Violence: what can we do about it?

[tinfoilhat]

The left and right are battling it out in the media, its the rich against the poor; if you take either side you are prolonging the battle.

 

Does that make you violent? Can't you have political discourse without violence?

 

We probably are less violent. We're more snide though. Comments on here, and other forums/comments are so needlessly mean it makes me sad then want to go out punch someone.

[Waldo]

I saw a piece on facebook by the Dalai Lama. He said it was no good praying for peace; violence is a man made problem, so the solution has to be man made too, and is up to everyone of us.

 

I agree, but what to do about it?

 

I am a peaceful, non-violent person who wishes no one harm, and I suspect most ordinary people are the same, so why is the world such a violent place?

 

The politicians don't seem to be having much success, and I reckon may be part of the problem.

 

So, what can we, as individuals, do about it? Especially at an international level?

 

Buddhists can be some of the most violent people going.

 

I would think peace is synonymous with stillness, violence with action and movement. When the heart is settled and calm, there is peace; when disturbed or heated, there is violence. As such, I do not believe more action is the way to tackle violence.

 

Just to be at peace yourself, and do not contribute to the fire, is that not a good start?

[Anna B]

Buddhists can be some of the most violent people going.

 

I would think peace is synonymous with stillness, violence with action and movement. When the heart is settled and calm, there is peace; when disturbed or heated, there is violence. As such, I do not believe more action is the way to tackle violence.

 

Just to be at peace yourself, and do not contribute to the fire, is that not a good start?

 

Mmmm... While I appreciate your point of view, and share it to some extent, I can't help being reminded of the quote; 'All it takes for bad men to prosper, is for good men to do nothing.'

 

And therein lies the dilemma.

 

But then again Ghandi managed to change a continent peacefully, with non-violent passive resistance.

[Waldo]

Mmmm... While I appreciate your point of view, and share it to some extent, I can't help being reminded of the quote; 'All it takes for bad men to prosper, is for good men to do nothing.'

 

And therein lies the dilemma.

 

But then again Ghandi managed to change a continent peacefully, with non-violent passive resistance.

 

Your quote begs the question, what is it that differentiates a bad man from a good man? I think all people have a tendency or inclination to see themselves as good...

 

Is any man fully bad, or fully good? Or is it our actions, that can be classified as good or bad? I'm sure I'm good and bad at times; and what drives me, isn't too different from that which drives other people.

 

Maybe this is a part of the problem though, our tendency to see ourselves as 'good' as the others (people who are different to us) as 'bad'?

[Anna B]

Your quote begs the question, what is it that differentiates a bad man from a good man? I think all people have a tendency or inclination to see themselves as good...

 

Is any man fully bad, or fully good? Or is it our actions, that can be classified as good or bad? I'm sure I'm good and bad at times; and what drives me, isn't too different from that which drives other people.

 

Maybe this is a part of the problem though, our tendency to see ourselves as 'good' as the others (people who are different to us) as 'bad'?

 

Interesting.

 

But as Loob says, there are 'behavioural fundamentals' which are agreed across most religions and cultures. I think in their hearts most people would accept these as a baseline.

 

I agree few people are 'all good' or 'all bad.' Heaven knows we're a flawed species, but that doesn't mean we can't strive harder to do better.

 

But how can we, as fairly powerless individuals, prevent things like wars and violent oppression?

[tinfoilhat]

Interesting.

 

But as Loob says, there are 'behavioural fundamentals' which are agreed across most religions and cultures. I think in their hearts most people would accept these as a baseline.

 

I agree few people are 'all good' or 'all bad.' Heaven knows we're a flawed species, but that doesn't mean we can't strive harder to do better.

 

But how can we, as fairly powerless individuals, prevent things like wars and violent oppression?

 

We aren't violently oppressed. We aren't at war. 4 men were stabbed in one night in London - all unrelated - given knife crime is how it is down there I'm amazed it made the news.

 

Violence is glamourised in music and popular culture. Boxing and UFC attract big money and lots of fans happy to throw money at it.

[Waldo]

We aren't violently oppressed. We aren't at war. 4 men were stabbed in one night in London - all unrelated - given knife crime is how it is down there I'm amazed it made the news.

 

Violence is glamourised in music and popular culture. Boxing and UFC attract big money and lots of fans happy to throw money at it.

 

I consider myself fairly peaceful and generally benevolent, however, I'd really like to have a go at boxing.

 

I don't think boxing is necessarily violent. Well, clearly it's two dudes hitting each other, but it doesn't follow they have violence in their hearts or enjoy hurting an opponent. I imagine in many cases boxers have a lot of respect and admiration for an opponents skill and dedication to the sport.

[Anna B]

We aren't violently oppressed. We aren't at war. 4 men were stabbed in one night in London - all unrelated - given knife crime is how it is down there I'm amazed it made the news.

 

Violence is glamourised in music and popular culture. Boxing and UFC attract big money and lots of fans happy to throw money at it.

 

I wasn't saying we were. I was talking globally. (And we are always getting involved in other people's wars and problems, so their problem becomes our problem in the end.) We are one of the biggest exporters of arms and weapons, so it's not exactly in our interests to promote World peace is it?

 

I would have said at one time that that was nonsense, 'doesn't everyone want world peace,' but I'm not so sure anymore. When you discover someone like Donald Rumsfeld, who was Secretary of Defense in GW Bush's government and was instrumental in the plan to attack Iraq, was also one of the USA's biggest arms manufacturers, you begin to wonder...

 

It's called Global corruption. And I am not alone in thinking this might be behind a lot of the World's troubles.

[tinfoilhat]

I wasn't saying we were. I was talking globally. (And we are always getting involved in other people's wars and problems, so their problem becomes our problem in the end.) We are one of the biggest exporters of arms and weapons, so it's not exactly in our interests to promote World peace is it?

 

I would have said at one time that that was nonsense, 'doesn't everyone want world peace,' but I'm not so sure anymore. When you discover someone like Donald Rumsfeld, who was Secretary of Defense in GW Bush's government and was instrumental in the plan to attack Iraq, was also one of the USA's biggest arms manufacturers, you begin to wonder...

 

It's called Global corruption. And I am not alone in thinking this might be behind a lot of the World's troubles.

 

But as you say, we can have zero wars, the likes of bush and Blair are consigned to history. How are you going to stop mostly young men wanting kill each over a perceived lack of respect or spilt pint.

 

One minute you're talking about self restraint - quite sensibly - then it's The Man's fault why we are all at war. Take war - all wars - out of the equation and we're still very very violent. You're giving violent people an excuse.

[Cyclone]

The left and right are battling it out in the media, its the rich against the poor; if you take either side you are prolonging the battle.

 

If you don't take a side then you have no basis to complain about the ultimate outcome. And since the outcome affects us all, that's not very smart.

 

---------- Post added 03-01-2018 at 09:22 ----------

 

 

Just to be at peace yourself, and do not contribute to the fire, is that not a good start?

 

If someone is punching you in the face, or stabbing you, it's hard to be at peace.

The problem is when a group feels attacked and then responds, this starts a tit for tat conflict and possible escalation.