asking your neighbors to work with you because they are NICE - yeah, there's a workable strategy for you. </sarcasm>
Shalom.
> The best way to ensure survival is to be the toughest and surround yourself with the toughest.
Not exactly. I'll take a weenie who's good with a shotgun than a Mr. T wannabe most days.