The squeaky wheel does not always need to be greased.

Ever hear the phrase, "just because it is legal does not make it right" or, "just because you can does not mean you should". There are a great many examples of those phrases being played out in the world today. While a person seeks peace such moments will arise when these phrases will be balancing decisions of the world you are making and existing in. The grandest moment of such balance was the creation of the United Nations. An oath of peace to stay away from armed conflict is the goal. Not doing so well in terms of that oath these days and it might get worse still. Part of the skill sets that peace requires has restraint, patience, compassion as fundamental understandings met with action and other skills. This is not just for the world but how each of us treats our own selves. Understanding that peace is best served when each of us understands what we can do/impact/control and work on those areas first. This is where you get the advice of the little things like make your bed, smile and say hello to yourself when you wake up, thanking yourself for getting this far and of course loving yourself. These are all elements that are often mentioned in meditation sessions. The wildest part of peace is understanding that everything exists yet peace is a choice. A difficult reality when you are working to stop war, the trade of harmful/illegal goods and/or, human trafficiking. There are some truly disgusting realities that take place everyday. Finding peace in the chaos is not hard to understand, it is the doing part where most of us fail. In these days, being peaceful is more perilous as the might makes right attitude is taking hold. Sometimes the squeaky wheel should not get greased, it only breeds assholes.

Building a peaceful society

Peace requires a great deal of attention and work from everyone. The societal system is not as important as the intention of those who are using any system. Of course there are examples of hatred and harmful actions used by some to acheive peace. Part of life is that such people will always exist and so will the need to provide security from such people. That is why as long as we exist, peace building will always be needed. Democracy is often seen as a route for peace. However, there are examples of democractic systems putting in leaders who erode societies into chaos and war. Such examples are filled with individuals who fall into racist ideology using faulty logic and harmful tactics. Such people are also why peace building will always be needed. As many things in life, peace building needs to start as early as possible. This is what is often noted as raising good children. We know that when a child is raised in an environment of hate, abuse, neglect, misery and other harmful states, the trauma can impact many generations. It is believed that a society needs about four generations to heal from such trauma. In that mindset, the current world will need at least one hundred years to recover from the many wars and unpeaceful situations people are currently living with. Again, such situations show why peace building efforts can never take a break. How do we build a peaceful society? Education is paramount. Next is to have an open mind and then a will to assist in the peace building efforts. The reason for a willingness to assist rests with the fact that peace needs action/participation. The primary point of the education and action is to solidify that hatred is a starting point for destruction of peace. Hatred needs to be understood so we know what it is, when it happens and we can learn how to have the courage to stop it. Not an easy task yet it is imperative if peace is to take hold in any person. For such people, the task of peace building is a greater task because they have to accept fault, learn and if possible change. For some that is an impossible task, thus we have war and cemeteries all over the world filled with those who fought for and against peace. Such wars continue today in the minds of many people as well as in societies. It takes many years to recover from the trauma of war. We have much work ahead, unending work to be exact. The work is worth the effort to build a peaceeful society as well as the self. Enjoy the journey.

peace paths into the future

I wrote a post back in 2012 titled Strenth to Resolve Matters Peacefully. In that post I reffered to people who bring up past injustices as "stacking bodies". In the past few years I have also reffered to people that bring up past injustices as being involved in the "pain olympics". Such people will always try to make the point that thier pain/experiences are the worst or at least more than others. What is missing is that all human history includes each and very one of us. To be a peaceful person, it is needed to understand that all of human existence belongs to each of us. If it happens to you it happened to humanity. This understanding is basically rooted in the thought that we are all together in this. However, there are those that will fight to cling to the belief that they are speacial, different, and/or deserve special recognition. In all peacefullness - such thought destroys peace. So when you come up against such a person you will know immediately they are not interested in peace if they are interested in getting their own way for their own self power at the expense of others, no matter how much pain others endure. Now, each and every person will have their own experience and never again will anyone else have that experience. This is how we get to a point where the "pain olympics" begins. There are some truely horrific situations people have gone through and their story is held up as extraordinary. Luckily we have the ability to empathize. Such ability does not diminish the personal experience yet it does allow for a shared experience. In the pursuits of peace, the shared experience teaches us how to heal, learn, grow, and change. That shared experience needs to be held as a teaching point for future generations. What is should not be is a leverage point to access greater entitlements than anyone else for the rest of time. Doing so is the root causes of racism, hatred, segregation, slavery and the destruction of society and the individual. None of this is easy to do as it will seem counter to emotions and thoughts that arise when horrific events take place. Such is the need to see the peace path into the future. If at any point your thoughts are "If I harm this person all my troubles are over", you are heading into the realm of insanity and engaged in "pain olympics". Now if you have read any of my past submittions you will know that I believe the world is always fifty percent insane. With that, at least half of the population will always belive the answer to peace is to kill others, at some point. Perhaps fifty percent is a bit much? Maybe twenty five percent are insane and twenty five are just ignorant? Not sure where to put stupidity or idiocy? I have been told many times that there is nothing worse than an energetic idiot. Quite sure that comment has been directed at me many times. Not surprised because I know I have acted that way. Have done some quite stupid things as well as acted insane. What other reason is there to jump off an 60 metre bridge at night into a fog covered river?

comfort in chaos

Each of us has wondered what the history books/education will be like a thousand years from now. We also most likely have all wondered if we will survive the next one hundred? There are a few rabbit holes that speak to how the future will look back at us. As of right now, things are a bit wild, no doubt of that. However, an oath of peace "to save future generations from the scourge of war" is the foundation of a common goal for the world. Tough times indeed for progress to meet that oath/goal. There are many thoughts of what is to transpire. I do hope the oath of peace holds enough credibility to halt the scourage of war. As for now it is being comfortable in the chaos by finding a way in peace.

