Peace?

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theSoulfulMofo said:
Here's a thought: If the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, can there still be peace?

Hmm...interesting question. but what's the solution? give everyone equal pay?

I disagree with you Elvis. We are animals. Survival and procreation are instinctual. Why do salmon spawn upstream to die? and once they die, who teaches their young to survive?

Not to hijack the thread, but has anyone read Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad or seen Apocolypse Now, which is based on Conrad's concept? There is darkness in the heart of every person, there is a point where we decide to kill or be killed, there is a point where we go from sanity to madness, peace to war. And I believe that no matter how much you teach about peace, there will still be people who take the road to darkness.

In some rights, we're no different than animals. God gives us the freedom to live our lives, to choose between right and wrong, and sometimes people choose wrong.
 
I believe we get overworked by the concept "the rich get richer...."

This will always happen. The rich get richer because they are good at maintaining and increasing wealth. Give everyone equal wealth (not just income, but total wealth) and it won't be long before you have rich and poor again.

What matters more is how the rich use their wealth. Money, like anything else, can be used for good or evil, for society or self.
 
sharky said:
And I believe that no matter how much you teach about peace, there will still be people who take the road to darkness.


You're right. Because we have a moral choice, there are always people who will choose wrong. But it's the reaction of the rest of society that, in many ways, determines whether we can live peacefully. For example, the "war" which the United States is currently pursuing is a reaction to someone else choosing to do wrong. The United States is teaching, with it's actions, that fighting back through the use of war is the only way to resolve the problem. This scenario applies to personal relationships as well. When someone does wrong, we can choose to fight back with weapons or to pursue another method of resolving the conflict.

I believe that if a society is peaceful, teaches peace, lives peace, the incidence of crime will decrease because there will be no more need for crime. Obviously there will always be people who rebel against that peace, but if the larger society doesn't react violently to that, then there will no longer be a reason to fight.


In some rights, we're no different than animals. God gives us the freedom to live our lives, to choose between right and wrong, and sometimes people choose wrong.

Could you explain this more? Did you mean for these two sentences to be connected, because they seem incongruous. What are the rights you claim in which we are no different than animals?
 
Elvis said:


Actually... survival in humans is not an instinct - its taught. Sleep is something that happens, no matter if you try to or not. Also.. from what I've read/heard ... sex with humans is not an instinct either, it's something we choose to do, and also do for pleasure.

Mmmmmmmm.....you're aware of the amount of biological evidence to the contrary, aren't you? For example, sex feels good so we'll do...so that our species will survive.

To answer the "rich get richer" question, no, there will not be peace as long as that is the case.

Which is why I want to again encourage everyone to either write or call the White House regarding debt relief for HIPC (Highly Indebted Poor Countries) nations. Check the link in my sig for sample letters if you don't have time to write one of your own, as so many people don't!

Bush is at 202 456 1111/1414

:)

SD
 
hippy said:
I thought we all agreed not to hijacked this thread anymore? ;)

How about we start a new thread dealing with the question of instincts. :)

WE were the hijackers? Sowee. I didn't realize. :silent:

:)

SD
 
nbcrusader said:
I believe we get overworked by the concept "the rich get richer...."

This will always happen. The rich get richer because they are good at maintaining and increasing wealth. Give everyone equal wealth (not just income, but total wealth) and it won't be long before you have rich and poor again.

What matters more is how the rich use their wealth. Money, like anything else, can be used for good or evil, for society or self.

The rich get richer bc they?re stealing from the poor who get poorer.

Now, I don?t want to dwell on fairness, but maybe this has to do with peace as well. The rich get richer not just because they?re good at what they?re doing (implying that the poor are stupid, congratulations, great concept).

The rich stay rich and get richer because they have the possibility to do so. They have the education. And connections. Tne poor don?t have that range of possibilities.

And, nbcrusader, us two, we are rich and lucky that we can afford to discuss about that shit. Never forget that.

Sharky: Animals are better than mankind. Animals may kill for hunger, but not for greed. And its not true that "the world is just cruel bc it is" :shrug: who cares, who let the dogs out. Mankind makes the world cruel, not animals. Mankind decides for fucking with this world, and with Mother Earth, every new day.

The only thing I agree with in your post is that there is darkness in the heart of every person.
 
I think you read some things into my statements that were not intended. The implication that "all poor are stupid" was not in my post. Drive, priorities, risk taking all factor into the equation.

Regarding your statement that the rich steal from the poor - on what is this based? You've suggested we are both "rich" - how are we stealing?
 
whenhiphopdrovethebigcars said:

Sharky: Animals are better than mankind. Animals may kill for hunger, but not for greed. And its not true that "the world is just cruel bc it is" :shrug: who cares, who let the dogs out. Mankind makes the world cruel, not animals. Mankind decides for fucking with this world, and with Mother Earth, every new day.

so what do you tell the zebra family when daddy doesn't come home because the lions ate him? And what about the lions who not only kill for food but kill to stay in power of their territory? Nature isn't full of kitties and puppies.

Its called life, its called death, its called Mother Nature. Don't act like we're the only beasts in this world. Its eat or be eaten.

Our instinct to survive outweighs logic. If you have your back to the wall, you fight regardless of who your enemy is. And that's not always a bad thing. If you're fighting an illness, your instinct is to beat the illness. Some people, however, see their enemy as other humans -- and that's when the problem arises.
 
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