The Moralization of Human Violence in Today’s Culture - When Are Violent Behavior and Actions Justified?
Joe Zayed
ENG-200
Professor Emigh-Murphy
April, 17, 2016
The Moralization of Human Violence in Today’s Culture
When are Violent Behavior and Actions Justified?
The world today, is considered a dangerous place to live in. “Why though?”Is what many may ask. Their reasoning in to thinking the world is a safe place is legitimate. With phenomenal modern medicines, prestigious militaries, impressive technology, law and order in most to all nations, and above all being the smartest living organisms at the top of the food pyramid. How can the world possibly be that unsafe? Well the truth is that the world is unsafe. Try to survive in this world without all those aforementioned items. These items are important institutions that we depend on for modern day survival. After all they are fancy things. We would not be at the top of food chain anymore without these institutions. The world is naturally violent from the beasts of the land and sea to the nasty and destructive fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, and tornadoes. So what does this have to do with human violence? Well, I just pointed out how without our technology advancements, humans would have struggles in modern times right? However, if I changed it around, what would happen if we didn’t have law and order? Violence would happen. Violence is a natural behavior that is defined as the intentional use of physical force against another or property. In depth, human violence would sky rocket because there wouldn’t be a limit on what you cannot do. People would kill those they hate or to take what they want. Thus proving violence is a natural impulse. So then ask yourself when violence should be used and considered needed in today’s society. Should those who amoralize it or don’t think it is bad or good think it is moral. Violence is needed for several reasons and isn’t against the universal moral code which is based on doing onto others what you would like to be done onto you. War, self defense, corporal punishment, and making a statement with actions are all first-class reasons for violence to take place. It is an amoralized behavior that should be moralized.
For all people who are pacifists and think violence is never necessary take into account this following situation where you are the one it. A man is 20 years old and he going on a date with a 20 year old woman. They go to a fancy restaurant, go to see a movie, and then a midnight city light stroll. After all that the man proceeds to walk the woman home. About a block away from her apartment some random guy with a mask jumps and knocks you out, then asks the woman for her purse or else. She refuses to hand over the purse and the mystery masked man starts punching her in the chest. She still is refusing to give him her purse and you have just woken up and recovered. So you’re that 20 year old man watching his date getting beaten up because he refuses to produce violent acts because it goes against what he believes in. For that matter why even call yourself a man. What are you going to do? Stand to the side saying “Ehm, sir may you please stop beating my date up?” Yeah, that won’t work. The right thing to do is to knock him right off her and tell her to run to her house and go call for help. But it is these situations where violence is useful. [pic 1]
Situations like these are justified by the rationale of self-defense. Self- defense is defined as the act of defending oneself or another when physically attacked by countering blows or overcoming an attacker. There is a law on self defense. If the threat involves fatal force, the person defending themselves can utilize fatal force to counter the threat. If, however, the threat occupies only minor force and the person using self-defense uses force that could cause serious bodily harm or a fatality, the intention of self-defense will not be sufficient enough. When you kill by reasoning of self defense it’s called justifiable homicide. (FindLaw, 1). But one cannot blow another person’s head of with a 12 gauge shotgun because that person hit them in the face. However, it is different if that person had a pistol pointed at or on their chest. A fatal threat is seen and the safest way to ensure one’s survival can also be the ugliest which was killing the attacker. A case in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin was ruled out on March 12, 2016 with no charges when Jeremy Rossetto a maintenance man who was regulating an apartment complex’s fire extinguishers shot two teenagers who were hitting him with a baseball bat multiple times. Court claimed Rossetto shot the teens in self-defense. (Luthern, 1). In the end self defense is a form of violence and those against it will suffer because words aren’t enough at times to put a stop to unfriendly actions. Violence is helpful in the form of self defense for those who amoralized it as a behavior.[pic 2]