Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
sacrificial violence
English answer:
scapegoat
Added to glossary by
Kim Metzger
Aug 30, 2004 14:29
19 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term
sacrificial violence
English
Social Sciences
Anthropology
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.
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.
Responses
3 hrs
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Mexico
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
Mexico
Committed to Quality and Service
Native in: English (Variant: US) 
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
Selected
scapegoat
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.
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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...
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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...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
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"
1 hr
intentional harm
although keeping as is would also be acceptable.
+1
19 hrs
Orsolya Mance
Hungary
Hungary
Hungary
Reliable, accurate and quick
Native in: Hungarian
Works in: English to Hungarian, Hungarian to English
an act of violence regarded to purify a community
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.
Peer comment(s):
| 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
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fair comment! :) thanks.
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Discussion