Violence…innate or learned?

Is the 'rape culture' that we live in innate or taught?
Probably both.

Are we teaching our young men to dominate through the use of their power and brawn…
or does it come to them through their genetics?
Men and women are driven from different motives…
women want inclusion and community…
men want exclusivity and power.
Also, women tend to flock to those men with the strongest, most domineering characteristics…the alpha male…it's who they are attracted to mate with and continue that genetic line.
That worked before…but, "the times are a changing' ".
A frustration that confuses me is why women return to abusive men, when they promise to change, even though they've been through the cycle before. Men and women are loyal to love in different ways.
A man is loyal if he provides food, clothing and shelter.
A woman is loyal if she takes care of him.

I am not sure where any of that is going…

Back to the violence thing…
I was told that my sons were warriors in the past…
they definitely act like warriors now, despite having a set of nonviolent parents.
They were kept away from violent TV, movies, lyrics until they hit middle school and then we lost our 'control' of their consumption. And yet they talk violently, they talk power-over, they threaten and posture…where did that come from?

I don't have an answer to that question.
I guess my goal is to channel that violent energy into something constructive.
But I am at a point where my influence is becoming less and less…
and their friends and media's influence is becoming more and more.

I had the laziest day today. I was able to do a little cleaning and then shopped for daughter#2's birthday. Then I came home, sat down to watch the Olympics for a short period and fell asleep…for 2 hours.
The boys are finally ungrounded…they are out with friends…the house is quiet…I think that's why I could let go for a short while.

I hope you have a good night with your granddaughter.
Love and Light,
Maggie