Reciprocal violence in society involves both parties agreeing to punish a scapegoat, diffusing the energy of violence. This concept is exemplified by the story of Jesus being both admired and punished. The idea of imitation as a social force, proposed by Gerard, was initially mocked by sociologists like Durkheim. Gerard's lack of concrete evidence, such as clinical studies, for his theories was initially off-putting; however, with time, the validity of his ideas became apparent, especially in the context of contemporary political polarization leading to scapegoating.

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