By William Dower, PhD
I struggle with the fact that even humans who have been provided every advantage, and who want for no material things, can choose to kill another human, apparently simply because they believe they can do so without any external consequences. I want to understand why some people behave this way. I want to live in a world where we could find these people before they cause harm, and do something to stop their violent behavior.
The way nature works, both ‘human nature’ and human societal behavior are subject to Darwin’s laws. For millions of years, there has been some benefit to those individuals and societies who show violent tendencies. A person who would kill other humans that they regarded as ‘other’ could have more offspring. A clan or society that killed or dominated their neighbors could expand into that territory.
It is reasonable to believe that throughout pre-history, many groups of humans developed societies that were peaceful. An isolated pacifist group could thrive. But the group would be easy prey. A violent outside group, or even an individual born in the group who was violent, could take over. The genes for such violent behavior would then increase in succeeding generations, at least to the point that there was so much violence and murder that the society began to fail because of it.
All human societies face this balance: be peaceful enough to cooperate, and violent enough to expand and fend off the attacks of other groups.
While we grieve and try to understand the current homicidal attacks on our peaceful neighbors, we should keep in mind that these violent and dangerous people are to be expected, and we must cooperate and anticipate them, if we want to prevent their taking over.
[Shared with permission from one of my most thoughtful and dear friends. Copyright 2026. ]
The Hermits' Rest 