I want World Peace. Yes/No?

[InfiniteNow]

Its not about fear. Its about the hunt for resources for self.

 

Isn't the point that those strategies you referenced, those which were successful in our ancestral past, are now actually more detrimental to our survival than they are required for it, and it's time for a psychosocial change?

[Cedars]

Isn't the point that those strategies you referenced, those which were successful in our ancestral past, are now actually more detrimental to our survival than they are required for it, and it's time for a psychosocial change?

 

No I do not think those strategies are detrimental to our survival.

[Theory5]

Watch the behavior of kids in an integrated high school and you'll see them segregate on their own. It's probably just human nature. Safety in numbers. Fitting in.

 

 

But in many cases it has to do with upbringing and the values that are instilled in children, where they are taught not to trust people who are different. Whether it's ethnicity, nationality, economic condition, sexual orientation, or level of education, children are taught or learn from society that it is better to stick with your own, and the decision to do so is often justified or bolstered with ridicule directed at the other groups, particularly by those with the most status or power.

 

I REALLY must disagree with you. I am a sophomore at a vocational technical high school, and If I look around, during lunch, during classes, during shop, I see people talking, joking, and all that stuff. we have 4 different lunch periods in my school. 2 for people in academics and 2 for people in shop. Thats all. They mix the 9th 10th 11th and 12th graders. There aren't many people who sit with "their own" as you say. Oh, sure some tables are a bunch of friends who have common interests (like video gaming, music and other stuff like that), but there arnt really any separations. people, say after they finish lunch go over and talk with friends at a different table, or something. The only time I really saw people "segregated" as you say, was on the first few weeks of school in 9th grade, where nobody really knew each other and they would just hang out with people from their old school or from their town or their friends. But after that people starting talking and pretty much everyone had friends. I hang out with people of different nationalities and orientations and people who think differently.

One of my really good friends in this school is very different from me yet we talk and such when we see each other.

 

now I dont know where you got that observation from, but I see, usually people dont talk much but after a few days or weeks they get to know each other and everyone is talking with one another.

 

I also went to an Engineering conference over the summer for 10 days, and I got put in a suit with 5 other guys. After about an hour of getting settled and getting used to the place, I went to have lunch. people where not talking to each other (well some were) but after a few minutes i started talking with the guy across from me and we had an okay conversation. "hi, how are you" "good, you?" "fine" "where are you from?" stuff like that. then I finished eating and went back to the suit. After about 10 minutes in there I started talking with the other guys there and we were friends after that. And we made other friends and such when we went to dinner and all that.

 

No matter where I went it was only a realitivly little amount of time before people started talking.

 

so BALONEY to your "observation"! :-P

 

Im sorry I seemed to have gotten a little off topic.....

[REASON]

 

so BALONEY to your "observation"! :-P

 

That's it!? After everything I've posted on this thread you found a statement I made, which admittedly sounded a bit matter of fact, and decided to suggest that it is "BALONEY" simply based on your individual and isolated personal experience? Did it ever occur to you that my experience may have been different? Or that the history of social strife in this country and indeed throughout the world would suggest otherwise?

 

My high school was full of cliques. We had the Jocks, the Cowboys, the Low Riders, the Heads (potheads/partiers), the Blacks, the Nerds, and of course, the Populars. Now I'm not saying that we were at war with one another, and for the most part, we got along as you do. But these types of segregated groups are just a minor example of a much greater problem that exists within this country and around the world. To deny the reality of biggotry, sexism, racism, nationalism, and socioeconomic discrimination, and the devastating effects they've had on the lives of so many people around the world simply because everyone in your sophomore class gets along pretty good is at best naive.

 

I was simply trying to identify an aspect of humanity - intolerance - and one of it's sources - upbringing - as something that could use some improvement if we are ever to achieve world peace. Do you disagree with that? It would be helpful for you to consider the complete context of what I am saying.

 

In essence, your experience only proves my point. I imagine, based on what you described, that it's peaceful at your school. Do you think the fact that you all get along so well despite your differences has anything to do with that? I would say, YES. And there's a good chance that the kids at your school are the products of good upbringing. Imagine if what you describe of your experience were actually the norm, everywhere.

