There is civilisation, and then there is barbarism, and the thing which separates them is violence. Under barbarism, violence has free reign, and might is always right. In a civilisation, violence, though never completely abolished, is restricted, with sanctions and limits placed upon its use. This is an imperfect arrangement, but it keeps most people from getting killed, as well as preventing a slide into barbarism. Civilisations prosper when the urge to kill is outweighed by the desire for life, and civilisations collapse when their more violent elements gain the upper hand.
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