Elevator manners, indeed -- eyes front, no eye contact, breathe quietly, no farting, no loud discussions, pull in thos ehorns ... I can do it in an elevator, of course, although it seems weird to me, but...a whole civilization??

But it is clear that as long as one is complying with these draconian manners, or any other set of manners, he will not engage in violence . Ritual eliminates the highly random actions.

That's why everyone was ss very shocked at the MacDonald's shooting -- the fast-food rituals everyone knew and felt safe with were being treated with sacrilege -- it was similar, in a way, to shooting up a communion session at an altar,except they were eating the flesh of Bossie and drinking the blood of the cola tree. It was a violation of ritual.

Another interesting fact about the roots of violence is the number of publicly violent individuals who were under psychiatric care. I haven't looked at the numbers lately -- the one that really caught my eye was the guy who climbed the clock tower in a Texas university and started sniping the students on the quad many years ago. My theory is that the psychiatric approach just makes them feel worse because it adds no real understanding. And, obviously, doesn't get to the roots of violence!


A