The Hidden Truth Behind Violence in Modern Society

The Hidden Truth

Chris Hedges once said “Violence is a disease, a disease that corrupts all who use it regardless of the cause.” Violence, behavior involving physical force intended to injure, harm, or kill someone or something, as well as aggression, hostile or violent behavior or attitudes toward another, is spreading throughout the globe like a disease, corrupting our modern society. The drastic increase in violent and aggressive behavior in modern society can be attributed directly to the prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse, easy availability of deadly weapons and the limitless exposure to mass media that celebrates these behaviors.

Within modern society, one of the primary causes of violence and aggression is the proliferate abuse of drugs and alcohol. According to Daniel Sonkin’s research, statistics stipulate a large percentage of individuals who have a problem with violence are under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Of those individuals, over two-thirds become violent while under the influence of these substances. Once an individual consumes drugs, the prefrontal cortex, or more commonly known as the judgment portion of the brain which controls reasoning and impulses, becomes dormant (Sonkin 1). For instance, under the effects of bath salts, which are now considered a harmful illegal substance, a man known as Rudy Eugene attacked Ronald Poppo, a scrawny, defenseless, homeless man in Miami, Florida, on May 26, 2012. The crazed attacker chewed off half of Mr. Poppo’s face just before being fatally shot by the police. As a consequence of consuming this detrimental drug, Mr. Eugene was mentally incapable of making logical decisions that any ordinary, clearheaded person would. The abuse and consumption of illegal, m...

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...iolence is increasing not only in America but also in Norway and other parts of the world. The violence found in the media has caused many people to become violent and commit violent acts throughout our modern society.

All in all, whether we live in North America or in another continent, violence and aggression is beginning to consume the lives of many people around the world. Like Mr. Hedges said, violence is a disease; and we are already infected. As humans we need to get together and find a remedy for violence before it’s too late. We do not need to lose more lives , we have already lost too many. Thus, as a consequence of the abused consumption of drugs and alcohol as well as the facilitated accessibility of weapons and the limitless exposure to mass media, violence and aggression has increased and if not stopped, will continue to increase in modern societies.