David Grossman's model of how the resistance to killing is overcome is quite enlightening. Group identification and respect for authority play a role in breaking down any innate psychological resistance to killing. Increasing physical and psychological distance from the victim also helps.
However, that's merely a mechanism for enabling violence. The grand strategy of violence, i.e. "Why are we killing?", generally requires an ethos. Religion is but one of several sources of an answer to why. What does the group represent? What does the authority advocating violence represent? Why are the victims worthy of death? The answers to these questions and the resulting moral clarity can be an enabler for violence.
1 comment:
Yes, it's true.
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