How would you react to a “Violence Free” World?

Imagine a world where every act of violence is magically and immediately met with punishment. The punishment would be impersonal and swift – like when you touch a hot stove by accident, you face the consequences right then and there. What would the implication be for such a world and would you want to live in it? There would be no murders, no rapes, and no brutality. We can do away with large parts of the criminal justice system – we would still need it for financial crimes etc.

Fanatics like this kind of world
Fanatics love this kind of world

Can you imagine anyone objecting to this world? (Apart from criminals of course) Nothing could possibly be wrong in such a perfect set up where justice is meted out immediately and efficiently. Could any “regular” person be against this system?

But strangely, there are many “normal” people who would hate such a world. They would fight tooth and nail against it and would destroy it given the chance – the fanatics. And I don’t mean the slavering at the mouth rabid mobs which one usually associates with fanatics. I mean regular quiet and reasonable looking people who could be your neighbor or your milkman.

Fanatics of anything whether they be the Afghan Taliban or the jingoistic Indian “patriots.” For them, a world where you can’t beat someone up for saying something objectionable, for not dressing properly, for being gay and for falling in love with an “inappropriate person” would be…horrifying!

If you have a new ideology and want a convenient yardstick to find out whether or not it’s the right one, ask yourself the simple question – “Would I fear a world where I can’t beat someone up?” If the answer is yes – if you would fear such a world, then there’s something  wrong with your ideology. If you hate a place where you can’t solve a problem without your fists, there’s something wrong with the way you think.

What defines the Taliban? Is it that they’re Muslim? That they live in Afghanistan/Pakistan? That they dress in a certain way or speak a certain language? No. The Taliban is defined by the fact that they use violence to control people. To control what they say, what they wear and what they worship. Anyone who does the same is called the Taliban.

When fanatics beat up Prashant Bhushan, they were using their fists to control what he could say. They were the Taliban no less than the gun totting masked thugs in the Afghan mountains. When Islamic fanatics cut off the hand of a professor in Kerala for something he wrote on his question paper, they were the Taliban too.

This is the benchmark we must apply to all ideologies, all faiths and cults. Do they rely on solving problems with their fists? If so, then they are the Taliban.

What about you? How would you react to a violence free world – with excitement? Or Horror?

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27 thoughts on “How would you react to a “Violence Free” World?”

  1. I would like such a world, for that would mean the wars would stop, crimes would stop. I also want an instant punishment for financial crimes. In our world that is the actual cause for crimes like war(its usually economics that is involved). And I want an instant punishment for verbal violence too, that is so severe that people will be compelled to talk civilly/respectfully always, even when they are angry. I wonder if Addictions will fall under crime in such a world? After all addictions are a cause for a lot of crimes.

    Reply

    • In reply to Mysoul

      There are no “verbal crimes”. It’s not our job to make people polite. Suppose someone doesn’t like being polite, and only likes to abuse, they should be allowed to be like that. We cannot decide what is good manners and what is bad manners because there’s no clear definition of what is polite/impolite. Only physical violence can be punished. Words are just words after all. They can’t harm anyone.

      There’s a saying:

      “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.”

      In my world, the punishment will go only to the person who swings their fist for the first time.

      Reply

  2. I believe words hurt more than sticks and stones. The bones heal but cutting words leave invisible scars that rarely heal. But yes, for the purpose of laws and governance, sure we cant make it the governments job to make people polite.

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