| Violence and Morality |
by Dale Power
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Morality is controlled and conditioned by the society in which
you live, subtly, and sometimes forcefully, placed into your being
by parents, religions, schooling and even entertainment. When it
comes to violence modern culture is torn between two ideals. The
popular idea of a “super-man” that dispenses violence with little to
no cost to themselves as seen in popular culture and the ideas of
the peaceful “spiritual” being that resists all tendencies towards
harming others.
What is strange here is that the idea of a violent super-man,
while by far the most popular concept in modern (U.S. Based)
entertainment and often in the forefront of our minds when it
comes to dealing with the world, is diametrically opposed to
almost all religious training and what the vast majority of people
would proclaim as “good”.
It is at this point, this division between what we are inundated
with daily and what we know we are supposed to believe based
on all other training come into conflict. We all have grown up with
the idea that “violence” is bad, that it should be avoided and that
we will be severely punished if we take violent action! At the very
same moment, Jack Bauer (Lead character in the Television
series 24) is running around killing, torturing, maiming and
rending for his country.
Jack may face negative consequences for his actions, but
rarely is this ever shown to the audience. Instead we are given
(over and over again) examples of how violence and ONLY
violence can save the day! (Over and over again.)
you live, subtly, and sometimes forcefully, placed into your being
by parents, religions, schooling and even entertainment. When it
comes to violence modern culture is torn between two ideals. The
popular idea of a “super-man” that dispenses violence with little to
no cost to themselves as seen in popular culture and the ideas of
the peaceful “spiritual” being that resists all tendencies towards
harming others.
What is strange here is that the idea of a violent super-man,
while by far the most popular concept in modern (U.S. Based)
entertainment and often in the forefront of our minds when it
comes to dealing with the world, is diametrically opposed to
almost all religious training and what the vast majority of people
would proclaim as “good”.
It is at this point, this division between what we are inundated
with daily and what we know we are supposed to believe based
on all other training come into conflict. We all have grown up with
the idea that “violence” is bad, that it should be avoided and that
we will be severely punished if we take violent action! At the very
same moment, Jack Bauer (Lead character in the Television
series 24) is running around killing, torturing, maiming and
rending for his country.
Jack may face negative consequences for his actions, but
rarely is this ever shown to the audience. Instead we are given
(over and over again) examples of how violence and ONLY
violence can save the day! (Over and over again.)
That is only one example of course, but try to think back to the last time a
popular culture figure in movies or television solved a situation without resorting to
violence? Even in comedies violence (though of a playful and unrealistic sort) is
often shown as an expectable (and unpunished) way to solve problems.
This doesn't mean we need to get rid of all violence in media, though we may
want to consider finding some other, still exciting to the viewer, ways of solving
problems without modeling behaviors that would have most of us spending years
in Prison.
We all also know that violence is wrong.
It has been driven into us from a young age. Most of us have been literally told,
over and over again, that we “don't hit” and that we need to “play nice” even at
times that “violence is wrong!”.
So we live as a divided people torn between what we expect from the world,
huge amounts of constant violence and what we are told we should do, what we
are told it right and good.
It makes for some interesting situations at times. For instance, look at the Amish.
We view them as gentle, good people on one hand, but scoff at them for practicing
non-violence on the other. (And for dressing funny. Can't forget that not wearing
buttons makes you a freak in the modern age, right?) We think both more and less
of them at the same time, for the same practice!
This of course leads to mental confusion on the part of society. Should we
condone violence and view the most violent as triumphant (which is what we often
see in the media) or should we push for peace and strive to live our lives without
harming anyone?
This is not, even though on the surface it seems like it, an easy question to
answer!
Writing about Non-violent self-defense for a month, some conclusions have
come to me about how people think about violence in modern culture.
First, we defend violence. We bristle at the idea of anyone “taking away” our
violent entertainments and hobbies. As a people we cannot grasp the idea that
watching and participating in thousand of hours of violent behavior per year may
influence us on some level. (Influence others? Sure, but not US.)
