New filk: Stranger Danger

[Arthur T.]

Title: Stranger Danger
ttto: The Stranger (by Billy Joel)

We are all told in school 'bout the candy-giving stranger.
We should never even talk to anyone that we don't know.
Go to friends or to fam'ly if you think you are in danger.
They describe the kinds of horrors like in stories writ by Poe.

But they're wrong, for you'll find that most people can be trusted,
And in general there's no strangers, there's just friends you haven't met.
Now it's time for the truth, let your mind be readjusted,
And I'll tell you how to rationally estimate the threat.

(Bridge:)
Do be afraid of all your friends, everyone you know.
Do not ask me why.
That's what the risk statistics show:
Family and friends, that's where dangers lie.

If you want to be safe, keep your eye on Uncle Ernie,
Cousin Cora, all your siblings, and your best friends' parents, too.
But if you are away on a long and distant journey,
You will find that strangers rarely are assaulters; that's taboo.

If your schools tell your sons or your daughters there are creatures
Who will take them and assault them, you must let the school board know,
That the danger is more likely from the preachers or the teachers.
So put that in the curriculum; it's much more apropos.

(Bridge)

Now you know that the peril's very rarely from a stranger.
You are always in more danger from the ones you thought you knew.
So when you see "Stranger Danger", you know you must be a changer.
You must educate the educators; tell them what is true.



P.S.

One root of this filk is the story of, "Lost Utah boy hid from rescuers,
fearing strangers"

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-06-22-scout-hospital_x.htm


My lyrics copyright 2014 by Arthur Tansky. License granted for
non-commercial archiving and performance as long as:
1. copyright notice is maintained, and
2. no money changes hands.

--
Arthur T. - ar23hur "at" pobox "dot" com

[Jeff Urs]

On Saturday, February 8, 2014 7:05:53 PM UTC-5, Arthur T. wrote:
> Title: Stranger Danger
> ttto: The Stranger (by Billy Joel)

[snip]

> P.S.
>
> One root of this filk is the story of, "Lost Utah boy hid from rescuers,
> fearing strangers"

Well, I hope they've trained the rescue personnel to stop
shouting "Hey, little boy, want a piece of candy?"

--
Jeff

[Qe'van, Bard of Nor]

On Sat, 08 Feb 2014 22:38:16 -0800, Jeff Urs wrote:

>> One root of this filk is the story of, "Lost Utah boy hid from
>> rescuers, fearing strangers"
>
> Well, I hope they've trained the rescue personnel to stop shouting "Hey,
> little boy, want a piece of candy?"

"We're from the government. We're here to help you!"

[Gary McGath]

On 2/8/14 7:05 PM, Arthur T. wrote:
> Title: Stranger Danger
> ttto: The Stranger (by Billy Joel)
>

> (Bridge:)
> Do be afraid of all your friends, everyone you know.
> Do not ask me why.
> That's what the risk statistics show:
> Family and friends, that's where dangers lie.

I'm not complaining about it as a song, but as a reading of the
statistics, it's problematic. It's akin to the fact that most traffic
accidents occur within 50 miles from home; it doesn't mean that once you
hit the 50-mile mark, you can start driving like a maniac.

We spend a lot more time with people we know, and under circumstances
which are much less guarded. It's because we don't accept random gifts
from strangers, let them into our homes whenever they feel like it, and
tell them all our personal secrets that we aren't as likely to meet harm
at their hands.

It's true that people usually underestimate the risk from people close
to them and exaggerate the risk from strangers, but it's a benefit-risk
tradeoff; if we treated close friends and family with the same caution
as everyone else, life would be pretty rough.

--
Gary McGath http://www.mcgath.com

[Arthur T.]

In Message-ID:<52F81FD9...@REMOVEmcgathREMOVE.com>,

Those are good points that I'm surprised I haven't seen
elsewhere.

--
Arthur T. - ar23hur "at" intergate "dot" com