Non Violence Research Paper

Violence, or intentional harm towards another sentient being, is and always has been an unfortunate byproduct of human existence. It is so blindly accepted that oftentimes those who openly oppose or resist violent means (pacifists, non violent protesters, etc.) are ridiculed, belittled and even deemed traitors to their friends, families or countries. The nonviolent are taken advantage of because they hold themselves to a different standard of morality, one less instinctual and more intellectual than that of their counterparts. Violent acts are a result of the gap between moral reasoning and impulsive reactions – in other words, a means used by individuals seeking immediate gratification rather than a long-term solution. There is only one situation …show more content…
For example, on September 11, 2001, nineteen terrorists were responsible for the deaths of over 2000 Americans. As a result, the American government invaded Iraq and killed thousands of citizens not associated in any way with the attacks. Angry and grieving families in the United States formed a hateful stereotype against middle easterners not only overseas, but in America as well. It is quite clear then that the actions of nineteen men led two nations to strengthen destructive attitudes towards each other – resulting not only in mass death and destruction, but also a deeply set racism and prejudice towards a set of attitudes dissimilar from our …show more content…
Suicide, McGinn argues, is acceptable because each person has individual freedom and personal freedoms should not be suppressed. What McGinn fails to acknowledge here is that suicide nearly always affects someone beyond the killer/victim. Families, friends and colleagues are left to deal with the emotional wreckage for months or years. In some cases "copycat" suicides occur when the original tragedy becomes public – thus the violent act of one person towards themselves is actually violence toward others as well. Emotional violence is just as immoral as physical violence. And while it stands that one who commits suicide is not directly responsible for deaths that ensue in their example, the possibility of this consequence is reason to consider suicide immoral. Of course, suicide isn't the only way people may harm themselves. Any sort of violence inflicted towards one's self is bound to impress or affect another person. For example, troubled teenagers sometimes "relieve" their pain by cutting themselves. Many times, peers of these teens see these self inflicted scars and take it upon themselves to copy their friend and make their own scars. This "copycat response" occurs with many sorts of violence including murders and rapes. Of course the original perpetrator probably doesn't intend to cause such a reaction but they are nonetheless accountable for the ensuing response. It is expected that we