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Cowboys in westerns always have standoffs because the one who draws first attempts murder, to draw second is justified self-defense (mander.xyz)
submitted 1 year ago by TauZero@mander.xyz to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world
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Everyone is armed all the time and that's normal, but to draw a weapon is an overt hostile act. A standoff therefore is a game of chicken because both want to kill each other and you want to draw first to have the highest chance of surviving, but even a bandit will hesitate to add a felony murder charge to their rap sheet. The whole town serves as witness when there is a pair of eyes behind every shuttered window. The hero always draws second, both demonstrating his superior skill and speed by defeating the opponent even at a disadvantage, and getting away with murder scot-free.

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[-] blarco@lemmy.world 65 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

You're overthinking it. They're both just trying to shoot the other guy first.

this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2023
165 points (90.6% liked)

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