--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In our world riddled with male violence…" description: "\"“In our world riddled with male violence, the problem isn’t that testosterone can increase levels of aggression. The problem is the frequency with whic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_aggression_in-our-world-riddled-with-male-violence_1496106.png" --- # In our world riddled with male violence, the problem isn’t… ![“In our world riddled with male violence, the problem isn’t that testosterone can increase levels of aggression. The problem is the frequency with which we reward aggression.” quote by Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_aggression_in-our-world-riddled-with-male-violence_1496106.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_aggression_in-our-world-riddled-with-male-violence_1496106.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91c/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_aggression_in-our-world-riddled-with-male-violence_1496106.png) > ““In our world riddled with male violence, the problem isn’t that testosterone can increase levels of aggression. The problem is the frequency with which we reward aggression.”” [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aggression is often praised, making violent behavior more common than biology alone would cause. **In simple terms:** We reward aggression too often. Key Takeaway Challenge the culture that glorifies aggression. Themes violence culture psychology Mood concerned critical Type analytical social commentary When to use this quote - workplace meetings - media coverage - sports commentary - political rhetoric Key Concepts social reinforcement masculinity reward systems Questions to Reflect On - How does praising aggression affect societal safety? - What alternatives to rewarding aggression exist? A Different Perspective Aggression can also be a protective response in some contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aggression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggression/) [Testosterone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/testosterone/) ## Related quotes > [The problem isn't testosterone and aggression; it's how often we reward aggression. And we do: We give medals to masters of the "right" kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/the-problem-isn-t-testosterone-and-aggression-it-s-how-often-we/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [Aggression is not the problem, is the outcome of a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-millan/aggression-is-not-the-problem-is-the-outcome-of-a-problem/) [Cesar Millan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-millan/) > [Individual differences in testosterone level predict very little about differences in aggression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/individual-differences-in-testosterone-level-predict-very-little/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“In a typical study, higher testosterone levels would be observed in those male prisoners with higher rates of aggression. But being aggressive stimulates testosterone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/in-a-typical-study-higher-testosterone-levels-would-be-observed-in/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [Importantly, rather than promoting aggression, testosterone promotes whatever is needed to maintain status when challenged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/importantly-rather-than-promoting-aggression-testosterone-promotes/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [What postmodernism gives us instead is a multicultural defense for male violence - a defense for it wherever it is, which in effect is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catharine-mackinnon/what-postmodernism-gives-us-instead-is-a-multicultural-defense-for/) [Catharine MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catharine-mackinnon/) > [So many women have experienced horrific forms of male violence throughout their lives, and why isn't there a song about how you get depressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/so-many-women-have-experienced-horrific-forms-of-male-violence/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [In the theatre, there were plenty of people having sex all over the place - wanting to, and doing it quite successfully - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-allam/in-the-theatre-there-were-plenty-of-people-having-sex-all-over-the/) [Roger Allam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-allam/) > [So many women have experienced horrific forms of male violence throughout their lives, and why isn't there a song about how you get depressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/so-many-women-have-experienced-horrific-forms-of-male-violence-2/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [We live, I am trying to say, in an epidemic of male violence against women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/we-live-i-am-trying-to-say-in-an-epidemic-of-male-violence-against/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [“Women aged fifteen through forty-four are more likely to be maimed or die from male violence than from cancer, malaria, traffic accidents, and war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/women-aged-fifteen-through-forty-four-are-more-likely-to-be-maimed-or/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [Women are prevented by the threat and reality of male violence from entering public space on equal terms with male citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-jeffreys/women-are-prevented-by-the-threat-and-reality-of-male-violence-from/) [Sheila Jeffreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-jeffreys/) > [You can only explain America's gun violence problem through guns, because mental illness doesn't automatically lead to violence, and it doesn't lead to violence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/you-can-only-explain-america-s-gun-violence-problem-through-guns/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [Take away human beings from this planet and life would go on, nature would go on in all its loveliness and violence. Where would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/take-away-human-beings-from-this-planet-and-life-would-go-on-nature/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Gun violence is a problem that this country should be addressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/gun-violence-is-a-problem-that-this-country-should-be-addressing/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) ## More by Robert M. Sapolsky > [“Secure-attachment 7Rs show more generosity than average. Thus 7R has something to do with generosity—but its effect is entirely context dependent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/secure-attachment-7rs-show-more-generosity-than-average-thus-7r-has/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [But if you get chronically, psychosocially stressed, you're going to compromise your health. So, essentially, we've evolved to be smart enough to make ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/but-if-you-get-chronically-psychosocially-stressed-you-re-going-to/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“Finally, for the same criminal conviction, the more stereotypically Af-rican a black individual’s facial features, the longer the sentence.15 In contrast, juries view black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/finally-for-the-same-criminal-conviction-the-more-stereotypically-af/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“So testosterone does subtle things to behavior. Nonetheless, this doesn’t tell us much because everything can be interpreted every which way. Testosterone increases anxiety—you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/so-testosterone-does-subtle-things-to-behavior-nonetheless-this-doesn/) [Robert M. 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Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“No brain region is an island, and the formation of circuits connecting far-flung brain regions is crucial—how else can the frontal cortex use its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/no-brain-region-is-an-island-and-the-formation-of-circuits-connecting/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“We process emotionally salient information more rapidly and automatically, but with less accuracy. Frontal function—working memory, impulse control, executive decision making, risk assessment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/we-process-emotionally-salient-information-more-rapidly-and/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“Most broadly, the PFC chooses between conflicting options—Coke or Pepsi; blurting out what you really think or restraining yourself; pulling the trigger or not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/most-broadly-the-pfc-chooses-between-conflicting-options-coke-or/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“One stretch of the gene is repeated a variable number of times, and the version with seven repeats (the “7R” form) produces a receptor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/one-stretch-of-the-gene-is-repeated-a-variable-number-of-times-and/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“some people always get more than their share of equality than others”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/some-people-always-get-more-than-their-share-of-equality-than-others/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [It's probably even the case that if you stoked up some Buddhist monks with tons of testosterone, they'd become wildly competitive as to who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/it-s-probably-even-the-case-that-if-you-stoked-up-some-buddhist-monks/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) [Explore all 280 Robert M. Sapolsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) ## More Aggression quotes > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I used to fight with hate. There's been a lot of aggression in my past growing up and stuff. 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You will be able to find the mystery of life only if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/that-which-is-of-great-value-cannot-be-attained-through-aggression/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [A society that presumes a norm of violence and celebrates aggression, whether in the subway, on the football field, or in the conduct of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/a-society-that-presumes-a-norm-of-violence-and-celebrates-aggression/) [Lewis H. 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