Violence — A Reflection

Truthfully, I did not know a lot about violence and its affects until the beginning of this year. What I knew of violence was from brief snippets of stories from the news, dramatized scenes in film and television and from stories I had heard secondhand. Violence to me was an acquaintance, something I knew of and knew to stay away from. Surely it could never happen to me, so I didn’t live in fear of it and perhaps I was ignorant to the realities of violent acts. Now, violence is longer an acquaintance. However, it is neither a friend nor an enemy, it merely exists in a different way in my life. Experiences with violence do not need to be a defining point of one’s life, but merely an addition that is truly hard to work through, but is part of the bigger picture of an entire entity. I believe that violence can be subjective and varied depending on the individual. Violence can be an unspoken use of control of people, groups, or environments. Is physical violence still violent if it is desired or consensually intended? Is self-defense considered a violent act, and are their acts that are considered to be more deserving of violent retribution? In relation to the Stanford Prison Experiment, are we all capable of some kind of violence if pushed past our limits? These are questions that I have that I am interested in learning about as the course progresses, to expand my knowledge on the subject and allow for deeper understanding.

I used to think of violence as merely a physical act; something that happened that left you with bruises, scars or other physical ailments that cause pain but could be healed with time. What I have learned now is that violence is not always completely physical and in many cases there are more intricate layers and aspects to the effects of violence. Violence can be subtle, emotional, psychological, and just as equally damaging as the physical side to violence. The effects of emotional and psychological violence can often outweigh those of physical violence and be felt over a longer period of time and at a stronger level. The pain is different but both are very real. The internal aftermath of violence is often overlooked, simply because the bruises and scars are not obviously visible. I experienced a violence that was not merely physical, but a combination. The pain caused through those purposeful acts of violence and control continue on long after the bruises have healed. You can’t see it; it can’t be treated by a band-aid or a pain killer. It’s hidden, and it often feels shameful or embarrassing because you yourself can’t make sense of it.

Throughout this course, I seek to understand more about various acts of violence and those who commit them. I want to be able to sympathize with the starting points of a violent person; the psychology behind their actions and how they can be changed, or if it indeed possible to rehabilitate a violent-natured person. Are certain individuals more inclined to behave violently because of their DNA, mental health, or environment? Should a mentally ill (sociopaths, psychopath) individual who commits a violent crime be held to the degree of responsibility as those not considered to be mentally ill? I am very interested in exploring the deeper, complex issues behind violence including the psychological, sociological, political and cultural aspects involved.

At the end of the day, I still hold on to the belief that people are inherently good. Perhaps that is a naïve thought, but I have chosen not to allow my personal experience with violence control who I am and how I view the world. Violence can cast a dark cloud over a person, but to separate yourself from that cloud, take a step forward and recognize that you are still in control despite what has happened to you is powerful and so incredibly important.