Needless to say, it's mainly men who find violence so attractive, though women can be drawn to it as well. For those men obsessed with being masculine, violence is the classic way to show your manliness and show how tough and ruthless you can be. Being kind and gentle is strictly for wimps.
So the world is plagued by wars, gangland murders, sexual aggression, terrorist attacks, honour killings, internet abuse and all those other things rooted in the sick thrill of violence. Of course there's always some bogus excuse for it - it's necessary to teach someone a lesson, satisfy your sexual needs, gain political control, or defend your territory.
They'll never admit it, but often it's all down to the sheer enjoyment of violence. The sheer pleasure of terrifying someone, beating them up or finishing them off. The euphoric sense of just letting rip, breaking all the rules.
Who knows what causes someone to relish violence rather than recoiling from it? Is it genetic, is it childhood conditioning, is it a mental disorder, is it a response to the way others have treated you? It's hard to say. I suspect it usually stems from a miserable childhood devoid of parental love and affection. The resulting anger and bitterness all too easily turns to violence.
But whatever the cause, it's sickening to read daily horror stories of people who laugh and gloat as they inflict appalling violence. Even when they're taken to court, they show no remorse but act lackadaisical about what they did.
I can't begin to imagine what's going on in their minds.
Pic: A protest against the molestation of a Tanzanian girl in Bangalore, India in February 2016
It's hard to fathom the psyche behind the violence. I do wonder about those who stand by and watch. Have we conditioned society to not be appalled by violence through movies, video games, YouTube, etc?
ReplyDeleteI've never enjoyed violence. There seems to be plenty that do.
ReplyDeletePatriarchal conditioning. Endless war. Poverty. Entertainment. Lions and Christians. Hunting for sport. Drones. Porn. Every day even in my wee corner the headlines make me cringe.
ReplyDeleteIt's a violent fucking world.
Everywhere.
XO
WWW
I'm afraid it's bound to get worse with all the upheaval in the world.
ReplyDeleteBijoux: I think it's true that we've become somewhat numbed to violence through seeing so much of it in the media, TV dramas etc. We've come to accept it as a fact of life rather than something that could be stopped.
ReplyDeleteTreey: It's everywhere you look. Some of it so extreme you can hardly believe what you're reading.
www: Indeed, violence is never far away. I see mothers screaming at their children and men squaring up to each other. Do they not know any better way of behaving?
ReplyDeleteJean: Very likely. Attempts to reduce violence don't get very far when those concerned are so addicted to it.
I recall once in a grocery store a few years ago.
ReplyDeletea huge guy who was in front of me in line didn't like what I said.
"little lady if you was a man I'd knock your block off!"
and I have no doubt that he probably would have.
and what is worse...
I live in an 'open carry' state meaning you can carry an unconcealed gun anywhere on you. yes. like in the old west.
arguments can easily escalate into murder.
it's frightening.
and these kinds of people are growing in numbers.
your post is timely. sad to say. it probably always will be now.
we think there surely were days of civility once upon a time. but now I wonder.
in Florida a week or so ago some teenagers watched as a disabled man drowned while they took pictures of him and laughed at him as he drowned.
they actually laughed.
civilization?
Tammy: Gun culture in the States seems to grow stronger rather than weaker, especially as you say with all the "open carry" provisions. The number of gun-related deaths in the US is horrifying.
ReplyDeleteThe incident in Florida is disgusting. Those teenagers are seriously mentally disturbed.
Hard to know what to say here. It's a screwed up world for sure, but hopefully there are enough good people left to balance the scales of society.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that crime and violence sells newspapers and garners hits on websites. Hopefully it's not as bad as we think it is! I recommend looking at some cute cat pictures for a week instead of allowing so many horrific news stories into your mind. I'm beginning to think that all these stories are a form of mental terrorism.
ReplyDeleteSx
Dave: Hopefully that's the case. Of course we seldom hear about the good people, they don't sell papers or boost TV ratings....
ReplyDeleteScarlet: As you say, crime and violence are what grab people's attention. I like your suggestion. I've put in a regular order for Feline Bulletin as from tomorrow....
As violence gets people what they want, it continues unless restrained by society...and society shows no signs of being able or willing to do so.
ReplyDeleteHelen: Well, it doesn't necessarily get people what they want, witness the interminable battles in the Middle East. But if they actually enjoy it, it just goes on and on.
ReplyDeleteTammy - the story you told makes me shiver. It's a frightening tale.
ReplyDeleteTreey: It's truly horrific. People whose reaction to an "imperfect" human being is to mock them and let them die.
ReplyDeleteThe reasons for violence are multiple I expect. It is worse than disgraceful in the U.S. there is so much killing. There's a lack of compassion for our fellow humans, especially if we don't personally know them. The assumption seems to be to think the worst of anyone we don't know. We might start by doing away with the death penalty.
ReplyDeletePart of the problem is that we've become desensitized by all the reports of violence in every corner of the globe for every conceivable reason. And I also think that we use violence as entertainment (in movies, books, the "sports" of boxing and MMA) that people are either indifferent to or actually amused by people being hurt. It grieves me. I find violence appalling and disturbing.
ReplyDeleteJoared: The number of gun-related deaths in the States is horrifying. There are a lot of gun-owners in Northern Ireland (dating back to the Troubles) but very few gun-related deaths. Thinking the worst of anyone you don't know is a horribly negative attitude.
ReplyDeleteAgent: Me too. I cringe at any sign of violence. As you say, violence is often part of entertainment, and the result is that many people see real-life violence as yet more entertainment. How anyone can be amused by someone getting hurt totally baffles me.
ReplyDeleteAttempts to reduce violence don't get very far when those concerned are so addicted to it.
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