For me, it worked wonders about the nature of violence and it's uses. When I was young I learned from my peers that violence was a tool to achieve superiority. It should be used with impunity and with as much malice as possible. By the time I had reached middle school I had put two kids in the hospital, luckily I had witnesses that they were the aggressors so I was severely reprimanded and had to attend a "Scared Straight" seminar.
When I started High School everyone gave me wide berth, even though I was the leading player in chess club and Academic team. I was also the lead trombonist for the Jazz band, and first string noseguard (until I kicked the shit out of the coaches son for making fun of my brother).
So, I would have probably ended up in jail getting a degree by correspondence or some such, instead I signed up where my brain and brawn might do some good. I went into the Marines. Early on I found out how close my fights had come to murder charges, or at least manslaughter. Learning about how and when to effectively kill people is a sobering experience. That mellowed me out to the point where I am now a Network Security Lead, and I look like a bouncer... but everyone knows I'm the softest guy around.
Thank $DEITY for the Marines, Semper Fi brothers.