3 ms·
The change in action figure suggests to me that our innate drive towards physical violence is not getting a natural outlet elsewhere. Traditional outlets inclu
by 10ren 17y ago
The change in action figure suggests to me that our innate drive towards physical violence is not getting a natural outlet elsewhere.
Traditional outlets include contact sport (ritualized warfare), litigation (ritualized warfare) and chess (ritualized warfare). That's because the purpose of physical violence is war: to defend the territory that the tribe and family depends on (and attack it).
We don't need that any more (...?), at least not in that form (...?), but we can't yet escape our own nature - and it might not be a good idea (consider "The Warriors", Larry Niven).
I think humans (men especially) have an inbuilt tendency towards physical violence - just as we have innate curiosity, humour, aptitude for language, mathematics, trade, fairness, cooperation, kindness and a wish to understand. But nevertheless, one of them is violence (consider your experience of anger).
Better to harness this productively, or dissipate it harmlessly, than to ignore it blindly. Because there is a very convenient outlet for it readily available to all governments: actual war.
- Tichy 17y agoI think it is still a cruel and competitive world out there. Since you mention chess: maybe it is not all solved on the physical level now, but other fights can be just as dangerous. We are competing for jobs, success, ultimately for food on the table and attractive women to marry.
- 10ren 17y agoTrue in a way, although much of those things follow naturally from creating wealth (i.e. creating value in the world), so much so that if we focus on that, the rest of it works out pretty well. It's like how you can work on building a better app and getting it adopted... vs. fighting piracy/maximizing revenue from customers/trying to beat your competitors. Of course, an organization can do both; but it can't skip the first one.