We often complain about how cruel the world is to us. Our censure falls upon the malicious judgments of colleagues, the aggression emanating from adolescents, the ruthless attitude of wealthy officials to people downstairs on the social ladder. What is cruelty? How to deal with it? We will seek the answer to these difficult questions not only in the reality surrounding us, but also in the depths of our own consciousness.
Description of the concept
General psychology describes in detail what cruelty is. According to experts, this is a desire, ability and ability to inflict pain and suffering on people, animals, nature. A man in a fit of rage can pounce with fists not only on the person he is talking to, but also on ordinary household items: he breaks furniture, smashes vases, destroys equipment. You will say that it is impossible to be cruel to inanimate things. Yes, this is partly true. But in this case, a surge of negative emotions is indirect. Indeed, in this way the individual acts cruelly not with things, but with the person who bought them, spent the money earned, lovingly equipped his home.
The most common form of cruelty is childhood. First, it arises out of ignorance: the baby does not understand that, crippling a cat, he brings her pain. Over time, upbringing and age give fruit, the child develops compassion, sympathy, the ability to empathize. In this case, cruelty is easily eliminated. If the baby consciously injures a living organism and enjoys it, the help of psychologists is simply necessary.
Causes of occurrence
We are not born evil people. People become such after experiencing severe trauma or stress. This usually happens in childhood, when a fragile psyche cannot cope with deep feelings. Watching conflicts and assault in the family, the baby becomes hardened, becomes aggressive. There can be several reasons: he copies the behavior of the one who hurts, or sympathizes with the victim and is angry with the whole human race because of the suffering suffered by his beloved person.
A teenager may develop special cruelty because of his egoism: he is deprived of the fact that he is not noticed at home, is not praised at school, and is not allocated as a leader in the yard. Unable to earn a reputation in any other way, he uses violence against his peers and relatives. Interestingly, bouts of anger also cause some unpleasant odors, such as tobacco. They can also be caused by mental disorders, somatic illnesses, social factors, love experiences,
inferiority complexes, and even watching action movies that demonstrate rigidity and ruthlessness.
Main types
What is cruelty and why it arises, we have already found out. Now let's highlight the main forms that it takes in the process of contact of an evil person with the outside world:
- Physical. Such cruelty is violence, the use of physical force, bodily harm and injury.
- Indirect. It looks like evil jokes, gossip, curses, which significantly spoil the life of another person, bring him pain and trouble.
- Irritability. The state is “on the edge” when negative feelings are ready to appear at the slightest remark of the interlocutor, gesture, look.
- Negativism. Cruelty "in spite." It manifests itself in the form of senseless aggressive actions aimed at crushing established canons and traditions.
Cruelty to people is also manifested in the form of threats, curses, curses, name-calling. In this case, anger is verbal. It is substantially similar to indirect, only in contrast to it has an open form.
How to help the victim
People’s cruelty is a feeling that arises under certain circumstances. Not always and not with everyone. Circumstances are formed in such a way that creates favorable soil for the germination of the root of evil. Usually the victims are self-doubt people who constantly doubt and worry, have low self-esteem. Such people are convinced that they deserve to be criticized or beaten. They, like a magnet, attract to themselves cruel people who want to bring down on their heads a whole set of diverse grievances.
If a person himself cannot get out of this state, close and dear people should help him. The potential victim must be explained that she is an individual, a personality. And no one has the right to call her names and beat her, to mock her. A person needs to be made aware that the offender himself is constrained by a multitude of complexes that he hides behind pretense of aggression. At the same time, all ways to overcome the victim’s complex should be aimed at increasing self-esteem and convincing her of her own success.
Other protection methods
Anyone affected by cruelty needs urgent action. First, enroll in a martial arts school. Having studied the methods of self-defense, the victim will be able to put them into practice - on his offender. Some experts argue that anger at aggression is not worth it. But some psychologists are still confident that a change in behavior introduces a cruel person into a stupor. He does not expect such pressure and retreats.
Secondly, you need to ask for help. If aggressive behavior comes from children, then talk with their parents and educators. When an adult shows cruelty,
law enforcement agencies will provide substantial support
: they will not only protect you from the offender, but will also determine the punishment for him if his actions are especially violent. In the case of verbal cruelty, you can simply ignore unpleasant words or answer them with humor - the opponent will soon get tired of wasting his energy and he will find another object for claims.
What is cruelty? This is a phenomenon that is completely eradicated. The most important weapon in the fight against aggression directed towards you is your firmness, confidence, equanimity, competent actions and the ability to stand up for yourself.