Just what the hell is happening to us?

[RF1963]

I read the attached story with increasing disbelief, anger and despair. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...n-upside-use-human-punching-bag.html?ITO=1490

This is not the first story where a child has been brutalised at the hands of those who should have been the child's protector. These crimes are committed across the globe, it's not a matter endemic to one society. I can think of cases in UK, NZ, USA, Vienna and I'm sure you can all think of others. I've read cases where the abused has been a mentally handicapped adult.

I just cannot understand how these things happen; at times I find more comfort reading my books on Ancient Rome than in being in today's world. I know brutality has been around ever since man first drew breath but now it just seems to be too extreme, as if people have become desensitised to another's pain and even worse to take pleasure in causing that pain to the extent of recording it on mobile phones.

I'm not some naive traveller; I served as a Police Officer in London for 12 years and saw mankind at it's worst but the level of violence is at a whole other level in terms of viciousness and, dare I say it, evil.

This seems to be where my rant has taken me to. Increasingly there are more people, more acts, which can best be described as evil. How the hell did we ever get to this?

 

[rajagra]

Some clever people decided that children were sweet and innocent no matter what they did, and could not be held legally responsible for their own actions. So we've had a couple of generations of offspring who could - literally - get away with murder. And they know it. They do what they like because "it's their human right" not to be punished.

They grow up with a vague sense of right and wrong, but to them it's abstract because they have reason to scream about their own rights and other people's wrongdoing towards them, but have no incentive to do as they are done by. To them, rights are a one-way process.

Some of them grow up to realise that's no way to fit into society. But some don't.

 

[raisindot]

This kind of brutality has been going on since time immemorial.

There have always been people like this around committing these kinds of heinous acts to their wives, children, and others. The only reason why there seems to be more of this today is because there our shock-value media pays far more attention to these kinds of things than they did in the past. Same reason why there seems to be higher incidences of asthma, autism, cancer and diseases. Not because these things didn't exist in the same proporitions in earlier times, but because physicians are far more aggressive in testing and diagnosing these ailments (not always correctly), than they were in the past.

Jeff in Boston

 

[Slash McCoy]

It's nothing new. We live in the information age. We hear about it more. If anything, it is probably LESS frequent now than before.

 

[honed]

It's nothing new. We live in the information age. We hear about it more. If anything, it is probably LESS frequent now than before.

+1
History has taught us again & again that we are all capable of the most cruel & viscous acts imaginable.
Luckily most of us today remains sane enough as not to act it out.

 

[jwhite]

This kind of brutality has been going on since time immemorial.

There have always been people like this around committing these kinds of heinous acts to their wives, children, and others. The only reason why there seems to be more of this today is because there our shock-value media pays far more attention to these kinds of things than they did in the past. Same reason why there seems to be higher incidences of asthma, autism, cancer and diseases. Not because these things didn't exist in the same proporitions in earlier times, but because physicians are far more aggressive in testing and diagnosing these ailments (not always correctly), than they were in the past.

Jeff in Boston

It's nothing new. We live in the information age. We hear about it more. If anything, it is probably LESS frequent now than before.

Both of these. This sort of thing used to go largely unreported, and law enforcement had little interest in publicly perusing it. Not that nobody cared but by and large it was considered a private matter. We have a greater understanding of how abuse impacts individuals over time and society as a whole. As a result abusers are prosecuted and their crimes are made public knowledge. Also as shock sells better than comfort you'll hear this grotesque story but find little in popular media on the fact that abuse and all violent crime has seen a steady per capeta decline over time.

 

[taffy]

Horrid, though child abuse has been with us forever and a day, the only differance thesae days is its talked about, and brought to law, in the old days it was hidden away.

 

[The Knize]

I agree. Nothing new. It is also often true that the parent/person in charge in these circumstances is truly mentally ill. There was a recent incident in the No. Va area of a grandmother throwing baby in a car seat off a shopping center parking lot walkway mutiple stories above the pavement. She turned out to have a substantial mential illness history. If things seem beyond human nature, they often are. And no telling what kind of circumstances kids grow up in so that they have no human connections. Lots of psychopaths running around.

So next time some stranger cuts you off on the road or disses you in some bar or on the street, be aware of just the kind of mind you might be dealing with!

 

[mretzloff]

Interestingly enough, I took a class about this last semester. It was a liberal studies class which lecturers could put their own spin on. Mine was taught by a religious studies lecturer and was titled "Why does evil exist?". We spent hours discussing this stuff.

