pludwig

Violence is one of the driving forces on the planet. Used for motivation and to gain power over others it is also a large and unwelcome factor in todays world. It forces change upon people, usually against their will, as America experienced after 2001. The attack on the Twin Towers on September 11th cost many people dearly, yet it created a gigantic upheaval in public opinion, as well as starting an intercontinental war. Though everyone reacts in some way to violence, there is a difference between the actions that are used to deal with it when comparing an individual and a nation. Individuals will deal with it more personally, either consulting only themselves on the action the will take to retaliate, or keeping the violent events locked up in their minds. However the education that these people gained before those experiences and the way they were brought up impact their reaction greatly. History has shown that often people will act on ideas that they inherit from other, that what happens in the world is a direct result of how people were brought up.

A group of people who are attacked by another group will very rarely try to make friends with their attackers. Part of this problem, which usually ends up killing a majority of combatants, is the social upbringing that all of the people in the struggle have received. The upbringing that someone is given by his or her parents will at many times shape their reaction to that problem. When the individuals are confronted with violence, either personally or indirectly the most natural human instinct is to effectively lash back. However it also true that much of the reaction depends on the persons character. A man who gives way to primitive urges and reactions will rarely respond with tears, his usual reaction will consist of an action that involves a certain degree of violence. However those mentally weak, or those who do not have a hold on the more feminine emotions. Often times fear and sorrow will be the primary reaction to violence, both of these help establish an outlet for the negative reaction that many get when dealing with violence. Those who are not mentally able to recover from the shock that their system has suffered often are prescribed to take, "different anti-depressant and anti-anxiety pills" ([|6]). Soldiers coming from war often have psychological problems that take shape in dreams. Tormented by these soldiers, may end up staring at the bottom of a whiskey bottle all day and night to forget the violence that they experienced. Others will become reclusive, haunted day and night by the violent world that surrounds them. These people are often the ones that are incapable of dealing with their problems, storing them in the minds to forget them. Many of them will wake at night their, "body and clothes bathed in sweat, he sank into the shower and turned on the shower setting it to cold. It was too much, he couldn’t breathe, his heart constricted, the howl of coyote echoed through the still night, and once again his eyes flared, and his reaction was to bolt for the door, find the gun hidden in his bags and defend his house" ([|12]). The above quote demonstrates a soldiers reaction to his rather violent nightmares, his inability to function as a normal member of society is shown in his fear of natural noises and his inability to breath as well as the panic the came as a result of the nightmare. There are however differences in how an individual deals with violence and the way a group of people, a country even, deals with violence.

When people in a larger community experience some kind of violence, September 11th for example, you have an issue which is open to public opinion as it effects, "everyone in America was affected by the great tragedies... either directly or indirectly" ([|11]). The result of this is often that the decision that that community makes to deal with the problem is based off of social rules, expectations, and ideologies form the community. Naturally the actions that this community will make will also be dependent on its size, America is able to launch a massive counter attack due to its power and strength in todays world. A smaller community wont be able to respond with as much power. More importantly though, the reaction of a nation of any size will usually depend on education and political alliances rather than actual want. The aftershock is more public and involves more discipline, and it depends who the enemy actually is. Many times the government will try to swing public opinion into its favor, trying to use the mood to gain support. A perfect example of this is the speech were President Bush came out and openly announced, "The Iraqi regime has violated all of those obligations. It possesses and produces chemical and biological weapons,” said by George W. Bush. Her family supported the President with every word he spoke, but when the word came that she was about to be sent over seas she got this worried mixed feeling" ([|15]). This slow shift against the President's actions shows the evident weariness of the Iraq war, a response to the violence that is creating change in this nation and the minds of the individual people.

Whether individual or community, all people have some kind of reaction when they are forced to confront a violent action. Some run, some face their worst fears, yet all of this is because of their past. Humans will always use their experiences to choose what to do when facing a situation. However, there are some differences between the community and individual. Individuals have a rather personal view and most of their actions are personal, while community focuses on social aspects to make its choices.

pludwig