DURHAM  COLLEGE  OF  APPLIED  ARTS  AND  TECHNOLOGY  

Natural  Selection:  Violence  and  Non-­‐ Violence   A  Short  History  of  The  World     Paras  Gupte   CRN  :22336  

     

What  it  is  in  the  human  gene  that  makes  them  too  violent  and  aggressive  at  times?    

Paras  Gupte   CRN:  22336  

Natural Selection: Violence and Non-Violence Ever since the Homo-Sapiens began settlements numerous wars have been fought and uncountable instances of violence have taken place. People began killing each other for fun and sport in ancient kingdoms. As the time passed and religions developed, killings, humiliation and torturing of people took place in the name of religion. Even today when we wake up in morning and listen to radio or newspaper, we are confronted with same sad news, violence, crimes, and wars. What is that factor in the human gene that makes them too violent and aggressive at some times? The only answer which I can think of is, 13.7 billion year of survival of the fittest through natural selection. So do we have to be violent or non-violent at times to survive? We have given too much emphasis on science and technology yet somehow this is not sufficient as yet we have not succeeded in bringing about peace and happiness or in overcoming violence in the world. Today the word violence covers a broad spectrum. It can vary from a physical altercation between two beings, to war and genocide where millions may die as a result. The cause of violent behavior among humans is often a topic of research in psychology. Scientists do believe that violence is inherent in humans. Among prehistoric humans, there is archaeological evidence for both contentions of violence and nonviolence (peacefulness) as primary characteristics. Even today we can find that nonviolence is widely practice as a form of protest by people across the world rather than being violent and aggressive. These non-violent protests have resulted in decline of violent instance in the last decade. Non-violence played a very important role in defining the course of Indian national movement, from the 1920s to the final achievement of the

Paras  Gupte   CRN:  22336   freedom. It formed the basis of the methods of Satyagraha that became closely associated with the Gandhian whirlwind in Indian politics. (Maps of India). Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi pioneered these non-violent movements. He was the innovator of Satyagraha, or resistance to tyranny through civil mass disobedience ± a philosophy founded upon total non-violence. The Encyclopedia Britannica summarizes Gandhi's significance with the statement, "He was the catalyst if not the initiator of three of the major revolutions of the 20th century: the revolutions against colonialism, racism, and violence." (The New Encyclopedia Britannica 878) $FFRUGLQJ WR *DQGKL¶V SKLlosophy non-violence is much more than withholding violent behavior or words. Non-YLROHQFHPHDQVFDULQJLQRQH¶VKHDUWIRUHYHU\RQHHYHQ those with whom we strongly disagree. It may also involve a respect and reverence for all sentient and non-sentient beings. This might include the practice of not eating animal flesh. The success of Gandhi and his non-violence practices inspired many including Martin Luther King, Jr., who became a national icon in modern American Liberalism and won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his work in changing the American society in a peaceful way. The most violent way of protesting is by war. During war a prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. (Merriam Webster : War) . Wars not only result in deaths and destruction of property but also affects people mentally and leaves them traumatized, causing a negative effect on their belief of religion and moral values.

Paras  Gupte   CRN:  22336   Adoption of Buddhism by King Ashoka (304BCE-232BC) of the Maurayan Empire in the Indian peninsula is a historical evidence of how a war affects a person. The sight of burned houses and scattered corpses after the war of Kalinga (265BCE-264BCE) made Ashoka think: What have I done? If this is a victory, what's a defeat then? Is this a victory or a defeat? Is this justice or injustice? Is it gallantry or a rout? Is it valor to kill innocent children and women? Do I do it to widen the empire and for prosperity or to destroy the other's kingdom and splendor? One has lost her husband, someone else a father, someone a child, someone an unborn infant.... What's this debris of the corpses? Are these marks of victory or defeat? Are these vultures, crows, eagles the messengers of death or evil? (Sharma R. All About Ashoka ) It was after the war of Kalinga; Emperor Ashoka played a critical role in making Buddhism a world religion and was known as peace loving, exemplary ruler, who tried to put a secular state ethic of non-violence. In recent times, after World War I (1914-1918) peacekeeping bodies such as League of Nations were formed, but it failed to prevent world war II (1935-1945) and hence the United Nations was formed to replace the flawed League of Nations in 1945. The main purpose of United Nations is to maintain international peace and promote cooperation in solving international economic, social and humanitarian problems. But as non-peaceful dictators govern some countries, there are issues of concern about the global peace in the world, which results in war for sustaining the peace. Albert Einstein had predicted, "The problem of bringing peace to the world on a supranational basis will be solved only by employing Gandhi's method on a large scale." (Einstein 543).

Paras  Gupte   CRN:  22336   I think both violence and non-violence are paths to achieve what we desire. Yet non-violence is considers superior to violence as it is an expression of love that accepts punishment upon itself, rather than imposing it on the opponent and it persuades a person appealing to his conscience and better impulses, rather than forcing him against his will. I would conclude with a quote by Gandhi: ³Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.´

Word Count: 966

Paras  Gupte   CRN:  22336  

Wor ks C ited Einstein, Albert. Einstein on Peace. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1960. Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand. His persistence in his theory of non-violence in the event of a nuclear attack on a city. Margrate Bourka. 30 01 1948.

Maps of India. Gandhi and non violence. 27 07 2011. 18 10 2011 .

Merriam Webster. "War - Defenation." 13 08 2010. Merriam Webster Dictionary. 19 10 2011 .

The New Encyclopedia Britannica. The New Encyclopedia Britannica. Vol. 7. Britannica, 1975.