692. The Difference Between Abusers And Nice Guys Explained By The Dual-Process-Theory
In entry 691 I presented the dual process theory:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_process_theory
In entry 691 I presented the dual process theory:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_process_theory
Speculating that the predominance of one of the two systems is distributed along a bell curve can help to explain the difference between abusers and nice guys.
By the criteria of their behavior, men can be roughly classified into three groups: The abusers, the nice guys and those oscillating between abuse and attachment depending on circumstances.
These three groups represent the two extremes and the middle area of the bell curve between the predominance of either system 1 or system 2. The two extremes are clearly defined by an innate strong tendency, while the cut off between the groups and the behavior in the middle is fuzzy and depends upon external influences.
System 1 can explain how instinctive physical urges towards a female body lead to the attitude of objectification.
A predominant system 1 determines men to be abusers. They do not comprehend the meaning of commitment and/or they are unable to get emotionally attached to a woman and/or they are disabled from recognizing the value of women's brains. They commodify women as toilets for their body waste without even considering any alternative.
Men with a strong predominance of system 1 are most probably men with a high libido, which causes them to perceive dishomeostasis as an overwhelming discomfort and to be strongly triggered by the perception of female bodies. They also probably have a hedonistic pleasure center getting mainly stimulated by physical stimuli.
System 1 thinking causes men to confound every coincidence of their experienced dishomeostasis and the availability of female bodies as an automatic justification and entitlement to abuse women, perceiving them as existing for the purpose of being abused.
Men, whose thinking is determined by system 1, are not any better than animals, they are unable to anticipate or to have empathy for the consequences of ruthless copulation.
System 2 can explain the emotional and intellectual need for companionship leading to the attitude, that women are cognitively attractive and suitable for monogamous long-term attachment.
A predominant system 2 determines men to be nice guys. They automatically get emotionally attached to a woman, whenever they get physically involved. They have an own genuine emotional need for commitment and bonding. They have rational and intellectual needs for companionship with a woman. Whatever the strength of their libido may be, their rationality enables them to have sufficient self-control to keep away from women's body unless they choose a companion. They are Epicureans, who are mainly attracted to, motivated and stimulated by emotional and intellectual pleasures and joys.
System 2 enables men to act with responsibility and consideration and to appreciate attachment also for themselves. They comprehend the impact of their behavior upon women.
Men, whose thinking is determined by system 2 are able to recognize women as their human equals with a brain. Only these men deserve to be called human.
According to the dual-process-theory, system 1 and system 2 coexist in each human's mind.
I am not implying all abusers to be completely void of the system 2 nor all attachment formers to be completely free from the system 1. Many men have both tendencies in any combination of strength in themselves. Which one defines their attitude and their behavior depends upon circumstances and external influences. Some abusers do feel doubt, guilt or remorse or they recognize abuse as a transgression, at least when the own sister is the victim. Attachment formers can also be tempted by triggered instincts due to the exposure to drastic stimuli.
Men in the middle of the bell curve are thus under contradictory internal tendencies towards a choice, which is dichotomous between either abuse or attachment. Abuse and attachment are mutually exclusive by definition. While at any moment, only one can be chosen, some men choose abusive behavior only under some specific circumstances and refrain from it at other occasions. They are the men, whose choice is prone to be determined or impacted by external influences.
While many more traditional societies force violent abuse and injustice upon women, the modern western societies are very much biased towards subtle and non-violent forms of abuse. Such abuse is the social norm of the majority, who considers pornography as an everyday media intake and prostitution as a job like any other, and who is seriously desensitized by the drastic oversexation of every day life and the media. Only a very strong innate tendency towards system 2 enables a minority of the most precious men to be the nice guys void of the inclination towards abuse.
The effect of this detrimental social norm can sometimes be observed as a discrepancy of the predominances in the same man. There are men, who appear to be predominantly system 2 persons in their professional life, in the pursuit of their hobbies and even with their families and friends. Whenever it gets known, that such a man has cheated on his wife or has been to a brothel, it seems very incongruent with his other demeanor. Due to external influences, the control of system 1 over such men is restricted to only when women are the victims. So far I have never heard of any reversed case, of a man behaving generally by system 1 but applying system 2 to women.
Thus, at the extreme end of the bell curve, the abusers are persistent and permanent abusers, while the social norm reinforces the men in the middle of the bell curve to also be abusers, but they are intermittent abusers. They cause less harm but they are nevertheless a hazard to those women who happen to become victims.
Therefore, unfortunately, there are many more abusers than nice guys.
