It is often believed that the question of violence boils down exclusively to the goals that incite it, or to provoking factors. Based on this opinion, violence will be committed almost every time if it is beneficial for a specific person and carries no risks. Likewise, in the absence of risks, violence will almost always be committed in the event of a provoking stimulus. And the only thing that stops any person from committing violence is precisely such rationally assessed risks, for example, the threat of punishment following the violence, armed self-defense by the victim of a violent attack, or others.
Such a view of the issue of violence, of course, does not correspond to reality. Otherwise, the entire world would consist of evil and violent, or at least simply indifferent to violence, people. But the behavior of any person is largely shaped by a vast spectrum of feelings. Aggressive feelings are no exception; they are quite natural for a human being. However, based on the concept of the violence inhibition mechanism, every normally developing individual experiences, from a very early age, a feeling of repulsion toward committing violent acts against other people. This same mechanism plays an important role in the development of empathy, which is also characteristic of the vast majority of people.
It is also worth remembering that regardless of social circumstances, the vast majority of people never commit violence. Even in Latin American countries, all violent crime originates from a small minority of people. The driving force behind all wars, repressions, and genocides was a small minority of people. Therefore, can it really be believed that every person will indeed commit violence whenever it is rationally beneficial for them?
Regardless of the circumstances, the vast majority of people have never committed and will never commit violence, at least in its most serious forms (causing significant physical harm or murder). Violence is not formed solely by goals and provocations. These, of course, can incite violence, but only in those people who were already capable of such things because they felt no repulsion toward violence.
