Member-only story
On Hyperviolence
Humans are a violent lot, no doubt. Not only is History completely chock full of documented incidents of human-on-human violence, but hundreds of books have been written on the violent inner nature of mankind, going into our evolutionary past.
We have nearly mastered all forms of violence, cruelty and barbaric behavior and even to this day are creating new forms with new technology. Many times, our violence is even celebrated as heroic and necessary and even in poetic ways such as the blood dripping pages of the Iliad which describes in detail endless gruesome killings in the heat of battle and war, our most violent of activities. Indeed, if it weren’t for our better angels, the ones that show love, mercy, compassion and tenderness we would be nothing but violent to each other. We divide ourselves into two main personalities—the builder and the destroyer, the lover and the hater, the healer and the killer, good and evil. We apply these at all levels from the personal to the group to the nation. In general, we aspire to be good, peaceful builders and to nurture a good life free of strife but inevitably a challenge to that happy peace arises, someone or something intervenes and we respond.
You have heard that it was said…
