The following is the afterword in the new Orson Scott Card book Empire. He really makes some good points. It's long so I'm just linking it.
http://www.ornery.org/empire_afterword.html
Keeping Things Civil
Moderator: Dictators in Training
Keeping Things Civil
Inside each person lives two wolves. One is loyal, kind, respectful, humble and open to the mystery of life. The other is greedy, jealous, hateful, afraid and blind to the wonders of life. They are in battle for your spirit. The one who wins is the one you feed.
Interesting article Mart. I don't think we are as close as the author states, but the seeds are certainly there. The author does pretty much dismiss ethnicity as being a catalyst and I feel he's wrong there. While there are greater numbers for one political spectrum or the other in certain areas geographically there is not the separation where clear boundaries and fronts would be drawn. What you do have a whole lot of however is geographical separation by ethnicity, and I find it far more likely that we would see boundaries and conflicts breaking out on a large scale between neighborhoods. Identifying ones "adversaries" without a clear regional separation or apparent physical trait makes it very difficult to wage militant violent action. Political ideology has neither a clear geographical separation nor an absolute outward appearance. Understand I'm not saying we have a looming "race war" on the horizon, but I find it far more likely then a ideological war.
Raymond S. Kraft wrote:The history of the world is the history of civilizational clashes, cultural clashes. All wars are about ideas, ideas about what society and civilization should be like, and the most determined always win.
Those who are willing to be the most ruthless always win. The pacifists always lose, because the anti-pacifists kill them.
I don't believe I've seen it Eziekial, I looked it up - late 80's movie about two police officers in the center of a gang war? Hehe spoil the plot for me if you like, as the description didn't point to something as drastic as a civil war outbreak being the end result of the movie.
Raymond S. Kraft wrote:The history of the world is the history of civilizational clashes, cultural clashes. All wars are about ideas, ideas about what society and civilization should be like, and the most determined always win.
Those who are willing to be the most ruthless always win. The pacifists always lose, because the anti-pacifists kill them.
Lueyen wrote:I don't believe I've seen it Eziekial, I looked it up - late 80's movie about two police officers in the center of a gang war? Hehe spoil the plot for me if you like, as the description didn't point to something as drastic as a civil war outbreak being the end result of the movie.
its a good movie even thou sean penn is in it. you should watch it
For you
I have to run to the video store this evening anyway, I'll look for it.
Raymond S. Kraft wrote:The history of the world is the history of civilizational clashes, cultural clashes. All wars are about ideas, ideas about what society and civilization should be like, and the most determined always win.
Those who are willing to be the most ruthless always win. The pacifists always lose, because the anti-pacifists kill them.
Damn, I thought I picked a movie everyone has seen. Anyway my reasoning that brought to mind that movie is you don't need physical traits or ethnicity to have people on different ends of a gun. In fact, our own civil war was started on political ideology (states rights vs federal rights not slavery which many people falsely believe) so I fail to see how you "need" some geo or ethnic boundary. I am sure it will be drawn real quick once the first shot is fired and you will have masses headed for "their" sides.
PS. Watch the movie, it's really good.
PS. Watch the movie, it's really good.