Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
jll
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Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Post by jll »

Why are some people able to commit violent crimes and feel no remorse?
After watching this film, I wonder if some people dont have a conscience.

http://theactofkilling.co.uk/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tILiqotj7Y
walkart
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Re: Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Post by walkart »

Because some peoples suffer much more then others, and this big internal suffering is traduced by extarnal violance.

All external violance have internal suffering as it's origin. Thats why we have to be compassionate toward them.
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ihrjordan
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Re: Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Post by ihrjordan »

jll wrote:Why are some people able to commit violent crimes and feel no remorse?
After watching this film, I wonder if some people dont have a conscience.

http://theactofkilling.co.uk/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tILiqotj7Y
It's like this say you have some jeans that have tons of dirt on them and you spill some spaghetti sauce on them would you really care about the new stain? Probably not, same with the mind. If a mind is already full of defilements they become sort of numb to mental repercussions if only for a while. HOWEVER they are only able to put it on the back burner and when they die (which will happen believe it or not) they won't be able to keep it locked up in the dark corners of their mind anymore it will all come to the forefront because he won't have a body anymore to attain things he needs to delay thinking about the evil deeds e.g alcohol, drugs entertainment etc. so therefor we should feel compassion for such people as they will face horrible suffering if they stay on such a path and that's indisputable.
"Ko imaṃ pathaviṃ vicessati, yamalokañca imaṃ sadevakaṃ.
ko dhammapadaṃ sudesitaṃ, kusalo pupphamiva pacessati"
Denisa
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Re: Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Post by Denisa »

jll wrote:Why are some people able to commit violent crimes and feel no remorse?
After watching this film, I wonder if some people dont have a conscience.

http://theactofkilling.co.uk/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tILiqotj7Y
Some people are blinded by very extreme wrong views that they can even commit genocide without a single remorse. Also they can get addicted to it by drawing pleasure from it like some psychotic serial killers, for them killing is a nutriment (ahara).
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manas
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Re: Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Post by manas »

Hi jil

I don't watch films like that, and won't be clicking on those links. I know already the kinds of depths humans can sink to, and I don't want to pollute my mind by watching extreme cruelty in action. It hurts too much to watch it.

About psychopaths - those who feel no empathy or remorse - they make up about 5-6 percent of the population so I've heard, and they are quite well represented in high security prisons, corporate boardrooms, and government.

manas
Last edited by manas on Sun Jun 08, 2014 7:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Mr Man
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Re: Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Post by Mr Man »

manas wrote:I don't watch films like that, and won't be clicking on those links. I know already the kinds of depths humans can sink to, and I don't want to pollute my mind by watching extreme cruelty in action. It hurts too much to watch it.

About psychopaths - those who feel no empathy or remorse - they make up about 5-6 percent of the population so I've heard, and they are quite well represented in high security prisons, corporate boardrooms, and government.

manas
manas, here is a link to the Wikipedia page about the film: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Act_of_Killing
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manas
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Re: Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Post by manas »

Mr Man wrote: manas, here is a link to the Wikipedia page about the film: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Act_of_Killing
Thanks MrMan, but really it's fine, I would prefer to just hope and pray for a world in which everyone lives in mutual respect and kindness, vain though this wish seems to be.
To the Buddha-refuge i go; to the Dhamma-refuge i go; to the Sangha-refuge i go.
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Mr Man
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Re: Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Post by Mr Man »

manas wrote:
Mr Man wrote: manas, here is a link to the Wikipedia page about the film: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Act_of_Killing
Thanks MrMan, but really it's fine, I would prefer to just hope and pray for a world in which everyone lives in mutual respect and kindness, vain though this wish seems to be.
That is a very good prayer manas. Somehow I imagined that you thought the links might be to something sensationalist but the movie is something rather different.
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Mkoll
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Re: Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Post by Mkoll »

ihrjordan wrote:Why are some people able to commit violent crimes and feel no remorse?
After watching this film, I wonder if some people dont have a conscience.

http://theactofkilling.co.uk/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tILiqotj7Y
Wrong views, ill will, anger, hate, greed, sadism, "following orders", etc. They've conditioned themselves to be this way via past kamma and the only way to change is via present kamma. That second sentence is true for all of us.

