Discussion » Questions » Life and Society » Why, with all the violence as of late, are we still divided and have largely failed to recognize that there are idiots and crazies in every group and walk of life?

Why, with all the violence as of late, are we still divided and have largely failed to recognize that there are idiots and crazies in every group and walk of life?

Shouldn't we, just as part of the human race, see that this stuff is everywhere and be joining together, rather than pointing the finger at specific groups?

Posted - July 8, 2016

Responses


  • 1002

    You'd think it's that obvious, right? I wish I had an answer for that, but I don't get it either.

    I suspect the deep seated need to cast blame contributes to this. Perhaps for some it feels better to think certain groups are more infested with "crazies" or are more likely to go off the deep end than it is to realize there are people so incredibly malicious that they'd commit these acts with a sound mind.

    That would be to accept that even the most reasonable of us are capable of such under the right set of circumstances and for some, that is something more alarming than casting group blame. I know it disturbs me greatly to think my fellow human is capable of this, especially with a sound mind, but I have seen it with my own eyes. It is enough to make you question things...

      July 8, 2016 4:05 PM MDT
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  • You have to look at where the violence is aimed ... and as a general rule is aimed outside the group to which the perpetrator belonged .. it's xenophobia ... you are either "us" or "not us" ... joining together is a wonderful concept but while there's fear about others I don't see it happening ... like someone said, yes, the lion will lie down with the lamb, but only the lion will get up again

      July 8, 2016 4:16 PM MDT
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  • 17

    People like to think the best of whoever they meet (it's a human failing) and nobody likes to admit they were wrong about being nice to someone else.I worked for almost twenty-five years for one company and the office manager's secretary was bossy and opinionated. I was responsible for a certain project, and my manager told me how she wanted it done. I told her (which was true) that the secretary had given it to me first and told me to do it an entirely different way. She said, "Well, you do it the way I said, and if she says anything, I'll deal with her!''

    I tried to be nice to this other woman, but she wanted things HER way. Sure enough, I did the project and was finishing up when she came by. She said, "What did you do?" and before I could answer, she said, "Why did you do it this way when I told you no?" The entire office heard her - as did my manager. She called her into her office and read her the riot act about she had told me how she wanted the project done and that was the way I did it. That didn't set well with Nancee, but my boss's wishes came first - and she was upset about it for a long time afterward.

    MaryJanine.

      July 8, 2016 4:18 PM MDT
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  • 3934

    While your statement ("crazies are everywhere") is demonstrably true, it doesn't get us very far.


    Would Micah Johson have shot all those officers in a world where law enforcement departments were all run like the Richmond, CA Police Department, and officer-involved shootings were extreme rarities, followed by thorough and honest investigations of the circumstances? Maybe...but maybe not.

    Similarly, would Dylan Roof have shot up the chuch in Charleston, SC in a world where city/state governments treated the Confederate Flag as though it were the Nazi Swastika, instead of a fake symbol of "heritage and Southern pride", and no one had ever heard of The Southern Strategy? Maybe...but maybe not.

    There are cultural and institutional factors which cause crazies of all stripes to behave the way they do. And there are cultural and instutional reasons why some of the factors which amplify the damage crazies do (e.g. prevelance of lead in the environment, easy access to firearms, etc.) are not addressed.

    OK, so the world is full of crazies. What are we going to do about it (and jobs, and health care, and LGBT rights, and etc.)?

      July 8, 2016 4:45 PM MDT
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  • 500

    There are in any given population approximately 10% who will commit crimes if they feel they can get away with it. One percent of the population will commit crimes regardless of consequences.

    Until we can identify the 1% before they act we will have the problems we have. The problem is not a physical item problem it is a human problem and we need to treat it as such.

    There are billions of people on this planet that are at one time or the other mad, anger, enraged and hating the situation they are in but do not resort to violence to solve the problem. It is human nature to get along with others to avoid harm or injuries to oneself.

