(387 words) Cruelty is an angry and indifferent attitude towards people around, which most often manifests itself in aggression and violence. It can hardly be called an innate quality - it has its roots. Oftentimes, violence starts with family or social circle. If at the moment of choosing between good and evil, honesty and meanness, a person prefers the latter, he thereby allows cruelty to enter his heart. To describe this concept most fully, let us turn to the domestic literature for examples.
So, the personification of this quality can be considered A. Shvabrin, one of the negative heroes of the novel by A. Pushkin "The Captain's Daughter". The young officer, whom Pyotr Grinev meets in the Belgorod fortress, does not initially seem to the reader to be evil and dishonorable. However, it is subsequently revealed that Shvabrin is petty, vindictive and willing to do anything for his own benefit. Manifestations of Alexei's cruelty can be found, for example, in the scene of a duel between him and Grinev: he took advantage of the moment, and when main character distracted, hurt him. From this we can conclude that the young man showed cruelty. Another, more ambitious example is the seizure of the Belgorod Fortress by Pugachev. The cynical officer immediately goes over to the side of the enemy and becomes one of his commanders, participating in reprisals and lynching of prisoners. It is this behavior that characterizes the cruel hero, because he not only hurts people, but also does not see this as a problem. To his goal, he walks over corpses and does not feel remorse.
Another example is the protagonist of FM Dostoevsky's novel Crime and Punishment, Rodion Raskolnikov. He is the embodiment of reflection, hesitation and even a furious search for the meaning of life. Confused in his reasoning, the hero committed a fatal act - he rather brutally killed the old pawnbroker, proceeding from the conviction that only a humane and strong-willed person is capable of such a step. Despite the fact that the woman he killed was not the embodiment of virtues, Raskolnikov soon realizes what a terrible mistake he made in his judgments. What he considered to be a manifestation of humanity towards society turned out to be just an act of aggression towards him. Murder is the weapon of a cruel person, and when the protagonist realizes this truth, he suffers deep mental suffering and pangs of conscience. The cruelty shown by him in a crime becomes his own punishment.
Thus, based on all of the above, we can draw the following conclusion: cruelty is an aggressive, indifferent and angry attitude towards people around, which a person shows by choosing the wrong priorities in life. If he decides that his needs are above the laws of morality, ethical principles or religious canons, then his heart will certainly harden.
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Cruelty- a set of components of behavioral logic, characterized by the purposeful infliction of suffering on a living or inanimate being.
Succubus Dictionary
Cruelty (inhuman, rude and offensive attitude towards other living beings) is a moral and psychological trait of a person, which manifests itself in causing moral or physical damage, in a rude and oppressive attitude, as well as in receiving inner pleasure from the suffering of people or animals. Cruelty is a concept close to aggression, but it is a more stable personality structure. Cruelty implies complete indifference to the needs and suffering of another person or living being. She does not allow the thought that he may be hurt, bad, sad, insulting, annoying. A violent person "does not hurt for another." Cruelty is accompanied by insensitivity, emotional coldness, indifference, lack of mercy. The downside of cruelty is excessive vulnerability. Often, this destructive moral and psychological trait appears as a result of a trauma suffered or under the influence of prolonged exposure to a traumatic situation. A person is chained in cruelty, as in armor, and inside him remains a suffering I. It is ambivalent. On the one hand, it is completely not ready to recognize the importance of another person, and on the other hand, it wants to be loved, pitied and caressed. That is, cruelty is a kind of cover from fear, the contradiction between the feeling of one's own inferiority and the lofty claims of society.
Showing mercy, love for people and animals, recognizing the value of human life, compassion and empathy are the main ways to overcome cruelty. If you look even deeper, this is a deep work on your own fears and complexes.
- Cruelty is mercilessness, insensitivity, inhumanity.
- Cruelty is a manifestation of extreme dissatisfaction with life and yourself.
- Cruelty is unsuccessful attempt hide their complexes and personal vulnerability.
- Cruelty is false path demonstrations own strength and greatness.
- Cruelty is disrespect multiplied by pride.
Disadvantages of cruelty
- Cruelty makes a person a monster.
- Cruelty is hard to stop; it can cause crime.
- Violence builds up like a snowball and leads to more cruelty.
- Cruelty brings evil to the person himself, his family and friends, as well as society.
- Cruelty is an unreliable and destructive cover for one's own inferiority.