:shrug:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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Mkoll
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Re: Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Post by Mkoll »

manas wrote:About psychopaths - those who feel no empathy or remorse - they make up about 5-6 percent of the population so I've heard, and they are quite well represented in high security prisons, corporate boardrooms, and government.

manas
It's more like 1 percent.
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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manas
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Re: Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Post by manas »

(In reply to MrMan)

Ah so they are not graphic, then...ok thanks again for the info. I still won't watch them and I don't really wish to even read about them either, but once again your helpfulness is appreciated. :anjali:

I know all about the problem of cruelty, what I am more interested in is the solution, which is of course compassion, the sincere wish to alleviate the distress of others. May our minds be filled with compassion. That, as well as working together for social justice and equity, greater safety and protection for especially children, and so many good causes, is all we can do about it.
Last edited by manas on Sun Jun 08, 2014 8:30 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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TheNoBSBuddhist
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Re: Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Post by TheNoBSBuddhist »

I could not even watch it, however innocuous the contents may be. The tales it relates are just to horrific for me to 'entertain' if you would pardon the term....
:namaste:

You will not be punished FOR your 'emotions'; you will be punished BY your 'emotions'.



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Pay attention, simplify, and (Meditation instruction in a nutshell) "Mind - the Gap."
‘Absit invidia verbo’ - may ill-will be absent from the word. And mindful of that, if I don't respond, this may be why....
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TheNoBSBuddhist
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Re: Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Post by TheNoBSBuddhist »

manas wrote:(In reply to MrMan)

Ah so they are not graphic, then...ok thanks again for the info. I still won't watch them as even discussing such things is difficult for me, but once again your helpfulness is appreciated.

I'm one of those 'hsp's, 'highly sensitive persons', or so I read it described, and it clicked for me when I read it. It does not mean I feel more for others, but rather, that I find it harder to cope with thinking about and being exposed to certain things. Even just thinking about all the kids who are probably being abused right now fills my mind with sadness. I think you can see that this is unproductive, and does nothing to help those kids either. That is why, rather than further educating myself of the problem of cruelty, which I am already well aware of, I really do need to instead focus on possible solutions, and on working together with others for a better world. That's all we can do.

:anjali:
... I am haunted by my mind's/brain's tendency to suddenly give me the most horrifying images which make me recoil in revulsion and horror.
I know not whence these imaginings come, but they distress me and, as they often happen at night, when I am about to sleep, I very often have to rise, and do something to distract the thought pattern.... I make some tea, or watch a comedy video, or listen to some music...for example, one night, I had a vision of members of my family being held captive in their own home, and tied up, while their young 4-year-old son was being tortured in front of them.

Why?? Why would such distressing and terrible imaginings come to me, and terrorise me?
This was nearly 6 months ago, and it haunts me still, occasionally.

So subjecting myself to this kind of barbarism - I can't say. It just defeats me....
:namaste:

You will not be punished FOR your 'emotions'; you will be punished BY your 'emotions'.



Image

Pay attention, simplify, and (Meditation instruction in a nutshell) "Mind - the Gap."
‘Absit invidia verbo’ - may ill-will be absent from the word. And mindful of that, if I don't respond, this may be why....
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manas
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Re: Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Post by manas »

TheNoBSBuddhist wrote: Why?? Why would such distressing and terrible imaginings come to me, and terrorise me?
This was nearly 6 months ago, and it haunts me still, occasionally.

So subjecting myself to this kind of barbarism - I can't say. It just defeats me....
You've just got to learn to counteract it by filling your mind up with positive energy instead. Meet fire with fire. However dark and negative the distressing thought is, counter it with an even more powerful positive one. This is, of course, a long-term training, and something I am working on also.

Something I find useful, is to use emotion. Aim not only to merely think about something positive, but to actually feel it. For example, reflect on the love you feel for those dearest to you until you can literally feel a warm glow in your body.

metta
manas.
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TheNoBSBuddhist
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Re: Why are some people able to commit violent crimes?

Post by TheNoBSBuddhist »

Yes, that is why, rather than continue lying in bed, I get up to find some form of distraction and 'lose' myself in that....

Making tea, making bread, cooking... anything which takes focus and concentration....

Then when I return to bed, I recite a mala or two.... that lulls me to sleep....

(I know, I know..... reciting a mala is more of a Mahayana practice.... but it's enormously therapeutic and comforting!)
:namaste:

You will not be punished FOR your 'emotions'; you will be punished BY your 'emotions'.



Image

Pay attention, simplify, and (Meditation instruction in a nutshell) "Mind - the Gap."
‘Absit invidia verbo’ - may ill-will be absent from the word. And mindful of that, if I don't respond, this may be why....
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