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Comment by clairity | Hacker News Reader

i grew up in a rural area and appreciated the freedoms that entailed, but in no way is that the only, or best, way to develop independence in children.

what you're describing is more an indictment of poor risk assessment, that parents are paranoid and over-protective for no good reason, than some inherent difference of rural vs urban living. crime is not a serious concern anywhere, just like getting eaten by a bear is not a serious concern anywhere.

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> just like getting eaten by a bear is not a serious concern anywhere.

You must not live in Grizzly country. It's a serious concern.

I grew up in grizzly country in Northwest Montana, spent loads of time out in the wilderness on my own or with my younger brothers, and even saw a mamma grizzly with two cubs in the wild once. They are absolutely not a serious concern.[1] We used to make fun of outsiders who feared just getting out of the car without their guns and pepper spray. :-)

[1] That being said, please don't be stupid: keep your distance and show them all due respect.

Yeah, I'd laugh at those outsiders, too. Campsites are different. Idiots leave food around, which grizzlies find, and come to expect. Then the next idiot comes around, wipes salmon grease on his pants, goes to sleep wearing those same pants, and gets eaten.

I agree with your [1] -- where you're taking the concern seriously.

no, that's exactly the point, it's not. the risk is overblown, even considering bear country. the worldwide risk is on the order a few dozen attacks (not deaths) per year, primarily to defend their cubs, with extreme hunger being a secondary cause (bears understandably don't risk fights without good reason).

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