''Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue,
a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence,
confidence, and justice.''
(Baruch Spinoza)
More than anything else, most of us humans want to be ''right''.
We often don't deal well with being told that we are ''wrong''.
-Wrong you say?!
-Yeah, you're wrong!!!
-No, I'm not! I'm right and you're wrong!!
-Yeah, well if that's the case, prove it!
-I will. I'll prove it!
These days it can be hard to prove anything.
Photos can be edited, recordings whether they be
audio or video can be edited, and facts can be viewed
as ''alternative''.
-That's not a fact, that's an opinion!
-What's the source of that information?
Words are ambiguous.
In my view, often mere approximations
since whatever words we use our words are filtered
through our individual biases.
Biases can be quite insidious and often we are not
even aware of having them.
When we decide whether we deem something to be
true or false, right or wrong, our decision making is
influenced by a number of cognitive biases.
For instance:
We tend to say that others did something because of
their character or personality, whereas we often attribute
our own actions to circumstances or happenstance.
(Actor-observer bias)
What we learn early in life often has a bigger impact
on how we judge events and experiences than we do later
in life. (Anchoring bias)
We often tend to focus our attention on information
that we agree with and disregard other kinds of information.
(Attentional bias)
We seek out information that confirms what we already
think and believe. (Confirmation bias)
We blame outside forces when things go wrong,
and take the credit when things go right.
(Self-serving bias)
And so on. There's a lot more..........
The thing is...cognitive biases affect most of our decision making
processes and how we view/judge events and experiences.
To be a human as far as I can ascertain, is to be biased.
But more often than not we are unaware of our
biases .......as in for us ''that's the way it is, it's the truth,
the only way to see it.....etc.''
If us ''worker bees'' get into arguments, disputes, clash or
get into conflict over different issues....well, that's
just ''life''..... but what happens when the powerful,
the 1%'ers, and those who govern our countries do?
Nothing good.
War happens.
Massacres happens.
Innocent lives getting extinguished happens.
Cities, towns and villages turned into rubble happens.
The social and economic fabric of countries
becoming disrupted leaving communities and
families devastated happens.
Whatever the reason, be it religious, economical,
political or ideological.....war... in my view is never
the answer.
Peace is. Mediation and arbitration is.
Those in power sitting down at a conference table
and addressing their contentious issues is.
Diplomacy and peaceful problem solving is.
''Peace is a daily, weekly, monthly process,
gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old
barriers, quietly building new structures.''
(John F. Kennedy)
''War is only a cowardly escape from the
problems of peace.''
(Thomas Mann)
''A peaceful heart seeks a peaceful life.
Peace begins in each of our hearts.''
(Citizen Z)
about the image: ink and coloured pencils on paper.
Title: ''Peace, please.''
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