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Cutting the Chains of Global Violence

Gregory Bateson, one of the most perceptive and insightful anthropologists of the past century, pondered the nature of the ‘schismogenetic chain’—the sinister circle of human conflicts. Once entangled and locked in that vicious circle of challenge and response, the antagonists excite, prod, and spur each other into acts of frantic militancy, ever more militancy and ever more dogged and passionate militancy. Militancy acquires its own momentum and feeds on its own fury, each successive act of hostility providing all the reason that the next act would need; as time goes on, the original cause of antagonism counts ever less and may well be forgotten—conflict develops just because it develops. . . . There are two kinds of ‘schismogenetic chains.’ One is ‘complementary.’ First, one person or a group forces another person or group to do something that it dislikes and would not do unless coerced. Then, having learned the hard lesson of the wrong-doer’s hostile intentions and superior power, the frightened victims manifest their meekness and declare obedience hoping to avoid another blow. The sight of their docility, however, only beefs up the arrogance of the oppressor—and the next blow is yet more painful than the first. That makes the victims yet more submissive, and emboldens their tormentors yet further. . . . You can imagine the rest of the story. Blows and pains will succeed each other with increasing speed, gaining in force with each step. Unless the chain is broken, only the total destruction of the victims will bring it to its end. The other is the ‘symmetrical’ chain.Here, both sides play the same game. Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, blow for blow. . . . Offence can be only repaid with offending the offender. ‘Whatever you do, I’d do as well, only with yet greater passion and severity.’ Exchange of blows turns into a competition—into ruthlessness, mercilessness, cruelty.