As a broad trend, is humanity growing more or less violent over its full history?

Answer 1

We are equally violent as we were before, just in modern times we just got more efficient at dishing it out.

Answer 2

Such cynicism! Given the exortation of peace activists such as Mohatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mother Theresa, and the damnation of brutal conqueres such as Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin, I would say that we are gradually moving towards a more benign existence.

Come on, Just last week the football star Michael Vick was convicted and universally condemned for Dog fighting. Dog Figthing! Any other culture in history would laugh at us for giving such treatment to simple animals!

We're a culture that respects ideas such as care for the environment, care for animals, vegetarianism, pacifism, religious tolerance. Can any other culture in human history say the same?

to date, about 3700 G.I's have been killed in Iraq. We call it a quagmire and moan about such devastating looses. 100 years ago, 3700 men might have died in a single battle! In World War II, 3700 was practically a skirmish!

The spectre of war is farther away from us now than it has ever been in human history. Technology has made war terrible, thus has increased our reluctance to wage it. There has not been a major conflict since World War 2, which ended 62 years ago. Another major conflict does not appear likely on our horizon. We are rapidly approaching the benchmark set by the Romans during the Pax Romana; 207 years of peace. And the Pax Romana was pockmarked by conflicts that left hundreds of thousands dead (but was not major enough to disrupt the peace).

We are living in the most wonderful times in history. We should work hard to preserve this, and remember how fragile civilization can be, as the Romans found out.

Answer 3

It's really hard to say. You can attempt to measure incidence of war throughout human history, but the most common sort of violence in the world has never been war; it's always been good old-fashioned spousal and parental abuse. And incidence of spousal and parental abuse is extremely difficult to measure. The precious little data we have suggests that domestic violence is a common occurrence in 3-4% of families, with very little variation between cultures. Whether this percentage stayed at the same level in the past is very hard to say...

Answer 4

; Humans are more violent than ever...because with the INCREASE of VIOLENCE in movies,video games and television...VIOLENCE is been taught to young viewers,guiding the young,and the NOT so young to commit crimes,to do cruel and mean things to whomever comes in their way.Violence is much more present in our lifes; than it was back in the 50's or even 60's ....back when things were more innocent,more sweeter and kinder...just watch the old sitcoms to have an idea how things were back in those wonderful years...the golden decades.

Answer 5

Less violent. (as a factor of quality)

More violent. (as a factor of quantity)

We are not as blood splattered as we used to be. But, we are killing at a rate today that would have made us extinct during the dark ages...

Answer 6

Man's just as violent as he as always been it's just with a 24 Hour News cycle we learn about violence faster.