The scarier thing is that everyone is capable of this, some just do a better job of repressing it in their subconscious than others. I forget who it was, but Freud, Jung, or one of those guys said if we all knew what we were capable of, we would commit suicide because we would be so disgusted with ourselves.

And I agree about the information thing. The media blows everything out of proportion. Kidnappings, rapes, cases of domestic abuse, etc. are no where near the levels people think they are at.

 

[Dewaine]

...Freud, Jung, or one of those guys said if we all knew what we were capable of, we would commit suicide because we would be so disgusted with ourselves.

Interesting thought, there. Here is a counterpoint: if we lacked the potential to commit the most heinous acts, we would lack the potential (agency, freedom, what-have-you) to commit the most wonderful, good acts.

 

[rajagra]

I forget who it was, but Freud, Jung, or one of those guys said if we all knew what we were capable of, we would commit suicide because we would be so disgusted with ourselves.

Probably Freud...

[youtube]3dA89CBBOC0[/youtube]

 

[ouch]

If anyone happened to wander into that scene while it was unfolding, I don't see how they could refrain themselves from killing everyone involved with their bare hands.

I suppose that would be wrong.

 

[gull]

This might cheer you up OP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBqBHSbC9e4&feature=related

 

[Alacrity59]

A truly awful story. I can't even begin to understand . . . and I thank God for that lack of understanding.

 

[resj]

All 4 should get the same treatment, but I think they should be hung the right way

My take is we all have the potential to be brutal, unmerciful, and filled with human destruction. It's a matter of the most perfect scenario playing out that pushes that special button. These 4 have that button pushed on all the time, scenarios are skewed, and are non-functional in normal relations. For instance what ouch said would push that special button. It's up to that persons own personal level of aggression that would produce the outcome. This is when your mind rewires itself and your modern humanity blacks out, and you think through adrenaline and brutality. Most all things push that button right before the special button (people getting on your nerves, fighting, ect...) and never get's beyond that.

 

[BCatl]

@RF1963: Just what the hell is happening to us?

Probably too much news. It's a helpless feeling you get when you know all we know today.

 

[shavervinnie]

Our species is capable of the worst kind of behavior. No big mystery. Been this way for thousands of years. Some people are just mental defectives, regardless of age, sex, race, or creed. They are inclined to give in to their baser, darker instincts. In all of the possible situations in life, some of us just end up in unfortunate and sometimes deadly horrible circumstances involving these dangerous creatures. Ultimately, existence is fleeting for us all.

 

[The Knize]

As I think about it, for anyone to attack essentially a baby in this way is truly against most people's hard wired nature, it seems to me. Think how awful we feel when we hear about this. Think how disturbed we are whenever we hear about children being hurt or killed. Probably lots of us would risk our own lives to save that of a child where we might not for an adult, whether we are aware of that sitting here or not, certainly whether we know the child or not. The human race is generally hard-wired to preserve the young, even where there is not relationship between the adult and the child at risk.

This behavior outages us and seems bizarre. In fact, I am sure it is very bizarre. Something must be truly amiss in this nuclear family!!

 

[Fletch]

As I think about it, for anyone to attack essentially a baby in this way is truly against most people's hard wired nature, it seems to me. Think how awful we feel when we hear about this. Think how disturbed we are whenever we hear about children being hurt or killed. Probably lots of us would risk our own lives to save that of a child where we might not for an adult, whether we are aware of that sitting here or not, certainly whether we know the child or not. The human race is generally hard-wired to preserve the young, even where there is not relationship between the adult and the child at risk.

This behavior outages us and seems bizarre. In fact, I am sure it is very bizarre. Something must be truly amiss in this nuclear family!!

I read somewhere that for the most part an average or "normal" person is hardwired not to kill another person under normal circumstances. Hence the philosophy that, for the most part, people are generally good. Now you can say MAYBE that teens might not know the difference and in this case even the mom was just a teen herself, but come on. What mother allows anyone to hang their kid upside down my their feet. Let alone start hitting them, that goes a bit beyond "play wrestling". Maybe she never watched an actual wrestling match but there is no hitting of any kind in wrestling, aside from fake wrestling. And let's face it, and 18 month old is not of entertainment wrestling age.

There is a special place in hell for people who harm or have sex children, even hardened criminals and people convicted of murder in prison have no mercy for people who harm children.

 

[tpoof]

here goes.....

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Rom 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
Rom 2:2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
Rom 2:3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Rom 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
Rom 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
Rom 2:10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
Rom 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.