“Behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something.”

Violence is a subject that has been on my mind, for obvious reasons.

Violence has been used as a tool throughout all of recorded human history. Not to mention a few non-human species.

Chimpanzees have been witnessed using wooden spears.

Capuchin monkeys crack rocks to create sharp flint knives.

Elephants wield large branches.

Even Sea Otters will use stones to bash open the hard shells of a mollusk while cutely floating on their back.

And those are just a few examples of violence while using external tools. Biting, clawing, poisoning, crushing, whipping, drowning, stabbing, stinging, electrocuting.. just a few ways animals can commit violence using the things they were born with. Yes, when you think about it, it seem like more animals than not are born with the expectation of violence.

Regardless of the reason – survival, self-defense, or dominance – violence is used as a tool by many living animals. Homo-sapiens being the largest offender.

Of course, humans are uniquely set apart in that we seem to be the only species that excels in psychological violence. Threats, intimidation, emotional and verbal abuse, manipulation, bullying.. and even the more subtle methods like gaslighting. Psychological violence, and the threat of actual violence, can often times be more effective than actual violence for achieving ones goals. And it can be done without ever spilling a single drop of blood.

Just as a snake is born with fangs or an eagle is born with claws, humans are born with minds capable of some very dark things.

But with these expanded minds, we are also uniquely different in that we, as humans, are capable of choice.

Do we choose to live and work together, building communities that increase the survivability of all, or do we turn to violence to serve only ourselves? We were born with tools capable of destruction, but we can also imagine a world where humanity outgrows their use. A peaceful world, where minds create for the greater good. The snake will still strike when threatened or hungry, but we do not need to follow its example to live fulfilling lives.