Conflicts & War, What have we learned?

[Rbjustme]

Ever since man stepped foot on earth, there have been conflicts, conflicts from a very small scale such as two individuals who disagree on something trivial but is important to each one, such is life. Then we move from one extreme to the other to full scale conflicts, all out war. War has been raged throughout the centuries and is generally festered by the first point of the two individuals who, in some cases cannot agree for whatever reason, even to the point of not giving in through pride and even obstinance, a deadly combination, which if not resolved, will lead to and escalation of that dispute, and, in some cases leading up to a deadly outcome, even further escalating the problem.

A waterfall begins with one tiny drop of water, war begins with one small issue as in the above example, but most descent thinking people resolve the dispute through rational thinking and experience gained from prior lessens learned from other encounters. However in essence, it is not all that simple due to the individuals genetic make up and many many other factors which determine who we are as individuals, and how we interact with other people in general everyday life, which in turn is influenced by the people to whom we are interacting with.

So what has changed after centuries of living together on earth with regards to the above mentioned? In my opinion, not much. We are still, to this very day confronted with the same conflicts between individuals and full scale war, reiterating back to my first point once again. Although, attitudes have changed in some people but not others, however, the differences have grown to become a lot further apart which has further escalated the common practise to resolve issues, making even the simplest problem far more difficult to resolve. Money, power, ego, self gain, individual obstinance and pride, being the main causes of such conflicts.

When it all boils down, it seems that mankind has not learned much at all in resolving conflicts, even after two world wars an all those prior to them. Korea, Vietnam, Iraq mark 1,2 and now 3, Afghanistan, Syria, and the list goes on and on. The only thing it seems that has been learned, is to build better weapons and war machines in the name of self defence putting the very existence mankind itself in jeopardy. The waterfall is growing as it did prior to the many other conflicts that have occurred on earth, but once again as before, the wrong drop has started that waterfall.

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[John]

Most Wars that the U.S. gets involved in, I can completely justify why we're in it. WW2 was because Germany was going to conquer us if we didn't get involved, Vietnam was to protect people from Communism. The fact of the matter is; if you don't fight back and stand for what you believe in, what you will believe in will soon be lost. Some people want to gain control over other people (in a sense, that's generally what wars are about); but it's the able bodied people's jobs to protect those who cannot protect themselves, and to ensue their (and their families') wellbeings are being protected at all times.

Unfortunately, people do not agree with everything. We can talk about changing stuff that people have talked about for centuries, or we can accept the fact that not everyone is the same and move on with our lives. War is unavoidable sometimes, and we have to live with it, like it or not.

 

[Joshua Farrell]

The only way I can see wars ending, is if people actually cared enough to not take arguments and disagreements too far, to the point of wanting to fight about it.

 

[Cosmic]

Living creatures act in their own interest. Dogs fight each over for territory, and so do humans, for territory, resources, and over matters such as honor, saving face, etc. More intelligent creatures such as humans fight bigger and more organized wars over more important things than animals do, but I think it's still the same factors at play. Some day it's possible that we'll become intelligent and civilized enough to make peace and resolve our differences through other means, but I don't think that's the normal way nature operates, and would require a great deal of work and time to achieve. We're on the road to that I think, but we're no there yet. Some day, maybe we will be though.