Page 30 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 30
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Community
powerless who compensates this lack by violence appears to be the only option for
avenging life through death. Fromm explains, the oppressed. During slavery and now with
“By compensatory violence I understand police brutality, we find the movements of
violence as a substitute for productive African Americans as expressions of such
activity occurring in an impotent person.” violence. So it carries a most important
Often times, psychopaths and sociopaths lesson to the powerful.
who become cold killers have painful
childhood memories that made them feel Often times both vengeful and compensatory
powerless. Growing up, they conclude that violence can be corrected by the fair and
their self-esteem can be restored through just conduct of the powerful. When group
their ability to destroy. They seek vengeance or individuals unjustly treat the powerless,
from a faceless enemy and they lash out of rebellion is justified. As we see in the
the world. This is also the case with groups experiment at the beginning, there would
that feel powerless and who finally seek to not be vengeance if the distribution was
destroy other groups to reaffirm their power. just and fair. I believe, every nation ought
to be judged by how it treats its weak and
Compensatory violence takes various vulnerable citizens. If the fear of losing
forms and one is identification with a political power allies with the powerful
powerful group. For instance, most evidence capitalists or ethnic groups, the cry for
suggests that the Germans who identified justice in the powerless solidifies and finally
and submitted to Nazi were the poor and explodes in vengeance. However, this by no
powerless working class. They derived means justifies irrationalities and personal
power from the symbol of the narcissistically impotence. To hate and destroy life just
powerful leader without benefiting because we as a group or as an individual are
realistically from the group. This ‘symbolic unproductive and weak is no justification.
participation’ is evident in those Ethiopians
with ethnic proclivities. They blindly cling
on to their group identity and even defend
crimes, while personally being powerless.
Another form power through destruction.
As Erich Fromm vividly explains,
“Compensatory violence is precisely that
violence which has its roots in and which
compensates for impotence. The impotent
man can transcend life by destroying it Abel Merawi is from Addis Ababa. He is an English literature
teacher, freelance writer/reporter for Ezega.com and an Amharic-
in others or in himself.” This powerful English translator and editor. You can reach him via: abelmerawi4@
gmail.com
statement speaks to both the powerful and
the powerless. Sometimes, compensatory
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