Thoughts of the day 02 May 2026

Corruption Management. That term flashes through my thoughts at least once a week. Usually it is a 20 to 30 minute thought concept. I figured Corruption without betrayal needs some thought. Corruption without betrayal is trust perhaps? Maybe, however, the betrayal of humanity is by far the worst part of corruption. We all know of organized groups that have their own code of being and such groups will always exist in some manner. There are arseholes all through history and there are many more on the way.The focus to combat corruption is the moment a person encounters the decission to act in betrayal of humanity. Using the Universal Declaration on Human Rights is to be basis of humanity. At the core of human rights is peace which requires the understanding of betrayal. Betrayal exists, we are not getting rid of it, howver we can control it. Obviously this becomes a very individualistic task. At that level each person manages their involvement in acts of betrayal/corruption. Thus corruption management.

Thoughts of the day.

I remember presenting the book "A Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawlking in highschool. I recall one point from that presentation and it is "This book helps to understand comfort in chaos". That point flashed in my mind today and of course thinking of that presentation. Comfort in chaos. What is the path to peace today? As per my philosophy, I am looking as though Canada is an idividual standing in a room with only the orginal United Nations Charter members. "All I got is an oath of peace that has been beat to shit as a defense". However, as written in the two hundred year plan, I see a path to peace. Plus the peace architure and city planning of constructing arears that will experience growth to approximately 50 000 capacity population. At base level, this plan is based on a two hundred year peace operations from handshakes and then next two hundred years. Getting the handshakes to allow the operation is priority. That is a challenge for sure. At current speed probably years away but hurry up and wait. Again, the oath of peace deserves another chance so with all the adrenallin of on ice hockey/ refs sometimes, get in there and break up the fight. There are many descriptors/analogies of how to get the handshakes. And at this point all I can say about time line - hopefully damm quick. But then again, I got two hundreds years and I give all I have to see a path for peace. I honestly think this plan is a damm good solution to bring peace to this world. I remember that day in highschool understanding order within chaos. Ever since then, I have been understanding that peace offers a path through chaos, am I comfortable with the plan for peace. It provides certainty for years to go through chaos. All of that, is about That is what peace is about for me right now.

Why war over peace?

The past number of days have been spent in contemplation of the worlds current situation, somewhat like Viktor Frankls' thoughts of "existing in the hope of peace". In such moments it is also necessary to understand Focaults' thought that "it is necessary to challenge the forces that discipline us". With those two thoughts I have leaned into the African ideology of Ubuntu, acceptance of the here and now as we seek kindness, forgiveness, connection and to see oursleves in others. With all of that, understanding peace does not negate war but it will bring strategies to manage if not lower the suffering that war brings. So why peace? Well, in my view, at the root of every act is the will to bring peace to a person world world. As we endure the insanity of war, we are trouble by the cost increases. The ironic part is that money will never buy peace but it certainly does supply war. So here we are, existing in the hope of peace yet disconnecting the world through war as we challeng the forces that discipline us. Insanity all around as we hope for one thing yet act in complete opposite ways. In the study of peace there is a focus on criminality. In that focus it is often pointed out the no matter what the punsihment is, there will be those that will act out violently and commit crimes. In that view, war is not a deterant. What is a path that accomplishes the same result is existing in the hope of peace and challenging forces that discipline us through the ideology of ubuntu. When society experience a disconnect, when people feel they are not cared for, or pushed aside, the response will lead to violent outbursts. Those outburst will come from those who can not live peacefully within their own life/mind. This is why peace is an absolutely personal challenge. It starts in everyone own mind first. When the individual collapses into insanity, if not managed with humilty and care, that person will act out violently. This is how we got to where we are today. It must be understood that peace does not bring an end to war but it will bring us greater methods to manage those outburst of violence and acts of insanity. Further to the managing insanity, there is the understanding that overall, there is the ability to walk around your area of existence with a good understanding that you will get to where you are going. That is what Victor Frankl describes as existing in the hope of peace. Even though he lived through a concentration camp his mind/thoughts were of peace. Not everyone will engage in that capacity but most of us do - even in the hellish conditions of war. That is why peace is not the annhilation of war, it is a broader understanding than the reality of what is taking place at this vey moment. On a more mundane level, you will still hit your finger with a hammer on a very cold day when building, you will still catch you foot on the step and tumble with an arm load of stuff, you will still find the eggshell in the scrambled eggs and you will still get snarled up in traffic. These are events which go on no matter what. What does change is the manner in which you understand your options.

