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A lot has been said about the value of conversations in changing culture. As we have seen, the institution of war has become part of our way of thinking, and, if we want to change it, there is a specific process which needs to be followed. Culture is defined as a set of values, beliefs and assumptions that a group of people uses to make sense of the world. Businesses have cultures. Families have cultures. Nations and states each have their own cultures which make them unique. What is required now is that we bring our culture to consciousness, and examine the assumptions we are making about war. If we can do this, we can remove this institution from our way of thinking, and move into a much safer and benevolent world.
Identity One of the barriers to emerging a new, more inclusive culture is limited identity. As long as we see ourselves an Americans or Iranians, or Swiss, there will always be a tendency to want to defend our land and our nation against the "other." But, if we can emerge a new identity, a global community if you will, it will be MUCH easier to retire the institution of war and begin repairing our planet Earth. So how do we emerge this new, more inclusive identity? One way is through conversation. We need to talk... not just about the war in Iraq, or the institution of war, but about who we are, and how we need each other if we want to survive. Terrorism Whenever a discussion about global security occurs, the subject of "enemy" will usually come up. "OK, it's fine to be the nice guy... but what about so and so, who wants to do me in." This is natural, and is an obvious cause for concern... especially now, as people are under increasing pressure to get along. But here is the answer, which really makes sense. Think about it: Do weapons really make us safer anymore? Nations which have good relationships are not dangerous to each other. Canada in not a threat to Mexico, and Sweden is not dangerous to Japan. When the relationship is good, there is no need for a military, and security is high. On the other hand, when the relationship is poor, or distorted by projections or misunderstandings, no amount of military power can protect us. 911 proved that to the United States. There are other examples of this as well. The answer is clear: Relationship is the best (and really, ONLY) reliable resource for security in the world today. War is no longer useful. Guns don't help. It's relationship that makes the difference. What to do So how do you make a relationship better with someone who wants to do you in? Well, maybe you can't. But, with the billions of dollars we spend on useless military weaponry, it would seem we could work to build stronger bonds with other nations somehow. Maybe we use our military as a benevolent resource to their families and children. Maybe we work harder to understand what matters to them, both economically and religiously. There are probably hundreds of ways we can improve the relationships we have with others. But we have to work for this. And we have to start now, not later, when matters have gotten worse. Global Security Albert Einstein once said, "The unleashed power of the atom has changed everything save our mode of thinking and we thus drift toward unparalleled catastrophe." Our world has changed, and we can no longer imagine one part surviving, with another being expendable. If any of us is going to survive, we all have to make it. An attack on one nation is really an attack on us all. No one is a passenger any longer. Everyone is crew. Will you help? The time has come for a new "distributed functionality" within the entire global community. We need to see ourselves in a new light, and use the new cosmology as context for all our decisions. If you feel moved, please share this Web site with your acquaintances and friends. E-mail those you know and ask them to visit... Then, to accelerate the process, suggest that they also share this link with their family, co-workers and friends. Working together, we can retire the institution of war once and for all. Thank You!
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