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Worlds of Design: Gun vs. Sword
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<blockquote data-quote="Ratskinner" data-source="post: 7804878" data-attributes="member: 6688937"><p>Specifically regarding the idea of a human aversion to killing: I think there's sufficient research from other areas to support the idea. I think the common reactions (among westerners, anyway) to the "fat man" version of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolley_problem" target="_blank">trolley problem</a> points to it. Similarly, there is a pronounced bias in the cultures and history we study more (mostly due to historical accident/reason). For instance, the patterns of hunter-gatherer warfare you mention appear to only function in areas of high population density, and coincidentally(?) have a long "training" periods for young males in the form of war-play. Are they being "desensitized" or something? AFAIK, its not well-studied enough to know, but at least one researcher I've read noted that none of his subjects seem to experience anything like PTSD. Areas with low population density are far less studied, but all the indications I've seen indicate that organized violence are either rare or nonsensical to them, even when they maintain tribal or familial relationships that would permit it. (The general presumption seems to be along the lines of "When resources are scarce, its far better to have a friend who might share than an enemy who wouldn't.")</p><p></p><p>As far as massacres and things go, there are definite patterns of dehumanization that almost always precede them. Perhaps most famously painting the target group as vermin of some sort (cockroaches or rats are very popular) that need to be exterminated. So, while humans are obviously capable of doing violence to each other in a "warfare"* like manner, it seems to me that it usually takes some work to get there.</p><p></p><p>just my $.02</p><p></p><p>As far as the rest goes, I was just relating a conversation I had that seemed relevant.</p><p></p><p>*Individual or personal violence seems to be a different matter entirely.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ratskinner, post: 7804878, member: 6688937"] Specifically regarding the idea of a human aversion to killing: I think there's sufficient research from other areas to support the idea. I think the common reactions (among westerners, anyway) to the "fat man" version of the [URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolley_problem']trolley problem[/URL] points to it. Similarly, there is a pronounced bias in the cultures and history we study more (mostly due to historical accident/reason). For instance, the patterns of hunter-gatherer warfare you mention appear to only function in areas of high population density, and coincidentally(?) have a long "training" periods for young males in the form of war-play. Are they being "desensitized" or something? AFAIK, its not well-studied enough to know, but at least one researcher I've read noted that none of his subjects seem to experience anything like PTSD. Areas with low population density are far less studied, but all the indications I've seen indicate that organized violence are either rare or nonsensical to them, even when they maintain tribal or familial relationships that would permit it. (The general presumption seems to be along the lines of "When resources are scarce, its far better to have a friend who might share than an enemy who wouldn't.") As far as massacres and things go, there are definite patterns of dehumanization that almost always precede them. Perhaps most famously painting the target group as vermin of some sort (cockroaches or rats are very popular) that need to be exterminated. So, while humans are obviously capable of doing violence to each other in a "warfare"* like manner, it seems to me that it usually takes some work to get there. just my $.02 As far as the rest goes, I was just relating a conversation I had that seemed relevant. *Individual or personal violence seems to be a different matter entirely. [/QUOTE]
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