Conservatives believe that competitive aggression is part of human nature. Given this, they argue, no egalitarian society can be possible. Given how often people behave aggressively, it is hard to believe aggression is totally socially constructed. We can look at it two ways. Aggression is one of the basic human motivations. Or aggression is a tool, a capacity that is put into play to pursue other more basic motivations. Sociologists tend to the second view. This podcast starts to examine this debate.
Conservatives believe that competitive aggression is part of human nature. Given this, they argue, no egalitarian society can be possible. Given how often people behave aggressively, it is hard to believe aggression is totally socially constructed. We can look at it two ways. Aggression is one of the basic human motivations. Or aggression is a tool, a capacity that is put into play to pursue other more basic motivations. Sociologists tend to the second view. This podcast starts to examine this debate.