Yup. Everyone lives in tiny cages and the result is that we've lost, or are loosing, our sense of community.<p>I want to outline part of the reasons why we choose to live in "voluntary prisons." I, thankfully, at age 26 have never been a victim of crime - But I do know several people that have not been as lucky:<p>* My friend's cousin was stabbed in a shopping mall in the gaming arcade! He unfortunately didn't make it.<p>* The same friend's grandmother was strangled to death in her bed - The criminal stole her car.<p>* My previous boss had a "home invasion," this is one of those terms that tries to soften the reality of such a situation. 4 armed criminals entered her house. They hit her husband over the head with a bottle and tied him and her up in the living room. After awhile they untied her and made her walk into each room. (She wasn't raped, but apparently the gauged her reactions to each room to figure out if she had hidden anything of value in said room.) Before they left the house that defecated and urinated on the living room carpet.<p>* A friend's parent's owns a hotel - He went to the bank to draw wages for his workers (Most are paid in cash, because they don't have bank accounts.) He was followed from the bank and 2 guys criminals entered his property with 9mm hand guns - He gave them his entire staff's wages.<p>To get a first hand account of some of the things that go on here I would recommend watching a documentary about the South African Special Task Force. I believe it's from 1999.<p>It's 3 x 60 minute episodes.<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQSndb1DcqY" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQSndb1DcqY</a><p>I know I'm painting a fairly bleak picture of South Africa - It's a remarkable and truly beautiful place with amazing people (Minus the criminals.) It's just this fucking crime that's making it a horrible place to live.