Are we outgrowing war? Is peace breaking out?

[Michaelangelica]

An interesting short TV program/documentarty that answers these two questions with:- "yes".

Soldiers of Peace

Are we outgrowing war?

This film traverses the globe to meet drivers of peace in our time - individuals who are making a difference: from the one-time religious rivals in Nigeria to the Arab-Jewish school in Israel; the football league in Kenya where young men play footy instead of fight to the Columbian hip-hop artist who plays with his guitars instead of guns; and, the Australian survivor of the London bombing who lost both legs and is now an ambassador for peace. » more

 

Narrated by actor Michael Douglas, it features interviews with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Sir Bob Geldof, Dr Hans Blix, Gareth Evans and Sir Richard Branson.

They discuss the terrible cost of war - to society and big business, and the role of the You Tube generation in this new, global peace zeitgeist.

Compass - ABC TV

Compass: Soldiers of Peace - ABC TV

[Moontanman]

How wonderful would that be if it were true!

[Ganoderma]

How wonderful would that be if it were true!

 

i for one have little hope for people as a whole. even peaceful ones are painfully ignorant and lazy. so they tend to do the sheep thing and follow the leader. there are many lovely people on earth, but we still take the apple and follow the evil.

[lemit]

I don't have a lot of faith in the corporate source of the videos. I haven't looked at them yet.

 

A historical perspective would require that we look at the last 50 years as the present, to be sure we're not just chasing gossamer. The body count for that time period shouldn't encourage anybody. The number of well-meaning people of all types and agendas who in that time period have said that peace was breaking out or was just around the corner is also not encouraging.

 

It's pretty much a part of my nature to say that with information and the ability to see ourselves and the rest of the world in context, we will become more sociable and less warlike. I think I've already demonstrated on these pages my ability to be an idiot. Maybe that faith in humanity is just another example.

 

--lemit

[Michaelangelica]

MMmm, thanks

Should one support one's pessimism with facts?

This show supports its optimism with some interesting facts.

Including the clincher for me, as far as Yanks go, "War is just not profitable" anymore.

 

I would love one of the gun/guitars-- cool!

 

I just asked on the "What would happen if your town was nuked"

"Have nuclear weapons lost their strategic, military, political and deterrent use" --or similar.

[Michaelangelica]

Is that all there is?

[lemit]

I have a lot of trouble getting the link to work. I was able to get part of the Bob Geldof interview on YouTube. I was impressed. I hope to be able to get the whole documentary somehow.

 

My problem with ABC News is that they too often get distracted by the "peg" and forget the story. I think that has been noted by media watchdog groups. I'll try to collect information to support my assertion. I should, as a professional journalist, look at the documentary before I make any judgments about it. Sorry about that.

 

I also will try to verify Bob Geldof's assertion about the Dalai Lama. Turns out the Dalai Lama and I have a mutual friend, someone I went to high school with. (That's big stuff for an old Missouri hog farmer.)

 

Again, sorry about the accusations. I know people around here don't do things like that. I certainly haven't before now.

 

--lemit

 

p.s. I'll try to find out if the Dalai Lama ever grabs a ham sandwich between interviews. Maybe a quarter-pounder?

[sman]

I'm reminded of this video of Steven Pinker I caught a wile ago...

 

 

YouTube - Steven Pinker: A brief history of violence http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ramBFRt1Uzk