Why Hit Someone? Force, Fear, Punishment, or Process – Erik Kondo

punchtotheface

Why hit somone?

Four Categories to consider.

Here are four categories for why someone intentially hits someone else:

1. To Force the person to do or not do something.
2. To create Fear in order to itimidate the person to do or not do something.
3. As a form of Enforcement for a rule violation. (Punishment and revenge fits in here too.)
4. The hitting is part of some desired Process. (sport boxing for example)

For example,

1. A hits D in order to injure him, so he can take D’s wallet. (Force)
2. A hits D in order to intimidate D to give up his wallet. (Fear)
3. A hits D because D did not give up his wallet when told. (Enforcement)
4. A hits D because he enjoyes the process of hitting a person. (Process)

Other the other hand,

1. D hits A in order to stop A from taking his wallet. (Force)
2. D hits A in order to scare A away. (Fear)
3. D hits A in retaliation for being first hit by A. (Enforcement/Punishment)
4. D hits A because he enjoys hitting A. (Process)

and possibly next,

1. A hits D back to stop D from hitting A. (Force)
2. A hits D back  to intimdate D from hitting A. (Fear)
3. A hits D back in retaliation for D hitting A. (Enforcement/Punishment)
4. A hits D back because he enjoys hitting A. (Process)

and so on.

Hitting someone is also a method of communication. You hit someone in order to send a message.

Forcing someone to stop doing something send of clear message of who is in charge.
Physical communication (hitting) can be part of creating Fear.
Physical communication can also be an aspect of sending the message of Enforcement.
Part of the desired Process (joy of hitting) can be the communication of physical dominance.

The communication could also be designed to send a message to third parties (people who witness or hear about the hitting). In this case, the person who is being hit is not the only recipiant of the message.

Therefore, communication is many times part of physical actions.

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