I think this may be an unfair metaphor, because we have a police force and laws that give us incentive to <i>not</i> murder our neighbours in their sleep and give us assurance that we will be protected while we sleep ourselves.<p>On the world scale, this doesn&#x27;t exist. If there was no laws, police, or government and a serial murderer moves in beside you, you may very well try to murder him in his sleep.