Originally posted by Dr McBeefington
Do you agree that it's easier to do the wrong thing than it is the right thing? Also, I don't think we'll ever know why people do what they do, judging by the past 4,000 years. Thinking we'll figure it out is an arrogant stance. Since the dawn of time, man has been prone to destruction, and this isn't likely to change.
And I agree, knowing why people do wrong is important. But I think it's more important knowing that for every person that did wrong, 10 others in the same situation, same neighborhood, etc, did right.
Man might have been prone to destruction since the 'dawn of history', but changing societal standards and norms are ultimately moving towards the lowering of violence. We can ascend beyond our history and our 'brutish' past, if you will.
It's all important to know why people resort to violence. First of all, I've explained why the immediate circumstances (poverty) are important, but there are deeper, more subtle, and less obvious effects outside of that, including the way these factors interact with each individual's inherently unique psychology. By understanding why someone people resort to crime and some don't, we can move towards the reduction of the most common motivations in criminality and such.
Originally posted by Dr McBeefington
Everybody wants to ideally end the violence. But I don't think it's a realistic goal. It's more realistic to attempt to contain it and even at best, minimize it.
I don't know if we can ever 'stop' violence or war; it's certainly not a realistically foreseeable goal in the immediate future. However, increasing our harshness with criminals is hardly the best method of containing crime; fear of punishment will almost always be overridden by desperation and the survival instinct. Such is within every creature's biological instincts. The best method of deterring crime is to understand the psychology behind average criminality.
That, and the complete legalization of all 'non-victim' criminal acts, mainly prostitution and drug use. But that is another debate for another time.
Originally posted by Dr McBeefington
There are more people in poverty and who have been abused that don't commit crimes, than the ones that do, dude. How are you going to understand the minority that does commit those crimes and not understand the majority that doesn't, in the same situation? Again, if you think the conditions that lead to crime are poverty and abuse, you don't seem to understand white collar crimes, where the majority ARENT in the lower class, nor are abused. For all of these societal factors, it's personal responsibility that causes the end result, not the factors.
1. Multiple factors exist outside of the immediately perceivable societal one.
2. Greed is not a natural trait. In our society, that glorifies capitalism, some people inevitably interpret this as 'wealth at all costs'; thus, some people degenerate to crime in order to achieve the so-called American Dream. Even while collar crime can be traced to American society's values and traditions.
3. The majority of crimes are perpetrated by the lower class.
It's quite inefficient to continue talking about personal responsibility. The individual cannot be changed; that part of the causes of a certain action is beyond our control. However, the external factors exist within our grasp, and we should do our best to alter them.
Originally posted by Dr McBeefington
Your methodology is popular in criminal defense as a justification for a crime, rather than a role in leniency.
I don't necessarily think leniency is the best method of action, but increasing our strictness with crime will hardly have any solid results. Hell, if perceived 'police brutality' is increased, then people's rebellious and furious urges will only increase, thus potentially causing increases in crime.
As for the taxes part? Again, materialism, capitalism, 'wealth at all costs', etc. Even though an individual is personally responsible for whatever crime he perpetrates, it's always possible to trace the motivation and the mentality behind it to socio-economic factors.
However, it's not exactly possibly to completely revamp our values as a society; and even if we do, there will be people who cling to these traditional values. Thus, we cannot exactly change the circumstances that lead to white collar crime, and thus concentrating on aspects such as poverty, segregation, and abuse is more efficient.
And I am NOT walking around upside down. 😐