MYTHS OF VIOLENCE

By Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D.

If violence in America were a disease-producing virus, we would be
in the midst of an epidemic of major proportions.  Within the past 25
years, violent crime has risen 400%, homicide has doubled, rape and
armed robbery has quadrupled and billions of dollars are spent every
year to violently punish the violent.  For any other viral epidemic we
would have spent billions of dollars to end it and more to prevent it
from recurring.  Telethons, fund-raisers, private and public
contributions for research, grants, tax-incentives and plain American
compassionate generosity would have flourished until the deadly
disease of violence was abolished.

Such a "war" on violence has never occurred.  Part of the complex
reasons it hasn't is due to beliefs in some psychological myths about
violence.  Some of these myths include:

---Violence is natural...a part of human nature;
---Violence maintains order in a democracy;
---Violence will force people to change their minds;
---Violence keeps us secure from political take-over;
---Violence will deter people from crime;
---Violence is the best way to defend ourselves against violence;
---Violence prevents others from harming us and our families;
---Violence is what keeps our economy going;
---Violence is the best way to solve human problems;
---Violence will "keep the world safe for democracy" or "spread
freedom to other countries;"
---Violence is what "sells" in the information media (news).

If you believe these myths are true, then you may benefit from
modifying your thinking toward learning practical alternatives to the
"disease" of violence.

Some practical alternatives which bear consideration (if not "funded
research") might include:

---No creature known is "naturally violent;"
---If you define "terrorism" as the killing or wounding of civilians,
non-military personnel, children and the aged, then all sides involved
in war are "terrorists."
---Violence is always disruptive to the social order;
---Guns do not kill people...people kill other people;
---Political take-over is through the minds of the people and
violence disrupts mental activity;
---Alternative, non-violent defense is more expedient and less
expensive than violent defense;
---When you are used to thinking violently, you increase the chances
of being harmed;
---Those who keep guns are twice as likely to meet with violence as
those who do not;
---There is one handgun for every four people in the US...including
men, women and children;
---We are more terrified about violence and violent death than ever
before;
---People respond more powerfully to the "good" in them when their
fear is diminished as opposed to increased;
---Idealism, creativity and compassion have not died in this country
nor has it died in most of us as individuals.

If science were to wage a holy war against violence, it would have
to begin with an entirely new model for relationships.  Perhaps Albert
Einstein's idea might serve as such a new model.  He said, "A human
being is part of the whole, called by us the 'Universe,' a part
limited in time and space.  He experiences himself, his thoughts and
feelings, as something separated from the rest---a kind of optical
delusion of his consciousness.  This delusion is a kind of prison for
us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few
persons nearest to us.  Our task must be to free ourselves from this
prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living
creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."

Perhaps the cure for our epidemic of violence lies somewhere within
our believing the scientific model of the unity and preciousness of
all life in all its multi-variant forms.