Second, we all (almost all, there are some hyper violent people in the world.)
know that we should strive for non-violent resolutions. We feel it and know it is
what is right and just.
Third, we have been trained (incorrectly it turns out...) that non-violent solutions
either don't work or will be easily brushed aside by violent people. In this way we
have all been shown (over and over again) that the only answer, when it comes to
self-defense is to fight. Even though avoiding the problem in the first place,
extracting yourself from the situation, using reason and planning are far more
effective!
It then becomes up to each person to decide what they are going to do.
Basically, you need to pick a side and stick with it as best you can. If you choose
violence, than actually practice it, go to martial arts classes, practice combat
shooting and learn to fashion a shiv to protect yourself in prison. If you choose
non-violent methods, practice those too! Learn to run, let go or your ego and
practice kindness and polite behavior towards all.
This isn't about saying which path is better morally. This is about pointing out
that we have options, but only by making a clear choice, violent or not, can we
actually establish an internal moral compass. WE get to choose what is moral,
because this society has multiple options! (Which is rare historically speaking.)
Still, without a choice we are apt to run into trouble as individuals.
So, choose and decide now, so that you won't be confused when an emergency
situation arises.
popular culture figure in movies or television solved a situation without resorting to
violence? Even in comedies violence (though of a playful and unrealistic sort) is
often shown as an expectable (and unpunished) way to solve problems.
This doesn't mean we need to get rid of all violence in media, though we may
want to consider finding some other, still exciting to the viewer, ways of solving
problems without modeling behaviors that would have most of us spending years
in Prison.
We all also know that violence is wrong.
It has been driven into us from a young age. Most of us have been literally told,
over and over again, that we “don't hit” and that we need to “play nice” even at
times that “violence is wrong!”.
So we live as a divided people torn between what we expect from the world,
huge amounts of constant violence and what we are told we should do, what we
are told it right and good.
It makes for some interesting situations at times. For instance, look at the Amish.
We view them as gentle, good people on one hand, but scoff at them for practicing
non-violence on the other. (And for dressing funny. Can't forget that not wearing
buttons makes you a freak in the modern age, right?) We think both more and less
of them at the same time, for the same practice!
This of course leads to mental confusion on the part of society. Should we
condone violence and view the most violent as triumphant (which is what we often
see in the media) or should we push for peace and strive to live our lives without
harming anyone?
This is not, even though on the surface it seems like it, an easy question to
answer!
Writing about Non-violent self-defense for a month, some conclusions have
come to me about how people think about violence in modern culture.
First, we defend violence. We bristle at the idea of anyone “taking away” our
violent entertainments and hobbies. As a people we cannot grasp the idea that
watching and participating in thousand of hours of violent behavior per year may
influence us on some level. (Influence others? Sure, but not US.)
Second, we all (almost all, there are some hyper violent people in the world.)
know that we should strive for non-violent resolutions. We feel it and know it is
what is right and just.
Third, we have been trained (incorrectly it turns out...) that non-violent solutions
either don't work or will be easily brushed aside by violent people. In this way we
have all been shown (over and over again) that the only answer, when it comes to
self-defense is to fight. Even though avoiding the problem in the first place,
extracting yourself from the situation, using reason and planning are far more
effective!
It then becomes up to each person to decide what they are going to do.
Basically, you need to pick a side and stick with it as best you can. If you choose
violence, than actually practice it, go to martial arts classes, practice combat
shooting and learn to fashion a shiv to protect yourself in prison. If you choose
non-violent methods, practice those too! Learn to run, let go or your ego and
practice kindness and polite behavior towards all.
This isn't about saying which path is better morally. This is about pointing out
that we have options, but only by making a clear choice, violent or not, can we
actually establish an internal moral compass. WE get to choose what is moral,
because this society has multiple options! (Which is rare historically speaking.)
Still, without a choice we are apt to run into trouble as individuals.
So, choose and decide now, so that you won't be confused when an emergency
situation arises.