jlf1961
Posts: 14840
Joined: 6/10/2008
From: Somewhere Texas
Status: offline
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quote:
Because any one with a functioning brain detests violence.
What history books have you been reading?
You say most humans live their lives with no violence?
I disagree, whether actively involved or as a spectator, humans indulge in violence.
The most popular video games are first person shooters, followed by MMORG's. Movies glorify violence, case in point, the "Scream" series, or any of the "mindless psychopath killer" genre of entertainment. Hell the most popular series on showtime was "Dexter."
The most popular movies have violence as a central theme.
As for the majority of the time since the dawn of civilization, humans have been at peace? You better look at the archaeological evidence. Over 90% of the graves excavated from the earliest cultures, the men are buried with weapons, and sorry, a sword is useless in hunting.
Then of course there is written history. Key points in history, those things that the historians glorify, Marathon, Thermopylae, every major battle in ancient times have been noted as key points in the development of western civilization.
And I am not the first that has come up with this "theory."
I find it funny that people claim violence is a last resort, considering the evidence to the contrary. China did not become unified through negotiation, but conquest. The Persian empire did not become one of the largest in history by treaties, again it was conquest. Rome was not a trading empire, it was an empire of the sword. It has been that way since the dawn of history.
The modern period of empire after Columbus was not built on trade, but on force of arms. The Spanish did not negotiate their way into the new world, they took it. England's trade empire in Asia was based as much on opium as the British fleet and the royal army. The US expanded westward on the blood of the Natives.
Seriously, human history is written in blood, and if you take a good hard look at the world today, it isnt changing, in fact we, as a species, have gotten so good at it, we have turned it into a video game. Drone strikes are done be remote control.
And a final point, for a race that offers up the values of peace and good will, please explain why the biggest expenditures in all major governments is in the area of defense? Even third world countries that cant afford to feed their own buy the latest military hardware they can get their hands on.
And of course, defense is a complete farce, since most of the hardware is designed for its offensive capabilities.
The US changed the name of the War Department to Defense Department not because we, as a nation, were going on a defensive footing, but because it sounded better.
With all that being said, the question becomes, if the rational human brain detests violence, why then is violence or the idea of violence so popular in human culture?
While I will agree that there should be, considering the intelligence of the species, a better way to solve domestic and international disputes, it goes without saying that the species has not come up with one.
The current conspiracy theory about the US involvement in WW2 is that FDR knew of the attack on Pearl Harbor before it happened. Actually, the major belief was that the attack would be against US forces in the Philippines. The 'negotiations" between the US and Japan to "prevent" a war were nothing more than political bullshit.
And all the isolationists and the "keep the US out of war" speeches went out the window as soon as news hit that Pearl Harbor was attacked. What is not so widely known is that when the US navy started contributing ships to escort convoys to the UK, it was done with the knowledge that the Germans would very likely sink one.
When the USS Reuben James (DD245) was sunk, there was a quick change in the "keep america out of the war" sentiment, which pretty much disappeared after 7 December, 1941.
And look at what happened with Prime Minister Chamberlain. He tried to keep the UK and Europe out of a war, and failed.
You see, even when you have political leaders who attempt to prevent war, there is always some dick who wants one, and will use those peace efforts against them, and as soon as shots are fired, there is a stampede to the recruiting offices.
Yes, I am ex military, and in the course of my service, I took human lives. Yes, I own guns, a lot of them, according to some. My professional life has been either in the military, law enforcement, or specialized private security.
In the course of that professional life, I have been to every major continent with the exception of Australia. In Africa, I worked as security of WHO clinics, simply because the locals would just as well killed the staff and taken the medicines to keep others from having it.
I have gone into villages that had been damn near wiped out simply because they belonged to a different tribe than another. That was the only difference, since in most cases they practiced the same religion.
In the middle east, you have the sons of Abraham (Jews and Muslims) trying to kill each other over religion. In India, Sikhs and Hindus are at each other's throats, not to mention India and Pakistan (over religion and land.) In Asia, it is the opium trade that drives the violent killing, even though (according to some "experts" the majority of Opium is sold on the legitimate market.)
South America it is cocaine.
There is no corner of this rock where someone somehow does not find a justification for killing, maiming or profiting from the enforced misery of other humans, enforced by violent means.
< Message edited by jlf1961 -- 12/4/2015 8:01:24 AM >
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Boy, it sure would be nice if we had some grenades, don't you think?
You cannot control who comes into your life, but you can control which airlock you throw them out of.
Paranoid Paramilitary Gun Loving Conspiracy Theorist AND EQUAL OPPORTUNI
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RE: General thoughts on humanity. - 
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