The idea of trespass — to infringe on the privacy, time, space, or attention of another — lies at the root of several negative emotions, violence, and turmoil. The person trespassed against  often considered it as a form of loss. The trespass can take many forms, some much less tangible than others.

Entitlement

Your own idea of entitlement, related to your self image, will establish the boundaries subject to trespass. For example, if you feel you are entitled to peace and quiet, then you will evaluate noise as a trespass, and be prone to anger. The resulting anger can then be traced back to identify the trespass and therefore the boundary and entitlement. Dignity, the quality of worth and honor intrinsic to every person, establishes basic entitlements that are the birthright of every human.

Forms of Trespass

Personal

Body: Touching, restraining, (unwelcome) sexual advances, assault …

Peace of Mind: Abuse, anguish, hurt, insult, torment, taunting, nagging, harangues, tirades, doubt, shame, obligation, guilt, fear, anxiety, terrorism,

Agreement, trust: Broken promises,

Limbic Traces: destroying fond memories, replacing positive associations with negative ones, food aversions,

Beliefs: Lying, religious proselytizing, propaganda, fallacious, false, or misleading communications.

Freedoms: Freedom of movement, speech, beliefs, religion, access to (non private) information, assembly, rights, . . .

Tranquility: Loud noises, dogs barking, telemarketing calls, email spam, computer viruses

Status: Insults, diminished competency or autnomy,

Privacy

Intrusion, unauthorized disclosure,

Private Property

Home: entering my house uninvited, or staying too long, or snooping around

Land: Entering my land, crossing my land, squatting, usurping my land.

Possessions: using, taking, borrowing, stealing, and damaging my stuff.

Intellectual property: patents, copyrights, trademarks, presenting my ideas as your own, brand loyalty (Coke is better than Pepsi)

Common Property

Shared Property: Limiting access (e.g. closing, charging, crowding) to the park, waterways, highways . . .

Shared Resources: Air or water pollution, Toxic waste disposal, natural resources (waste of gasoline, oil, water, clean air, forests, wilderness areas), aesthetic resources (view of mountains, sunset, landscape . . .) cultural resources (great art, historic buildings, religious icons. . .), Gene pool (genocide), Public Opinion,

Highways: Road rage (trespassing in my lane, intersection or right to travel at full speed),

Attention (Limiting Access):

Attention: (interfering with or reducing time with or attention from) mom, the boss, the romantic prospect, the doctor . . .

Publicity: Talk time on TV or Radio, editorial space in newspapers or magazines,

Interruption: Disrupting my train of thought, dialogue, air time, or time in a relationship . . .

Time

Waiting: make me wait for you, missing an appointment, slow response, cut in line, take up my free time, waste my time, ask me to work on the weekends.

First Place

No one has a right to “first place” but that is often forgotten in the heat of competition or battle. Dominance contests and various status contests are fought to claim the top position in a variety of dimensions.

Trespass, Anger, Coercion and Violence

One definition of anger is the “response to trespass”  A common, but unfortunate, pattern is:

1. “A” trespasses on “B” (or “B” perceives a trespass by “A” this can happen if an egotist has claimed more territory than he is entitled to. E.g. Hitler believed the Jews were trespassing on the Arian race)

2. B gets angry at A and feels compelled, or at least justified, in retaliating. Because the loss or offence B perceives is often greater what A intended—called the "magnitude gap"—the intensity of the retaliation is usually increased. This is the basis for escalation.

3. Resentment breeds retaliation. Retaliation involves trespass, Anger breeds more anger. The magnitude gap causes escalation.

4. Anger leads to violence and the escalation is underway.

So this cycle has to be broken in the early stages: don’t trespass, or don’t retaliate for trespass. This is easier said than done. Understanding aggression is essential to establishing peace.