Outliers Violence Analysis

Peace Violence has been recorded down in our history from the dawn of time; it seems that in the past, violence was the answer for all disputes. Though time has progressed, “violence has been in decline … and today we are probably living in the most peaceful moment of our species’ time on earth” (Pinker). This decline in violence helps illustrate that mankind has been able to change, by dealing with conflicts in a peaceful manner, for violence is now not the first option to deal with issues. This turnaround also shows an evolution in mankind’s thinking process and ethics. Mankind now has understood value in living; thus, this has allowed for peace to play an integral part in society’s culture today. In our history, we see that violence has

“In the backcounty, violence wasn’t for economic gain. It was personal. You fought over your honor” (169). In the Harlan County in the nineteenth century there was conflict between two families. “The Howards and the Turners-did not get along” (162). Their conflicts led to gun fighting, causing casualties to both families, and wreaking havoc in the community. Though, throughout the family feud, the general attitudes toward using guns (violence) to resolve conflicts was accepting (it was natural). Will Turner’s mother is an example of accepting gun violence, as she told her son, “Die like a man, like your brother did!” Though, I believe that her attitude towards gun violence were justified, for “she belonged to a world so well acquainted with fatal gunshots that she had certain expectations about how they ought to be endured” (164). Comparing family feuds back then to present time, family feuds are now generally handled in nonviolent ways. Court is an example of resolving family feuds. Not only that, if the Howards and Turners resorted to gun violence to settle their fight, all of the surviving family members would be jailed for manslaughter in today’s