I don't think there is any absolute characteristic that defines human nature, some people are violent and some are not, though most are probably somewhere in between depending on mood and circumstances. Violence is one of many human traits that seems like it should be obsoleted by civilization, but it continues to emerge because it is difficult to supress.
Violent behavior is not responsible for war, instead it is ideology that does most of the work there. Violence is an extreme form of disagreement, and perhaps it will one day be rare, but as long as there is language and debate, there will still most likely be violence.
You'd have to create a hell of a utopia to make a society that is bland enough that there is no longer a purpose for any extremism. Until every other person is Carl Sagan that isn't really going to happen. That means we have a pretty long way to go, since the one we did have is already dead, and there's a few billion homicidal pacifists left behind.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Blog #1
I think that there are a few key elements of life that point to violence being a part of human behavior. The fact that both birth and death are oftentimes painful, even violent experiences, indicates on some level humanity is closely related with violence. So many necessary parts of life, be it relationships or physical growth are inherently painful and violent. To suppose that violence is not a necessary part of being human is to suppose that these events can happen without that associated pain or violence.
Whether explicitly through a desire for violence, or implicitly as a means to facilitate greed, violence has recurred with such frequency and consistence throughout history that it’s difficult to claim it’s a chosen behavior. From the earliest stages, long before psychologists and sociologists believe that we’re capable of conscious decision-making, we’re hitting and fighting with our siblings and friends over everything. Of course that’s not to say that we all do it, or that the drive to commit violence isn’t outweighed by the fear of punishment (oftentimes some form of violence), but there is an overwhelming preponderance to violent action, long before television and news made us aware of the commonplace worldwide presence of violence.
Of course, I hope I'm wrong.
Whether explicitly through a desire for violence, or implicitly as a means to facilitate greed, violence has recurred with such frequency and consistence throughout history that it’s difficult to claim it’s a chosen behavior. From the earliest stages, long before psychologists and sociologists believe that we’re capable of conscious decision-making, we’re hitting and fighting with our siblings and friends over everything. Of course that’s not to say that we all do it, or that the drive to commit violence isn’t outweighed by the fear of punishment (oftentimes some form of violence), but there is an overwhelming preponderance to violent action, long before television and news made us aware of the commonplace worldwide presence of violence.
Of course, I hope I'm wrong.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Blog Assignment 1
I tend to believe that humans are not inherently violent. Just as a person has to be taught what to fear, I have always felt that people learn such things as violence; from, the people they interact with, and their surroundings. And if you simply removed these negative influences a person would be free from violent tendencies.
As far as a need to make war is concerned I do not believe in that either. I think humans are naturally peaceful beings, that would rather not resort to harming each other. War simply happens when every other reasonable option has either failed or been ignored.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Of Mice & Men: Habitats Supplement Natural Violence
In captivity, male mice bred as pets are taken as soon as they're weened and often placed in glass habitats in pet stores in large groups. They live in adorable harmony for a few weeks: sharing food, grooming each other, and sleeping in a cuddle pile. Then they reach sexual maturity and everything changes. If not separated, the mice will fight and kill each other, until the one dominate mouse survives. Why is this? The mouse never had contact with his father, so he did not learn this behavior from him. Is it simply nature? Not quite. There are a few factors contributing here. First, the mice are in a habitat that is too small for the number of mice, but economical for the store. There are not enough "homes" for each mouse, and they are literally living on top of each other, in their minds forced to compete for their survival. If they are sold quickly, and go home to adequately sized cages, then the mice are never known as killers, but sweetly tamed pets. In nature, there's ample room for them to spread out and establish their own territories without ever killing each other.
Now, are humans like mice? Not quite. But sort of. I believe both have some sort of predisposition to violence naturally. It varies from mouse to mouse and person to person. Also, what it takes to draw that violence out of an individual will be different. For a mouse it may be as simple as the other mouse eating out of his food dish, while another mouse might only act in violence to physically defend himself. For a human, maybe he sees that the other human has something he needs to survive or maybe he sees that another human has something he wants.
