The human genome includes all of the approximately
three billion base pairs of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that make up the entire
set of chromosomes of the human organism. It includes the coding regions of
DNA, which encode all the genes (between 20,000 and 25,000) of the human
organism, as well as the noncoding regions of DNA, which do not encode any
genes.[i]
Researchers now know the entire sequence of the
human genome. What we may never now is how the unimaginable number of connections,
triggers, controllers, and inhibitors within a specific person operate. A minute
transaction may control how we determine a sexual mate. Another minor transaction
may determine our sense of gender. Another may control our ability to perform
essential daily functions. Another may affect our inability to perform music,
create art, understand mathematics, or billions of other mental and sensory
results.
Could such a connection, or combination of connections,
affect our sense of wrong and right? Perhaps. That is a question for more competent
minds.
We may note, however, that we do generally accept
the existence of persons who are pathologically prone to criminal or violent
behavior. Many of these fall into one of two categories. They may be classified
as a psychopath, generally considered to be born that way, or a sociopath, the
product of one’s environment. In other words, one is, or learns to be, that
way.
The DSM-5[ii]
defines such antisocial personality as someone having three or more of the
following traits:
·
Regularly breaks or flouts the law
·
Constantly lies and deceives others
·
Is impulsive and doesn’t plan ahead
·
Can be prone to fighting and aggressiveness
·
Has little regard for the safety of others
·
Irresponsible, can’t meet financial obligations
·
Doesn’t feel remorse or guilt
Psychopathy: Realizing the danger that
generalizations represent, we note that not all psychopaths or sociopaths represent
carriers of violent evil intent. Of the two, however, psychopathy ranks higher
as a dangerous disorder because its representatives experience less guilt connected
with one’s actions and a greater ability to disassociate from them.
A detailed discussion of these so-called anti-social
disorders (ADPs) lies far beyond the scope of this modest effort at examining
root causes of evil. Let us just say that some evil my flow from mental
disorders that are sometimes difficult to spot, either in children or as adults.
In addition to being among those we listed in
previous chapter as Supreme Catalysts, ones who conceive evil, persons listed
as ADP are also likely to be what we call Takers of Advantage, or the
ones who do the dirty work of evil intent. In this, many might be especially
prone to propaganda or selective reinforcement. We can only conjecture as to
the impact of hours spend, in an increasing state of agitation, watching or
listening to propaganda spiced heavily with falsehood, inuendo, and blame.
One only needs to remember the effect of hate-radio
upon the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 in which an estimated 800,000 were killed
in a space of 100 days. Of a far lesser case of magnitude, but nonetheless disturbing
to Americans, were the events of January 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C.
It is crucial to understand the relationship between mental minefields and provocative catalysts.
[i]
Fridovich-Keil, J. L. (2019, February 15). human genome. Encyclopedia
Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/human-genome
[ii]
DSM–5 is a book prepared by the American Psychiatric Association that contains
standard classifications of mental disorders used by mental health
professionals in the United States.
No comments:
Post a Comment