By Keith Sellick
However, Portillo fronted a Horizon programme on human beings capacity for violence this week.
The star moment was Portillo’s visit to a Bolivian Tinku ceremony wheremen and women of all ages take to the streets to fight who they want (a bit like your localcity centre on a saturday night).
Portillo donned traditional Andeangarb and went at it with a co-fighter. Whether the Bolivian was paid tofight or had also seen the youtube video we weren’t told, but Portillodid give it his all and took down his opponent. Afterwards he admitteda certain visceral thrill from the fight.
Portillo claims to be a pacifist, which is ironic given he was the defence secretary under John Major and madet the notorious “Who dares Wins” speech. Maybe Major had a better sense of humour than he was given credit for?
Therewere various scientists going on about evolution of human beings andthe role of violence and a revealing interview with an eloquent formerSudanese child soldier
You can catch Horizon on www.bbc/iplayer
An anti view to this idea of we are all violent beneath is Randall Collins the micro socioloogy of violence
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