So, I hope this is where the course takes you.
That, to understand that there is too much variation to speak of a genetic instinct
except in some of our most basic actions, this is not responsible for our actions.
This might be responsible for some of our instincts.
It might responsible for some of our physical responses,
but it's certainly not responsible for the kinds of organizations.
I want you to understand the historical contingency of this creation.
That war is produced by particular places and particular times.
That different places practice it in different ways.
And that what we saw over 500 years, is the victory of the last 500 years.
But ending in the 21st century, is the victory of a
particular kind of practice of this collective action.
I hope you understand the contradictions of many of our institutions.
How they can be, in a sense about both
the cohesion and the imposition of opposition towards another.
That institutions that we value and that might appear benign, also
may have consequences or origins that are less that benign.
I want you to appreciate the historical contingency of the distribution of power.
That power may not reflect, and usually
does not reflect any kind of generic superiority.
But rather reflects a historical moment when one form of exercise
of violence seems to be more efficient, or more effective than others.
I hope that you have come to appreciate, at least many of you who happen to be
living in peace, the luck that we all enjoy
who do not have to participate in this process.
Who can enjoy our daily life without this threat of violence.
I hope those of you who may have been watching
this course who have lived through this, have found some element
of truth in what I have to say and it has
helped you further understand your
possible your experiences.
I hope also you have gotten to read some wonderful books.
again, I realize that some of these books have been very expensive and
not be accessible and we're going to continue
trying to make more accessible resources available.
But I hope that along with the lectures, you have at least
delved in, into some of
the readings, and you have seen how the themes of the lecture
can be reflected in the specifics of the readings.
I want to thank you so much.
It has been an amazing experience to reach out to a true global audience.
A far larger number that has ever purchased any and all of my books.
It has been a real pleasure to
read your comments, to see your various perspectives.
And what I urge you to do, is
to continue talking, to continue thinking, to continue reading.
That the course has made you sociologically curious.
That it has encouraged your sociological imagination to think about
institutions, to think about human phenomena in a different way.
I also want to take this moment to
thank my colleagues who are participated in this.
Jeff, Ben, Lisa, Laura.
those, all the folks at the broadcast center
and at the McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning.
But most importantly, to Lauren Curanen who has
been the assistant in much of this
process, who is responsible for finding these images,
who has helped me, keep me on task.
And has helped me deliver this course to you.
Thank you
very much.