Images of violence are a constant presence on nightly newsmedia. It is no longer an oddity as individuals worldwide reekvengeance and mayhem on the innocent. Many people say enough andthat it must stop. We blame many factors for all the death andharm, but as yet there is no collective will to make changesnecessary to stop it. There are individual and group efforts, asfor example the parents at Sandy Hook school where a whole class offirst graders were killed. We can blame psychopaths, troubledindividuals, availability of guns and knives, and poor parenting.But what really is wrong? Philosophers have discussed this questionfor thousands of years and many suggest that humans are naturallybrutish and aggressive. Some point to cultures which encourage maleaggressiveness and violent behavior. While those people debate thewhy, we need to debate how it can be stopped. In the case ofwarfare, there are rules for the engagement of war and for conductduring a war. But for everyday living in a world of gangs anddrugs, there are no rules. How do good citizens deal with citizenswho are not.
What are some ideas that could offer us some hope tocreate a peaceful world?
