ConserveLiberty takes the approach that many of the personality traits that humans (or any of the other animals) possess have organic roots. Meaning - our behavior and the way we perceive things are rooted in the way we are built ... and thus are rooted in our genetics.

Our environment (e.g. nurture) certainly influences how our behaviors express themselves, for we are adaptive individuals. Yet our behaviors would not express themselves at all if we did not have a biological foundation (e.g. nature) for their genesis.

And thus, different people respond to approximately the same experiences in clearly different ways.

And so it is with Violence - which is a term that deserves definition for the purposes of this chapter.

Important   →   What, exactly is meant by Violence? ConserveLiberty's use of the term is actually quite simple, and defines VIOLENCE here.

To repeat ... the notion of "evil" or "good" or "purpose" is not relevant to ConserveLiberty's definition of Violence. The violent "intention" is simply the intention to break or harm a thing. For whatever reason or additional coexisting intention.   ←   Important

[Click here] for Wikipedia's more broader definition of Violence. Note how ConserveLiberty's definition is intentionally much more restricted. Wikipedia's is much more "person and intention oriented". Ours is both broader (e.g. "all things oriented") and restricted simply to the breaking, with nothing to do regarding the "why".

This restricted definition of Violence can be difficult to embrace and appreciate. Especially so since many wanting to take an opposing view on this sort of topic will often be dishonest with their language. We all have experienced folks redefining terms such as "racism" or "discrimination" in the course of trying to influence an argument from a particular view. So too it can be with the term "Violence."

For example, for the purpose of discussing The Violence (Monster) Personality Spectrum Ensemble, it would be natural to assume that the perspective of one manifesting the trait would be one which was intentionally mean-spirited, destructive, hate-driven, and/or having no intended outcome other than the destruction and degradation of an object or victim which otherwise had no intention itself of doing one harm.

Resist that assumption. While those "more inclusive" descriptions may reflect more fully upon who or what is being observed, they are also the result of a larger "ensemble" of traits, instincts, and behaviors which are coincident with the manifestation of the The Violence Ensemble.

Consider those more inclusive descriptions if you like, but consider the "violent intention" to be a subset of that description. It is simply about the "what is being done." The Violence Filter simply enables the instinct or urge or interest in the breaking. The "why" is more complex, and more varied, ranging all the way from connotations universally understood as positive to connotations that are universally seen as negative. The "why" ranges from "good" to "bad" for those who have opinions about what is "good" and what is "bad."

The term "fun" still needs definition within this resource as well.

Important   →   What, exactly is meant by Fun? ConserveLiberty's use of the term is actually quite simple, and defines FUN here.

To repeat ... ConserveLiberty's definition of "Fun" is simply doing whatever one has chosen to do. Regardless of whether one is enjoying it or not. Enjoyement is subjective. Fun, for ConserveLiberty, is the state of doing what one has chosen one wants to do at the moment.

David Apollo's goal is to have Fun every moment he is alive, whether he enjoys it or not!   ←   Important

[Click here] for Wikipedia's more commonly understood definition of Fun. Note how ConserveLiberty's definition is rather the "circumstance" of doing what it is you intended to be doing. It is independent of whether one is subjectively enjoying the circumstance.

Fun is simply (and only) the circumstance or activity we'd rather be in participation with at any one time. Again, without regard to whether we would rather be doing it or not. If it is the thing you are choosing to do over any of the other options that you have, then ConserveLiberty considers that situation as Fun.

Note   →   Anyone freely electing to manifest an intentionally violent action (as we've defined it) IS having Fun   ←   Note

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Humans are violent. It is not politically correct to state so (depending on who is the target of the label) but this resource is not devoted to being politically correct. ConserveLiberty instead is devoted to being accurate.

All humans are built with The Violence (Monster) Personality Spectrum Ensemble, and thus are violent to one degree or another. Not all to the same degree. And, often what is called "violence" is not what ConserveLiberty defines as Violence at all - it simply looks that way to another with an alternative bias because the impact of violence and the impact of some other action (e.g. attacks in self defense, destruction to defeat a dangerous enemy, etc.,) seems to be the same.

It is the intent which is important if we are to avoid confusion. Because we are dealing with personality. The issues here are what are the urges and instincts that make up our personalities, not necessarily the impacts of those urges.

An example of this distinction was discussed by Jonah Goldberg in an interesting piece just in time for Halloween, 2014. What Monsters Portend. Check it out.

→ The Introduction section above was last updated 02 Nov 2017 16:15 PDT ←

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This section will have content posted to it in subsequent revisions of this chapter (Violence (Monster) Personality Spectrum Ensemble). The current version as of this writing is v #2.1.

→ The Big Picture was last updated 02 Nov 2017 16:20 PDT ←

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Consider thoughtfully.