HUMANS CAN BE AGGRESSIVE AND VIOLENT AND PEACEFUL AND COOPERATIVE ALL AT THE SAME TIME; ARGUING FOR A STATE OF COOPERATION

Jaws of Justice Radio investigates how we can achieve justice from a system of laws deeply rooted in economic, social and political inequality.  We want to dispel misconceptions created by the news and entertainment industry, politicians and our educational system. We hope you will listen. For June 22, 2026, we play an April, 2026 broadcast of Final Straw Radio. This episode features an interview with Dr. Terence Keel about U.S. Deaths in Custody and Public Accountability. Dr. Terence Keel is a Professor of Human Biology & Society and African American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is also author of Divine Variations: How Christian Thought Became Racial Science and The Coroner's Silence: Death Records and the Hidden Victims of Police Violence.  He created the UCLA BioCritical Studies (BCS) Lab in 2020, an interdisciplinary space that investigates the complex interactions between human biology and society. https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/about/ The Final Straw is a weekly anarchist and anti-authoritarian radio show bringing you voices and ideas from struggle around the world. Since 2010, they have been broadcasting from occupied Tsalagi land on 103.3 FM in Asheville, NC. Amar Bursts is co-host and producer; Ian Bursts is co-host. https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/about/ During the second half of our hour, hosts Terri Wilke and Justice Johnson will talk further about violence involving law enforcement.  Humans are violent due to a complex interplay of evolutionary instincts, biological factors, and social/environmental influences. While humans are highly cooperative, we possess an inherent capacity for aggression.  Primal “fight or flight” instincts still exist, even when the threats are social rather than physical. A lack of the neurotransmitter serotonin can impair the brain's ability to inhibit impulsive or aggressive reactions. Studies show that it is significantly easier for individuals to commit violent acts when there is physical or emotional distance from the victim. Aggression is heavily influenced by a person's environment. Individuals who grow up exposed to abuse, conflict, or violence in their communities are much more likely to exhibit and pass on those behaviors. Our success as a species relies overwhelmingly on empathy, reason, and cooperation. Society has historically mitigated our violent tendencies through laws, institutions, and cultural norms that encourage negotiation over conflict. On Jaws of Justice, we examine how to find justice in our society.  Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.