If War Is Not The Answer, Then What Is?

[jubilee1919]

A valid question which I think is more important than the answer. Everyday we read and hear news about the ongoing conflicts around the world, the disagreements between neighbours and nations arming themselves to the teeth in the event a conflict will arise. Is there any hope for the survival of mankind for everlasting peace on earth? The burgeoning world population will soon reach the 10 billion mark in the next few years. Should this trend continue bearing in mind earth's limited resources which has been depleted severely?

In his book The Invention of Peace, the British military historian Sir Michael Howard suggests that peace is much more complicated and high-maintenance than war -- which may be why it breaks down all the time. "Peace is not a natural state of society," he writes, "any more than war is a natural state of society. Conflict is what is endemic and, if you like, is natural. There is only going to be peace if those conflicts can be managed and subsumed. That is what peacemaking is really all about."

Will a peaceful world be the answer?

Your contributions to this discussion is welcome.

 

[zhihau]

from complex multicellular organism right down to the unicellular organism level, there will always be this struggle for survival. symbiotic relationships may improve living conditions but when resources run low, it's still ugly in the end :o:o:o

 

[jubilee1919]

from complex multicellular organism right down to the unicellular organism level, there will always be this struggle for survival. symbiotic relationships may improve living conditions but when resources run low, it's still ugly in the end :o:o:o

Our survival may not have to depend on winning wars, but having a very strong deterrence and using our wits and gaining powerful allies to support us.

 

[red amoeba]

War is nature selection process initiated by man...survival of the fittest

 

[jubilee1919]

War is nature selection process initiated by man...survival of the fittest

War is initiated by the ruling elites whereas the sheep wants peace. It is not survival of the fittest but big fish eat small fish.

 

[erection2015]

War could be about domination too. One country trying to force another to submit by the use of arms. War is definitely not the answer ...cooperation as equals is better.....but thats just wishful thinking.

 

[Wildfire]

War is initiated by the ruling elites whereas the sheep wants peace. It is not survival of the fittest but big fish eat small fish.

I personally think that War and Ruling Elites are two different monsters altogether.

War is the competition between tribes instead of between individuals. Whereas Ruling Elites is within one's tribe
as in Animal Farm where the pigs are more equal than the other animals.

What say you ...

Cheers!

 

[jubilee1919]

War could be about domination too. One country trying to force another to submit by the use of arms. War is definitely not the answer ...cooperation as equals is better.....but thats just wishful thinking.

Although war as we know is inevitable in this day and age, when then can man finally live together in peace before they eventually destroy each other?

Will there be at some future time man can discover new worlds to live in e.g., Mars? Agree that there is no such thing as god thereby removing one obstacle that put us in conflict? All races intermarrying such that there is no racial strife, and everyone the same creed and colour? Can this ever happen?

 

[erection2015]

As long as coveteousness rules in mens' hearts there will always be the need to get what the other guys has by domination and force.

Doubt if it will change. WW2 was supposed to be the war that would end all wars....but humans have learnt nothing from it except how

to make even more powerful weapons and wage more wars.

Although war as we know is inevitable in this day and age, when then can man finally live together in peace before they eventually destroy each other?

Will there be at some future time man can discover new worlds to live in e.g., Mars? Agree that there is no such thing as god thereby removing one obstacle that put us in conflict? All races intermarrying such that there is no racial strife, and everyone the same creed and colour? Can this ever happen?

 

[SuperMod]

As long as coveteousness rules in mens' hearts there will always be the need to get what the other guys has by domination and force.

Doubt if it will change. WW2 was supposed to be the war that would end all wars....but humans have learnt nothing from it except how

to make even more powerful weapons and wage more wars.

Ok I agreed.

 

[jubilee1919]

I personally think that War and Ruling Elites are two different monsters altogether.

War is the competition between tribes instead of between individuals. Whereas Ruling Elites is within one's tribe
as in Animal Farm where the pigs are more equal than the other animals.

What say you ...

Cheers!

If what you say is true about the ruling elites, do you personally want a war?

 

[Clone]

Earth has an inexhaustible supply of fossil fuel. War is no longer a necessity.

 

[po2wq]

Earth has an inexhaustible supply of fossil fuel. War is no longer a necessity.

if fossil fuel depleted, can go nuclear! ...

 

[jubilee1919]

Earth has an inexhaustible supply of fossil fuel. War is no longer a necessity.

I don't think fossil fuel is the cause, it may be one of the causes in recent times. There were many wars fought throughout history where fossil fuel was not in the picture. Even WW2 was not because of fossil fuel.

 

[Wildfire]

If what you say is true about the ruling elites, do you personally want a war?

In order to answer this complicated question, ones need to examine his position relative to his tribe.

Declaring war is usually not an option if you are just part of the flock.

However, if you manage to elevate your position to leadership within segments of the flock, wanting or
declaring war (rebellion) on the ruling elites may be inevitable for the survival of you and your group.

Ultimately, it's no longer a "want" but a "need" for survival. I believe in that broader sense, nobody
want a war.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

Will a peaceful world be the answer?

Your contributions to this discussion is welcome.

There will never be a peaceful world unless the quintessential problem of economic -- how to allocate scarce resources amongst men with infinite desires -- can be solved.

If you strip away all the reasons people give for going to war, cut out all the rhetoric, at the very core of it all it is basically competition for resources. Some might also say, for security. But don't forget, the reason why countries feel their security threatened is because someone else is trying to get at their resources the militant way. So it all boils down to competition for resources as the root cause of all wars.

 

[jubilee1919]

In order to answer this complicated question, ones need to examine his position relative to his tribe.

Declaring war is usually not an option if you are just part of the flock.

However, if you manage to elevate your position to leadership within segments of the flock, wanting or
declaring war (rebellion) on the ruling elites may be inevitable for the survival of you and your group.

Ultimately, it's no longer a "want" but a "need" for survival. I believe in that broader sense, nobody
want a war.

It is the majority that do not want a war but even so, war happens because the rulers of both parties decided to have one. If you say it is not "want" but a "need" for survival it surely depends on the situation when war is declared. To elaborate, let us look at the conflict between China, Japan and Philippines. Another scenario, between the 2 Koreas. Where is that "need" for survival in those situations?

 

[Wildfire]

There will never be a peaceful world unless the quintessential problem of economic -- how to allocate scarce resources amongst men with infinite desires -- can be solved.

If you strip away all the reasons people give for going to war, cut out all the rhetoric, at the very core of it all it is basically competition for resources. Some might also say, for security. But don't forget, the reason why countries feel their security threatened is because someone else is trying to get at their resources the militant way. So it all boils down to competition for resources as the root cause of all wars.

Very sorries ......... repeated posting due to server response error!

 

[Wildfire]

There will never be a peaceful world unless the quintessential problem of economic -- how to allocate scarce resources amongst men with infinite desires -- can be solved.

If you strip away all the reasons people give for going to war, cut out all the rhetoric, at the very core of it all it is basically competition for resources. Some might also say, for security. But don't forget, the reason why countries feel their security threatened is because someone else is trying to get at their resources the militant way. So it all boils down to competition for resources as the root cause of all wars.

The causes for wars is multi dimensional.

Resources is a important rationale for going to war in the twentieth and twenty-first century.
Our forefathers never have the need to go to war for resources.

Other important factors are the hunger and need for power and control, leadership ego, need
to possess and owner.

Religion is also another major contributor.

 

[sleaguepunter]

war is just one of the tools to cull human population.