Two Ways to Achieve World Peace December 12, 2006
Posted by Ben in : Musings , trackbackJust a quick note to share a thought that’s been going through my mind a lot lately . . .
When I was growing up, there was a lot of talk of trying to achieve the ever-elusive “World Peace,” but I haven’t heard the phrase “world peace” in a long while. Maybe I’m just not listening for it. Nevertheless, I think world peace is within our grasp, and, as I see it, there are two ways to achieve it:
- Kill everyone who does not share your same values, culture, ideology, and worldview. Then, all that are left are those who agree with you (or who are too scared to disagree). Instant peace!
- This is the more difficult way, but I think it could be possible. Everyone in the world must agree (by social contract) to tolerate those with conflicting values, cultures, and ideologies. They do not have to accept these conflicting beliefs. They do not have to regard them as valid. They can continue to disagree with them whole-heartedly, but the difference is that they must accept without precondition the humans who hold these beliefs. We don’t have to live in harmony, just in peace. This isn’t something that can be accomplished through a treaty between governments; it must be a conscious decision on the part of every member of the human race.
So, call me an idealist, but I’m also a realist, too. The latter is the preferred approach, but how do we achieve it? Well, we kill off all the adults and raise the babies to be tolerant of others.
That, or we instill in our own children a desire for peace, and we tackle this problem through the slow, laborious process of raising one generation at a time to be better than the previous at solving problems and resolving conflict. Is there any hope for the human race, or are we, at heart, destined to remain creatures of conflict with a desire for power?
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