I spotted this weary traveler beneath one of the magnificent trees that line Nathan Rd. in Kowloon, Hong Kong, and wondered: Who is he? And how many other passersby has this tree seen?
Only afterward did it occur to me to ask the more fundamental and important question: Why is it that in some places, as here, people can rest peacefully in public and not fear for their safety, while in other places the public space is a dangerous one?
Safety doesn’t seem to correlate directly with other obvious factors like style of government or wealth, though both seem to play a role. Europe tends to be very safe, along with Japan, Singapore, and China in the East. Much of Africa is dangerous, along with large parts of South America. But Canada is much safer than the United States. India is safer than Pakistan. Serbia is poorer than the Seychelles but much, much safer. And so on.
So what it is? Along with adequate food, freedom from violence is one of the most basic human needs. Why is it so hard to ensure?
