Swords to Ploughshares The Social Causes of Violence

Human beings aren’t killing each other as much as we used to. Violent crimes such as murders, rapes, assaults etc. are on a statistical decline, not just in the United States, but on a global average as well. While still far from that ideal utopia mankind dreams of, we have come a long way since the days of World Wars, rampant racism, and wonton infliction of agony. Have we just grown bored of all pillaging and raping? Are we now realizing that violence is not the answer but the problem? Or have men like Mahatma Gandhi and women like Arundhati Roy challenged our intellect and ushered us onto the path of peace? Certain political theorists have been so influential in history that their teachings completely change the course of human destiny†¦show more content†¦Even if a person is fortunate enough to live in a community like the Bay Area, where most people do not face great chances of death and bodily harm every day, if we take a moment and look around us we realize tha t violence has permeated so deep into our lives that the roots are invisible. The lack of racial diversity in communities like Blackhawk and the Berkeley Hills, the presence of police officers armed with 9-millimeter handguns walking amongst teenagers and young adults on campus, and even the threat of traffic fines for improper parking all challenge the notion that we are truly free. These examples are trivial compared to colonization or racial segregation, but the acknowledgment of them is the same process these theorists advocate. When a people become so complacent in their own oppression that they willingly submit to it is when violence manifests itself. After analyzing the different forms of violence present and accepted within ones surroundings, the mentality and approach to this violence need to be challenged in order for something to change. Identifying a problem is the first step in solving it. Think of all the violent phrases we use in everyday conversation: â€Å"Take a s tab at it†, â€Å"Pull the trigger†, even the phrase â€Å"rule of thumb†