Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Roots 1 (5)
Page 1 of 1
The
Golden
Rule
of
Violence
Ironically,
the
Golden
Rule
applies
to
violence.
Persons
who
commit
violent
acts
are
doing
unto
others
what
others
have
done
to
them,
or
at
least
what
they
believe
others
have
done
to
them.
They
have
internalized
their
own
experiences,
the
behaviors
and
beliefs
of
significant
others,
and
the
beliefs
and
actions
that
they
witness
in
various
environments,
including
on
the
internet
and
in
video
games
of
various
sorts.
The
Premise
of
This
Book
The
premise
of
this
book
is
the
following:
In
order
to
understand
individuals
and
their
actions,
we
also
have
to
understand
their
interpretations
of
their
experiences.
Individuals
draw
upon
society
wide-‐beliefs
and
practices
to
do
so.
They
draw
upon
beliefs
that
are
most
salient
to
them
and
that
they
have
internalized.
Violence
occurs
because
individuals
anticipate
and
experience
emotional
gratification
through
their
violence.
They
think
of
short-‐term
positive
consequences
for
themselves
and
do
not
think
about
or
dismiss
the
longer-‐term
negative
consequences
for
themselves.
Individuals
who
commit
violence
have
a
range
of
thoughts
about
the
victims
of
their
violence.
Some
believe
victims
deserve
it.
They
my
think
they
are
teaching
a
lesson,
keeping
victims
in
line.
Others
want
to
hurt
victims
and
see
them
suffer
as
they
belief
they
have
suffered.
They
sometimes
believe
victims
enjoy
it.
Some
don’t
care
what
victims
think.
They
want
the
gratification.
Many
feel
remorse
after
the
violent
act,
but
the
beliefs
about
violence
and
its
gratification
are
so
strong
that
before
long
they
are
at
it
once
again.
The
Research
Tradition
of
This
Book
This
book
will
be
based
upon
the
traditions
of
the
Chicago
School
of
Sociology
(Bulmer,
1984;
Gilgun,
199,
2008,
in
press)
and
American
pragmatism.
These
tradition
are
intertwined
and
focus
on
understanding
the
meanings
of
individual
experiences
from
the
points
of
view
of
individuals.
In
order
to
under
the
experiences
of
others,
researchers
participate
vicariously
in
the
accounts
of
their
lives
others
provide.
In
the
words
of
Robert
Park,
an
originator
of
the
Chicago
School,
researchers
must
think
and
feel
like
the
persons
on
whom
they
do
research.
Researchers’
understandings
of
experience
are
not
confined
to
individuals
because
this
tradition
assumes
that
persons
are
inseparable
from
their
contexts,
that
individuals
interact
with
others
in
various
contexts,
and
that
these
various
interactive
processes
give
rise
to
individual
belief
systems
and
to
socio-‐cultural
beliefs
and
practices
that
individuals
shape
and
that
shape
individuals.
Roots 1 (5)
Page 2 of 2
I
also
practice
the
Chicago
School
principle
of
immersion,
where
the
interviews
I
conducted
were
in-‐depth,
often
multiple
that
sometimes
took
place
over
months.
By
doing
this,
I
developed
in-‐depth
accounts
that
research
participants
provided.
I
also
sought
multiple
points
of
view,
interviewing
not
only
perpetrators
of
interpersonal
violence,
but
survivors,
spouses,
and
parents
of
perpetrators.
In
this
way,
I
will
convey
the
multiple
points
of
view
on
interpersonal
violence.
Human
actions
and
the
meanings
that
individuals
attribute
to
experiences
are
understood
in
relationship
to
familial,
social,
and
culture-‐based
themes
and
practices
that
arise
out
of
collectivities
of
thoughts
and
beliefs.
Cognitive
science,
particularly
neuroscience
and
schema
theory,
helps
flesh
out
the
general
ideas
of
interactions
between
persons
and
environments.
I
will
use
these
theories
in
the
present
proposed
book.
