sacrificial violence

English translation: scapegoat

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:sacrificial violence
Selected answer:scapegoat
Entered by: Kim Metzger

14:29 Aug 30, 2004
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Social Sciences - Anthropology
English term or phrase: sacrificial violence
In the following context:
In the following analysis I want to introduce into the discussion three fairly common social phenomena that play role in MBP(munchausen by proxy):sacrificial violence, somatization and reification/commodification.
In Brazil the sacrificial violence predominate in the form of indifference to infant hunger, sickness and death.
Jowita (X)
Local time: 23:39
scapegoat
Explanation:
I think this discussion might help. According to Rene Girard, sacrificial violence serves as a scapegoat for a community to exorcise its repressed hostilities. In this case indifference to hunger, sickness and death releases (exorcises) Brazilian society from their repressed hostilities.
---
Indeed, McCarthy's fascination with human affinity for bloodshed recalls Rene Girard's seminal theories of sacrifice. According to Girard, societies must purge latent violence periodically through the destruction of a 'sacrificial' victim. Just as a metal rod attracts lightning, this victim - usually an outsider to the named society - serves as a scapegoat for a community to exorcise its repressed hostilities. John Grady and Rawlins fit all the criteria of Girard's sacrificial victim - outsiders to a community, presumptuous in their desires to become members of the society, free from family attachments that would revenge a crime against them, and invested with the belief - the 'dangerous', 'vacuous' belief as McCarthy puts it - that members of two communities can merge harmoniously.

http://www.gradesaver.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/pretty/summ3.h...
Selected response from:

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 17:39
Grading comment
Although all explenations helped a lot,I think this one fits the best with the rest of the text (I am translating it into Polish)
Thank you
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +1an act of violence regarded to purify a community
Orsolya Mance
4intentional harm
JohnGBell
4scapegoat
Kim Metzger


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
intentional harm


Explanation:
although keeping as is would also be acceptable.

JohnGBell
Local time: 01:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
scapegoat


Explanation:
I think this discussion might help. According to Rene Girard, sacrificial violence serves as a scapegoat for a community to exorcise its repressed hostilities. In this case indifference to hunger, sickness and death releases (exorcises) Brazilian society from their repressed hostilities.
---
Indeed, McCarthy's fascination with human affinity for bloodshed recalls Rene Girard's seminal theories of sacrifice. According to Girard, societies must purge latent violence periodically through the destruction of a 'sacrificial' victim. Just as a metal rod attracts lightning, this victim - usually an outsider to the named society - serves as a scapegoat for a community to exorcise its repressed hostilities. John Grady and Rawlins fit all the criteria of Girard's sacrificial victim - outsiders to a community, presumptuous in their desires to become members of the society, free from family attachments that would revenge a crime against them, and invested with the belief - the 'dangerous', 'vacuous' belief as McCarthy puts it - that members of two communities can merge harmoniously.

http://www.gradesaver.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/pretty/summ3.h...


Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 17:39
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Although all explenations helped a lot,I think this one fits the best with the rest of the text (I am translating it into Polish)
Thank you
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

19 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
an act of violence regarded to purify a community


Explanation:
In this text they seem to be suggesting that in Brazil the unwillingness to do something about infant hunger/sickness etc., or in other words the tolerance of suffering is a form of sacrifical violence. The writer's point is that this passivity belongs to the same category as active (sacrifical) violence.

Orsolya Mance
Hungary
Local time: 00:39
Native speaker of: Native in HungarianHungarian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  J. Leo (X): right, the passive aggression/violence involved in Munchausen by Proxy may be intended for purification, but not exclusively. There are other reasons that are possible.
40 mins
  -> fair comment! :) thanks.
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