Violence in daily life
- Social advertisement. In the social advertising project “New Space of Russia”, a poster “We can overcome cruelty only together” was released. It is called upon to cultivate the eternal cultural and family values of the Russian people and to combat social cruelty.
- Film "Cruelty". In 2007 appeared in the film distribution New Product Russian cinema entitled "Cruelty". This is a story about a teenage girl with a difficult childhood and a broken fate, and about a woman Zoya, successful in life, but a loser in love. The slogan of the film is "This is not love - this is cruelty." The picture tells about anger, aggression, feelings of revenge, cruelty of the heart. Is it possible to transcend love and friendship? Can! But what will happen next? To answer this question, and it is worth watching the movie.
- Childhood cruelty as a phenomenon. Childhood cruelty at a certain stage is a normal age-related psychological education. After all, a growing baby is just learning to control his emotions, and this mechanism has not yet been debugged. Understanding and correct behavior on the part of the parents is important here. You need to give vent to emotions. Active games, sports, walks, animals, "pillow fight" - these are helpers in the fight against aggression. However today social workers and psychologists are preoccupied with uncontrolled, escalating child and adolescent cruelty. What motivates these children? http://www.vesti.ru/videos?vid=540108
- The cult of cruelty. In some religions or sports, there is even a cult of cruelty. It is believed that the manifestation of cruelty is a demonstration of one's own strength and power. The moral and ethical side of the issue remains outside the brackets.
How to overcome cruelty
- Acceptance and awareness. The most important step in combating cruelty is understanding the problem and accepting it. Only understanding that cruelty is the greatest evil can help get rid of it.
- Self-love and recognition of universal human values. Since cruelty is based on dislike, disrespect and self-denial, work on this quality should also begin with restoring self-love and getting rid of deep fears. It is very important to understand and accept the value of human life as such. The value of your life and the lives of others.
- Compassion and mercy. If you have found in yourself manifestations of cruelty and want to get rid of them, then try to train in mercy. Try to think about the suffering of other people, feel sorry for and feed stray animals, and give alms. Take a moment to help the other person with an act of compassion.
- Building your strength and successful style. Usually, cruelty is shown by people who feel inferior in this or that area of life. These are people, internal self-esteem is either underestimated or overestimated. And this reverse sides the same medal. Therefore, the fight against cruelty contributes to the alignment of self-esteem, the formation of success and pleasure from social acceptance and approval. Strive to achieve success and social recognition. Being positive from other people will make you a more tolerant person.
Golden mean
Cruelty
Compassion
Sacrifice
Winged expressions about cruelty
The more worthy a person is, the more he sympathizes with living beings. - Francis Bacon - All cruelty comes from weakness. - Lucius Seneca - Uncertainty breeds anger. - Vyacheslav Bucharsky - Cruelty and fear shake hands with each other. - Honore de Balzac - Aria Neyer / War crimes: brutality, genocide, terror and the fight for justice The book is interesting specific examples and analysis of the problem of violence at the social level. Here are the facts regarding the fight against violence in different countries and at different levels of statehood. William Golding / Lord of the Flies This work of fiction is a recognized classic of world literature. It tells the story of respectable boys who, having received a decent upbringing, found themselves on desert island... What happens when people forget about love and mercy? The irreparable happens. The book will bring real pleasure, reveal the problem of rigidity and make you think about serious things.Cruelty, like all evil, needs no motivation; she only needs a reason.
George Eliot
The thirst for pleasure makes you cruel.
Pierre Bouast
Cowardice is the mother of cruelty.
Michelle Montaigne
If you have to choose between untruth and rudeness, choose rude; but if you have to choose between untruth and cruelty, choose untruth.
Maria Ebner Eschenbach
Who is better to meet in the forest: a good wolf or a cruel hare?
Anthony Khodorovsky
Seneca
Excessive power always breeds cruelty. This is true of despots, soldiers and lovers.
Etienne Rey
Many lack only the good graces of fate to equal the cruelty and ambition and lust for luxury with the worst. Give them strength to do whatever they want, and you will find out that they want the same.
Seneca
There are many cruel people who are just too cowardly to be cruel.
Friedrich Nietzsche
In matters of state, nothing cruel is useful.
Mark Tullius Cicero
Cruelty is the product of an evil mind and often cowardly heart.
L. Ariosto
Cruelty and fear shake hands with each other.
O. Balzac
Human cruelty is disgusting.
N. Berdyaev
Cruelty to animals is only the first experience for the same treatment of humans.
J. Bernardin
The toughest of all is the one who is soft out of self-interest.