 

And it doesn't mean you have to give up your civil liberties and freedom of expression, as Cedars and Distrubd imply. It just means holding the personal value of being considerate and respectful of others, and employing the virtue of forgiveness.

[Queso]

peace

[REASON]

 

Its not about fear. Its about the hunt for resources for self.

 

While I understand your point regarding the inherent nature of humankind as laid down by our ancient ancestors, other than for sport, it is safe to say that the only hunting performed by people of our modern society is for a bargain. Our hunter/gatherer nature has virtually been reduced to that of just gathering.....as much as we can.

 

Now if you're applying that nature on a larger scale, to governments interested in hunting and gathering the resources of other nations for themselves, it's hard to argue that point considering the conflagration currently occurring in oil rich Iraq. But are we really willing to allow this part of our nature to be the excuse for our policy, in spite of international law.....that we can't help it because it's part of our inherent nature to seek out and lay claim to your resources that we want? And this behavior is absolutely about fear, whether it's the false fear of being destroyed by terrorists, or the genuine fear of losing control of vast oil wealth and hegemony in the Middle East.

 

I don't care what our inherent nature is. We're better than this.

[freeztar]

I don't care what our inherent nature is. We're better than this.

 

I agree. It's time to evolve folks. Traits that do not benefit us WILL get weeded out.

 

And if you're a creationist I suppose you could just pray....

[Cedars]

While I understand your point regarding the inherent nature of humankind as laid down by our ancient ancestors, other than for sport, it is safe to say that the only hunting performed by people of our modern society is for a bargain. Our hunter/gatherer nature has virtually been reduced to that of just gathering.....as much as we can.

We (the USA) is just one dust bowl episode away from eating our pets.

I don't care what our inherent nature is. We're better than this.

 

Obviously, we are not better than this.

 

League of Nations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

United Nations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[REASON]

 

Obviously, we are not better than this.

 

It doesn't appear that we are, does it? :cup:

 

But for the sake of my children and my sanity, I will continue to remain vigilant and hopefull, and will do what I can to promote peace within my small sphere of influence.

[Cedars]

It doesn't appear that we are, does it? ;)

 

But for the sake of my children and my sanity, I will continue to remain vigilant and hopefull, and will do what I can to promote peace within my small sphere of influence. :P

 

I had a pacifist neighbor who I debated gun control with. She did not understand my position. Had one of those "visualize world peace" bumper stickers, took part in peace activist stuff.... was really into it.

 

Then she became a victim of a violent crime.

 

Long story short, she had her own firearm in possession within a week.

 

Promote peace all you feel you need to, but dont leave yourself defenseless should the predators amongst us, rear their head.

 

The best of the predators look just like everyone else. They always sign on the dotted line. They always tell ya what you want to hear.

[REASON]

I had a pacifist neighbor who I debated gun control with. She did not understand my position. Had one of those "visualize world peace" bumper stickers, took part in peace activist stuff.... was really into it.

 

Then she became a victim of a violent crime.

 

Long story short, she had her own firearm in possession within a week.

 

Promote peace all you feel you need to, but dont leave yourself defenseless should the predators amongst us, rear their head.

 

The best of the predators look just like everyone else. They always sign on the dotted line. They always tell ya what you want to hear.

 

Good advice Cedars. I am a realist. I'm not blind to the realities of this world. I own a rifle. It's definitely not as handy as a pistol when it comes to self defence but it is a semi-auto and is better than nothing. There are a variety of reasons to remain vigilant. Primarily, my children. Fortunately, I've never been in a position where I needed it in self defence.

 

My pacifism is expressed more in the way I want to be toward others. I don't prefer violence. I believe in the concept that violence begets more violence. On the flip side, kindness begets more kindness. I recognize that I have a choice as to the kind of person I want to be and the kind of energy I want to surround myself with. And I prefer it be positive energy. But I'm not foolish when it comes to recognizing that there are people everywhere that don't seem to share the value of such an existance, and prefer to take some sort of pleasure out of the suffering of others.

