David Weeks

'essence of a Man: a Study in Male Violence and the Use of Weapons' David Weeks

Publisher Marketing: David Weeks exposes the brutal reality of modern-day violence - lightening the often vicious tales with humour - and takes the reader into the very 'essence of a man'. It appears that we live in shockingly violent times; dominated by media depictions of gun and knife crime and amoral street gangs. This book explores the myriad theories behind male violence and looks at the history of 'street' conflict; from the Irish-American gangs of the 19th century to the stabbings and brawling of modern-day football hooligans. Are we 'born to fight'? Is it an instinctive drive that's enabled man to survive as a species so successfully? What about gender stereotypes; male role models; the influence of alcohol, drugs, pornography and profanity? How influenced are we by the media? How big a role does religion and racism play in modern societal violence? What about our own personal morality? What percentage of our genetic make-up influences our behaviour, as opposed to our environment? This book examines the root causes of anger, fear and aggression and how we can learn to understand these often damaging emotions and the negative effects they have on the human body. Why do certain young people gravitate towards gangs? How common is the use of a weapon on Britain's streets today? This book includes 23 gripping interviews with people who reveal the true stories of their own awful experiences with violence. Contributor Bio:  Weeks, David Dr. David Weeks is the head of Old Age Psychology at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he has practiced for the past twenty-three years. Qualified as a clinical neuropsychologist, he is also a psychothera-pist and honorary fellow of the University of Edinburgh. His Super-young Project has attracted wide notice and received much recognition throughout the world. He was born and raised in New Jersey, and as a Navy submariner helped to navigate under the North Polar ice cap. He also now works as a syndicated freelance columnist and a filmmaker, and is a regular broadcaster on the BBC. He is the co-author, with Jamie James, of Eccentrics. Jamie James was born in Houston, Texas. He writes about science and the arts for many leading publications, including The New Yorker, Outside, and Condé Nast Traveler. In addition to his collaborations with Dr. David Weeks, he is also the author of Pop Art and The Music of the Spheres: Music, Science and the Natural Order of the Universe.