Off the Cuff / My Other Journal

The Seeds of Violence are Sown Early in Life

Violence in the world today is and should be a huge concern. Not a day passes that we don't hear of some violent act either around us or in the media.

Of all the violence I hear of, what concerns me the most are the basic conditions that produce violent tendencies in human beings, mainly children. This concern has its roots inside the years during my training for a teacher's license, which led to experimental psychology classes later, and then some voluntary fieldwork for emotionally disturbed children's summer camp.

Those eight to eleven year-olds were something else. Although closely watched and monitored by the teachers and camp officials, we field workers ended up having to come face to face with sudden attacks by the boys. By the time, the camp was over, I was all black and blue from having been kicked suddenly especially on the lower legs. I never squatted or sat down for fear that the kick would find my lower back or the kidneys. I didn't complain, and neither did I let the little attackers know they got the best of me. I had volunteered for this after all.

One condition that produces violent behavior in children is that, needless to say, the child has been hurt early in life. A child who has been spanked, beaten, hit, isolated, sexually abused, neglected or threatened may become violent himself. Although not all children who have been subject to such behavior do not act violently, that hurt has to show itself in some way. The ones who show violence because of this are probably the luckier ones, as they can get attention early enough. The ones who don't show violence outwardly, the violence turns inward, sooner or later in life. It may take the form of self-mutilation, eating disorders, and depression.

Other than being subjected to violence, a factor which usually goes unheeded is the genetics. Children with genetic mental illness or faulty chromosomes suddenly come up with violence earlier or later in their lives. Unfortunately, since little is known concerning this area, practically nothing is done medically to weed the sicknesses out and possibly cure such conditions. I sense, right or wrong, those genetic tendencies usually are responsible for drug and alcohol addictions, or probably any other addiction, later in life, which may lead to violence. Moreover, justifiably or not, such people face social isolation, which intensifies their problems.

What we are doing or trying to do at this time--such as passing gun control laws, building mental health facilities, and aiding families in trouble--have their limitations. The root cause of violent behavior, the thinking and justification of it, must be addressed attentively and thoroughly.

As such, one fact exists in society that leaves me dumbfounded. As much as I am a defender of free speech, I can't disregard the effect of the media, the TV, and the movies, in which violence is glorified and linked to appropriate behavior, usually for males, although females aren't exempt either. Case in point, in the news, two twelve year-old girls took another girl into the woods and stabbed her numerous times just a few days ago. Children learn to bully, haze, and do violent acts by assimilating all data they are being subjected to and by observing adult behavior. While sensitive children become victims, the others become delinquents, bullies, mass shooters, gang bangers, and sadists.

In most industrialized countries, be it with good intentions, children are exposed to the ideas of "us versus them," "win at all costs be it through immoral acts," and "conquer or die." Moreover parents worry about children who refuse to fight, who are not tough, or who cry easily. As a society, we have to accept that violence does not solve problems, not in the long run. As a society, we must not condone tough behavior no matter what, so young people do not feel powerful and justified when they hurt others or even themselves.

Then there is that idea of reciprocity, an eye for an eye. I don't want to insult any religion or belief system, starting with mine, but if we ever tried to create a violent culture for young people on purpose, we couldn't be as successful as what we have today.

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Prompt: A personal experience with violence, either one you experienced personally or one you witnessed (or even choose a violent scene you watched on television or film that affected you) Can violence ever play an effective role in problem solving?