When arguing anti-violence and anti-war themes, the response from many is “you can’t change human nature”. The implication of the statement is humankind is inherently and inevitably violent. Perhaps true, perhaps not, but if true, what degree of violence is necessary? How much is manufactured in the service of political and ideological agendas? What is the spread between manufactured violence and what others would deem as necessary violence?
Our history of violence, need not dictate a future of violence. If humankind were not redeemable, why do we spend so much time trying to redeem it? We are redeemed to the extent we engage in the practice of redemption; and it is our moral duty to engage heartily.
Peace is a redemptive idea. It saves us from the sin of war. Like war, peace must be promoted in order to develop into a movement. This can be accomplished through conversation, the arts, and elsewise; it should be the dominant theme.
Ideas matter: Currently, we are surrounded by ideas of violence which saturates the global environment. We have been sold violence through video games, entertainment, sports, and nationalistic glory-filled stories. Violence is presented as righteous and glorious, and the good guy usually wins; which is weird, because opposing sides generally believe they are the good guys.
With all the promotion of violence, it should be no surprise the U S. averages between one and two mass killings every day and is on the verge of global war. There is little pushback by the counter idea of peace. Peace, like all ideas, must be sold, propagated, preached. But violence, is believed to be inherent and unchangeable. But violence first, is an idea, then manifested in action. Ideas can be shaped.
The combined presidential campaigns spent somewhere between $1.5 and $2 billion to convince people of ideas about which candidate would better serve the Nation. U.S. businesses will this year spend upwards to $400 billion in advertisement related expenses to convince people to buy stuff–needed or not. Neither of the above set of actors would spend billions in advertisement if the promotion of ideas did not work.
Peace is an idea which must be promoted.The key is to speak out for peace. Promote peace as a legitimate, workable, and moral idea. The war makers have had far too much success in the promotion of the idea of war and violence. They have held the podium far too long.
We will only get peace, when the people sell peace. The people are you and me.