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Essay: The Better Angels of Our Nature: Violence in Society

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Domenick Monaco

Essay 1

www.nytimes.com/2013/05/28/us/gun-makers-shun-responsibility-for-sales-suits-show.html.

Violence is a major part of civilizations society. Throughout the years violence has gradually decrease with growing resentment against violent acts. Although violence has decreased it does not mean that violence does not exist anymore. Nations still declare war on other nations and, in modern times, acts of terrorism have had a significant impact on society. The lifestyle of society has changed greatly from the past. People are becoming wealthier, living longer prosperous lives. Government too have developed into better self-sufficient programs that have a major impact on the people. However, not every society in the world is as develop as others and violence is still prominent. In his book The Better Angels of Our Nature, Steven Pinker writes that the world has lived in a violent era, but it was only a experience. There are many different perspectives to verifying if this statement is true or not. Taking a scientific approach, crime and murder rates have dropped each year to the present. This example agrees with Pinkers theory; however, violence does still happen each day. With violence still presence, people want a change to certain rights that promote violence, leading to the hopeful change to violent attacks. This shift is not completely inevitable, but it is indeed tremendously powerful. Society was cold, brutal, and extremely violent but now it is entering a peace era according to Pinker.

In the book The Better Angels of Our Nature, Pinker writes about the world and how violence has decrease, although the media portrays a different picture of violence. Pinker explains that the only true way to see if violence has increased is to look at the number of violent acts compared to the potential opportunity for violence.  Although violence has dramatic decreased, there has been spikes of violent acts in certain time periods. In United States, 50% of all criminal activities have decreased in the past ten years. Violence in war has always decrease as nations are using more bombs and other technological weapons instead of deploying troops. Weapons manufactures have not spoken much about the issue surrounding the growing resentment of violence because they depend of war and violent acts as a source of revenue. Most of their positions and feeling towards violence can be seen in court records as these manufactures have been part of several lawsuits. In 2005, Congress passed legislation that protected these manufactures from being forced to answer questions about violence to the media. These gun manufactures have a very strong interesting group that tries to protect gun rights and they donate thousands for dollars for candidates’ campaigns.

Lobbyist for gun rights, such as the NRA, have influenced the governments ability to track past lawsuits involving gun manufactures. Some of the protection that these gun manufactures have above they government are any voluntary measures that risk any of their products from being used by enemies. Also prohibit any single person from purchasing numerous guns at once or more dealer and these guns can be traced to the original or the same deal. In these court records the main idea is that gun deals have to show/report any sale in situations to track someone that used their guns for violence. If the police need to track the maker or dealer of a gun found at a crime scene there are serial numbers on the gun to track the date of purchase and sale date so that the police and learn more to investigate.

Thousands of court records have been hidden from the public and are in confidential archives in several courts and firms, however these cases still be accessed if needed. Writers of the New York Times dug into these archives and explored several cases. They found gun manufactures industry leaders defense statements, arguing, and evidence during the lawsuit/case. Although these leaders felt that they were innocent, they are responsible for the crafting and distributing of armed weapons to society. The belief that violence is declining in developed countries, as Pinker said, but it is unsure if this is true or not. In today’s world, many believe that the United States is the most developed and advanced society, however, The U.S. has the highest prison rate which is the highest in the world. About 700 out of 100,000 civilians in the U.S. go to jail and serve a long or incorrect sentence.

The prison system within the U.S. has several issues. Issues such as the high percentage of Americans going to prison, funding of jails, quality of jails, and prisoners are under constant threat of being attacked by other inmates. The highest percentage of people that are incarcerated are African Americans and this percentage increases every year. Another major issues in Prison is security guards and jail workers torturing the prisoners. Cruel and unlawful torture has been used in prisons to get information out of prisoners or to get revenge. With the percentage of prisoners, practice of torture increases on a large level because of this increase.

