Introduction
Violence has been a part of human life for a very long time, as experience has shown. In this situation, violence is a form of deliberate cruelty against fellow humans, other species, and nature. It is a natural trait of living beings that many claim is an inbuilt reflex that can manifest itself under certain conditions. However, while animals display aggressive actions, it can be argued that they are acting out for justifiable motives relevant to their survival. Humans, on the other hand, have shown aggressive tendencies over even less severe problems. For instance, humans have been known to subject animals and their fellow humans to harsh conditions on the basis of reasons such as entertainment or revenge.Decreasing Violence
More so, it has become hard to point out the need for violent behavior in our world today. These arguments raise the questions as to whether violence is on the rise or has been decreasing over the years. These changes in moral attenuations are perhaps some of the most under-acknowledged concepts in human history. In this context, this paper represents a critical review of the way violence has been transforming over history with the aim of determining whether it has been increasing or decreasing as years go by.According to Pinker, violence has been decreasing steadily over the years in such a way that we should proudly state that we are living in some of the most peaceful times from the dawn of man (1). Previously, there were a number of practices that are known to have been common in the old ages that if done today will be rated as sadism and extreme levels of violence. When compared to today's moral compass, people would be quick to shun any form of violence whether practiced on humans or animals. It is thus notable that violence has been decreasing over the years. History has helped us to become softer and more rational in our judgment seeing that practices such as slavery, cruel punishments and genocide have become far less common in the world we live in today as opposed to in history when such practices were widely practiced. The decline in violence has proven to be a worldwide event especially in the western nations which underwent the enlightenment period during the seventeenth centuries to become the epitome of reason. From then on we can see a deviation from the prehistoric barbarism practiced at the hands of men to other men, animals or nature. In more recent times, we have seen that after the world wars, the world experienced a cool down in the frequency of nation against nation violence. States have taken up the option of diplomacy and are negotiating settlements rather than taking up arms to fights. The core basis of their arguments has become the value of the lives of their people and in this way, violence has become an impossible if not last resort. Moreover, the main argument that Pinker puts out is that we have only failed to define the true meaning of violence (2). Defining violence by the rates of crime may be the blemish that tarnishes our view of violence and brings up the assumption that violence has been on the rise.Violence on the Rise
Contrary to Pinker's beliefs, Evans argues out that violence has been on the rise (1). In his view, the world is witnessing a boom in a new form of violence fueled by fascism. Newer acts of violence such as prejudice have become the new backdrop for violent behaviors exploited by politics that drive people to hate one another. Evans finds that the world has experienced an increase in the number and types of violence when compared to the old age (7). In this new political arrangements that have recently come into existence, people have only been confined to their thoughts out of fear but the urge to commit violence still remains. In this way, he finds that the world requires a transformation of the ethical way of thinking to act as a reprieve for the upsurge in violence. While still acknowledging the atrocities committed in history as extreme, he argues that it should not cloud us from the significance of these new types of violence that threatens our future existence (Evans, 7).Conclusion
In conclusion, statistics may not fully agree with Pinker, the reason being that humans have been documented to still prefer to be entertained with violence. Recent crime reviews may actually show an increase in the frequency of occurrence of violence over the recent years. On the other hand, Evans has a broader definition of violence that instills the perception of a violent world today (5). In my view, violence in the form of extreme cruelty has decreased in the world today but other forms of violence have taken its place. In this sense, I choose to side with Evans to state that violence is on the rise and is a potential threat to the existence of the human race.Works Cited
Evans, Brad. “Opinion | Humans In Dark Times”. Nyti.Ms, 2017, https://nyti.ms/2ly6dDD.
Pinker, Steven. “The Surprising Decline in Violence”. Ted.Com, 2017, http://www.ted.com/talks/steven_pinker_on_the_myth_of_violence/transcript?language=
