Why Do We Kill?

I've seen a lot of threads lately on war and death.

My quandary is on the righteousness of causing the death of another.

I have personally killed dozens of men as a Soldier of the United States. The men under my charge have killed thousands (well, about 1500). I have my own causes for doing so, and my own psychological reactions.

After considering the whole of human history, peace doesn't seem to be working out for us as a species. Why not?

What is the root consideration that causes one man to kill another human?

Is there any justification (under "natural law")?

What is the cause of the guilt (or lack thereof) that one experiences when one kills another human?

I would like to hear your thoughts.

Since you say you've killed several people. I think you would be more likely than others to have the answer right?

reply to post by WhiteOneActual


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This should be interesting...

There is a famous experiment where a researcher (the authority figure) runs an experiment.
The test subject must shock a fictional victim who is an actor.
The researcher has the test subject up the voltage incrementally while the actor screams and pretends to be in excruciating pain.
The test subject begins to get squeamish but the researcher instructs him firmly to continue with the experiment.
Finally with some of the test subjects they get all the way to the lethal red line marked on the dial and the victim pretends to die.

result: some two thirds of the test subjects kill the victim because they were told to.
about one third mutinied and refused to hurt the victim any more at some point before he dies.

so IMHO
many kill because they are told to
many kill because they will profit ( money, food, sex, land, what ever )
many kill from fear or in self defense
some kill because they love to
some kill to stop a killer of others
some kill for religious reasons
some kill for ethnic reasons
some kill for revenge
some kill by accident
etc

but on third will try not to

I am really curious to read what others think on this question

reply to post by WhiteOneActual


heres a quote from megadeth peace sells but who's buying? heres the vid www.youtube.com... . I think its human nature as sick as that may sound for what ever reason its human nature to covet what others have be it oil or freedom. You can always tell someones true personality by putting them in power and if they are willing to exert that power at the cost of lives. I really used to believe people had a good nature but if life has taught me anything its that people who are good just taken advantage of plain and simple by the people up to not good except their own.

Originally posted by _Phoenix_
Since you say you've killed several people. I think you would be more likely than others to have the answer right?

I think its a very personal ordeal.

I am very well familiar with my feelings on it. I would like to know the feelings of others, even theoretically, on how they see things "through the pistol smoke."

I think if I shared my feelings immediately the purpose of the thread would be marginalized and I'd be left up in the air on what I consider to be an important topic, if for nobody but myself.

You either killed those men for a $Buck$......or you killed those men to survive.

Which was it?

There is no justification for taking the life of another human being unless it's in self-defense. You CAN do it, some people WANT to do it, people will do it if they're told to or if they are pushed far enough, or just because they don't care. Some people sign up to do it in the name of their country. There are a lot of reasons.


Violence only causes more violence.

Originally posted by Pervius
You either killed those men for a $Buck$......or you killed those men to survive.

Which was it?

Neither....both....and otherwise.

Money, country, and God are not the reasons I'm hoping for.

Those are just excuses.

Originally posted by WhiteOneActual
What is the root consideration that causes one man to kill another human?

It's because humans have been raised and indoctrinated and programmed to be murderous. It often begins when they are young and their teeth begin to grow. It starts with their introduction to the TASTE of flesh and blood. Meat. Meat eaters. Murderers. THAT right there is the primary root cause of desensitization of a soul to the idea of murder. Those that would not want to intentionally harm, use, or abuse, any sentient life on Earth would be the least likely to murder. This would be opposite of those that chow down on death daily. Seriously, I wouldn't lie to you.

I come from a hunting culture being Metis and was raised old school

"Walking through forests of palm tree apartments ---
scoff at the monkeys who live in their dark tents
down by the waterhole --- drunk every Friday ---
eating their nuts --- saving their raisins for Sunday.
Lions and tigers who wait in the shadows ---
they're fast but they're lazy, and sleep in green meadows.

Let's bungle in the jungle --- well, that's all right by me.
I'm a tiger when I want love,
but I'm a snake if we disagree.

Just say a word and the boys will be right there:
with claws at your back to send a chill through the night air.
Is it so frightening to have me at your shoulder?
Thunder and lightning couldn't be bolder.
I'll write on your tombstone, ``I thank you for dinner.''
This game that we animals play is a winner.

Let's bungle in the jungle --- well, that's all right by me.
I'm a tiger when I want love,
but I'm a snake if we disagree.

The rivers are full of crocodile nasties
and He who made kittens put snakes in the grass.
He's a lover of life but a player of pawns ---
yes, the King on His sunset lies waiting for dawn
to light up His Jungle
as play is resumed.
The monkeys seem willing to strike up the tune"
Jethro Tull

Originally posted by Shamanistical
It's because humans have been raised and indoctrinated and programmed to be murderous. It often begins when they are young and their teeth begin to grow. It starts with their introduction to the TASTE of flesh and blood. Meat. Meat eaters. Murderers. THAT right there is the primary root cause of desensitization of a soul to the idea of murder. Those that would not want to intentionally harm, use, or abuse, any sentient life on Earth would be the least likely to murder. This would be opposite of those that chow down on death daily. Seriously, I wouldn't lie to you.

You kind of struck home there.

I'm not sure I agree. I own livestock, and although I am not a vegetarian, I don't feel morally right killing my animals. I just gave away a bunch of chickens because I'm moving, didn't fry them up as the neighbors suggested. I don't hunt. In fact, I'm fairly sure I've never intentionally killed an animal.

If I had to kill my own meat, I would almost certainly be a vegetarian.

But I am murderous in that I have killed people. (Hopefully not for the taste.)

How am I more desensitized to the death of a man than the death of a chicken?

After considering the whole of human history, peace doesn't seem to be working out for us as a species. Why not?

~Need food to survive. Will kill if necessary.

What is the root consideration that causes one man to kill another human?

~Wants what the other human has or cannot give freely.

Is there any justification (under "natural law")?

~Nature takes care of its own. Humans have the choice to make peace.

What is the cause of the guilt (or lack thereof) that one experiences when one kills another human?

~When one realizes how taking one life could have meant his own life being taken by another human.

I would like to hear your thoughts.

~Behold! My thoughts are entered in italics below each of the OP's inquiries in bold.