Is Violence Wired into Your DNA?

[Dax]

Tune into any TV newscast and you will be confronted with reports of certain earthlings who have no problem killing, maimimg, torturing and inflicting excruciating pain on fellow men and women. Is this sheer cruelty, suffering and agony something they get off on? Is a man kicking another man to death, stabbing another or decapitating a fellow human something they have been trained to do or is it just a pleasure to inflict such cruelty?

Personally I would find it very difficult to physically hurt any person or animal unless maybe they were threatening me or my family. I find it hard to even watch violence on TV but then maybe I'm just a wuss

How do you feel about acts of violence?

[Audiogen]

I like violent Video Games and Movies so obviously something about violence appeals to me. In the real world, I don't like random acts of violence (I'm using random loosely here to include premeditated acts that initiated violence as well) but I don't always dislike retaliatory acts if they are morally justified. War is a grey area, really depends on the circumstances.

[Meliai]

This is something I was thinking about the other day because I was thinking how absurd it is that humanity hasn't evolved beyond war yet. As a society we wear this collective mask of civility but then we elect leaders who have the power to kill thousands, even millions, of people over land/resource disputes.

It really is absurd.

I have a strong aversion to violence. I will hide my head or leave the room during a violent scene in a movie/TV show

[Din Djarin]

It's only absurd for people who have high expectations of humanity, or feel we should be at some further point by now
I often think its amazing we got at this point :P

[Din Djarin]

How i feel about violence in art and entertainment depends on the details. Sometimes its too gruesome or serious to enjoy or appreciate.
The dogs tearing a slave apart alive in Django Unchained is a good example. But most other violence in that movie is entertaining
Another good example is the famous scene from American history X, with the jaw on the pavement. The scene serves its purpose though

[Meliai]

Ughughugh the curb scene is definitely a scene I bury my head deep into a pillow and refuse to watch.
Great movie though

[Undies]

i don't mind violence in entertainment (although i don't care to watch gore). in real life, i really don't see the point 99.9% of the time, and the 0.1% when it does serve a purpose, it's more of a necessary evil than something i actually like.

[Audiogen]

There's a dark pessimism about human nature here but it's as good a take as any as why we perpetuate it.


TOOL - Vicarious

Eye on the TV
'Cause tragedy thrills me.
Whatever flavour
It happens to be like:
"Killed by the husband",
"Drowned by the ocean",
"Shot by his own son",
"She used a poison in his tea",
"And kissed him goodbye".
That's my kind of story.
It's no fun 'til someone dies.

Don't look at me like
I am a monster.
Frown out your one face
But with the other.
Stare like a junkie
Into the TV.
Stare like a zombie
While the mother
Holds her child,
Watches him die
Hands to the sky,
Crying, "Why, oh, why?"

'Cause I need to watch things die from a distance.
Vicariously I live while the whole world dies.

You all need it too.
Don't lie.

Why can't we just admit it?
Why can't we just admit it?

We won't give pause until the blood is flowing.
Neither the brave nor bold
Will write us the story, so,
We won't give pause until the blood is flowing.

I need to watch things die from a good safe distance.
Vicariously I live while the whole world dies.

You all feel the same.
So, why can't we just admit it?

Blood like rain come down.
Drum on grave and ground.

Part vampire, part warrior.
Carnivore and voyeur.
Stare at the transmittal.
Sing to the death rattle.

La, la, la, la, la, la, la-lie. [4x]

Credulous at best, your desire to believe in angels in the hearts of men.
Pull your head on out your hippie haze and give a listen.
Shouldn't have to say it all again.

The universe is hostile, so impersonal.
Devour to survive.
So it is. So it's always been.

We all feed on tragedy.
It's like blood to a vampire.

Vicariously I live while the whole world dies.
Much better you than I.

