The Nature of Violence, and How We can Reduce it

Premise: Following various reports of heinous crimes being committed in our country, and the recent confession by a former G4S employee of killing 17 people, many Kenyans are shocked at the frequency and intensity of violence.

Violent Times

Many people believe that we live in especially violent times. But is this true? To better understand this, we need to distinguish violence against other people and against things. In fact, the concept of using force [read violence] to realize law and order in civil societies is in many situations inspired by a mood as violent as that which it claims to fight.


Heightened Awareness

All in all, rising crime continues to be much discussed, with statistics frightening many people. Hate and destructiveness are impulses which obscure rational and objective thinking and easily create a polarization, by reinforcing each other.  


Is Violence Inherent?

1) An affirmative answer has been maintained from Hobbes to Freud to Lorenz. Those who subscribe to this school of thought maintain that aggression and destructiveness are innate, directed toward self or toward others.

 2) A counterview asserts that man is good by nature, and only destructive because social circumstances corrupt him. Others assert that aggressiveness is learned. This was the thinking that was popularized by psychological experts during the age of enlightenment.

3) A third view, originally presented by John Dollard, maintains that aggression is always occasioned by frustration. Despite all the above however, some individuals and societies have either very high or very low levels of violence.  


The case with Humans

The theory that violence is hereditary and has been passed down generations is found wanting, upon the observation that other mammals, especially primates are less aggressive and destructive than man. Human destructiveness is consistently more frequent and intense. It can therefore only be explained as a result of specific conditions on our existence, not animal hereditary or as a neurophysical necessity.

Types of Human Aggressiveness

• Reactive or defensive aggressiveness - when vital interests are threatened.


• Lustful aggressiveness - sadism, and cruel desire to exercise absolute control over others


• Necrophilia - a cold, unalive attraction to death, decay, sickness and the mechanical

Controlling Destructiveness  

Main causes of Violence

• Feeling of anxiety


• mechanization of life, where thinking and reasoning are much separated


• powerlessness of individuals


• contradiction between values professed and what is acted

Control Measures

• individuals should cease to feel powerless


• compulsive consumption should be reduced


• humanization of our technological society


• society must serve human ends - growth and development of humans


• emotions and reason should be brought together

In a nutshell

Reduction of violence will be achieved not through an increased control of aggression and violence, but reduction of destructiveness and violence. This is best done by making individual and social life more meaningful and human. Note: This post has been condensed from the article "The Nature of Violence" by Eric Fromm

It is Written: The Human Condition since Time Immemorial

From Time Immemorial

Towards the end of March this year, I watched the 10th episode of the final season [6] of the wildly popular TV Series LOST. Titled Ab Aeterno, which is a Latin phrase that means "from an infinitely remote time in the past", the episode tells Richard Alpert's back story.

Having accidentally killed his physician in 1867, Richard [then known as Ricardo] is sentenced to hang. While in jail, Ricardo reads his Bible. Minutes before his execution, a priest visits him. At this point, Ricardo is reading from the book of Luke, chapter 4.

It is Written

This entire chapter is an account of  Jesus' activities shortly after he returned from his 40-day fast in the wilderness.

Following are personal deductions from various verses in the chapter, with respect to how relevant they are to our every day life situations:

• v2-3 Not just God, but the devil too will often meet you at your point of need.


• v13 Overcoming temptations is not an end in itself. The devil usually leaves for just a while, only to return when you are no longer steadfast or keen to resist temptation.


• v23 Human beings just love to compare themselves with others.


• v25 Some things are meant for only some people. That is why only the widow in Zarephath was fed in the days of Elijah, inasmuch as the entire land was experiencing famine.


• v27 Likewise, only Naaman the Syrian was healed of leprosy in the days of Elisha


• v28-29 People cannot handle the truth, they will all too often get very angry and irrationally kill the messenger...


• v31, 32, 36,37 Thankfully, the people of Capernaum had a different reaction. They welcomed the message of God. They went ahead and shared the good news with others, thereby spreading the word everywhere


• v40 Jesus did perform miracles and heal the sick


• v42 These people were so interested in Jesus' message, that they sought him and requested him to stay on with them

The Human Condition

In view of the above, I found it very striking that people can react so differently to the exact same message. Additionally, people will invariably compare themselves with others.

Unique, just like every person else

The widow who was fed in Zarephath and Naaman the syrian who was healed of leprosy, both underscore the importance of understanding that some things are only meant for some people, no matter how much we feel we deserve similar treatment.

Additionally, not every good thing comes from the right place or person, or is offered with noble intentions. We therefore need to be discerning whenever seemingly good things come our way.

Standing by our word

The devil departed from Jesus Christ only for a while.

This basically means that winning the battle doesn't necessarily mean that the war has been won. We therefore need to be steadfast in seeking good and overcoming evil.

The Written Word

The more I read this and many other chapters in the Bible, the more I realize that there are many ways of looking at everything that happens to us.

In the same vein, the more I marvel at the genius of the writers of LOST.

What do you think?

Searching for and Finding Meaning and Hope even in Life's Struggles

"The will to meaning is the basic motivation for human life." -

Viktor Frankl (Holocaust survivor)

A Better Understanding

Seeking meaning and purpose is perhaps the singular reason that human beings progress. This is what makes life worth living, as we seek a deeper understanding of ourselves and life, despite its attendant complexities.

Even in the face of suffering, humanity is still defined by a will that is largely predicated on this very search for wisdom, purpose and direction.

Cries from the Heart

As we encounter many things in life, we still keep believing that there are answers to many of life's questions. At times, we get drained and want more while on this search. But we still continue to believe.

While some seek understanding in the sciences, technology and varied belief systems, others search within. Still, others seek answers from the supernatural or from a higher power. All these are Cries from the Heart which have continued since time began.

Stories of Struggle and Hope

Human struggle is as ubiquitous as the air we breath. It is indeed true that life is not a bed of roses. And even when we insist on looking and focusing on the roses amongst thorns, we cannot wish away the thorns which keep pricking our sides, we still have to attend to various pertinent issues in our lives.

Cries from the Heart is a book written by Johanne Christoph Arnold. He is a counsellor and pastor who has served over twenty five years. He has written several other books, many of which you can get on his website.

Book Contents

CONTENTS

to the reader 7

foreword 9

1. searching – God finds an atheist 11

2. finding – is someone really there? 18

3. believing – even when children die? 24

4. universality – call it what you will 31

5. god’s messengers – angels at work 38

6. emotional suffering – when you can’t pray 45

7. illness – where the doctor leaves off 54

8. despair – talking to a wall 69

9. attitude – thank God I’m not like that! 83

10. reverence – meet your maker 95

11. letting go – my will be done 105

12. remorse – when you’ve messed up 114

13. protection – alive to tell it 126

14. selflessness – someone needs you 134

15. service – words are not enough 140

16. contemplation – be quiet and listen 149

17. worship – giving thanks in a death camp 160

18. unity – divided we fall 166

19. marriage – unlocking horns 171

20. unanswered prayer – isn’t “no” an answer? 179

21. miracles – what do you expect? 186

22. prayer in daily life – keeping the faith 199

23. faithfulness – one thing never changes 207

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