Preventing Destructive Behavior

HUMAN NATURE IS THE CORE OF THE PROBLEM

The problem of destructive behavior is rooted in human nature and dates back to the beginning of humanity.  In my article "First to Fight: Warrior Virtues in an Age of Moral Relativism" I provide a brief overview of "Human Nature: Good or Evil."  Then I apply my understanding of human nature in a section on "Sexual Assault and Exploitation: More Than Moral Failure They Are Evil."  Finally, I finish the article by describing character and leadership development using the Character Strengths and Virtues classification and VIA Survey. Because of space and word limitations I fell short in the article to provide what I believe is at the heart of the problem of destructive behaviors; I believe sinful human nature is the source of destructive behaviors. 

Many people are uncomfortable with the word sin and don't want to talk about the problem of sin. David Brooks in a insightful work "The Road to Character" stated “The final reason sin is a necessary part of our mental furniture is that without it, the whole method of character building dissolves.” As a Christian minister I am theologically trained and can explain the problem of sin from a Biblical worldview and I will in a forthcoming work; however, until then and keeping with the spirit and purpose of the RWRP I will define sin using a classic work written by renowned clinician and scholar Dr. Karl Menninger in his fascinating book "Whatever Became of Sin?"  Borrowing from Webster's dictionary Dr. Menninger wrote "Sin is transgression of the law of God; disobedience of the divine will; moral failure.  Sin is failure to realize in conduct and character the moral ideal, at least as fully as possible under existing circumstances; failure to do as one ought toward one's fellow man" [sic].  Some will take exception with the first sentence of this definition but I think most of us can get our minds and hearts around what sin is and it is a problem. 

THE POWER OF LOVE

I will not be able to unpack it here but I think the prevention of destructive behaviors can be found in one word "LOVE."  Core to being human is the need to be loved and to express love in healthy relations.  If you missed it I recommend you go back to the Social Support page and review the section "Humans Need One Another" and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.  Also, check out my paper entitled  An Analysis of Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love.  In addition, I recommend two classic masterpieces to read: Erich Fromm's "The Art of Loving" and C. S. Lewis' "The Four Loves." More to come “On Love.”

THE PROBLEM OF SUICIDE

Finally, one of the most devastating destructive behaviors is suicide; suicide is a wicked problem.  Wicked problems are hard and in some cases impossible to completely solve. I have written a theory of suicide that I will share later; at the heart of my theory of suicide is love.  I believe the most recurring precipitating factor in most suicides is the failure of healthy loving relationships.  Love is more than an emotion, love is multidimensional, dynamic and relational. Dr. Dean Ornish contends that love is essential for our survival and stated love and support makes us healthier and happier. Check out Dr. Ornish’s Lifestyle Medicine.

Also, I believe love is a key characteristic of morale. Recommend reading my article "Esprit de Corps: Morale and Force Preservation."   In this article, I present the the science of morale, morale as an essential warfighting element, morale as a indicator and factor in suicide, and three theories that can provide us a broader understanding of suicide and how to prevent this destructive behavior in the military.  But one of the most amazing sections in this article is "Morale: A Commander's Reflection on the Battle for Hue" contributed by Lt Gen (ret) Ron Christmas.  General Christmas was a Marine Captain during the Battle for Hue where he was wounded in action and the recipient of the Navy Cross.  In addition, then Lt Col Christmas was my Battalion Commander at Parris Island from April-July 1980.  I am deeply grateful to General and Mrs. Christmas for inviting me into their lives and for supporting my work and ministry.

References

Brooks, David, (2015).  The Road to Character.  New York: Random House, p. 55.

Menninger, Karl, (1973). Whatever Became of Sin. New York: Hawthorn Books, p. 22.