Pinker writes about “The Civilizing Process” which was an idea that German Sociologist Norbert Elias wrote in the 1930’s in his book named “The Civilizing Process”. A major idea from this book, which Pinker points out, is the ideal that leaders in government or rulers create rules and they become a part of the society so much that it causes a psychological change within the society. Rulers and leaders are able to control the actions of their people, which helps with the rate of violence, and to improve the quality/safety of living within the society. This proves Pinkers point that violence is decreasing, however, not every society in the world is advanced with their own government or have the complete support by the people. Violence does still exist in these parts of the world which are not as developed and also surges of violence sometimes occur in these advance societies too. Countries within the Middle East, Africa, and parts of South American are not developed enough and deal with horrific acts of violence every day. Even though these acts of violence happen every day throughout the world, the media and other governments do not broadcast these stories. In some cases, they do, but the story isn’t always portrayed the truth or the coverage only last for a few days and then it is never brought up again

  Violence is a factor in everyday life. No one knows when or where the next major shooting is going to be and who will be arrested today. Fortunately, violence has decrease a lot through the year. In the book The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker, Pinker explores the relationship of violence decreasing throughout the years. His major ideas include the rise of the Civilizing Process, gun rights/gun control influence within the government, the medias portrayal of violent acts, and the large number of incarceration in the United States. Unfortunately, there is not a clear answer how to prevent violence from ever occurring. However, with a proper government supported by the people, which creates far and just laws for it citizens the rate of violence can decrease within the world.

Domenick Monaco

Essay No. 2

www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/opinion/sunday/how-the-most-dangerous-place-on-earth-got-a-little-bit-safer.html.

Today, gang violence within underdevelopment community cause a lot of violence. Gangs are not just a modernized group, forms of gangs have been seen throughout the years in many different areas of the world. Several forms of gangs such as the Mafia, Bloods, and the Crips have engaged in criminal activities. Some of the criminal groups actually did some good in their community as the protected the people living within the society from other gangs or other things. However, more and more gangs have engaged in killings, robbing’s, gang fights, and other horrific crimes.  Regardless of the influence of gang violence in society, violence has been on the decline. However, violence still exists, especially in under developed countries like Honduras which is experience bad gang violence.  

Sonia Nazario visits and writes her opinion about the highest homicide rate in the world, San Pedro Sula, Honduras in an article called "How the Most Dangerous Place on Earth Got Safer”. Nazario visits many locations during her travels, one specifically the town of Rivera Hernandez. Rivera Hernandez is a neighborhood which has a high gang/crime rate and has gone through foreign intervention by the U.S. With the U.S. intervention, programs were set up to help with refuges, crime and rehabilitations. The U.S. involvement with the violence in Honduras caught a lot of attention from other nations and felt that the U.S. should not have been involved. However, if it was not for the U.S. then Rivera Hernandez would be engulfed in violence and not be a development society that it is today.

A key figure mentioned in the article was Daniel Pacheo, a local pastor and carpenter. Pacheo favored the intervention because it established programs what would help to make the community safer for his and other children. Programs helped children to stay on the right path and not get involved with any gang relations or drugs. Also, it helped the community not live in fear anymore and instead gave the people a sense of community. People would host movie nights or have community activities for all the families and children. Without the intervention the town would be still living in a constant state of fear.

The changes that occurred in Honduras are an example of helping a community become a safer place and it is an example that should be used for other towns/countries. Steven Pinker writes in his book,“The Better Angels of our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined”, the reasons why violence beginnings, what triggers it, how to truly understand violence/why do people do it, and to understand violence from both sides to not have a bias over the violent act. Pinker believes that violence is a natural part of being human and that is because of evolution. People are naturally violent, whether it is for survival or to get revenge on something that had done that person wrong, or just to gain power and resources to live a better life. Pinker uses the examples of Chimpanzees in the jungle who have used violence for the similar reasons why humans do. Leading to the belief that because of evolution people are natural violence because of our ancestors.

Gangs operate in a similar fashion because they are constantly fights for superiority over the community and other gangs, especially before the intervention of the U.S. in San Pedro Sula. An example of the violence that happened before intervention was the rape, torture, and murder of 13-year-old Andres Abigail Argenal Martinez. A gang name Ponce wanted Abigail because her parents did not pay the gang tribute or payments for “protection”. To prove a point to the family and other families in the area, the gang kidnapped Abigail, raped and tortured her until she finally died. The lingering fear of the gang, lead to witness of the murder of Abigail’s death not testifying in fear that they would be killed. With lack of witness and evidence held because of fear from the gang, justice was not able to be served against the gang. The justice system fails to serve justice with gang influence over the people. It is up to the government to have control over bad situations like this in towns or cities, this is a result of violence flourishing in a under developed city.

