(Though many don’t want to believe it, the world is getting safer. There will be an end to war, someday, if the world works towards it. To read the rest of our posts on “The World is Getting Safer”, click here.)
We have a simple, thought-provoking question we’d like to ask our readers today, and for the rest of the week:
Will humans ever stop fighting wars? Why?
Stop for a moment. Go with your gut. What do you think? Write it down if you want.
Then go to this episode of Radiolab. Stop listening at the 4:00 minute mark. (Well, go on and listen to the entire show, and series, if you want, they are wonderful )
For those who didn’t listen, (Shame on you, unless an Army computer system is blocking you, in which case, we understand.) here is a quick synopsis: Radiolab, inspired by science journalist and teacher John Horgan, asked a slew of people in New Jersey, “Will humans ever stop fighting wars?” According to Horgan, who has been asking people this question for over ten years, Americans have become wildly pessimistic about the chance that we will ever stop fighting wars.
This might be the most important question we have ever asked on this blog. It isn’t the answer that matters so much as why you believe humanity will or will not keep fighting wars.
On Thursday and Friday, we will both provide our answers to this question. Next week we hope to post any and all responses we get, including Matty P’s response. Part of our mission at On V is to attack the philosophical questions about war and violence, and this is our latest salvo, building off the success of our last debate about whether progress is inherently violent.
So, if you’d like, answer the question, “Will Humans Ever Stop Fighting Wars?” and please expand with why or why not. Feel free to write anything from 1 to 500 words, and send it to us at info (at) onviolence (dot) (com). Or write your response on your own blog, and send us a link.
We look forward to the responses.
The first attempt at an answer came from Michael C.
Eric C followed up with a different take.
Then came regular contributer Matty P.
Followed by a guest post from Matt Gallagher.
And "More 'Will Humans Ever Stop Fighting Wars?'".
And then our Twitter responses.
Facts Behaving Badly: Will Humans Ever Stop Fighting Wars?
And we covered this topic obliquely before in Why I Believe Things Are Getting Better: A Review of Rising Up and Rising Down's Premise and Statistics, Damned Statistics and Terrorism Link Drop.
Yeah, hopefully this gets comments, otherwise send us any thoughts at the site’s email.