Would the level of violence increase if nobody could lie or if we could read eachother's minds?

Answer 1

No I think it would decrease. If people couldn't lie, if they were forced to be authentic it would be a very different world. They would be better people. Even their thoughts would change since they'd know they're being monitored. If only there was a way to make this happen. If only everyone could be real...

Answer 2

Not necessarily.

The question is based on stipulation, so lets consider a
few scenarios.

Scenario 1
A sudden capacity for all people to read minds and inability
to lie would undoubtedly cause a surge of violence.
The reason why is because people would believe that
the thoughts they were reading are un-natural thoughts
and cause for alarm which provokes violence.
However, after the initial surge violence would likely drop
to a level which is lower than the original base level.
The reason why is because people would realize that
the thoughts they were reading are not un-natural thoughts
when compared to other people's thoughts which aren't
necessarily similar, but are potentially as awkward.
After discovering that all people have some strange
thoughts the considerate person would be inclined to
avoid violence if only for the reason of "do unto others"
ideology. I must admit that I am an optimist when stating
that all people would be inclined to become considerate
in such a scenario, but beyond consideration people
might avoid violence purely out of fear for like treatment.
I think that over time people would become desensitized
to offending thoughts and violence would decrease for
this reason as well. Therefore, scenario 1 begins with
an elevated surge of violence above the original base
and after the surge violence decreases below the
original base and remains at a level of lesser violence.

Scenario 2(Divine Intervention)
A sudden capacity for all people to read minds and inability
to lie would undoubtedly be an act of God. Therefore, along
with the conditions of inability to lie and mind reading
God would grant people with an inability to consider thoughts
which offend other people because God wants humanity
to continue in existence.

Alterations on Divine Intervention scenarios are many.

Answer 3

I think if we were all truthful all the time- violence would drop.

I think if we could read each others minds violence would drop again.

you are suggesting that because I will know what people think of me I will become upset and violent.
you are forgetting the fact that if we all could read each others minds- that means my mind too could be read by others. when emotions are clear, open and known. when I know they know I am angry at their thoughts- I might (and I think probably) won't need to vent those emotions by any other means than thinking.

My immediate upset at a person thought would be handled both by the fact that there are no secrets- and that that person knows how I feel about it.

That's what I think

Answer 4

Privacy and free will would be respected more as undermining an others freewill and privacy would become problematic for self, i.e. equal power for knowing. If reading a mind included historical emotional responses, everyone could understand each others Judgment and Will.


The Will is positive, the Judgment is negative.

Answer 5

If you are talking about a psionic power of reading people's minds, then it would be dangerous. If everyone could do it, it would be chaotic. So to answer your question, yes.

If people told the truth, then the violence won't necessarily rise, but it might make people irritated.

Answer 6

I actually think that if we could read each others minds and were aware of that that we would be kinder in some ways.

Answer 7

Yes! We couldn't take the constant criticism.