The Language of the Body

The Language of the Body
Never judge a book by its cover. This is a well-known expression that is spoken about with reference to
first impressions and external appearance. On almost every occasion, it is a true maxim. There is only
one exception to this general rule. When it comes to safety and survival on the street, you must rely on
your first impressions.
Edward Wilson (1975) thought of humans as genetic machines whose primary function is that of
surviving. He believed that our innately programmed responses are selfish and self-serving. But what
has happened in modern times? Our instincts have become dulled by comfort and lulled into a false
sense of security. Armed with mobiles and encased in headphones, we often forget that predators are
out there watching and waiting.
Trusting in your instincts means combining the powers from Medium and Psych. In the popular
tv shows, the female lead of Medium has extrasensory perception (ESP), while the male character in
Psych uses impressive observational abilities to ferret out the truth. When you go out in the street, you
must learn to develop a gut feel for danger merged with keen attentional abilities in order to detect
threats.
First, you have to ask the questions: what do I consciously or unconsciously sense? Do I feel
uncomfortable? Do I have goose bumps? Are the hairs on my skin standing up? Second, survey the
surroundings. Do you see, hear or smell anything out of the ordinary? Are there elements that should
not be there? Are there unknown people lurking around? What are your first impressions about them?
The answers may very well spell the difference between being safe versus being attacked. Do not take
chances. The minute something feels or looks hinky, do not attempt to be Steven Seagal or Jackie Chan.
Avoid, escape or run if you can. More importantly, learn to read the hidden meaning in the body
language of the people loitering about.

Learn all you can about Body Language it will serve you well.