The Question of Evolution of the Human Species
by Roshi Hogen Berman

I am concerned with what appears to be either an evolution of violence, or a regression to older less civilized behavior, particularly in our urban communities. In addition, I am interested in the question, (based upon our historical development, I am not certain if this should be called progression or regression) and extrapolation into the future, of where our society will be in the next century.

When I was a boy, during the 1930's, the other boys on our block thought of our group as a "club" - not a street gang. We did not engage in warfare with others from the next block or another neighborhood. If we did have a confrontation with a member of another "club", and admittedly it did happen now and then, two boys of about the same size stepped forward and "duked" it out (fought with their fists) to settle the conflict. Unwritten rules prohibited the use of any weapons - only fists (we even thought it unfair to kick, scratch or bite the other fella).

I don't know what developed along these lines during World War II; I wasn't around the neighborhood. Like most other young fellas in my age group, I'd run off to war.

Somehow, during the 1950s and 60s, The neighborhood clubs became street gangs and their weaponry escalated from fists to bicycle chains and home made "Zip Guns." Zip guns were made out of wood, with a nail for a firing pin that was driven into a 22-caliber bullet's detonator by rubber bands. While they were extremely inaccurate, if struck by the bullet they could be just as deadly as a factory made Saturday night special.

During the 70s, 80s, and 90s (and on into the beginning of the new century), the weaponry and activities of the street gangs have once again escalated. Today they are using automatic guns, Uzis, shot guns, 9MM semi-automatic pistols and any other deadly weapon they can lay their hands on. Suddenly street gangs have become involved in murder, mayhem, drugs, robbery, burglary, and who knows what else. They have no respect for life, neither their own or anyone else's.

When I was a boy, initiation into our club(s) involved climbing over a neighbor's fence and "liberating" a few green apples off their tree or perhaps sneaking into his backyard after dark and pushing over his outhouse. Today initiation requires prospective gang members to prove how fearless they are by shooting some perfect stranger as the shooter is driven past in a car. We call this phenomena, "drive-by shootings".

In our neighborhood clubs we attempted to emulate those who in some way were perceived to be in positions of authority; those who for some reason were perceived to be superior to us, based upon skills of some kind, education, manners, wealth or simply their position or status in the community. We aspired for equality, but we went to school and worked for this equality with the idea of rising from the pits of welfare and poverty up to what we thought of as the higher standard of living. We attempted to copy that which we viewed as better, more prosperous and respected or more socially acceptable in our community. I fear what is happening today is the same great desire for equality exists, but I truly fear that most people, especially those of the generations under thirty years old, are also leveling, but they are leveling downward. They are speaking gutter talk, dress sloppy (not casual, but jailhouse sloppy), and go to great measures to demonstrate that they and the uneducated, the ill mannered, the rude and crude, are equal. What in the world is happening to our common sense and indeed, our conscience?

I used to think the world was evolving and the species was improving as the humanity's process continues, but now I'm not sure that is true. Now I often wonder what the life style for the average person will be in this new century?

What do you think? And, what should or can we do about it?

Please send comments, corrections, add links, information, etc. to ... khumatsarla@hotmail.com



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