 

But I do believe in time we as a society, as a nation, and as a species can change, and to me, it begins with me.

[lifegazer]

State-of-the-art airplanes in 1939 were no match for 1944 airplanes! They had five years of design and development in which they not only drew up plans and built prototypes, but actually churned out warplanes by the hundreds that was miles ahead of anything flying five years before! And this happened in all facets of technological life back then!

 

In 1944, Hitler had the V2, which (through Werner Von Braun) was the big daddy of the Apollo project. Now ask yourself, if not for war in the 20th century, how backwards would we have been?

 

(I smell a new thread...)

 

So, for the sake of faster air travel within your lifetime, you support the deaths of 50+ million people and untold misery?

With that in mind, I suppose the deaths of 2 billion people in WW3, for example (regardless of all the other environmental damage), will be justified as long as we can speed-up business-journeys and get to Playstation-6 before they throw you in a coffin?

 

You're a complete ****

[Buffy]

So, for the sake of faster air travel within your lifetime, you support the deaths of 50+ million people and untold misery?...

 

You're a complete ****

Boerseun said nothing of the sort, and you may not call people names, even if its replaced by a string of asterisks on this site.

 

Thank you for your cooperation.

 

Buffy

[alexander]

I think that World Peace is a highly philosophical issue.

 

On one hand, war's don't solve anything, and tend to carry a lot of death, destruction, misery, fatigue, also they tend to cost lots of money, and all because of politics or religion. While i do not support the killing of innocent people at the hands of self-proclaimed justice leaders who think that their view is better for the people. I think war is stupid and should not happen, arguing and conflicts will always be, physical means do not solve problems, they escalate them. Anger never helps the problem and drives the war, grief drives anger, war drives grief, its a vicious cycle that is only escaped once the rock bottom is hit, war's like drugs, once you get in it, its almost impossible to get out without loosing something...

 

But then there is another side of it. War, first and foremost drives economy. Look back to the world wars, people in the US were buying war stocks, look at what happened to the private sector at WWII, when any company able to produce war goods, produced them; with every war, you need munitions, arms, transportation and most of all, food rations, all of which drives economies of the countries at war (or their suppliers). Also war takes care of the population control of the region, and although i dont agree with methods, it does a darn good job at it. Finally, wars are not faught by the brightest people out there, every war many soldiers on the frontier can't answer a simple question or what they are fighting for, and yet battle and battle again they put their lives on the line for somebody else's ideas that they may not even agree with. So let the stupid people kill themselves, and we will finally live in a civilized society...

 

leave it here for now, lets see what people think :phones:

[REASON]

I think that World Peace is a highly philosophical issue.

 

On one hand, war's don't solve anything, and tend to carry a lot of death, destruction, misery, fatigue, also they tend to cost lots of money, and all because of politics or religion.....

 

But then there is another side of it. War, first and foremost drives economy.....

 

leave it here for now, lets see what people think :phones:

 

Soooooo.....do you want world peace or not?

[Inter.spem.et.metum]

Fear is the cause, not the hunt for the resources itself. The hunt for the resource is a direct effect of survival. Survival is fight or flight, both being the effect of fear.

 

Cedar,

Your history lesson was nice, but you missed my point completely. Of course we are hunters in the sense that we hunt for resources. That is a characteristic of any living thing, it must consume. The point I was trying to make is that although we are animals, we have the ability to think beyond of our own desires and fears. We have the ability to be civilized and not give into our incontinence. Its the idea that humans are not able to break away from our animalistic side that breeds conflict.

 

It may be logical to say that you don't believe world peace is possible, but its disgusting to hear another human being say they don't want world peace. Of course war creates things. Destruction creates, creation destroyes. Its a natural law. That doesn't make it right. Its not ok to kill other people so we can be more comfortable. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are not a right. They're a gift, and that gift can be taken at any time. All we can do is try to protect those ideals for everyone on earth, and not mourn when those gifts are taken away.

 

Peace will come one way or the other.

[alexander]

As a member of a scientific community, as well as being an intellectual being, i do not support willful taking of lives of any living things (except for script kiddies).