It is in the human nature to act violent, but it takes an experience for it to manifest.

Anger is an

essential emotion to humans. When one is provoked or under pressure, they use their instinct. The

survival mentality is to ensure well being even if by violence; because of this, even the most timid

person can become brutal.

For instance, what happens when the tables are turned in a fight? An altercation can force the inner

violence out of an otherwise timid person. In some instances, the intended victim has become the

attacker. Woods (2006) found that what was meant to be a brawl posted on a on line video website

became much more when the would be victim brutalized the attacker. This person demonstrated self

defense by violence. He was not the aggressor, but he was driven to fierceness.

Above all, everyone is just as capable to act out violence. Contrary to what some people think, this

emotion does not discriminate. According to Ehrenreich (1999) “Grave sites recently excavated in

Russia contain the remains of women warriors from the second millennium B.C. - female skeletons

buried with weapons and bearing wounds inflicted by similar weapons”. In modern times, female

soldiers are just as deadly as male ones. The Iranian and Chilean military female soldiers are equally as

intimidating as their male counterparts displaying their guns in parade. Although the general stereotype

is that women are meek and timid, under the right circumstances they can be brought to violence.

For the most part, people who constantly appear and present themselves in a violent manner had it

materialized in them for a reason. A childhood friend of mine was frequently beaten and humiliated by

his brother growing up. Despite being a very mild mannered person, he retaliated in every incident.

According to Anderson (1994) “People often feel constrained not only to stand up and at least attempt

to resist during an assault, but also to “pay back” - to seek revenge – after a successful assault on their

person”. While my friend was always well mannered, it was always in his nature to be violent.
In the long run, it is embedded in the human nature to be violent, but for it to manifest it takes the

appropriate situation. For some this is the call to war, and to others the feeling of imminent danger.

Regardless of the reason, we all have it in us, but some less sensible individuals deviate and become

truly violent people.

Anderson, E. (1994, May). The code of the streets. The atlantic monthly, 81-94.

Woods, S. (2006, August 10). Ready to rumble. Rolling stone, 0035791X(1006),

Ehrenreich, B. (1999, January/February). Men hate war too. Foreign affairs, 78(1), 118-122.