And I sat there and said okay because I still didn't think that killing was right. I don't find this on religious grounds, because I myself am not religious, but merely on a moral level. How can we, as human beings, find it okay to kill one another? To me, it's just never made sense.
I, though many people laugh at me upon hearing this (while others get legitimately upset), believe that every person is good, or at least has the capacity to be good. I think we have a conscious for a reason, and that is to make us feel bad when we have done wrong. And there can be no worse action than killing another.
And I think that this can be taken to the governmental level as well: a government is merely a system made up on people, to whom we put moral standards to, and therefore we should be able to put governments to the same standards. If we could pull out all of the good within us, and share it with others, as sometimes happens, then there would be no need for war. If we could find the good that is within us inside other people, there would be no need for hate or killing.
I know that this sound utopian and most likely far-fetched, but I believe it is possible. And with such a simple concept, LOVE, I believe it can happen.
I completely agree with you! I have always felt that there can be no worse a thing then going out and killing someone. It is just immoral. I also liked your idea of the conscience. It's very true! What other purpose does it serve other then to notify our emotions when we as human being have done wrong.
ReplyDeleteAfter sitting in Dr. LaLonde's class today I have a better understanding of why others would perceive this theory of pacifism as a utopia, but if everyone could be like the friend in the bar and lessen the fuse that is causing the violence, then one step closer to nonviolence would be taken.
a "pink commy pig" hahaha sorry that's funny to me. too many times the government is misconstrued with moralistic values and this is where the separation of church and state falls into play for me. I am a huge advocate for separation of church and state and i agree with you, if people could just see the good within others, then the world would be such a more just place. but no one can agree with everyone and there are some people who are bitter and will revolt, this is when my questioning comes into play
ReplyDeleteYeah, I classify myself pretty much as a Pacifist as well...Love should be forefront in everything and through this killing would not be an issue...I'm like just because everyone is out killing each other, does not mean we have to do the same. I live my life out in peaceful means and I am fine...idk...In my blog for today I wrote about how if Just War actually went by what it stood for and really sought to find alternatives and peaceful ways, and cared about the people, I could maybe go with it for realistic means. However, I just don't think war has gone by those standards...therefore I do not agree with it.I don't know these readings are definitely opening up my mind.
ReplyDeletePacifism is a great and admirable school of thought/plan of action to live by. One (of many) reasons that one just needs to turn on the nightly news to be reminded of just how far we are from implementing pacifism is because it requires a lot of us as a people. it is not as simple as simple as "if someone hits me i won't hit them"; it takes real effort because like Dr. Lalonde (and you Sydney) made me realize is that violence is all around because we are a culture predisposed to believe in a violent world that is global and all around us. What we need to do is to learn to diffuse potential violent situations BEFORE they happen so that violence doesn't have to become the next logical alternative. Many Americans (and the rest of the world) do more to expand/support our cultural belief in violence but if we're willing to do that then at the very least, we need to take responsibility and accept the consequences of what we are doing. I was not a pacifist before these readings, class discussion, or this blog but after all this; my mind is definitely more open to the idea and i have a better idea of what it means to be a pacifist. To tell you the truth Sydney, when you break it down, it actually doesn't sound to Utopian to me. great post!
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