quotations about aggression
Aggressive behavior is adaptive. That is, animals that have made use of aggressive behaviors in specific circumstances have been successful in reproducing and passing their genes on to the next generation, including the genes that allow for aggressive behaviors. By this mechanism, genes associated with aggressive tendencies become more common in the population.
JAMES O'HEARE
The Dog Aggression Workbook
Aggression is anger turned outward.
MARGARET HENNING
Positive Dynamics: A Systemic Narrative Approach to Facilitating Groups
The vast majority of the peoples of the world are against war and against aggression. If they make their wishes known and effective, war can be stopped. It all depends on whether they are willing to make the effort necessary for the purpose. For, that it will require an effort, no one who considers the history of the world on these subjects can doubt.
ROBERT CECIL
Nobel lecture, Jun. 1, 1938
Aggression is a singular and undifferentiated crime because, in all its forms, it challenges rights that are worth dying for.
CHRISTOPHER J. EBERLE
Justice and the Just War Tradition
Aggression is never to be encouraged in a leader: it implies emotional immaturity and a loss of control and will quickly lose a leader respect and create a climate of fear and blame.
DEBORAH GRAY
BTEC National in Public Services
Aggression is not universal; indeed, if we judge by the number of species which are non-aggressive and those which are, the scales might balance in favor of a greater number of non-aggressors, denying the classic aphorism that nature is red in tooth and claw. The big fish eat the little fish, it is true, but elephants, moose, camels, alpacas, llamas, deer, elk, horses, mules, buffalo, hippos and giraffes eat leaves and grass.
SEBASTIAN SISTI
The Big Bang and Relative Immortality
Aggression should work to your advantage; then it makes sense. Aggression does not always mean words to provoke opponents. There are different ways to do it. If you are getting worked up doing it, then aggression does not help. Each player reacts differently, so you need to know how a targeted opponent will react. Some batsmen get affected with a few words. With others even a chat would make no impression. The bottom line is to be aggressive as long as it is working to your advantage. Otherwise leave it out.
ZAHEER KHAN
"Zaheer Khan calls it quits", The Hindu, October 16, 2016
Evolutionary theories, including sociobiology, account for aggression by noting that those most aggressive have an increased likelihood of getting food and mating. Hence the aggressive survive and aggressive genes get passed on to succeeding generations. That is, inasmuch as aggression is a strategy that "works" to perpetuate the genetic pool, it is part of the behavioral repertoire of organisms.
BERNARD WEINER
Human Motivation
First, let's clarify a couple of things. There is a big difference between being assertive and being aggressive. Aggression often comes as a result of holding things in and not being assertive early on, which causes frustration, resentment or anger to build. When one finally decides to assert, it comes out as aggression. Another difference is that assertion is saying something about oneself: "I am not comfortable with this." "I don't want to be spoken to that way." "I just can't do what you are asking right now." "I am not satisfied with the quality of this work." Aggression is an attack on the other person. "You're so lazy." "You never help with anything." "You're useless." "You just don't get it." "Why can't you just get your act together!"
GWEN RANDALL-YOUNG
"Assertion or aggression?", Common Ground, February 29, 2016
The men who are to protect the community against violent aggression easily turn into the most dangerous aggressors. They transgress their mandate. They misuse their power for the oppression of those whom they were expected to defend against oppression. The main political problem is how to prevent the police power from becoming tyrannical. This is the meaning of all the struggles for liberty.
LUDWIG VON MISES
The Ultimate Foundation of Economic Science
Aggression, like every other part of human behavior we take for granted, is a challenging engineering problem!
STEVEN PINKER
How the Mind Works
The frequency of aggression is very low in comparison to one of peace, happiness, and joy. However, like all energy, it is easily transmitted. If you feel the need to attack or to be aggressive, you are transmitting this energy. Those around you will read this in you. If they know not of another way, they in turn will tune themselves into your frequency and retaliate, even though you have not taken any action towards them. Look through your history, and you will clearly see that all conflicts are the result of one person or a group of aligned people projecting their internal state of fear, separation, or otherness upon another or others.
CAMERON SINNAMON
True Sight: See the World through God's Eyes and Live the Ultimate Life
In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression--everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way--everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want--which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants--everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear--which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor--anywhere in the world.
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT
State of the Union Address, Jan. 6, 1941
Aggression only moves in one direction -- it creates more aggression.
MARGARET J. WHEATLEY
attributed, The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Childhood Social Development
Emerging research supported by neuroimaging studies suggests that aggressive behavior is linked to smaller brain volume in regions of the brain that regulate emotions.... These important findings suggest that disrupted development of the brain's emotion-regulating circuitry may underlie an individual's propensity for rage and aggression.
RICK NAUERT
"Aggressive Behavior Tied To Smaller Emotional Brain Regions", Psych Central, January 13, 2016
People think aggression is offensive, but aggression is actually a defence mechanism in a lot of ways. You're being aggressive because you don't want anyone to hurt you.
GREG PUCIATO
"The Black Queen interview with Greg Puciato", The Independent, February 15, 2016
Aggression is necessary to deal with a hostile environment in the struggle for existence. Sexual aims could not be reached without the component of aggression. Aggression is needed in every phase of the development of the sexual instinct, and is so bound to the erotic instinct that to separate them is often difficult.
DALE B. HARRIS
The Concept of Development
Although something in us tells us we need to arm for a fight, another part of us knows that in the long run aggression is simply going to contribute to the whole problem.
DOMYO BURK
"The Buddhist's Powerful Political Response: The Middle Way between Anger and Resignation", Patheos, March 8, 2016
Being aggressive means being overly confrontational and pushing your needs and desires at every possible moment. While an aggressive approach may win you a gift or two, it is unlikely to create positive, long-term relationships.
WILLIAM BAKER
The World's Your Stage
The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression. It may have had survival advantage in caveman days, to get more food, territory or [a] partner with whom to reproduce, but now it threatens to destroy us all.
STEPHEN HAWKING
"Survival of the human race depends on kindness and co-operation, says Stephen Hawking", Daily Mail, February 19, 2016