From: david_musick@juno.com
Date: Tue May 18 1999 - 02:38:30 MDT
Resolving Conflicts Peacefully
The fact that different people have different and often conflicting
desires for themselves and their world has been a problem for all of
human history. This issue continues to become more urgent as the
population increases and the conflicts become more numerous and
widespread. How humans respond to this increasingly tense situation will
have long-lasting effects.
Humans have often responded to their conflicts with violence, and many
people are conditioned to believe that this is an appropriate and
expected response to conflict. Of course, the mountains of historical
evidence are at least as high as the mountains of dead bodies, that
violence only increases the levels of hostility between humans as well as
the body count from our perpetual wars.
Resolving conflicts peacefully is the first lesson of martial arts,
because angry humans are so dangerous. Humans must learn this lesson
well, for their own safety. Resolving conflicts peacefully is a lesson
that can be practiced every day, anytime a conflict arises.
The skills of diplomacy are important survival skills, and it is
important that people are deliberately taught these skills. Diplomacy
can be taught in schools; it can be taught in movies and television
shows; it can be taught to anyone we personally have conflicts with, by
our own examples of diplomacy. Diplomacy can be taught in many ways, and
it is important that we utilize as many methods as necessary to ensure a
peaceful world.
Human life is valuable. Acts of violence show profound ignorance of
that fact. Those who recognize the value of others have genuine respect
for others, even those they disagree with.
By promoting peace, we work to ensure a safer world for ourselves and
those we love. By choosing to resolve our conflicts peacefully, we show
others that we intend them no harm, and we gain their trust and
cooperation. By focusing on our mutual goals and honestly discussing our
differences, we can find solutions that are acceptable for all involved.
please copy and distribute this message freely
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