Within
the
interactionist
framework
of
the
Chicago
School,
the
intangibles
of
human
experience,
such
as
hopes,
emotions,
and
thoughts,
are
subject
to
empirical
investigation.
Words
or
language,
therefore,
take
a
central
place
in
these
philosophies
of
science
because
language
constructs
these
“intangibles.”
In
fact,
Dilthey
(1961)
identified
philology,
or
the
study
of
language,
as
a
cornerstone
discipline
for
understanding
human
experience.
He
also
stated
that
anthropology,
which
studies
human
beings
as
inseparable
from
their
context,
is
another
cornerstone
discipline
for
the
pursuit
of
understanding
experience.
While
my
work
is
not
anthropological,
it
does,
as
already
discussed,
views
human
beings
as
inseparable
from
their
contexts.
Words
are
not
neutral
but
encode
culturally-‐based
meanings
that
individuals
interpret
according
to
their
own
worldviews.
Interpretations,
therefore,
are
an
important
part
of
the
meanings
that
individuals
attribute
to
their
experience.
It
is
experience,
encoded
in
language,
that
researchers
want
to
understand.
Understanding
of
experiences
in
Dilthey’s
(1961)
terms
requires
the
study
of
human
actions,
of
how
human
beings
express
their
experiences,
the
meanings
they
attach
to
their
experiences,
and
their
observation
of
the
effects
of
their
actions
on
others
(p.
71).
By
their
actions,
viewed
as
taking
place
in
particular
multi-‐layered
situations,
we
understand
other
people’s
beliefs
and
our
own.
In
addition
to
the
above
principles
that
it
shares
with
interactionism,
American
pragmatism
has
an
explicit
values
base
that
includes
concerns
for
social
justice,
equality,
and
the
common
good.
Often
terms
the
philosophy
of
democracy,
pragmatism
guides
researchers
to
understand
human
situations
on
multiple
interacting
levels
through
the
use
of
this
values
framework
and
the
to
take
action
to
create
fairness,
equality,
and
common
good.
I
will
also
use
critical
discourse
analysis
(Wodak
&
Meyers,
2009)
to
identify
and
describe
connections
between
individual
actions
and
the
various
contexts
in
which
they
live
their
lives.
Language
connects
personal
beliefs
and
actions
to
wide-‐
Roots 1 (5)
Page 3 of 3
spread
cultural
beliefs
and
practices.
Both
American
pragmatism
and
interactionism
believe
that
language
is
a
symbol
of
systems
that
connects
individuals
and
social
systems
such
as
families,
communities,
and
institutions.
Consistent
with
the
traditions
of
interactionism
and
pragmatism,
I
will
write
in
the
first
person
and
describe
my
experiences
of
participating
vicariously
in
the
stories
that
perpetrators
tell.
This
is
tough
to
do
when
the
topic
is
interpersonal
violence,
but
I
toughed
it
out.
I
will
describe
what
it
is
like
to
participate
vicariously
in
violent
acts
and
how
I
discovered
the
hidden
violence
in
my
own
heart.
Again
consistent
with
Chicago
School
traditions,
I
will
use
styles
of
writing
that
invite
readers
into
the
experiences
I
am
describing
and
interpreting.
I
will
use
techniques
of
creative
non-‐fiction,
such
as
story-‐telling,
vivid
language,
and
depictions
of
tensions
and
multiple
points
of
view.
Plan
of
the
Book
The
first
part
of
the
book
will
present
the
meanings
of
violence
to
perpetrators
of
several
kinds
of
interpersonal
violence:
incest,
child
molestation,
rape,
physical
violence
against
women
and
men,
attempted
murder,
and
murder.
I
will
organize
these
accounts
by
themes.
I
will
show
the
commonalities
and
differences
across
these
different
types
of
violence.
Since
the
accounts
of
individuals
are
inseparable
from
the
interactions
with
others
they
have
had
over
their
lifetimes
and
the
interpretations
of
these
interactions,
I
will
then
contextualize
these
accounts
with
the
life
histories
of
persons
who
first
described
what
violence
means
to
them.
