ABSTRACT
For centuries, probably for the whole of its existence, the species has deplored violence and taken steps to protect itself from the worst ravages of violence. Take our cousins the baboons: their intricate social system, with its hierarchies and coalitions, etc., is maintained by 'ritualized' activities of threat and submission that rarely break out into open violence. But they do break out on occasion, and savage injuries can be inflicted. The savagery is contained because they know it will not work; that is, the subdominants will not risk open violence against their superiors because they know they would lose. The noble savage constrains his freedom and distorts his experience as much in enthusiastic sexual congress as in bitter acrimony and war. Just as with hunting-become-war, population-expansion-become-ex-plosion results from old urgencies and from strong and explicit programs. At puberty the human male and female change radically; they are now physically able to reproduce.
