Anecdotal evidence, perhaps driven by media focus, would seem to indicate that society is becoming more aggressive with violence seemingly more common, more random and more impactful on innocent lives than ever before. Is this the result of the stress we all face from climate crisis, cost of living crisis, housing crisis etc or is it the continuation of similar patterns that have always been occurring?
The initial exploration of this issue here Societal aggression and violence in rural New Zealand seems to indicate societal aggression has always been an issue, but the drivers for it and the way it is experienced can change due to evolving social norms and changing societal pressures.
However, one constant is the compounding impact of alcohol. We would like to see a renewed commitment to really understanding what is driving societal aggression today with renewed energy for developing responses that may change this disturbing curve for the better.