Member-only story
Why Do People Hurt Others? A Wake-Up Call
This is a long article, but one that deserves a full exploration. Be patient and stay until the end.
Why do some people inflict pain and suffering on others? Human beings are capable of both compassion and cruelty, often leaving us to wonder why some people harm others. Understanding the motives behind harmful actions is a complex process that spans psychology, sociology, and evolutionary biology.
We need only scan the news and social media platforms to read about the pain, cruelty and harm inflicted on people in wars such as Gaza and Ukraine or many hot spots throughout the world. Closer to home, we can also see the increasing frequency of verbal and physical harm in the US election campaign in person and online.
According to a February 2024 report by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), A hate crime occurs nearly every hour in the U.S. It’s a growing problem that’s been fueled by hate-filled internet posts on social media and other internet platforms.
Throughout history, humans have tragically inflicted harm and pain on others in many ways, including through violence, oppression, exploitation, discrimination, and war. Some examples include slavery, colonialism, genocide, religious persecution, and other human rights abuses. While humanity has also made significant progress in human rights and…