[neonspectraltoast]

It wasn't my decision, I was a victim of circumstance
It wasn't right, I knew I never had a chance
My anger grew so fucking large it almost overcame
My independence almost got lost to the violence chain
Pieces of a machine called education (I was desparate) I plea for peace
Victim of the cycle of intimidation (I was separate) I plea for peace
They'll find you (running hiding)
Way down inside you
And I plea for peace

[Tropical Breeze]

Yes, or at least it appears that way for me. I don't like to be around real life violence and look avoid it. But whether we like violence or not i definitely feel its wired in us. Just most aren't in situations or life circumstances where that violent energy gets unleashed or feels the need to erupt. Its easy to say i'm not a violent person when i don't have to deal with it in a constant basis. When life is going smoothly in comparison to others who have to fight for food or deal with gangs, wars, or abuse daily.

I do enjoy violence as entertainment and have partaken in combative sports. Though i feel that is different than violently attacking people with little reasoning. I don't like to fight or harm anyone but i still posses the potential to be violent. I definitely feel its wired deep in me.

[Youfreeme]

The world (nature) is an extremely brutal, unforgiving, and violent place, if you think about it. And we are products of that world, so it leads that we would be at least somewhat violent.

[PacificDude]

The world (nature) is an extremely brutal, unforgiving, and violent place, if you think about it. And we are products of that world, so it leads that we would be at least somewhat violent.

Not me. I don't like guns big time, and I've never shot an innocent duck flying in the sky. My dad did his best to train me, but it just didn't take. Love is the answer:

[Jessica]

if we take "being human" as being the epitome of all the traits we list when we separate ourselves from other animals, then we are actually somewhere between chimp and human. maybe one day violence will fade from our DNA.

there's definitely a big difference between watching a scene in a film like Fight Club, where both people are choosing to fight, and watching a scene like is mentioned above in American History X where violence is against a victim.

Even if the victim "deserves" it. I definitely don't believe in this idea that if something is evil enough, then violence against it is justified.

Violence is only justified if all the people taking part in it choose to do so. War should take place in special war areas, if we must have wars.

[mallyboppa]

Thats What Grace Slick once said in an interview (about wars ) I always remember that

[Pete's Draggun]

Violence is definitely wired into my DNA, but it is definitely filtered as well.

I hate all and any kind of violence against women, children and animals.

I tolerate violence towards me and grown men plus or minus 10 years of my age and any in between.


I've been shooting people since the age of 15
I've been boxing people since the age of 31

[Din Djarin]

Not me. I don't like guns big time, and I've never shot an innocent duck flying in the sky. My dad did his best to train me, but it just didn't take. Love is the answer:

That's a very specific form of violence though, we could even say an unnatural form.
Guns are for pussies who go the easy way. Swords are the proper way

[Din Djarin]

i don't mind violence in entertainment (although i don't care to watch gore). in real life, i really don't see the point 99.9% of the time, and the 0.1% when it does serve a purpose, it's more of a necessary evil than something i actually like.

I don't dig gore and splatter horror either. But I love the realism of like gunshots and fighting in games and also certain movies (im quite selective in 'action movies' though!). Like in a game the different effects of shooting at a limb with a shotgun compared to a pistol haha
The slomo killshots in RDR2 when you kill a lawmen.. You see details you wouldn't notice if it didn't went into slomo and i like them :P


In real life I feel often an urge to give in to violence, its just that its not worth the trouble and consequences in a civil society that's implemented with law and order. And yes, also the regret and rational thought afterwards, no worries :P
But a lot of people deserve some violence inflicted on them.
And its often also a great feeling to give in to at the moment.

So if we weren't in a relatively fair society I see the point of violence quite well.

I still see the point why i could resort to it in our society a lot more often than you, but that doesn't mean i resort to it. Part of that reason is I rarely see the point when others do it :P
Like, i can see the point, but also how useless it is and far from the best option.

So yeah, the essence of this was adequately brought up by Youfreeme In our natural environment we have a lot more use for it. And we're still the same creatures

[Din Djarin]