Avoid war
War is a hopelessly stupid man-made disaster
Wars have been a part of human history for thousands of years, and have become increasingly destructive as industrialization and technology have advanced.
The causes of war include competition over land, religious conflicts, nationalism, imperialism, racism, and slavery.
However, motivations related to a nation’s ‘spirit’, such as the standing of a country or revenge, have been the primary causes of most wars.
The death toll of wars is enormous and the outcome of wars is always a stupid, hopeless, and disastrous catastrophe.
The present war in Ukraine shows how stupid, destructive, and meaningless war is. Totally unprovoked Ukraine has been invaded by Russia on the order of Putin. The lives lost and the material destructions are monstrous.
It is of paramount importance to avoid war – at any price. You may disagree with this. However, my view is that any revenge or retaliation will only make things worse – many more lives lost and much more destruction – also in your world.
How to avoid war
These rules should be followed:
- Refrain from belligerence.
- Use emotional intelligence to understand the other side.
- De-escalate the concept of the enemy.
- Treat the other side with respect.
- Recognize that there is a perception of injustice on both sides.
- Have the courage to forgive and ask for forgiveness. Let go of your desire for retribution and revenge. Even if the other side doesn’t deserve forgiveness, you deserve peace.
- Reach out to understand the other side’s values, both personal and cultural. The goal is mutual acceptance. At the deepest level, we all want the same things.
- Refrain from ideological rhetoric over politics and religion.
- Recognize that there is fear on both sides. Express your anxieties and ask the other side what they are afraid of.
- Focus on what you actually want. Do not insist on being right and proving the other side wrong.
John Mueller: The Stupidity of War: American Foreign Policy and the Case for Complacency.
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