I'd like to suggest another explanation for these results. I think (and
this is totally conjecture based upon reading cases from mob violence in
the American South against African Americans) that many people,
constrained by "civilization" are looking for an excuse to act out
aggressions. When an excuse is given, they let loose with abandon. In
much of first 2/3 of the last century, anytime even a rumor of an
African-American male acting even suggestively aggressive or sexual
manner toward a European American female, somebody got lynched. Often it
was not even the alleged perpetrator who got attacked. It was often
accompanied by large mobs of supposedly "God-fearing" people and took
horrific forms of torture and terror. In Tulsa, an entire community was
destroyed based upon a rumor that an African-American elevator operator
stepped on a European-American girl's foot. Emmitt Till was kidnapped,
tortured and killed because he reportedly whistled at a
European-American woman. IMHO, these and other incidents point to an
underlying desire to act aggressively that was kept in check until the
slightest excuse came forward. Thus those who wish to use the bible, or
"protection of women and children" or even because our team won a
championship game as an excuse, the underlying desire is merely waiting
for the excuse release valve to be opened so that they can behave badly.
and this is most certainly just my opinion...or is it?
Subject: Re: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST: Can God make people more aggressive?
From: "Christopher D. Green" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 11:32:46 -0400
X-Message-Number: 11
Turner, G. Marc wrote:
For those interested, here's a link to the actual study being
discussed in the blog post...
http://www.sitemaker.umich.edu/brad.bushman/files/BRDKB07.pdf
It seems like it might be a good article for discussion in some
classes...
--
Herb Coleman,Director
Instructional Computing and Technology
Adjunct Professor of Psychology
Austin Community College
Highland Business Center
5930 Middle Fiskville Rd.
Austin, TX 78752
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
512-223-7746
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"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed
by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you
did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the
safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover"
-Mark Twain
or put more simply
"I will go for my shots and not die wondering."
-Alicia Molik, Australian Tennis Player
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