Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?
This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.
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Notes -
Others have already touched on this but if you haven't interacted with any of these kinds of people in the wild it's hard to understand how bad at making decisions they are. Taking a step back, think about how bad well educated, intelligent people are at committing crimes (for the most part) based off of what you hear in news reports. You'll be saying ARE YOU KIDDING ME ninety percent of the time, and that's people with a lot more reserve and resources.
People who get involved in this kinda thing are stupid, uneducated, incapable of foresight/planning, and obsessed with face and status in a very shallow way. If any of these weren't true...they wouldn't do it.
Even when you see some type of criminal activity with an enormous amount of skill and success (like SF car break-ins) it's because of a "monkeys on typewriters" type exploration of options by everyone seeing what they can get away with as obsessed to someone coming up with a good plan.
It's also important to keep in mind that the majority of people involved in the drug trade make like zero money, any form of job whatsoever would be more lucrative and stable. They aren't sending their best. The ones who do make money are typically off the street, not at risk, and capable of doing the things you are interested in seeing.
Others also hit on some of the "honor culture" aspects also - you get a lot more face from sneaking up behind someone and shooting them in the face.
Many quotes from the Wire serve as a microcosm, but Stringer's "are you taking notes on a criminal conspiracy" is a good example, especially when people are trying to apply sense but it's ultimately cargo cult thinking.
This video of Ar-Ab's near-suicidal honesty went viral for a reason. Guess where he ended up. Keep in mind: he was actually one of the better off ones in that he theoretically could have had a rap career.
Or just follow Chicago drill. The main survivors did so by...moving away. Which some of them had to be threatened into doing by the legal system.
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