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Edited by CJ Tointon

Violence Stage Three: Good Behaviour
We are all proud of ourselves - sometimes - and ashamed of ourselves - sometimes.  The positive self acts in an honourable way, allowing us to be constructive.  We aspire to do great things that make us feel good about ourselves.  But it isn't like that all the time.  Life throws up new challenges, almost as if to test our character, to see if we can stick to our own code of conduct and be consistently positive.  And if we hit a tipping point, where we can't keep up the 'good behaviour', the positive self retreats and gives way to something that makes us act differently.

We start the day in a bad mood.  We don't need any of life's little challenges today!  We hit out!  We let ourselves down!  The evolved-self gives way to the barbaric-self.  We make an exception to our good-behaviour rule today, and excuse ourselves.  Over time, that exception becomes a habit. It becomes routine.  We respond selfishly in order to resolve anything from an unbearable discomfort to the mildest stirrings of the stomach.  We take the easiest path.  We indulge what our baser instincts suggest.  We do what others might do in similar circumstances.  We accept what's available!  The search for calm leads us to any port in a storm and eventually we come to rely on tried and tested methods of making ourselves feel calmer.  Then we find that we can avoid the storm altogether by using familiar substances, such as food and intoxicants.  'Fast food' is one of the most available, cheapest and fastest fixes.  Once we have relied on it,  this choice of food almost guarantees calm and pleasure enough that we can find a moment of peace and keep ourselves clear of any panic situation.


On a fine day, in a good mood, we can enjoy being constructive!  Without the panic or hunger or frustration, we can become the person we believe we really are.  And on these days we can identify with 'violence-free' attitudes.  We can even generate warm, loving and constructive feelings in people around us.  On these fine days we can even indulge in profound philosophies!  We're not afraid of adventure.  We can take on the World.  We can even test our high ideals by sailing close to the wind.  Perhaps we'll sail right into a safe port, and leave the turmoil behind us.  Live without resorting to any violence, be it refraining from killing or simply using no harsh words or thoughts.  But there are other days - and we can slide backwards. To prevent this happening, there has to be a sufficiently strong impulse that kicks in.  Infants can't be expected to have 'core principles' that come into play at such times, but adults would do well to establish them.  Vegans adopt such a comprehensive set of principles.  They help keep us clear of one of the strongest and most tempting flights into violence -  the food we choose to eat!  In plant-based foods there's no blood on our conscience.