> They can afford to hold this position, because they already live in safe, often gated communities. And they can afford to hire private security.
I think this represents a fundamental difference in how people perceive "safety" and where it comes from. The author seems to suggest that wealthy individuals feel safe because they have access to additional security measures such as gates or private guards. I've seen this quite commonly in some parts of the world, but my experience in the US is quite the opposite: wealthy communities are so segregated from poverty and, subsequently, crime, that they don't feel the need to put up defenses.
Yeah, personally I'd say that seeing private security often makes me feel significantly less safe. Not because I'm afraid of being targeted by them, but because their presence suggests that there's some need for them. The actually safe places have decorative gates, not gates intended to keep anyone out.
I think this represents a fundamental difference in how people perceive "safety" and where it comes from. The author seems to suggest that wealthy individuals feel safe because they have access to additional security measures such as gates or private guards. I've seen this quite commonly in some parts of the world, but my experience in the US is quite the opposite: wealthy communities are so segregated from poverty and, subsequently, crime, that they don't feel the need to put up defenses.