L. Vovenargue
Cruelty is always the result of fear, weakness and cowardice.
K. Helvetius
Children are cruel to us, but we will notice
That next grandchildren will be born,
And grandchildren are punishment for our children
The suffering we have endured is behind us.
I. Guberman
Hard-hearted people cannot faithfully serve generous ideas.
V. Hugo
Of all crimes, the most serious is heartlessness.
Confucius
Everything around us is cruel, hostile and unfair. Everywhere barriers are erected against natural impulses, at every step you come across low anger, and you have to defend yourself and defend yourself so as not to be destroyed.
G. Laube
One who has no compassion is cruel.
B. Mandeville
Cruelty is characteristic of laws dictated by cowardice, for cowardice can be energetic only when it is cruel.
K. Marx
Cruelty must be answered with cruelty. There is a charm in non-resistance to evil by violence, but it plays into the hands of scoundrels.
A. Maurois
To seduce someone who loves us, so that he does something that he would be ashamed of in front of himself and in front of us - this is the cruellest act of the cruel.
F. Nietzsche
The more stinginess, the more cruelty.
F. Petrarch
Tears do not touch a cruel person, but delight.
Publius Sire
Any rudeness is shocking not only in its cruelty, but also in its meaninglessness.
N. Roerich
I think that there can be only one quality worse than the cruelty of the heart - the softness of the brain.
T. Roosevelt
All cruelty comes from weakness.
Seneca the Younger
Cruelty always stems from heartlessness and weakness.
Seneca the Younger
Cruelty cannot be the companion of valor.
M. Cervantes
Of all kinds of cruelty, I consider the most hateful one who wears the mask of mercy.
C. Fox
Cruelty and its most dangerous form - special cruelty, cause the most severe condemnation of society. To understand and adequately assess cruelty, it is necessary to find out how it differs from aggression and aggressiveness. These concepts are often confused, which leads to an ethical, political and legal error. However, there is a lot in common between them and, first of all, the fact that cruelty is always realized with the help of aggression, i.e. there is no cruelty without her. Therefore, it is impossible to understand the nature, causes and mechanisms of the manifestation of cruelty if we ignore the essence, content and all the main forms of aggression and aggressiveness, if we do not study these two most complex phenomena in their close intertwining and mutual influence.
Aggression and cruelty are manifestations of violence, but in comparison with cruelty, aggressiveness is a broader and largely morally neutral concept, since aggressive actions are not always cruel, at the same time any cruelty is aggressive. Therefore, we can say that cruelty is a special quality of aggressiveness. If aggression and aggressiveness (like altruism) are of a natural character, then cruelty is of a purely human, social origin, the product of precisely human contradictions and passions conditioned by upbringing and living conditions. Having arisen on a biological basis, aggressiveness manifests itself in a qualitatively different area - social.
Many animals are aggressive, and this is their way of existence, but they are never cruel, and in general cruelty as a moral category is inapplicable to them. However, the behavior of many animals, from a human point of view, can look cruel, even very cruel, and therefore cause a sharply negative attitude. However, this does not give reason to consider the animals cruel.
Aggression is an integral feature of many types of activity, an essential requirement for them, accordingly, people involved in such activities, for example, a warrior, a football player, should be aggressive. Many aggressive actions are morally neutral and not only not punishable, but also socially approved. But aggressiveness immediately ceases to be such as soon as it reaches another quality - cruelty. In it, depending on the specific damage and other important circumstances, it is usually punishable - from moral condemnation and a yellow card of a football referee to death penalty... But in some, relatively rare cases, even special cruelty is encouraged, more often by the state, less often by society, for example, during torture. Even from national history it is known that torture was prescribed in the 1930s. Cruelty is an aversion to life and the most complete embodiment of hatred, very often unaddressed hatred, hatred in general, hatred towards everyone, and it is the stronger, the more a person or a system is alienated from constructive values. Therefore, hatred acts as a way of compensation and destruction of what demonstrates to it its inadequacy and inferiority.
Prominent German psychologist H. Heckhausen reveals the concept of the word "aggression" explaining that in everyday language it means a variety of actions that violate the physical or mental integrity of another person (or a group of people), cause him material damage, hinder the implementation of his intentions, counteract him interests or lead to its destruction. This kind of antisocial connotation forces us to classify such different phenomena as children's quarrels and wars, reproaches and murder, punishment and bandit attacks in the same category. A person, making an aggressive action, as a rule, does not just react to any feature of the situation, but turns out to be included in a complex prehistory of the development of events, which makes him evaluate the intentions of other people and the consequences of his own actions. Since many (though not all) types of aggressive actions are also subject to regulation moral standards and social sanctions, the researcher still has to take into account the manifold inhibited and veiled forms of aggressive action.