Throughout Pinkers book he mentions self-control, empathy, and how these qualities can help a community bong together. When a community rallies together there usually is change in the mist, however, these communities need the resources and support of the government to make a change. It is hard to give these community the resources or to rally together a community enough to spark a change, however, it is not impossible, and it has happened throughout history. Pinks believes that empathy for one’s community and government can lead to good policies that can help change the society self-control. Pinkers point is proven when the San Pedro Sula community got aid from the U.S.

Tracking gangs down are hard because most are a part of the community and are involved.  The Los Tercernos gang and the Casa de la Esperanza soccer team, are a part of a gang of assassins. These two groups played a soccer game against one another and played in peace instead of trying to kill each other. With a sense of peace in the community, Rivera Hernandez became prosperous and safe. Pacheo took a stand against the violence in his comment and risked his life for the safety of the community. An example is when he stood in front of a firing line screaming to stop the shooting until the officers let the gang members good who they were shooting at. Pacheo knew that the violence would one make the situation worse and felt that he had to step in to stop the violence. By stepping in, Pacheo gained respect and praise from the community.

Another quality that prevents violence that Pinker brings up is self-control. Other facts that contribute to the reduction of violence are empowering phrases, learned behavior, mediation, and finally self-control. Under developed countries and towns, like Honduras, tend to not have any of these qualities in their society and lack peace within the community. The gangs in San Pedro Sula, could have fought out the foreign support by the U.S. and the community trying to end their control. However, they did not because they had self-control and did not want their home to be engulf in violence.

 Morality to Pinker is separated into three parts actionable, punishable, and universalized. Gang have a powerful influence over a community because of the constant threat of violence. If a gang wants payment they will uses violence as a tool against these families to not only get the money but also intimidate others in the community. Gangs have to the opportunity to be a positive force in their community instead of causing harm. To be a political or reform organization in the community if they have the right resources to change their philosophy on violent activities. People in Gangs are not always violent people, they are usually born within the community and want to see all the families, besides their own, to prosper.

In Pinkers conclusion to his book, the most important factors that contribute to the continuation or will end violence within the future is pacifism, third-party approach, and technology. With a pacifist attitude, people can be less violent and not have the urge to hurt others. However, it is a natural human instinct for violence. Making it nearly impossible to have a truly peaceful world because people are always going to want to do better than other which creates jealous or people that want what others have to suvive. This leads into a third-party violent can decrease be another party can rightful judge a situation and create fair justice. Lastly, technology has the opportunity for justice and violence. With more technology, people are able to live better and successful lives. New technology helps the police to investigate crime scenes better to make better judgment in court. However new technology can lead to new weapons being created which can get into the wrong hands and cause more violence. Debates for gun control have been the main focus on policy makers in the U.S. congress. In Pinker, it is unsure if guns help control or maintain violence within a society.  

Violence has decreased throughout the year. Technology, pacifism, third party view, developing governments, and outside aid has all contributed to the decline. However, violence does still exist in less developed areas. However, it is up to the people to make a change against the causes of violence and the development of violent weapons/broadcasting. All it takes is a group of revolutionaries to do it; in a developed society that actually have the government make the proper legislations. Revolutions like Pacheo are example that violence can be tamed if people rally together to make their community better.

Works Cited

Nazario, Sonia. “How the Most Dangerous Place on Earth Got Safer.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 Aug. 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/opinion/sunday/how-the-most-dangerous-place-on-earth-got-a-little-bit-safer.html.

Pinker, Steven. The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined. Penguin, 2012.

Mcintire, Mike, and Michael Luo. “Gun Makers Saw No Role in Curbing Improper Sales.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 28 May 2013, www.nytimes.com/2013/05/28/us/gun-makers-shun-responsibility-for-sales-suits-show.html.

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