The recent Boston Marathon bombings have rightly
awakened throngs of dozing social critics. However, I grit my teeth whenever
someone grumbles a cliché like "nowadays people are more violent."
Literature exists explaining why humankind is
considerably less violent today than at any point in history. Evolution
dictates that humankind strives toward a peaceful existence. Survival of the
fittest is a voided concept if nobody survives. However, as humankind evolves
technology advances in kind. Weapons become more destructive.
Although the world's population of rabble-rousers
shrinks, and becomes better contained, those remaining possess greater
potential to wreak more widespread and devastating havoc. Imagine the
consequences if Emperor Caligula, and only he, had commanded squadrons of
F-16 fighter jets. What if Genghis Khan had controlled ballistic missiles
tipped with chemical weapons? Outfit Hitler with a vast fleet of nuclear
submarines and most of civilization would've been rubble and soot before Uncle
Sam wiped the crust from his eyes. To avoid a future asteroid belt forming between
Venus and Mars modern weaponry needs withheld from the dwindling few of those
with a grudge and a spastic trigger finger. Hiccups will inevitably occur. The
Boston Marathon bombing was a sad and grisly hiccup.
Not that "nowadays people are more violent,"
rather the violent possess more firepower.
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