I
will
focus
on
what
these
experiences
mean
to
perpetrators.
Next
I
will
connect
the
meanings
of
violence
and
the
life
histories
of
persons
who
have
committed
violent
acts
to
themes
and
practices
that
are
society-‐wide.
In
this
way,
I
demonstrate
that
persons
who
commit
violent
acts
are
not
isolated
in
their
beliefs
and
behaviors
but
act
on
beliefs
that
many
people
have.
I
will
describe
the
powerful
social
forces
that
ensure
that
violent
behaviors
are
difficult
if
not
impossible
to
change
because
they
are
so
deeply
engrained
in
societies
worldwide.
Violence
and
manhood,
violence
and
entitlement,
violence
as
gratification,
and
violence
as
revenge
are
far
too
difficult
to
change.
It
is
easy
for
people
to
abuse
the
power
they
have
over
others.
Power,
privilege,
and
prestige
are
distributed
in
society
according
to
gender,
income,
race,
ethnicity,
culture,
sexual
and
gender
identity,
and
ability.
I
will
show
how
unequal
power
is
a
factor
in
the
commission
of
violent
acts.
The
final
section
of
the
book
will
be
devoted
to
prevention.
The
suggestions
for
prevention
in
this
book
are
actions
for
individuals
to
take
within
the
contexts
of
their
lives.
Through
multiple,
local
efforts,
there
is
some
hope
that
individuals
will
Roots 1 (5)
Page 4 of 4
find
more
reward
in
conducting
themselves
civilly
to
get
what
they
want
rather
than
to
get
what
they
want
through
disrespect,
degradation,
and
humiliation
of
others.
Respect
for
the
power
some
individuals
have
over
others
must
be
substituted
for
abuse
of
power.
Persons
who
do
so
require
rewards
that
are
similar
to
the
rewards
they
receive
when
they
get
what
they
want
through
the
abuse
of
their
power.
What
people
want
from
violence
is
to
live
lives
of
dignity
and
to
have
respect.
They
also
want
to
change
the
behaviors
of
others
whom
they
perceive
are
disrespectful.
They
often
want
to
experience
the
superiority
they
feel
when
the
crush
others.
I
hope
that
this
book
shows
that
the
ends
do
not
justify
the
means.
There
are
other
ways
besides
violence
to
ensure
lives
of
dignity
and
respect.
Change
is
Possible
on
the
Local
Level
Change
is
possible
on
the
individual
and
local
level
if
individuals
do
what
they
can
over
a
long
period
of
time.
Concerned
persons
can
make
a
difference
in
their
own
lives.
They
can
identity
and
control
their
own
pro-‐violence
beliefs
and
practices
and
the
gratification
they
get
from
them.
They
can
teach
their
children
by
word
and
deed
how
to
get
what
they
want
through
respect
and
civility
and
without
disrespecting
and
degrading
others,
even
if
they
only
show
disrespect
and
degrade
others
through
words
and
not
through
actions.
The
Golden
Rule
applies
here.
If
people
are
treated
with
love
and
kindness
within
their
own
families
from
birth
and
with
dignity
and
respect
by
others
outside
of
families,
they
are
unlikely
to
take
on
beliefs
about
the
worth
of
violence.
Professionals
in
their
various
domains
can
set
rules
of
civility
and
reward
those
who
follow
them.
This
includes
classroom
teachers,
managers,
and
others
in
authority.
In
the
absence
of
such
rules,
individuals
can
set
their
own
personal
rules
to
respect
others
and
afford
them
dignity.
They
can
reward
themselves
by
telling
themselves
they
are
doing
the
right
thing.
Respect
and
dignity
are
hard
to
legislate
and
enforce,
but
public
policy
can
support
programs
that
promote
the
dignity
and
worth
of
individuals
and
that
withhold
rewards
from
programs
that
do
not
do
so,
force
their
closure,
and
transfer
their
activities
to
programs
that
are
respectful
of
human
dignity.
