Violence - Andrea Leyton-Mange

[Andrea Leyton-Mange]

Never getting punched is towards the top of my list of life goals. I consider myself a non-violent person, both in everyday fear of pain and in larger world view.

Violence is inevitable, but rarely justifiable. It is a social ill, and a compassionate society should make a goal of reducing it as much as possible. There are a plethora of issues to contend with in order to do this: among them are the possible instinctive drive toward violence, the inextricable link between violence and power, the frequent necessity of resisting violence with even more violence, and the fact that violence itself is also symptomatic of underlying social issues.

Violence is common to all known societies, which argues for its instinctive roots. Maybe it's an outgrowth of necessary aggression towards prey, or maybe it's an inevitable conclusion of scarcity and competition. Even in modern society where most forms of violence are outlawed or taboo, blood and gore is always a powerful sell in sports, movies, and video games. People hunt for pleasure when it is unnecessary to hunt for food. This begs the question of whether violence is just a means to an end or a human propensity in and of itself.

Most of the allure of violence likely comes from its relationship to power. Having control over someone's physical well-being puts you in an instant position of authority, whether it is deserved or not. Even though violence should ideally be eradicated, this means that the capability of violence must be preserved for certain people and institutions. I hate war, but I wouldn't want to remove that license from the government charged with protecting me and my family. This constant need to be capable of exerting power over others ensures that the world will only be as peaceful as its most belligerent sect.

Organized groups should only use violence to prevent further violence or, in rare cases, to combat other social ills. Military force should never be taken lightly (especially because civilians are the usual victims), but sometimes it is the only way to dismantle or defend against a regime that is committing atrocities against other groups or its own people. Military force should mostly be the large-scale corollary to legal self-defense – used only when there is a clear and present danger, and using only the minimum necessary amount of force to defray that danger. The use of nuclear bombs on Japan at the end of World War II and America's recent invasion of Iraq are not good examples of necessary use of military force.

Of course, violence is only ever made appropriate and necessary by the inappropriate use of violence - individuals and organizations attempting to exert power over others to eradicate opposition or obtain some kind of reward. Unfortunately the personal, economic, ethnic, and territorial motivation for conflict will not go away if the violence is held in check temporarily. Living below the poverty level, being abused, and lacking a stable home during childhood are all risk factors for committing a violent crime. Violence is clearly not only a problem itself, but also endemic of other societal issues that will not go away easily.

To me, violence is the most frightening form of bodily harm. Humans hurting other humans is the ultimate failure of the rational mind to control senseless destructive instincts, desire for power, and cultural coercion. I hope that one day we will have a less violent world, but it will certainly be a slow process with many backward steps. We need to correct social ills through peaceful means wherever possible, and as always, spread the messages of tolerance and compassion.

[Andrea Leyton-Mange]

Hi everyone - my brother just e-mailed me an interesting article on this subject:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/magaz ... 0&emc=eta1