When to step in?

I did psychology as a subject in year 12. One of the topics was bystander apathy. Our teacher outlined the case of a horrific murder taking place in an apartment block. People in adjoining apartments did nothing, in spite of very audible cries for help. All it would have taken was for someone to make a simple phone call to the police, but no one did. When I heard that, I vowed to step in where I could. That’s never been as easy as I thought it would be.

It’s just so hard to know when it’s appropriate to step in. If two people are screaming at each other on the street, should I step in? What if they start hitting each other? What if one of them pulls a knife? What if they’re both people I know?

It’s also hard to know the appropriate extent to which I should get involved in this situation. Do I just call the police? Are there situations where I should try to break up the fight myself? Do I try to break up the fight with words, or with physical force?

I often find myself in a state of conflict, unsure of whether getting involved is appropriate. Am I a mere busybody for entertaining the thought of meddling with other people’s problems? Maybe it’s the other way around. Maybe I’m a coward for not being confident in preventing people from harming each other. The confusion often leaves me standing there doing nothing.

I think I need to be more decisive and confident. Sometimes I just have to make a decision and go with it. I can’t afford to overthink everything I do in my life. I also think it’s better to overstep in cases of ambiguity. Being a busybody is something I can live with; not caring enough to help someone in need is something I can’t.