Marketing
campaigns
could
show
the
advantages
of
civility,
dignity,
and
respect
in
order
to
get
civility,
dignity,
and
respect.
Such
efforts
could
make
civility
more
attractive
than
violence,
especially
if
through
being
civil
people
feel
the
emotional
gratification
they
experience
when
they
commit
violent
acts.
Roots 1 (5)
Page 5 of 5
Summary
This
book
will
center
on
the
question,
why
do
they
do
it?
That
is,
the
meanings
of
violence
to
perpetrators.
It
will
extend
to
the
interpersonal
influences
on
the
development
of
violent
behaviors
in
families
and
communities
and
then
to
culturally-‐based
beliefs
and
practices
about
violence.
I
will
use
critical
theory
and
critical
discourse
approaches
to
my
analysis.
I
will
draw
lessons
for
prevention
from
this
analysis.
Prevention
efforts
are
likely
to
be
most
effective
if
they
are
local.
This
means
that
individuals
within
their
own
lives
can
take
concrete
steps
to
stop
pro-‐violence
thinking
and
actions
and
substitutes
the
rewards
of
violence
for
the
rewards
of
civility.
References
Bulmer,
Martin.
(1984).
The
Chicago
School
of
Sociology:
Institutionalization,
diversity,
and
the
rise
of
sociological
research.
Chicago:
University
of
Chicago
Press.
Blumer,
Herbert
(1969/1986).
Symbolic
interactionism:
Perspective
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method.
Berkeley:
University
of
California
Press.
Bogdan,
Robert
C.
&
Sari
Knopp
Biklen
(2007).
Qualitative
research
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education:
An
introduction
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theories
and
methods
(5th
ed).
Boston:
Pearson.
Denzin,
Norman
K.
(1989)
Interpretive
interactionism.
Thousand
Oaks,
CA:
Sage
for
much
of
the
thinking
and
language
in
this
statement.
Dewey,
John
(1958).
Experience
and
nature.
New
York:
Dover.
Dilthey,
Wilhelm
(1962).
Pattern
&
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Hickman,
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Row.
Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(1992).
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methods,
and
methodologies
in
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family
research.
In
Jane
F.
Gilgun,
Kerry
Daly,
and
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Handel
(Eds.),
Qualitative
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research
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22-‐41).
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Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(1999).
Methodological
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family
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Suzanne
K.
Steinmetz,
Marvin
B.
Sussman,
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Gary
W.
Peterson
(Eds.),
Handbook
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219-‐261).
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Gilgun,
Jane
F.
(2008).
Lived
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Gilgun, Jane F. (2010). Evil feels good: Think before you act. Roots of Violence, Seeds of
Change, 1(2), http://www.scribd.com/doc/38489251/Evil-Feels-Good-Think-
Before-You-Act
Gilgun, Jane F. (2010). Why they do it: Beliefs and emotional gratification lead to violent
acts.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30778872/Why-They-Do-It-Beliefs-Emotional-Gratification-
Lead-to-Violent-Acts
Gilgun, Jane F. (2008). On being shit: Unkind deeds & cover-ups in everyday life.
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http://www.amazon.com/Being-‐Shit-‐Cover-‐Ups-‐Everyday-‐
ebook/dp/B0015XV33Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1292297271&sr=8-‐2
Gilgun, Jane F. (in press). Qualitative family research: Enduring themes and contemporary
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Swaine
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The
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Cornell
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The
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Sage.
About OBS Express
The OBS Express is a newsletter that appears occasionally to call out perpetrators
of unkind deeds and cover-ups, to celebrate those who stand up to perpetrators, and to
recognize perpetrators who change their ways. This story celebrates a man who stood up
to bad behaviors. Jane Gilgun is the editor-in-chief.
Roots 1 (5)
Page 7 of 7
children’s stories on scribd.com, Kindle, and iBooks for a variety of mobile devices. She
has done research on the meanings of violence to perpetrators for many years and on
many other aspects of violence.
Roots 1 (5)
Page 8 of 8