World Peace
People always want "world peace," by which they mean no war. I want nearly global peace, by which I mean that I want everyone in the world not to be oppressed. Arguing semantics? Always.
In history, the closest thing to lack of war is also the closest thing to complete domination. The Pax Romana was the result of the military dominance of Rome and, contrary to popular belief, it was only civil peace, that is there were no civil wars (wars between citizens) during that period, though fighting continued for the sake of holding the boarders and trying to subdue tribeal nations like the Germans and the Celts (Gauls) or the various tribes in the Brittish Isles.
As an idealist, I understand the desire for no wars. But as a student of history, and as a person with an active imagination, I cannot conceive of a world that is utterly at peace without that peace being the result of projects that destroy cultures and dominate people.
In history, the closest thing to lack of war is also the closest thing to complete domination. The Pax Romana was the result of the military dominance of Rome and, contrary to popular belief, it was only civil peace, that is there were no civil wars (wars between citizens) during that period, though fighting continued for the sake of holding the boarders and trying to subdue tribeal nations like the Germans and the Celts (Gauls) or the various tribes in the Brittish Isles.
As an idealist, I understand the desire for no wars. But as a student of history, and as a person with an active imagination, I cannot conceive of a world that is utterly at peace without that peace being the result of projects that destroy cultures and dominate people.
posted by Unknown at
7:19 PM
4 Comments:
Amen, the compartmentalization that comes with isolationism allows many in the U.S. to imagine that if the U.S. is at peace, the rest of the world must be too. I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see the bumper stickers all the time, but it is true: as a nation, our vision ends at our own borders.
I can picture in my mind a world without war, without hate... I can can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never see it coming.
Deep Thoughts
Hi Ty, this is Steve Hubka, can't remember my login, so I'm posting anonymousish, except for this part. Good blogging.
Good blogging to you too Steve.
I can see your point, whether serious or humorous (why does it have to be one or the other), peace is such a scary idea that it is bound to draw violence. Jesus ran away from power to dominate, when they tried to make him king; he shunned political methods of liberation and declared peace that lives within the violence . . . Yeah . . . they killed him.
Steven, don't you know how dangerous it is to sign in on Ty's blog as "Anonymous?" Are you nuts? You'll wonder why next Sunday someone for no apparent reason walks up to you and slaps your face.
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