H. Heckhausen considers intentional actions with the aim of causing harm to be aggression, and such cases of aggression are also possible that are not a reaction to frustration, but arise "spontaneously" from a desire to prevent, harm someone, treat someone unfairly, someone offend. Therefore, one should distinguish between reactive (as a reaction to a situation) and spontaneous aggression.
Consequently, aggressiveness can be understood as a feature (trait) of an individual, group or state, and aggression - corresponding behavior.
In the very general view aggression and cruelty can be understood as a demonstration of force, threats to use it, or the use of force against an individual or a group of individuals. Both phenomena can be individual and collective in nature, and are always aimed at causing physical, psychological, moral or other damage to someone, often the purpose of violence is the destruction of a person or a group of people. Therefore, we can say that violent actions, including cruel ones, always have their own inner meaning, are committed for the sake of something, some kind of benefit, gain, not always explicit and clearly understood by others and by the acting subject himself. So, with the help of cruelty, causing suffering and torment to others, a person can gain a special psychological condition, not always realizing their need for it, as well as the connection between their act and their experiences. Therefore, manifestations of cruelty, as well as aggressiveness, from the subjective, personal side are never meaningless.
Violent behavior can be defined as the intentional and meaningful infliction of torment and suffering on another object for their own sake or the achievement of other goals, or as a threat of such infliction, as well as actions in which the subject allowed or should have foreseen that such consequences could occur. If aggressiveness is a personality trait, and aggression is a manifestation of this trait, then cruelty can also be considered as personality traits, which is realized in violent actions. A cruel person can be defined as one who is characterized by ruthlessness, inhumanity, lack of empathy and compassion, and at the same time, a tendency to commit cruel acts, preferring them to resolve emerging life problems... Cruelty, on the other hand, should be considered a personality trait only if it is stable and fundamental for a given person, inherent in him.
Thus, it can be concluded that cruelty is always aggressive, i.e. without aggression, attack, violence, it cannot take place. At the same time, not every aggression is cruel and not every aggressive person is cruel. But everyone who is cruel is aggressive, if we bear in mind that cruelty can be verbal, i.e. take place only in words, and also be imaginary. In the latter case, for example, a person eager to take revenge or harm another is able to vividly imagine how an enemy or one who causes hostility, anger or antipathy in him is tormented by his cruel actions. Therefore, it is quite admissible that cruelty as a fundamental personality trait that largely determines the attitude of a given person will never be embodied in his actions.
It is always necessary to distinguish between personality and behavior. If you do not do this, it will be difficult to understand both. An act is always something external in relation to an individual, and what it seems to say exhaustively about a person is far from always true. Many people who, in defending themselves from violence, inflict grievous harm on the attacker, are not aggressive. The criminal law punishes not for the fact that a given person is aggressive or cruel, but for the fact that he has committed aggressive or cruel acts. Negative personality traits inherent in a criminal (the same cruelty) can in no way be considered as aggravating circumstances criminal liability, although they are capable of influencing the nature of criminal punishment.
Violence can correspond to the law, and it can contradict it and morality too. Cruelty, with the exception of masochism, is always immoral, but like aggression, not every violence is cruel. In general, aggression and violence are so close to each other, so often merge, that it is quite legitimate to use them as synonyms.
In different societies, at different stages of development of one and the same society, the level of violence will be different, which depends on the nature of the existing social relations at a given time. Therefore, knowledge of such relationships is necessary condition understanding the roots of violence and violent crime as well.
Cruelty - worst quality violence, but even in cruelty itself, special strata can be distinguished, different degrees of its social danger. Life practice and the criminal code distinguish between simple and special cruelty, the latter being assessed by law as an aggravating circumstance. By general rule a person who has committed such actions causes the greatest damage to a person and society and carries an exceptional threat to basic social values, although specific gravity such acts in the total mass of crimes are small. It is no coincidence that it is the acts that cause the most acute reaction among the population and the public, and those guilty of committing them are severely punished.
Particularly violent acts themselves do not have to be committed against a person. An emotional blow of exceptional strength can be inflicted by grievous torture of an animal, for example, a beloved dog, or by destroying spiritually valuable things for a given person, associated with dear memories for him, desecration of the memory of the deceased, etc. In addition, special cruelty can manifest itself in inaction, as well as not only in physical actions, but also in words.
