the root cause is poor parenting, lack of good role models , slack discipline, etc, that in most people shape the mind to control those instincts.
The only reason I am even responding to your point, is that I still feel you have missed the point I felt was novel enough to convey. Maybe if I can rephrase my point in another context. You often hear a catch cry that says "Rape's not about sex, rape is about power!". When I hear that, my mind boggles at the illogical stupidity of what the person has just said. That makes as much sense to me as saying "Easter eggs are not popular because they are made of chocolate, they are popular because they are sweet and delicious!". What is sex if its not an expression of power? As PJ Orourke once put it, "People often call Republicans Nazis, I am OK with that, because when was the last time people had a sexual fantasy about being tied up and whipped by a liberal?" (without being wanky, his comedic point arguably turns on the confronting insight, that sex is inherently an analogue of the Hegelian master/slave dialectic - ie, liberals are about formal equality, Republicans are about individuality).
Bringing it back to rioting, people sit and say "these people are not rioting because they are filthy criminals, they are just frustrated at years of oppression and social disadvantage, and mistreatment by the police", which reminds me of the Young Ones quote, where they flash to the First Fleet of convicts coming out to Australia (and I know I am getting the quote wrong here, but it is along these lines): "Tis for nothing but my social class, and the circumstances in which I was born that I am on this ship today..." *Beat* other guy chimes in "...And for all them murders you done".....
Me and you are in agreement that rioting is a result of a lack of impulse control (you think it impulse control is environmentally learnt, personally I couldn't disagree with you more strongly, I think it is almost all genetic and biological - but that is another whole thread). I was just trying to make the point that as far as "crimes" go, rioting requires very little lack of impulse control to engage in (its fun to most people) - whereas I would argue - for example - rape shows quite a serious lack of impulse control (I don't know many people who think that is fun - I certainly don't - but I do know some).
And for the record, the only reason I continued with my dialogue with you, was because you inserted the "Eye Rolling" emoticon on your first response to me. I consider that the most offensive thing to post about a person (ie, my comment is so f(cking stupid, that you must roll your eyes at me). If you rolled your eyes at me in a pub, before your eyes finished rolling, I would punch your nose into the back of your skull. But that is because I have a substance abuse problem, because I lack impulse control.....
