When I say to people, "Violence never solves anything," what I mean is, "No---seriously---violence never solves anything." It doesn't make things better or achieve justice or set the world to rights or restore the balance or make you whole because it can't. It's violence. All violence does is tear new and bloodier holes in the fabric of civilization.
Some people can't believe this, because if you are very angry about something, you can't help wanting to make the person who made you angry feel sorry for doing it. Making other people sorry is deeply ingrained in the human psyche.
At present, we have a whole culture that glorifies and enables violent entertainment (because, face it, it's exciting and doesn't get teenagers pregnant or give anyone AIDS) and because it's not real. That is to say, adults understand that (1) It (mostly) isn't real; and (2) That if it WERE real, it would be unacceptable and disgusting and upsetting.
I don't necessarily think that the children of these adults understand this. I think they understand that what they see isn't real, but I think a healthy percentage probably don't realize that if it WERE, it would be the very thing that civilization opposes and that a sane society punishes. I mean, how are they supposed to understand this if no one tells them?
So anyway, I've not been surprised at the reports during the last few years about the rise in physical violence among teenaged girls or particularly so when it turns out that girl fights are more violent and nasty than fights between boys. After all, boys have traditions for "fighting fair." It's just not macho to sink your pointy little teeth into another guy or to shoot him in the back. Also, you aren't meant to hit below the belt.
At any rate, if you can stomach reading about this, jump to my note on this subject in THE FLATLAND CHRONICLES. Because yes: it matters more that violence among young girls is on the increase. Of course it does.
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