Cruelty in general and special cruelty in particular are evaluative ethical and legal, as well as psychological categories. The classification of this or that act as “simple” or especially cruel or not cruel at all depends not only on the assessments of the subject, his social belonging and social status, moral principles and views, intelligence, culture, etc. The solution to this issue also depends on the moral and psychological atmosphere in society and its values, on the level of morality and ideas about good and evil, the limits of violence in that social group, to which the official who must answer it belongs.
In general, especially violent crimes can be attributed to actions or inaction committed by physical and / or mental violence, when the victim (victim) is given special torment and suffering for the sake of the torment and suffering itself, for selfish reasons and for other reasons, or in cases where their real infliction is obvious character, but ignored by the guilty. In many cases, it is not possible to determine in advance which acts are “simply” cruel and which ones are especially cruel. It depends on the specific circumstances of the case, including the physical and mental vulnerability of the victim, and in the evaluative position of the investigator and the court, which have the exclusive right to classify certain actions as particularly cruel, in which, for example, experts can help them. They can only be really special, out of the ordinary torment and suffering of the victim. These can always include, for example, torture and the infliction of many bodily harm.
The most difficult for psychological understanding are those cases when the type of cruelty in question takes place only with the aim of inflicting special torment and suffering on the victim, especially if this is intertwined with selfish motivation and sexual moments.
Significant damage to society is caused by the fact that a minor is incited to commit a crime or he is involved in a crime. This damage becomes even greater if the teenager is recruited to commit particularly violent acts. Thus, considerable psychological and moral damage can be inflicted on him, but here, first of all, one must think about what the victim suffered. It should be noted that some young people, due to emotional dullness, coldness and lack of empathy, may not perceive their behavior as extremely cruel. A particularly violent young man takes the path of complete neglect human life and health, dignity and honor of the individual, his special attitude towards other people, his antisocial position towards them is formed, there is a general coarsening and "brutality" of the teenager.
A minor receives a lesson in cynicism and cruelty, which he learns well because he is in a sensitive, i.e. most "susceptible" to external influences and lessons, age. Naturally, a relapse of such and similar actions becomes very possible.
/ / / What are the reasons for the cruelty?
A person does nothing for nothing, everything has its own reason. Heartlessness also does not arise suddenly and out of nowhere. Cruelty is a negative personality trait that manifests itself in rude behavior towards living beings: causing pain, rude or abusive behavior, encroachment on someone's life. There can be a lot of reasons for cruelty: resentment, envy, jealousy or cowardice. It seems to me that those who have chosen the path of heartlessness - weak people... It is very difficult to be kind, because kindness involves helping others, a gentle and caring attitude. Cruel people divide the world into black and white, and this does not happen.
V literary works very often the topic of kindness and cruelty is raised. The heroes are at a crossroads: to take the road of goodness and harm themselves, or to take the path of cruelty and benefit for themselves. Russian and foreign writers philosophize about the nature of goodness and cruelty, they especially thought about the heartlessness that they inflict on people close to them. In the novel "Fathers and Sons" Bazarov acts cruelly towards his parents. He pays no attention to them, rarely comes to his old people. What is the reason for his cruelty? His cruelty is nurtured by nihilistic convictions. His philosophy forces him to do this in relation to his parents. He is experiencing warm feelings to the "old people", but keeps them deep in the heart and does not show them. Only on his deathbed does Eugene understand that his parents are the most the best people in the world, he regretted that he treated them so casually during his life.
Nastya, the heroine of the story by K.G. Paustovsky "Telegram". The woman has forgotten her mother, who lives in the village. Inhumanity here is alienation from his own mother, who needed help and care. Only after the death of her mother did Nastya realize that her daughter's duty was not a transfer of money for a helpless mother, but a human concern. Why did Nastya do this? I think she wanted to start new life in the city, and her mother, who lives in the village, somehow restrained her. She wanted to appear independent to colleagues and not be attached to her sick mother. The author teaches us that there can be no room for cruelty in the family.
There can be many reasons for cruelty. The problem is that a person himself chooses how to act: humanly or not. It all depends on the people, not the circumstances. Parental abuse is most often a projection of parental attitudes toward a child in childhood. A person should strive for good, not be cruel, despite temptation or resentment. Even fairy tales from childhood teach us that good will triumph over evil, and cruel heroes will always be punished. The inhuman attitude towards others cannot be justified by any reason.