Reblogged: America’s culture of violence

[DavidV]

Although I believe in the individual’s right to own the means to defend himself, I want to say that I do not believe that the reason that there are so many violent shootings in the USA is that too few people own guns. Nor do I believe, that the main problem is that people do not receive enough mental health services. The chief problem is that we are sick to begin with.

The main cause of violence in America is that America has a culture of violence. It is everywhere — in our movies, cities, laws, and homes. It is not the weapons themselves nor any admiration for the weapons that is responsible for our worship of violence, but the fact that almost everyone believes that conflicts of interest are inherent to human interaction. Today, violence and destruction are more deeply seeded in our culture than ever before in the history of America. It is instilled in us when we grow up in violent households, go to violent schools, face violent peers, and experience the politics of violence as adults.

By “violence” I do refer primarily to crude physical violence, although there is still plenty of that. I refer to the violence done when any parent, schoolyard bully, teacher, policeman, preacher, government bureaucrat, or politician says: “you must do this or else.” I refer specifically to the philosophical worldview implied in that statement: that human values inherently conflict with each other, and therefore men must extract values from each other by force.

The only thing necessary for the violence to end is for people to recognize that there is no conflict of interest between rational men. Everyone, from parents to businessmen to judges must accept the fact that men should and can gain values from each other by voluntary exchange rather than force. We must fully accept, integrate, and apply the simple idea that force is not a moral or practical means to gain the cooperation of other people.

If we raised our children to believe this for the first few years of their life, the violence in our homes, schools, laws and foreign wars would end.

Original: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TruthJusticeAndTheAmericanWay/~3/4Nbt5j09SFM/

[softwareNerd]

... The main cause of violence in America is that America has a culture of violence. It is everywhere -- in our movies, cities, laws, and homes. ... ... It is instilled in us when we grow up in violent households, go to violent schools, face violent peers, and experience the politics of violence as adults.

You're implying that this type of violence has increased over the last few generation. Are you implying, for instance, that parents are much more ready to be spank, whip etc. their kids than a generation or two ago? Or that a kid today is much more likely to have to fight physically against bullies than his dad did growing up? All indications are that this type of violence has reduced rather than increased. In addition, if you compare with other countries, as opposed to a previous generation, there is much more such violence all over the world. So, I'm really stuck on this premise... unless you mean something else.

[Nicky]

Fact is, mass murder is nothing new (the largest US school massacre for instance took place in 1927, and followed the same pattern: rampage followed by suicide). Nor does it seem more frequent than before. Nor does it seem more frequent in the US than elsewhere. ('m basing this on looking over the various lists on wikipedia - as far as I can tell, these incidents are evenly spread out in space and time).

The only thing that's different is the media coverage.

Based on that, I don't think culture explains this phenomenon, of the very rare, lonely lunatic going on a rampage of murder/suicide. I think the explanation is more psychological than cultural. I think this would be happening even if the only thing on TV were Sesame Street episodes, and society was rational and fully capitalistic.

Edited December 16, 2012 by Nicky

[Ninth Doctor]

The chief problem is that we are sick to begin with.

This might cheer you up:

We're getting better! Like, empirically speaking.