Why Is There so Much Violence in Our Culture - Essay Example

Why is there so much Violence in our Culture? Violence has become an undeniable part of the American culture and draws the attention of many specialists, who attempt to find an answer to the increase of the phenomenon in the society. Indeed, from time to time, an especially violent event occurs in some part of the U.S. that costs the lives of many innocent people. Even though various factors may trigger these unusual behaviors, the most important causes of this violence have been attributed to the historical dehumanization of some ethnic groups, past abuse and mental disorder. Therefore, this historical foundation of violence in the American society represents the root of the cultural violence observed in various communities. This historical background of violence, added to the current trends of abuse and mental disorders, explains the increase of the phenomenon. The main factor that established cultural violence in the U.S. represents the dehumanization of some ethnic groups. The lack of consideration of some minorities motivates government officials to take violent measures intended to oppress or even annihilate them. These demeaning actions were noticed during the days of slavery and post emancipation era but also during the different Indian wars. Indeed, very atrocious violence was directed towards these minority groups throughout the history of the U.S. on the basis of racist theories that label them as inhuman and, therefore, inferior. This author argues: “Dehumanization of certain groups of ‘resisters’ at the hands of the states propaganda apparatus is a prerequisite for the culture of war and violence that has long been the main preoccupation of the US state” (DiLorenzo). The statement refers to the massacre of the Indians at the hands of the U.S. government for the sake of building a railroad. Regarded as insignificant and inhuman, Indians were deliberately killed as animals instead of just moved to other areas. This dehumanization of minorities sets the tone of cultural violence in the country and encourages similar actions to occur towards these people. This article reveals: “The thousands of soldiers who participated in the Indian Wars lived in a culture of violence and death that was cultivated by the U.S. government for a quarter of a century” (DiLorenzo). Encouraged by the government, these soldiers burnt down many Indian villages with the clear intention to destroy them without any possibility of escaping. This violence monitored by the U.S. government finds an explanation in these negative theories that consider Indians and Blacks as inhuman. This deliberate destruction of lives causes much pain in Indian communities and sets the tone for more violence. The proportion of this violence and the determination of the officials leading the operations demonstrate the lack of concern for these lost lives. These officials have negative stereotypes about Indians and do not believe that their lives are as sacred as theirs, which justifies the unusual violence directed towards them. The intensity of the violence reflects the U.S. government’s belief in these negative stereotypes condoning the dehumanization of Indians. The official monitoring of these criminal acts motivates soldiers and even others to express hatred towards Indians, which causes more violence towards them and makes them victim of the situation. This critic informs: Sherman and Sheridans troops conducted more than one thousand attacks on Indian villages, mostly in the winter months, when families were together. The U.S. armys actions matched its leaders rhetoric of extermination. As mentioned earlier, Sherman gave orders to kill everyone and everything, including dogs, and to burn everything that would burn so as to increase the likelihood that any survivors would starve or freeze to death.(DiLorenzo) This clear intention not only to kill but also to exterminate reveals the U.S. government decision to get rid of these people just because they are different. Therefore, soldiers like Sherman and Sheridan, who participated in these expeditions will always consider Indians as inferior and be tempted to act violently towards them. The government involvement in this violence makes it even worse because soldiers and even all those aware of this crucial act will make it their duty to express violence towards Indians. This assertion indicates: “History also reveals that the expanded presence of the U.S. government was the real cause of a culture of violence in the American West. If there is anything to the idea that a nineteenth-century culture of violence on the American frontier is the genesis of much of the violence in the United States today, the main source of that culture is therefore government, not civil society” (DiLorenzo). This encouragement to violence by the U.S. government is very serious and constitutes the root cause of today’s violence because many people consider others who are different from them as inferior and, therefore, express some form of violence towards them. Another major cause for violence relates to past experience of abuse. Indeed, people who have experienced any form of abuse in their lives tend to become violent when they grow up. This abuse may take various form—sexual abuse, physical abuse or even domestic violence—however, it always leaves the person with some form of depression that makes him vulnerable. This vulnerability creates an anxiety in the person that makes his/her life stressful and leads him to take dangerous actions including violence upon oneself or others. This article reveals: “Men who experienced lifetime major depressive behavior, generalized anxiety disorder, alcohol dependence, and non affective psychosis were more likely to both perpetrate and be a victim of IPV” (Whiting et al.). The early abuse in the person’s life has a real impact in his/her adulthood that may lead to violence. The painful experiences accumulated during childhood will not just go away and be forgotten; instead, the stress generated throughout these years may result in violence and, therefore, create a cycle. This cycle may not be easy to break since past abuse causes violence which may result in more violence. Referring to studies conducted about the issue, these authors state: “These findings support the assertion that those who have experienced past abuse are susceptible to relationships characterized with violence” (Whiting et al.). This violence may be directed towards self, in the form of suicide, or other, in the form of shootings or massacre; however, it expresses the anxiety the victim did not exteriorize. Furthermore, mental disorder represents an overwhelmingly important cause of violence. Even though many people manage to keep their mental condition a secret, most of them depend on medication to have a more or less normal life. This dependence on medication may represent a real danger for both the patient and the community because the failure to take the medicine may result in violence. The dependence on medication in itself may have an impact on the patient who may become addicted, which may also lead to violence. Talking about the results researchers conducted, these critics inform: They examined the association between serious violent acts and a number of personal, social and clinical characteristics in a sample of involuntarily admitted patients with severe mental disorder, who were awaiting a period of court-ordered outpatient treatment. The results show that a combination of medication non-compliance and substance abuse was a significant predictor of serious violent acts in the community. (Angermeyer, Cooper, and Link) The results of this study reflect the reality of the recent shootings that happened in the U.S. in which the perpetrator presented a mental disorder and had stopped taking his medication. Apart from medical dependence, mental disorder in itself may lead to violence since the patient does not control his actions and may act violently anytime. Commenting on a study these authors indicate: “From different angles of investigation, a consensus has emerged suggesting that the risk of mentally ill persons committing violent acts is actually elevated in comparison with that in the general population, and that the relative excess varies among diagnostic categories” (Angermeyer, Cooper, and Link). The complexity of the illness makes it hard to predict when these people may act violently; however, when they do, people find out in the hard way that the perpetrators have been suffering from some form of mental illness. The impossibility to predict when the mentally ill persons may act violently exposes communities to potential violence anytime. The periodic occurrence of violent events costs the lives to many innocent people. This violence that happens in the workplace, at school, at home or even in shopping malls has become a real concern for communities. However, violence is not a new phenomenon in the American society, which experienced various forms of violence throughout history. Among the most important causes of the outburst of violence in the American society are the dehumanization of minorities, past abuse and mental disorder. The U.S. government direct involvement in the massacre of Indians highly contributed to the implementation of cultural violence in the society. Works Cited Angermeyer, M.C., B. Cooper, and B. G. Link. “Mental Disorder and Violence: Results of Epidemiological Studies in the Era of de-Institutionalization.” Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 33 (1998): S1–S6. ProQuest. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. DiLorenzo, Thomas J. “The Culture of Violence in the American West: Myth versus Reality.” The Independent Review15.2 2010): 227-239. ProQuest. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. Whiting, Jason B., et al. “Intergenerational Transmission of Violence: the Influence of Self- Appraisals, Mental Disorders, and Substance Abuse.” J Fam Viol 24 (2009): 639-48. ProQuest. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. Read More