A Tad Bit ‘Bout Life

Violence is a terrible, yet universal thing. Is it inherently a part of you? Are you naturally driven to violence? Many sources (including myself) believe that yes, it is part of human nature. Why? There are several answers to this rather puzzling question. Look at animals.

Animals’ lives revolve around violence. Dogs, cats, rats, bats, horses, giraffes, lions, and all other kinds of animals fight amongst themselves over food, mates, social status, and everything or anything they might jointly encounter. As an example, I have selected a situation to which I can easily relate.

I happen to have six dogs at home, and my household is always on edge because of these hairy beasts. There are four rottweilers, a boxer-rottweiler mix, and a labrador-street cross. Of the four rottweilers, two are males, and must be kept apart. To solve this problem, we now have two garden sections: front and back, split apart by a tall fence. The next problem is on side A, in which there are two rottweilers, a castrated male and a female. These always quarrel over insignificant things, and one of them, the female (named Stasi, after the East German secret police, in an attempt to make her an intimidating creature) crowned herself Queen, and is highly restrictive to the male, forbidding him to bark at certain passer-by’s, and to eat without her “royal” permission. On the other side, though, things are quite different. The senior rottweiler on that side is called Baloo (after the bear in the Jungle Book), and he is extremely friendly with both dogs and humans, a rather rare combination. The junior rottweiler is Grunter, an absolutely hyperactive pest, who spends her life bugging others. Her constant “bugging” of others resulted in a quarrel, and one of the dogs (Mutt, a rather fierce canine, yet full of dignity, which we picked up at the dog shelter, was the outcome of crossing a labrador and a street dog) residing on side B needed to be given protection from the little devil. Our dogs, as well as all other dogs, are constantly engaged in violent activities, whether as play, or in serious “social” grabs to canine power. We humans, according to the Theory of Evolution, hypothesized by Charles Darwin, are related to animals, though in a rather vague sense. This makes us animals, though civilized and advanced, but nevertheless animals.    

     Another addition to the theory that humans are inherently violent is the idea that all humans (yes, you, me, and the world) are violent, but the difference that makes a person “non-violent” (not theoretically or practically possible, but by modern means true) is with what power he suppresses his violence. People with flaring tempers are, according to this theory, weak-minded. To have the ability to control and release one’s temper might not be an easy thing, but it is absolutely possible. Some people cannot be provoked or offended because they learn to control and cover their emotions. This is, I believe, becoming a thing of the past. It seems that swallowing pain, honourable as it is, is “out.” It seems to be all the rage to weep and scream, and to allow the testosterone to erupt into an angry ball of fire. Physicians say this is “healthy”, but I believe that it is nonsense. I admire the people that control their feelings. People like this have a strong character, as well as very effective emotional defences, allowing no insults to seep through.           

     Some philosophers believe that violence is a due part of evolution, that we fight for survival as beings. Without violence, we (humans) wouldn’t have survived. This is basically “Survival of the Fittest.” The potential of violence is in everyone, states this theory, but it is in certain circumstances where that violence is released, whether permanently, or temporarily.            

     There are many theories that support the idea that violence is part of human nature, but on the other hand, few that oppose it. The only one I could think of or find was the Christian viewpoint on the subject. It is as follows.            

     According to Christian belief (which I ironically happen to belong to), we are all pure when we first come to Earth. It is Satan who provokes acts of violence, and it is our choice whether we listen to him or not. Most people, unfortunately, listen to Satan, and therefore fall in sin. The following matter is indeed highly complicated, and highly ironic. In 1095 A.D., Pope Urban II rallied all those of Christian faith in Europe to drive out the pagan Turks, as a reward promising instant redemption of sin. How could those of Christian faith do exactly what the Christian and Catholic Church were formed against? How could Pope Urban II, the absolute top of the Catholic religion, contradict his position to God, and listen to Satan by engaging in violence, and war? Readers, those of you that are Christian, or know of the Ten Commandments, recall the Sixth commandment: “Thou shalt not kill…” This is hard to understand. The text itself is clear, but why did the Crusaders kill in the name of God if killing was a mortal sin? They manipulated the words of the Bible, saying that they weren’t killing, but that they were rooting evil, Satan, out of the world by decimating Muslims, and recapturing the Holy City of Jerusalem.

At that time, the Roman Catholic Church was, shamefully, corrupt. They sold pardons, which redempted sin. The funds went into building the Basilica of Saint Peter, the largest Church in the world. Rather shameful, but those times were filled with corruption, pain and death. The Dark Ages were times that are best forgotten, or maybe used as a remembrance of the anarchy of the time, and a lesson to future generations. It is an ironic thing that I, writing of all these atrocities, am Catholic. I am a firm believer, but I am open to other reasonable ideas. It is said that religion is a controversial matter, and therefore, I wish not, and will not get into it any further.            

     This all , I hope, has given you (other than a cracking head-ache) an insight of the controversies of the world, and of why I believe violence is inherent to human nature. If you have anything to argue (please not about religious technicalities if you could), please do. Thank you.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 23rd, 2008 at 8:00 am and is filed under Philosophic Questions, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.