Saturday 24 April 2021

The urge to destroy

One of the many things that baffle me is the crazy urge to destroy that some people possess. However you look at their actions, they make absolutely no sense except as a brainless desire to annoy and inconvenience other people.

Right now there's a massive wildfire in the Mourne Mountains, 30 miles south of Belfast. There have been many wildfires there over the last few years, some of them clearly started by arsonists. Why deliberately destroy many acres of beautiful scenery and innocent wildlife?

A 24 year old man has been arrested in Surrey after dozens of mature trees were randomly chopped down. Again, there have been other similar tree-felling incidents over the years, and never any plausible explanation. Needless to say, the locals are always incensed by such vandalism.

Memorials, monuments and gravestones are regularly defaced, broken and covered with graffiti. Plastic rubbish, which could harm or kill marine creatures, is left on beaches. Obstacles placed on railway lines could cause crashes and derailments. Equipment in children's playgrounds is wrecked beyond repair.

Goodness knows what the motivation is. Is it some personal grudge or grievance? Is it the urge to disrupt other people's seemingly happier lives? Is it the need to impress some bunch of friends they hang out with? Is it to give them a sense of power? It's a mystery.

It's impossible to understand why some people want to destroy something valuable and life-enhancing rather than to nurture it. Unfortunately it can be the work of a moment to destroy something, while nurturing can take a lot more effort and dedication.

26 comments:

  1. The littering is just lazy ass people who can’t trouble themselves to find a trash can, which is different than the other acts of destruction. I think the motivation for most of what you described is just anger, similar to a toddler throwing a temper tantrum.

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    1. Bijoux: I think there must be a lot more to it than anger. We all get angry over things but we don't end up on a wrecking spree.

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  2. I think those who feel powerless are more likely to destroy. That seems to me to be what is happening with the riots here in the USA. When "This is the only thing I can do" becomes true you know how bad things have become. I'm hoping the recent verdict will help some but only if other police officers are also put on trial and found guilty. I can't imagine going out in fear of your life every single day just because of the color of your skin.

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    1. Linda: I agree that the powerless are more likely to destroy, I guess partly because they feel they have nothing much to lose. The Chauvin verdict was encouraging, but I think there's still a lot of work to do in rooting out institutional racism. As you say, constantly being in fear of your life must be dreadful.

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  3. I've often wondered the same thing.
    what is the point?
    they obviously have NO regard for the very LIFE Force that is in everything. they are too wrapped up in their own supposed pain.
    or perhaps it is simply for attention. their Name and Face across the air waves for everyone to see. they don't care if it's bad attention... as long as it's ATTENTION. it's pathetic and senseless and insane.

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    1. Tammy: Yes, I think attention-seeking comes into it. And also, as you say, being wrapped up in your own pain and oblivious to other people's needs. I'm sure the tree-fellers love all the fuss and bewilderment they cause.

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  4. I feel the same as you. I don't get destroying property especially nature and wildlife.

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    1. Ann: Destroying nature and wildlife, causing the death of hundreds of innocent creatures, is especially despicable.

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  5. I know people who can and will engage in acts of destruction. I do not understand.

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    1. Joanne: Why would anyone want to do that? There's something very wrong with their view of the world.

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  6. I am not a psychiatrist but, I think that it is some form deep rooted angst that translates into destructive behaviour. Possibly to attract attention to oneself if not immediately while destroying but later when the perpetrator is caught.

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    1. Ramana: I agree that it's some deep-seated angst about the person's relationship to other people and the outside world. A shame they can't talk to someone about it instead of going on a rampage of destruction.

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  7. Anger can be completely misdirected, and delving deeper, why are so many men so violent? It's all connected. Placing no value on others or autonomy and certainly no value on themselves. It's fed by war, so called "games" (millionaires on ice, on football fields playing for the raging rabble) boxing rings. et al.

    It's a violent world, Nick, and throwing rubbish and chopping trees is just a symptom of an unequal (and angry) society.

    XO
    WWW

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    1. www: And all those violent activities are the result of boys' upbringing, teaching them that men are inherently violent and sexually predatory and "that's just the way they are".

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  8. Wasn't there a member of an ambulance crew killed the other day because someone threw something from a bridge onto the motorway? It sickens me - every act of vandalism that you have written about. And the tree felling, well pffft..., beggars belief.
    Sx

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    1. Ms Scarlet: Yes, and the really sickening thing about the ambulance guy was that he had come out of retirement to help with the covid crisis. Five more shifts and he would be retiring again.

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  9. It makes no sense why people do some of the things they do.

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    1. Mary: I guess it makes some kind of twisted sense to them, but to the rest of us it's insane.

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  10. I am particularly sickened by people who set forest fires or chop down old trees. That's something that can't be undone or fixed.

    (I'm having a hell of a time with Blogger - it would not let me comment once I'd logged on and I had to go to my old computer. Not sure what teh problem is, but I need to fix it before this computer bites the dust!)

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    1. Agent: As you say, trees that have been growing for maybe hundreds of years can't be replaced. Once they're gone, they're gone.

      I hope you solve the commenting problem. Blogger can be a bit temperamental sometimes.

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  11. Is Agent using an Apple computer? Apple is a right pain with Blogger. If so, I might be able to help.
    Sx

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    1. Ms Scarlet: I've emailed your message to her.

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    2. Agent - I have replied, if you can’t see my mail it might be in your Spam box. Good luck!
      Sx

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  12. Seems to me creating havoc in others lives requires more effort than leading a more congenial life. Their thinking is warped for a multitude of different individual reasons for each person, I guess.

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    1. Joared: I agree there are many factors involved, it's a lot more complex than a sudden burst of anger or some sort of grudge.

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