Human nature is a paradox.

What cultural norms and beliefs suggest violence against a perceived enemy solves a problem?

While I’m a bit of a pragmatist/realist in the areas of current events, I don’t see violence as a cure. Instead, I see it as the catalyst for more violence.

I struggle with violence. I became exposed to lots of violence as a kid. I foolishly deployed violence as a young adult. And now as an adult, I do everything I can to avoid it — resorting to words instead. Violence never led to peace, it always begot more violence — both in the short run and the long run.

Perhaps our culture permits this type of issue-oriented short sightedness. Perhaps we need violence now to solve a problem now, and perhaps we’ll tackle the future when it comes. “Let’s deal with what’s in front of us.” Even I write about dealing with the here and now.

In our attempt to deal with the now, what we miss is a thought for the second and third order effects of our actions. How will deploying violence against a kid impact that human 20 years in the future? How will shooting someone impact my neighbors and our world in 5 years? How will this blog be perceived a quarter from now?

For as much as we’re privileged to possess foresight we are often shitty at deploying it for useful ends.