Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Is It Attainable To Live In A Safer Community If You're Not Living In A Large Metropolis?

5:00 AM
By Lorna D. Grimsley


One of the most interesting reads, The Tipping Point, written by Malcolm Gladwell, shows the association of the way animals live to the way that people live. It has often been speculated that violence tends to rise in densely populated areas. In this book, Malcolm Gladwell points out the conclusion that has been made to support this hypothesis: when you pack too many species, or people, in one area or small space, there is a rising probability of them becoming aggressive with one another. Violence can really happen anywhere, even in small country areas, but you will more than likely see much more of it where there are many people all living in these small, dense areas.

What are ways people can oppose violence in the metropolis? If you talk to a person who lives in these kinds of situations, you will probably hear the same statement: they would all protect and fight against a violent situation. If someone feels as if they are in danger, they could also fight against someone using violent force in retaliation. Does this kind of mental outlook really make any actual change? Or does violence - no matter from which side it is derived - perpetuate violence?

Ethical beliefs play a huge part in the way that people handle violence because they don't believe that these types of violent retaliations change the world for the better. NXIVM is an organization that allows individuals to find meaningful morals and ethics. Sara Bronfman has a center recently put in New York City. This is a prime location to study the effects of violence as it pertains to the citizens of New York City.

The question is, how can ethics assuredly affect violence -- even in the middle of an already violent society? Well, ethics are a person's internal guide. One of the simplest ways to observe if a person has good ethical beliefs is how they portray it through their lives. You need to stand with what you believe in when it applies to your moral beliefs or you won't be able to make decisive choices that could determine your life. When a person finds themselves being able to create choices without blinking or having to sit down and think about it, many times they have strong ethical beliefs. In their minds, they know they are making the right decision and don't have any regrets about it.

People can surely be indecisive about violence and ways to handle it. People don't normally think about stealing from someone else and don't think it's appropriate in any way. Many of us are distressed about the idea of killing someone, even in the case of self defense. What makes this a true statement? Are we built to avoid violence at all costs? How could a strong belief in ethics aid us in making more solid decisions about violence - even in a violent society? How can we engrave a sense of ethics in those that have already been exposed to a substantial volume of violence? We will undoubtedly feel differently about violence, if we use the tools available to us to change any violent potential we may have.




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