Violence!

Violence!

Violence is a complex subject. Its causes are convoluted and disputed. There are many potential contributing factors. This discussion does not attempt to expose all of them. There are sources for continued exploration at the end of this article. The reader is encouraged to engage with them and form their own opinions and conclusions. As always, “A Place for the Eye to Rest” is a consciousness raising platform and not a point of conclusion.

We have seen many examples of violence recently, including riots, violent protests, bombings and mass murders. Their contributing factors are many and vary as widely the events themselves.

Experts and professionals identify some of the main factors contributing to violence itself. Among them:

• The influence of one’s peers: Peer Pressure

• Need for attention or respect: Attention seeking behavior

• Low self-worth: perspective on one’s self image

• Prior or ongoing experience with abuse or neglect: expression of repressed rage, normalization

• Normalization of violence in the community, media, or home

• Access to weapons: Gun control, acceptance

These are not the only factors contributing to the existence of violence. They are some recognized elements that deserve scrutiny.

PEER PRESSURE

Peer pressure goes hand in hand with being human. We seek to be part of a tribe, association, or community. Initially this supported survival. Not everyone has a good day hunting or gathering. If enough members of the group were successful, survival was guaranteed. Through history to the present, group membership has met many needs beyond basic survival.

Groups form when several individuals come together to accomplish a shared goal. Individuals find their personal identity strengthened by their membership in a group. They are bound together by a common interest, which may be anything from love of chess to the violent overthrow of the government.

Groups form for good or for ill. Defining that is a matter of perspective.

NEED FOR ATTENTION:

Being “needy “is generally an uncomfortable self-description. Everyone considers themselves to be special in some way and deserving of attention and appreciation. In relation to violence, those dissatisfied with the quality and quantity of attention paid to them seek avenues to increase that attention.

The extreme form of this need is called Narcissistic Histrionic Personality Disorder. Things are done to purposely seek attention. Compliments and validation are a constant need and goal. Erratic behavior and patterns may be present. This type of attention seeking can lead to violence on the part of the individual when attention is lacking or to the dramatic support of others who might perpetuate violence.

Attention seeking behavior is often a front for an inferiority complex That is played out through overly aggressive behaviors (violence) and the demonizing of others. The goal is to elevate one’s self by diminishing others.

Attention seeking behavior leads to another recognized cause of violence:

LOW SELF-ESTEEM.

Persons with low self-worth are chronic name callers. Their lack of internalized self-worth requires that others be diminished during their own elevation. Often the attempts to elevate self-worth are made without consideration of the effect on others. Violence may result.

Events that elevate self esteem are often aggressive and violent. To the party with low self-esteem, the creation of drama and violence are of no consequence. They feel better about themselves. That is success. Nothing beyond that is considered. Linked with the other items that contribute to violence, low self esteem just serves to contribute to the process that results in violence.

Persons may be pushed to bolster self-perception. If their own behavior comes into question, violence may erupt to solve any discrepancy. Rather than admit failure to meet their own self induced perceptions, a low self-esteem individual will resort to extremes to any questioning. This conflict would then lead to violent behavior, and confrontations.

EXPERIENCE WITH ABUSE OF NEGLECT:

Many elements contribute to the personality of those who perpetrate violence. Previous personal experience with abuse or neglect is common. A child abused tends to grow into an abusive parent. A child abused finds violence normalized. It all seems like a regular part of life.

Persons who experience violence in their home, community or in the media become desensitized to it. Once desensitized they are more likely to participate in it without fear or conscience. It has been documented by research that violent family interactions are the single greatest determinant of an individual’s acceptance of levels of violence outside the home.

NORMALIZATION OF VIOLENCE.

Consider our society. America is a violent country. Our history is filled with it. The necessity to survive and conquer required it. It is pervasive in our collective story.

Now consider our surrounding culture today. Media a puts violence on the front burner and stirs it vigorously. Not only is it presented, but because of lack of follow through, the next day’s news seldom relays the backstory of the violence, nor its consequences. An unrealistic perception of violence follows.

Consider the movies. Terms like “gratuitous violence” can be applied to most films produced today. Even animated films contain it. Good-over evil plot lines often employ violence.

Video games are predominately violent. People are shot, beheaded, smashed, and vaporized with abandon, as the protagonist avatar, moves ever forward. Corpses never rot. Families are not left destitute, and criminal charges are not brought. Violence is required and ever present.

With ubiquitousness and a history of violence, it is not surprising that violence holds a regular and accepted place in our society.

And a much-disputed area:

ACCESS TO WEAPONS:

There are societies on earth which feel little need for weapons. Law enforcement handles their “protect and serve” mandate with a stout stick and a can of repellant. The phrase “When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.” is often heard in our society. The dominance of persons with weapons over those without weapons can problematic. This becomes a cultural question. We have already seen how historical influences play on the culture. Additional influences of media, family violence, self-esteem issues, peer pressure, and personality disorders all come into play.

What are guns or other weapons intended for?

Obtaining food? Hunting? Certainly.

Protection? Against marauding animals and opposing human forces? OK.

As a vehicle to induce fear in one’s philosophical opponents and to create a bulwark against anyone who might threaten your sense of self? Perhaps not!

Circumstances certainly vary!

Having weapons in hand and readily available certainly ups the incidence of violence. Those with weapons feel empowered. Those without feel threatened. Violence seems inevitable.

Violence is a complex subject. Influences are many. Solutions are limitless and are long in coming. Considering the fear, death and destruction generated by violence, it seems like a subject worthy of consideration.

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Articles for consideration:

Economics and Violent Conflict: https://preventconflict.org/portal/economics,

History and Definitions of Family Violence: Chapter 1

https:// www.google.com disenfranchisement

https://www.sentincingproject.org

https://www.healthy psyche.com

https://www.psychologytoday.com Fear based anger as Primary Motive for Violence

Social Development Direct: Youth Exclusion, Violence and Conflict: 4-30-09

https://www.livescience.com

https://www.google.com Attention Seeking Personality Disorder

https://www.referenceforbusiness.com Group Dynamics

https://www.Google.com Family Violence

https://google.com Peer Pressure, Napoleon Complex

https://liveyourtruestory Approval Seeking Behaviours

And a multitude of books on the various areas of consideration.

Comments, Additions, corrections? karenmac1999@hotmail.com