The darker side

History has proved numerous times that humans are not always a benevolent race and has the capability of inflicting unspeakable pain to others. It is applicable both to a single person all also as a collective action. Such thoughts and feelings are inbuilt in all of us and sometimes we even think of doing it but luckily most of us do not act on it. Such persuasive feeling can come out of a goal or just for the pleasure of it and can be influenced by evolutionary instinct or national patriotism or religious belief. Whatever be the reason we know that it is inbuilt within all of us and is just waiting for the right trigger. An arsonist, a murderer, a molester, a criminal and all other such personalities are hiding within us- it is difficult to accept this fact under normal condition but our dark side is actually inside us. Only a few of cross that line to act on it and it gets induced mostly by a difficult childhood or a psychological disorder. We who have lived a normal life till know still don’t know how we will react when someone would harm the wife or child.

A simple search of internet will come up with hundreds of news and videos of how man had devised innovative torture and killing devices. But the worst of such device has been the human mind.

An easily understandable example can be found when we watch movies. All around the world the most popular movies are based on the themes of action movies which comprises of a story made up of a sequence of action scenes. I think this is because of an underlying sub conscious aspect within us that likes to see violence. There is nothing good or bad in it if it is kept to the silver screen only and does not spill over real life. May be this inclination towards violence is hardwired within us as a means to hunt for food and protect us from predators. The worst form is those that are committed for no rhyme and reason and just for the sake of it or pleasure of it.

The worst of it comes out in collective actions of mankind and this has been in the name of expansion of empire, nationalism and religious dogma. There is no end to unchecked human aspiration and kings have gone to war with vengeance for expansion of their kingdom. When we say Alexander the great, I fail to understand what was great in expanding his kingdom so much at the cost of his ambition and ego and also the lives of so many people. A different version of it can be found in Hitler, Napoleon and many others like them. We can name an example from every part of the world.  Again a different version of it can be found in the European colonial expansion with the primary purpose of making money by exploiting resources of other countries. Yet another version of it can be found in the subjugation of aboriginals around the world in the name of racial superiority. I will not go into the details and figures as all of know about it. The aspirations of few had overpowered the masses to motivate them to do things which otherwise they would not do it.

The next thing which has been collectively exploited is the nationalistic jingoism. It has been easy to rally citizens to kill and get killed in the name of nationalism. Not only killing but all type of atrocities that we can think of and cannot think of - all in the name of hypothetical country. For some can justify why America entered Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan and then there are many who don’t find any logic of it. It all depends on the perspective that was projected to dissecting that perspective to understand the root cause of such actions.

Another aspect of collective exploitation of the dark side has been religion. This too is all known to us and is currently the cause of most concern all around the world. It baffles me how people can turn to zombies. Conflicts due to nationalism and religious bias is an effect of cognitive bias where one thing is hammered continuously till be believe in that alternate reality. How much motivation do you think is required to strap a bomb around my body and blow myself up in a crowded place when I am continuously bombarded with indoctrination that my religion is in threat and I will have a one way ticket to heaven by killing others? This is also used in advertising by companies to good effect. The common men who have actually done these acts have been pawns in the hand of the powerful or influenced by nationalism or religious fervor. But the dark side has been always inside them waiting for an opportunistic outlet.

Whatever be the reason we know that the darker side in us is lurking just under the surface of our personality, only the catalyst to trigger it is lacking till now.