Safety and Security

Trent Kerstin English 3B

4 hour May 28 2014
























The simple things in life that keep us safe are many times, again and again,
taken for granted. The police, houses, locks that keep danger out. They all protect
us and give a sense of security, but what if we didnt have them? According to
Maslows hierarchy of needs, Safety and Security is one of the emotional things
needed along with physiological requirements of people. The book Night contains
the story of a young boy that goes through the holocaust and loses all his safety in
life and any security he once had. The most important Maslow level is Safety and
Security because it is the basis of stability and allows pursuit towards the other
levels in the hierarchy.
A sense of security must be achieved through stable life events, in
which a person can feel safe in everyday living. The majority of security is provided
by the government, in the form of police and the military, which protect the citizens of
the country. In the country of Libya, the exact opposite is occurring, much like in the
book Night with the holocaust. The military is being commanded by the leaders to
support the governments ideas, at a cost of the peoples safety. The government
denies the security of the people when, The acts falling under crimes against
humanity include murder, imprisonment, torture, persecution, enforced
disappearance and sexual abuse, which the report stated were committed by
Government forces, as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian
population. (un.org) With warnings, waivers, and guides we go to great extents
to provide safety: They allow people to trust the things they use. These warnings
and such are put into place to help people and keep them safe. But when these
things dont work, people are set into unsafe circumstances, like the collapse of the
London Ambulance Service in 1992. This left London with no form of safety and was
the cause of 20 deaths. The report of the official inquiry that followed [1] is a
catalogue of management incompetence: poor planning, wishful thinking,
unwillingness to heed warnings, reliance on `cozy assurances' from suppliers.
(Cambridge) These deaths could have been prevented but the form of safety the
people of London relied on failed. How can people try to be the fullest they can be
when they worry about death resulting from accidents.
The people in ones life can give safety and security through their
actions and by providing to others. Families offer a strong sense of security by
providing assistance and help to each other. They also try to protect each other and
stay safe. In the book Night, when the father asks a question and is hit, the boy
thinks, I did not move. What had happened to me? My father had just been struck,
before my very eyes, and I had not flickered an eyelid. (Wiesel 48) When the boys
father is struck down, the boy cant believe that it was his father who was beaten.
This man was the person he could trust in the camp, but the father couldnt even
protect himself. This makes it impossible for the father to protect his son, and
perform well in his role as a father. The boy was given security by his father because
he kept both of them safe, but when the father cant even protect himself, he cant
attempt to keep his son safe.
The terror attacks on the U.S. caused many people to panic and
programs to be canceled. The Taliban took away our security, and for many lives,
the safety of living in America. This simple loss in security ended for a time what it
meant to be American: the use of airplanes, a stable economy, enjoying public
places. Americans began to travel less and stay
home from entertainment. They didnt feel safe so they couldnt strive for the
later hierarchies, like belonging and self actualization. When people feel safe it
gives them the courage to take a risk and try to achieve or belong to a group.
The most important level in the hierarchy is indeed Safety and security
because of the confidence it allows people to live life freely. The people must feel
protected by the countries government in order to be contributors to the
society. Products and services also must function effectively so people can focus on
relationships and not worry about living healthy. Safety also must be utilized so
families and groups can function the way they are supposed to, by supporting one
another instead of behaving as every man for himself. When a whole country feels
unsafe, it makes the workforces achievement drop nationwide like it did in the US,
which led to an economic recession. When people have police, warnings, and other
contributions toward safety, it allows people to work toward their full
potential. Having the peace of mind to maintain relationships and live life to the
fullest is what safety and security are here to provide.
Works Cited
Anderson, Ross. "Safety Failure - an Example." The Computer Laboratory, 13 Oct. 1998. Web.
29 May 2014. <http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/austmedjour/node2.html>.
"Libyan Government Forces and Opposition Committed War Crimes." UN.org. Un News
Center, 1 June 2011. Web. 29 May 2014.
Wiesel, Elie. "Chapter 3." Night. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1999. 48. Print.