Imagine violence as an infection.
It contaminates one person, changes their brain chemistry and behavior, and then it replicates. It becomes hereditary, passing down from generation to generation, and it eventually spreads, eventually taking over the nation.
Every punitive measure ends up failing.
“Tough on crime” helps politicians win elections, but people realize it’s reactionary, and only engages with the symptoms without ever coming close to the cure. Violence begets more violence until you have a country with weekly mass shootings and four hundred million guns. Even when gun violence becomes the number one killer of children and teens, much of the country shrugs, and others demand fewer gun restrictions.
The United States is unique in its capacity for violence.
We were born from it, and we love inflicting it upon ourselves and others. Just look at the disastrous Iran war, the failed violent insurrection, and ICE agents killing immigrants and U.S. citizens. Most other countries in Europe view our violence with horror and fascination.
But what happens if we weren’t destined to live like this? What happens if there was a “cure’ for the violence? What happens if we could “interrupt” the contamination process and then inoculate future generations?
It sounds wild, but that’s exactly what Dr. Gary Slutkin proposes, and it’s backed by scientific research and successful models. As an infectious disease expert, Slutkin has spent his career saving lives around the world. In his new book, The End of Violence: Eliminating the World’s Most Dangerous Epidemic, he’s taken that experience and research to combat and cure the violence epidemic. He joins The Left Hook to discuss his findings and recommendations.
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Dena Eakles, CO, Stuart Cohen, Nick G, A Dude On The Couch, Jill B., and many others for tuning into my live video with Gary Slutkin, MD! Join me for my next live video in the app.
