catspaw49-I hate to bring dissent into this peacable discussion, but I have to disagree with you about meat eating being the source of violence. Omnivores living in large groups, as early humans did have much more violent interactions between each other than prey animals. Most of the skeletal evidence (dental wear especially) indicates that meat was not a significant source of calories for humans until the Mesolithic. Prior to that, our violence was mostly directed towards each other. Look at studies of violence in chimpanzees, our closest genetic and behavioral relatives. They kill members of other troops, and on occasion infants of their own troop, far more frequently than they hunt. I think that violence is a more defensive than aggressive reaction. You are afraid of something, and you kill it. Nowadays, you are afraid of something, but you can't see it to kill (too many intangible worries), and since the need to lash out is still there, you grab a handy target.