I think, just like the mice kept in the pet store habitat, the society and culture we live in now helps to foster the violence. At all ages we're bombarded with imagery of violence and hate. War and action heroes slaughter numerous faceless victims without negative consequence. And of course the ever-cited video games: gratuitous violence, demeaning images of women, etc. In an atmosphere like this I think it can sometimes intensify what may be naturally there. It certainly isn't helping counteract anything.
Now, are humans like mice? Not quite. But sort of. I believe both have some sort of predisposition to violence naturally. It varies from mouse to mouse and person to person. Also, what it takes to draw that violence out of an individual will be different. For a mouse it may be as simple as the other mouse eating out of his food dish, while another mouse might only act in violence to physically defend himself. For a human, maybe he sees that the other human has something he needs to survive or maybe he sees that another human has something he wants.
I think, just like the mice kept in the pet store habitat, the society and culture we live in now helps to foster the violence. At all ages we're bombarded with imagery of violence and hate. War and action heroes slaughter numerous faceless victims without negative consequence. And of course the ever-cited video games: gratuitous violence, demeaning images of women, etc. In an atmosphere like this I think it can sometimes intensify what may be naturally there. It certainly isn't helping counteract anything.
War what is it go for...apparently anger.
I believe violence is a huge part of human behavior! We all have are moments when we get extremely upset; however some of us express it differently than others. For example, being in a family of 14 people I have seen anger. I have seen anger at its very best and truthfully I have snapped a couple times myself. When it comes to violence many people express it so differently, but I do believe it is part of our nature.
When you talk about war; well lets look at what we have. We have pissed off people who have the opportunity to go into another place and kill people. Regardless some of those people don’t want to take away another human life, but those who do have the opportunity to take it. War has been going on since Jesus walked the Earth. Even before Jesus walked the Earth. War is just a way to let peoples anger out. It is a horrible way to let your anger out, but it gives us a reason and the “power” to do that.
So ask yourself this question. Have you ever been extremely angry at someone or something that you thought of the unimaginable? Everybody has had their moments and as we grow older we are taught to control our angry whether it is through the law or by our parents.
When you talk about war; well lets look at what we have. We have pissed off people who have the opportunity to go into another place and kill people. Regardless some of those people don’t want to take away another human life, but those who do have the opportunity to take it. War has been going on since Jesus walked the Earth. Even before Jesus walked the Earth. War is just a way to let peoples anger out. It is a horrible way to let your anger out, but it gives us a reason and the “power” to do that.
So ask yourself this question. Have you ever been extremely angry at someone or something that you thought of the unimaginable? Everybody has had their moments and as we grow older we are taught to control our angry whether it is through the law or by our parents.
Blog Assignment #1
From a historical context, I believe war is hard-wired into the human condition. I think it has to do with Marx's Conflict Theory, that all of history can be explained by examining a scarcity of resources and how they are divided up. In one group's push for a greater share of resources, violence will result. Why? Because in the natural order of human response, violence is the most potent of those responses, the pinnacle of human action. I say this not to glorify it, but to explain that physical conflict is the strongest form of coercion available to make an individual or population submit to an outside influence. It's like deciding who goes first in the sandlot baseball game. Hand over hand, from the bottom of the bat, until the top is reached, declaring the winner. The strongest survive; their hands end up on top through brute force.
There is no life without war, as there is no life without peace. It has been cyclical throughout human history. The examples of cultures without war are so few that I believe they represent an anomaly rather than the basic structure of humanity. And also, looking at it from an evolutionary standpoint, natural selection says that the strongest survive to pass on their genes. Once again, with limited resources, those that can eat because of taking from the weaker will survive to reproduce. From this perspective, violence and war have been selectively bred into us from the advent of man, or rather, the advent of two men.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Blog Assignment #1
Blog Assignment #1
When we discuss, war, its causes, and human rights abuses associated with violence, we are often led back to the question of whether violence is part of human nature. Some people believe that humans are born with a drive for war while others believe that it’s a cultural institution, not a biological instinct. Discuss whether you think that violence is a part of human nature.
Your blog posts should be short reflections. They don’t have to be really long. A few paragraphs should be sufficient. If you have trouble posting, then feel free to email your responses to me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)