People get violent when they're afraid. They may be afraid of a physical threat, they may be afraid of a threat to their self-image (ego, identity, dignity, etc...). They may be merely startled (as in the case of what triggers a lot of road rage). They may be impatient (fear of not having enough time).

There is a tremendous amount of sublimated fear in modern society, and it surfaces in behaviour like road rage. It also surfaces in all forms of addiction, which are partly a reaction to stress, and an attempt to assauge fear...that feeling of not being able to cope.

I think the best way to combat it is to be self-observant, go within frequently, quiet the mind, and be around other people who do that also.

In other words, "the unexamined life is not worth living", as has been said before.

The majority of lives out there are fairly much unexamined most of the time, so people are tending to be reactive rather than creative, and if you're reactive, then you are at the mercy of outside circumstances. If so, your ability to govern your own life intelligently is severely restricted.

One thing that good spiritual teachers or good psychologists teach a person is to see himself/herself in others and treat them accordingly. Out of that arises compassion, understanding, and an ability to appreciate one's own value and the value of other people too.

If our schools and other power systems taught that...instead of teaching ruthless competition (the one "winner" and many "losers" syndrome), then you would see a considerable improvement in people's attitudes as time went by.

There is far less road rage in both Cuba and Trinidad, I noticed, where road conditions are much more unpredictable and potentially hazardous than they are here. That is because people have a different attitude...they cooperate to a much greater extent with each other...rather than driving around in a distracted bubble of isolated ego, shocked out of its isolation momentarily by any little inconvenience...which is what I see most North American drivers doing.

It's more of a real community in the Caribbean than it is here, and people are not in such a damned hurry all the time. North Americans are way too isolated from each other. This may be the direct result of an affluent lifestyle, and an overly cushioned existence.

- LH