What causes people to become violent?

[Stevicus]

While scanning the headlines this morning, I came across a few stories which made me wonder about just what in the heck is going on with people?

Los Angeles police search for man they say brutally punched 2 women on viral video

This is one about a guy who punched two women, which apparently started when the guy was in an argument with a hot dog vendor over a $6 hot dog.

Alabama mom almost severs daughter's hand with machete in attack over money: cops

Then there's another story about a woman who attacked her daughter with a machete because she believed her daughter stole money.

Utah mother beat cat in front of her children then 'snapped its neck,' cops say

Then this woman beat a cat to death in front of her children. The article said she was depressed, but that doesn't really give much insight into what was going on in this person's mind.

Tempe PD: Suspect stabbed, killed pregnant Lyft driver

Then this story about a pregnant Lyft driver stabbed to death by a passenger.

This is just within the past few days. Stories like this seem to abound.

What causes this kind of insanity? What goes through people's heads?

I've generally been a rather non-violent person. I can understand anger, but I've never raised my hand in anger at anyone during my adult life. When I was a kid, I got into a few fights, but usually with the other person instigating. I never went out looking for a fight. I never understood or related to those types who seem to get a wild hair up their backside and want to go out looking to knock heads.

Is the country on the verge of a nervous breakdown?

 

[Twilight Hue]

While scanning the headlines this morning, I came across a few stories which made me wonder about just what in the heck is going on with people?

Los Angeles police search for man they say brutally punched 2 women on viral video

This is one about a guy who punched two women, which apparently started when the guy was in an argument with a hot dog vendor over a $6 hot dog.

Alabama mom almost severs daughter's hand with machete in attack over money: cops

Then there's another story about a woman who attacked her daughter with a machete because she believed her daughter stole money.

Utah mother beat cat in front of her children then 'snapped its neck,' cops say

Then this woman beat a cat to death in front of her children. The article said she was depressed, but that doesn't really give much insight into what was going on in this person's mind.

Tempe PD: Suspect stabbed, killed pregnant Lyft driver

Then this story about a pregnant Lyft driver stabbed to death by a passenger.

This is just within the past few days. Stories like this seem to abound.

What causes this kind of insanity? What goes through people's heads?

I've generally been a rather non-violent person. I can understand anger, but I've never raised my hand in anger at anyone during my adult life. When I was a kid, I got into a few fights, but usually with the other person instigating. I never went out looking for a fight. I never understood or related to those types who seem to get a wild hair up their backside and want to go out looking to knock heads.

Is the country on the verge of a nervous breakdown?

Think of it as viewing humanity for what it really is. I think some people have a hard time adjusting to the fact that yes , people are really and actually like that.

 

[Terese]

It's people trying to protect and/or aggrandise their own egos.

 

[Stevicus]

Think of it as viewing humanity for what it really is. I think some people have a hard time adjusting to the fact that yes , people are really and actually like that.

I can accept that there are people like that, and there are some forms of violence that I may understand better, even if I don't agree with it. Political violence or violence against tyranny - I can see how that can happen. Some mass killers might post a "manifesto" of some kind. It doesn't justify violence, but at least it gives some insight as to how their minds work.

But in other cases like these, it's just totally bizarre.

 

[Jumi]

Seems to be a lot less of people like that, I think good healthcare, education and justice systems go a long way in having less of those. Of course you are never going to prevent all of them.

 

[columbus]

Think of it as viewing humanity for what it really is. I think some people have a hard time adjusting to the fact that yes , people are really and actually like that.

I am sure there's a zillion reasons, not the least of which is media. From selectively publishing horror stories more than tiny heroisms, to desensitizing us to violence with a steady diet of "entertainment".

But then there's the freakishly unnatural stresses and strains of the artificial environment we live in.

And also the chemical soup we live in. From the purely natural to the beneficial (like drugs and vaccines) to the ordinary (like caffeine and alcohol), to the subtle (like food additives and plastic outgassing), to flat out toxic pollutants, the list is endless.
Back when lead was being removed from ordinary products like house paint and gasoline, one big prediction was a slow decrease in violence and murder. Not so much because of it's effects on adults, but the effects on prenatal and infant development.

I also once heard an interesting story on NPR about lithium. It's a simple element that sometimes has dramatic effects on certain mental illnesses.
A couple of studies were done on the difference in violent crimes in communities that had higher concentrations of naturally occuring lithium in the water and those that didn't. The results were striking, lithium correlated strongly with lower rates of violence across the board. Close to 30% in places with the highest concentrations.

Tom

 

[Nakosis]

While scanning the headlines this morning, I came across a few stories which made me wonder about just what in the heck is going on with people?

Los Angeles police search for man they say brutally punched 2 women on viral video

This is one about a guy who punched two women, which apparently started when the guy was in an argument with a hot dog vendor over a $6 hot dog.

Alabama mom almost severs daughter's hand with machete in attack over money: cops

Then there's another story about a woman who attacked her daughter with a machete because she believed her daughter stole money.

Utah mother beat cat in front of her children then 'snapped its neck,' cops say

Then this woman beat a cat to death in front of her children. The article said she was depressed, but that doesn't really give much insight into what was going on in this person's mind.

Tempe PD: Suspect stabbed, killed pregnant Lyft driver

Then this story about a pregnant Lyft driver stabbed to death by a passenger.

This is just within the past few days. Stories like this seem to abound.

What causes this kind of insanity? What goes through people's heads?

I've generally been a rather non-violent person. I can understand anger, but I've never raised my hand in anger at anyone during my adult life. When I was a kid, I got into a few fights, but usually with the other person instigating. I never went out looking for a fight. I never understood or related to those types who seem to get a wild hair up their backside and want to go out looking to knock heads.

Is the country on the verge of a nervous breakdown?

I suspect most people usually get violent from a sense of injustice. In their mine something unjust happen and so they feel justified in acting violent in order to bring justice back into balance.

Your wife cheats on you. You are certain homosexuality is a sin. Someone cuts you off on the freeway etc... IMO the death penalty is this kind of violence. A person feel violence is warranted to bring justice back into balance.

There is also the other type who enjoys the act of violence. A psychopath? Someone who gets a release of endorphins doing violent acts.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

This kind of stuff has always happened, we just hear about it faster and more because of modern communication technology. There's no one answer to why people are violent. Humans are a violent species in general. Chimps are one of our closest relatives and they are extremely violent. They go to war against other troops of chimps, torture and tear apart other chimps as punishment. As for the individuals, their reasons will vary.

 

[Wirey]

I’m never violent. And if anyone says I am, I’ll break their face!