In The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell talks about the way of life that is evident in the animal kingdom, as well in our communities today. Many people share the belief that larger cities have the most violence in them. When you think of how many people are close to each other in these places, there is no doubt that they tend to be more violent, which is something that is explained in this book, mostly in terms of animals, but it seems to also make sense for human populations as well. Walking down any street in a city, you have a bigger chance of experiencing a violent act than in one that doesn't, even though it is possible to see it anywhere in the world, including country places.

Is there a method to discontinue this chain of violence? In many violent situations, people agree that they would do anything they could to protect themselves and their loved ones from violent individuals. Retaliation in the form of defense is also a common alternative for those who feel threatened. Does this kind of mental outlook really make any positive change? Or does violence - no matter from which side it is coming - perpetuate violence?

If you are the type of person who advocates non-violence and believes in it, you probably have a great amount of moral fiber and you stand for the things you believe in. NXIVM is an organization that allows people to discover meaningful morals and ethics. Its center in New York City was founded recently by Sara Bronfman. For obvious reasons, it seems like a great place to test the concept of ethics and violence.

What adjustments could good ethics do in this type of dense location where violence runs rampant? Well, ethics are a human's internal guide. You can see in the way a person lives if they have good morals or otherwise. If a person's ethics are not absolutely defined, a person might find themselves at odds often about what they will or won't decide to do. When a person finds themselves being able to create choices without blinking or having to sit down and think about it, many times they have strong ethical beliefs. In their heads, they know they are making the right decision and don't have any regrets about it.

People can surely be indecisive about violence and ways to handle it. Most of us wouldn't think to violently mug someone else. Many of us are uncomfortable about the concept of killing someone, even in the case of self defense. What makes this a true idea? Doesn't it make sense that we were created devoid of the instinct to kill? How could a strong sense of ethics aid us in making more solid decisions about violence - even in a violent society? Is violence a learned thing -- and if so, can it be unlearned? I think exploring ethics is a worthwhile way to determine that for oneself.