How were past times so violent?

[Macoleco]

I was wondering, how was it that past times were so violent? Constant brutal wars, like the crusades.

I am asking how, now why. Let me explain myself. I think we all agree on the fact that it would be very difficult for most people on the world nowadays to take a sword and kill a whole family, including children. So what was different on the past? Why are we more disinclined to kill other people on cold blood?

Could it be education? Were people more accustomed to watching gore? Was the value of life perceived different?

Many kings in those times were considered benevolent because instead of killing the enemy they enslaved them. Nowadays both are considered wrong. What has changed?

Also I find it interesting that so many enlightened people, from mathematicians to philosophers, were able to develop their work in such brutal times. Truly talented people.

[chimp3]

Because now we have "smarter" bombs that don't kill children.

[Fake Messiah]

It was probably the invention of video because people could see what wars and holocausts look like, instead of reading about the crusades through prism of arthurian stories which were crusade propaganda.
If people had videos back in medieval times there probably wouldn't be crusades or if they had videos in 16th century there might not be holocaust of Mayans and Incas.

That's why it is very restricted to shoot videos in war zones today. For instance, back when war in Vietnam started the U.S. military knew nothing of news management and gave the world’s media unrestricted access to its operations, which inevitably included onslaughts on thatched villages by high-tech helicopters and the immolation of women and children by a jellied petroleum incendiary called napalm. Which, for instance, overnight launched huge protests in Britain who was not involved with the war but wanted it stopped.

[Duty]

People were a lot more religious in the past - the crusades, sayings like "onward Christian soldiers" - stuff like that. If there were one group around today who seem able and willing to kill whole families in cold blood it could perhaps be Boko Haram and ISIS - religious fervour can motivate a person to do just about anything - 9/11 etc. I'm not saying that's the whole story by any means, just probs a part of why the past was more violent/evil.

[Rev. Rye]

I’d love to find the time to talk about it, but I should really have gotten to bed an hour ago, so I’ll just tell you to read Steven Pinker’s The Better Angels of Our Nature. It’s a book devoted to explaining exactly that.

[onlinebiker]

People got used to keeping their shoes clean.

...

You see - with a firearm you can let someone's insides out, from a distance. With a blade you have to be so close you are bound to end up with some of your victims entrails mucking up those nice new shoes you just bought.

Consequently - people grew an appreciation for nice clean shoes - and this led to cleaner floors and that became a priority.

Don't believe me? Next time you whack somebody - walk through the bloodtrail - then track through the kitchen and see what kind of hell you suffer.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

When you see "there have only been X years of peace in the past Y years" you have to remember that that means a war somewhere in the world, not a world war. I'm impressed by the fact that we have years where there are no wars. The small percentage of humans that like wars or find them useful don't always get their way.

[Megabullshit]

Call to mind, when your Lord announced to the angels: I am about to place a vicegerent in the earth. They said: Will You place there someone, who creates disorder and blood shed, while we glorify You with your praise and extol your holiness? Allah admonished them: I know that which you know not

I think we are not exactly a very orderly calm species

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Call to mind, when your Lord announced to the angels: I am about to place a vicegerent in the earth. They said: Will You place there someone, who creates disorder and blood shed, while we glorify You with your praise and extol your holiness? Allah admonished them: I know that which you know not

I think we are not exactly a very orderly calm species

Species as a whole: Dull, plodding, placid, mostly a waste of space.

Certain members of the species: Crazy, angry, afraid, or just fucking bored. "So, wanna go to war with somebody?" "Sure, let me get my sword."

[Mr Greene]

I was wondering, how was it that past times were so violent? Constant brutal wars, like the crusades.

I am asking how, now why. Let me explain myself. I think we all agree on the fact that it would be very difficult for most people on the world nowadays to take a sword and kill a whole family, including children.  So what was different on the past? Why are we more disinclined to kill other people on cold blood?

Could it be education? Were people more accustomed to watching gore? Was the value of life perceived different?

Many kings in those times were considered benevolent because instead of killing the enemy they enslaved them. Nowadays both are considered wrong. What has changed?

Also I find it interesting that so many enlightened people, from mathematicians to philosophers, were able to develop their work in such brutal times. Truly talented people.

Crusades and philosophers (Greek)?

You do realise that those came from rather different periods, and the period of the Crusades isn't particularly known for great advances in... well anything really...