Violence is the part of human beings that is manifested in various circumstances. Alvarez and Bachman (2019) describe various heinous forms of violence committed by different people across the world as a unity of human aggression. They believe that these forms of violence are somehow similar because their perpetrators display the same features which bind them together. The common characteristics of individuals who engage in violence are based on the same perceptions, ideas, and behaviors, as the offenders tend to have the same justification (Alvarez & Bachman, 2019). Thus, it is important to understand the essential characteristics that unify violence to understand it effectively.
Aggression is one of the universal attributes which contribute to violence universally. Studies show that, even though it can be learned from the surrounding environment, it is also inborn. Children at a young age tend to display it through their body language. Babies below one year portray exploratory aggression, especially when they begin to move around. At two years, children exhibit it more physically and then shift to indirect aggression two years later (Peraza, 2005). Therefore, it is a feature present in all people and, if not well-tamed, can cause detrimental problems. Uncontrolled aggression results in violence, and because it is prevalent in all human beings it is a common justification for conflicts in various places.
Most of the perpetrators of violence have been victims of the same vice in the past. They experience humiliation at some point, which transforms into an uncontrolled rage, justified as righteous slaughter; defensible and appropriate atrocity (Alvarez & Bachman, 2019). The spillover effect explains that when other forms of violence are practiced, illegitimate ones also increase. For instance, revolutions’ success encourages terrorists and those who use forms of violence such as genocide to validate their deeds (The Institute of Art and Ideas, 2019). The brutalization hypothesis explains how the systems of societies contribute to the commission of crimes.
For instance, by causing pain and death as part of the punishment, people learn that they can use the same strategies upon those who have offended them within the community (Alvarez & Bachman, 2019). In conclusion, violence is interconnected because the acts are committed for the same reasons and perpetrators tend to rationalize their actions. Violence is also expressed globally because it is spearheaded by aggression which is inborn in all people.
References
Alvarez, A., & Bachman, R. D. (2019). Violence: The enduring problem. SAGE Publications.
Peraza, Y. (2005). Origins of human aggression (The nature of things) Part 1 [Video]. YouTube. Web.
The Institute of Art and Ideas. (2019). Is violence ever justified? [Video]. YouTube. Web.