      July 8, 2016 4:54 PM MDT
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  • 7919

    More to ponder, I suppose. Thank you for your thoughtful response. 

      July 8, 2016 6:53 PM MDT
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  • 7919

    But we're imploding, aren't we? Everyone is so busy pointing the finger- there is no "right group." How do we stop that? 

      July 8, 2016 6:54 PM MDT
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  • 7919

      July 8, 2016 6:54 PM MDT
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  • 7919

    It's a start, isn't it? Perhaps if we could get past assigning blame to entire groups, we could start to look at the root cause of the issues. Just a thought. 

      July 8, 2016 6:56 PM MDT
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  • Of course, of course.

      July 8, 2016 6:58 PM MDT
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  • 7919

    If you ever get around to it, this documentary is well worth watching. http://www.cnbcprime.com/dishonesty. It's on Netflix right now. I don't know where you got your stats from, but the number of people who will lie and commit a crime is wayyyy higher than that, though it depends on the circumstances. 

    With that said, I'm not sure how your answer correlates to the question. You say it's human nature to get along, but we aren't right now. We aren't at all. 

      July 8, 2016 7:02 PM MDT
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  • 7919

      July 8, 2016 7:03 PM MDT
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  • 1113

    It seems it's all about getting on the winning "team", and everyone who's not on your team is awful and scary, and must be wiped out. People's brains are still wired for living in little tribes. Evolution hasn't caught up yet.

      July 8, 2016 7:13 PM MDT
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  • 1002

    Sometimes the answers only lead to more questions, I think. Most welcome, thanks for asking a thoughtful question.

      July 8, 2016 7:31 PM MDT
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  • no empathy when one group shows something wrong about the other group.

      July 8, 2016 7:50 PM MDT
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  • 7919

      July 8, 2016 8:50 PM MDT
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  • Education and exposure to remove the fear .. yes, they are different to us... but they still just want a peaceful life, watch their kids grow up, make love and drink a little wine maybe ... it's the differences among us that makes travel such a joy ... I'm pretty bloody brilliant but I'd hate to have a whole world full of just me ... now I'll remove my tongue from my cheek :)

      July 8, 2016 10:01 PM MDT
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  • 17261
    *like*
      July 8, 2016 10:12 PM MDT
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  • 1326

    There is a very simple answer to what and who is causing all the problems on earth, yet most don't care, and most won't listen. As in the days of Noah when the earth was full of violence because of the horrendous acts of the wicked angels and their rebellious offspring, so it is today. (Genesis chapter 6; revelation 12:7-12)

      July 8, 2016 11:05 PM MDT
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  • I agree.

    If we study and work together we get plenty of opportunities to chat during breaks and share who we are.

    It doesn't take long to discover that our differences are superficial but our similarities deep and real.

      July 9, 2016 3:41 AM MDT
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  • 1264

    Ideally yes, but not all groups want to join together, some would go as far as to blow themselves up rather than be a part of, I don't think I need to say who those people might be.

      July 9, 2016 4:02 AM MDT
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  • 500

    My stats come from being an investigator for over twenty years.

    It is human nature to get along in society. There are people who do not fit the mold. They will react violently and have little or no empathy for others.

    Lying and committing violence are two different animals. People that commit violent crimes also commit petty crimes most of the time but people that lie and cheat do not often commit violent crimes.

    People that seem to be the best kind of people can and do resort to violence. i. e. Dennis Rader, Tom Bird, many others.

    We (humans) began civilization as clans and progressed to tribes then to cities then nations.

    Survival depended on resources to support the larger populations. That started the process of taking what was needed to survive even if it meant killing the other tribe members to get it. That process is still part of all of us. Most of us don't act on it.

      July 9, 2016 5:39 AM MDT
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  • 44175

    AM is a great example of that.

      July 9, 2016 7:42 AM MDT
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  • 22891

    i think its everywhere too

      July 9, 2016 6:52 PM MDT
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