The Epidemic of Violence Part 4

Aggression can be protective. It can be accidental like when the firing of a gun accidentally hurts or kills another. Sports has many examples of playful aggression or aggressiveness. Normally, the aim of playful aggression, in sports, is the exercise or mastery of the skill. It’s more often than not, not aimed at destruction nor motivated by hate. Athletes, as a rule, have a mutuality of respect for the other. Thank goodness for that because the game of football would be very different if played by slaves during Roman times. Self-assertiveness, can be expressed verbally. Using self-assertiveness as a means of communication, the individual can express his desires in a clear and non- ambiguous manner. Yes, non-hateful, positive aggressive communication has its place, especially within our competitive social economic capitalistic system. Often, however, we fail to witness appropriate self-assertive communication. Partly because of the senders inability or inexperience and the fact that an underlying emotion was present. When negative emotion is involved, communication becomes a trigger for oral aggression. Once it starts, it is difficult to stop that aggressive behavior. Let’s turn to another form of aggression. Survival of fittest may mean many things, and it may be in play here. On a side note, the primitive hunters in Prehistoric times, did not have a dental makeup associated with being carnivores or meat eaters. Anthropologists with tools of excavation and other means postulated that our ancestor’s diets were made up of 75 to 80% vegetarian [seeds, fruits, etc.]. Gathering food was easier back then and safer than hunting for it. Once we developed tools that changed. Aggression can be considered defensive as in fighting for freedom. Spartacus comes to mind. Roman slaves became gladiators as a form of entertainment, degradation and modeled their insignificance of being human. They were property. This Roman model demonstrated the overwhelming control and power of the sadistic behavior of the Roman master over the slave gladiator. Motivated in part for revenge and freedom, Spartacus and his fellow gladiators killed their captives and went on to war against the Roman legions. In essence, fighting for freedom resulted in more deaths, hate and sadistic vengeance against fellow man. To Be Continued