a few of my thoughts today

The world today, 07 March 2026. I remember the day I went to undestand peace.I was five years old. The staff at the library brought me to the philosophy section saying ,"if you are to find any discussion on peace these books can help". From that day on, it has been an experiment of peace. Such as the insanity of actions involved when the need for mass graves increases. in the balance of peace, I am wondering, what is a path for peace in the world. From my experience, The work of peace is often too difficult for some. Those that fail, resort to violence of every form. However, it must be understood that anger, hate, violence starts in your mind first. Also no matter who you are or title you have, peace needs action. On a global stage, to make things easy, I have always viewed each country as an idividual. Now, after World War II, an oath of peace was sworn amungst the founding members of the United Nations.( https://research.un.org/en/unmembers/founders ). Those fifty one Individuals have broken the oath many times before and it has became acceptable to do so. Our current reality has seen that oath of peace being tested in more ways today. Being comfortable in such situations is paramount. These are the hard edges of peace. keep your balance. One idea I have been thinking of is how to build cities designed to hold 50 000 based on peace through architecture and city planing. I see large buildings that weave along the general landscape of parks, markets, transportation lines, and of course everyday life. It is fun to think about. I often wonder what such a city would become ussing such a view point. This wonder has been rattling for a few years and has had many focuses. Building such a city for any number of services such as immigration, rehabilitation, education, the list goes on and evolves constantly. I wonder what one would look like and live in? Try building one through stages or all at once. That has been a few of my thoughts today.

The long view of peace

Half of this world is insane, best keep your balance. That is a popular saying I heard weekly for at least twenty years. It was said when talking about personal problems, global problems, and getting through the everyday headshaking moments. What helped in such moments was to have a long view of peace.

Common sense of conflict

Two items of common speech that have always been a bit of a miss for me are common sense and the use of the word conflict. First, the phrase common sense. Often people twist the phrase and say that sense is not common. Well for me, I have always believed that sense is common, yet it is has become nonsensical. For example. Societies have always known that mass transit is a better investment than individual transportation. However, in the past number of decades more money has gone into individual transportation than mass transit. To the point where railway tracks were torn up and now that is being seen as a mistake - common sense? Next there is the use of the word conflict. Most times the word is understood as an uneasy communication, fight, argument etc... In reality, conflict is two or more things coming into contact with eachother. For example, a kiss is conflict, shaking hands is conflict, thought needs conflict and so does giving birth. The act that precedes brith is also an exercise in conflict. However common sense would have me believe that conflict should be avoided. Good luck with that because if there is no conflict there is no way any of us could be born. So much for common sense of conflict because the common meaning of conflict is nonsensical.

Perception vs reality/ theatrics over integrity

While in the process of studying peace, turmoil exists at all times. A calm, peaceful path does not obliterate horrible violence because we live in a world that has insanity. Reality is that most people live in a relative state of peace where they can go about their day to day work/needs with average effort. Now beaware of the insanity.Basically, what is theatrics and what is reality? Understanding will provide strength. The popular word of the last few years has been resiliency. Building resiliency/building strength is the same coin different sides. Doom scrolling is a thing, it impacts us yet some allow that impact to alter them. A person begins the process to follow/change. Before internet and phones there were books and flyers that spread information. Moreover, the newspaper has always been a tool for ownership to spread their own opinions and influence. In each sentence above there exists perception, theatrics, reality and integrity. What each of us thinks of the words, allows impact. Now what is done with that impact is a choice. In building peace, the foundation of choice starts with understanding that person who lives a great life using average effort into their day to day needs/work. The other half of that energy should be used to give thanks to all that helps provide peace to your life. Then insanity scrolls up. Peace is a constant, every second of your being attention. Nothing less will work for peace to exist.

The bully in your face

Being peacefull needs understandig that courage is needed to hold back all desires to act violently while standing ground. Many people experinece such places where peace is further away than hell.Standing ground peacefully means walking into hell without a weapon - other than your own self. Your own self and peace. A single person can be at peace and when shared provides magical moments. A group of friends that share responsibility and values are a coalition of force the world needs. Such a step was attempted in 2000 with SHIRBRIG. That force is needed today with one change. Not a stop gap force but a force that manages and patrols demilitarized zones. Three such areas are Ukraine, Palestine and DRC. https://www.unwatch.com/shirbrig.shtml

The 200 year plan for peace

 Currently peace operations as well as war operations, economical operations and political operations focus on six months to five year end cycles. the worst of that list is the focus on peace operations. The time frame for peace has no end date. The best we can do is to improve on our  courage each day towards peace. We committed to an oath of peace after World War II. That oath of peace is being tested to its most extreme since 1945.

A great way through the current situation is to have a 200 year plan. Here it is.

From day one this is a peace mission which is to patrol a Demilitarized Zone. The complications of such is for another day. However, the focus will be to assess the construction of hospitals, schools, and ,of course infrastructure for exit/entry transition points. There will also have to be bases for the soldiers built. A great deal of work to do in step one, never mind the clean up that has to be done. 

Step two is the second 100 years, will know more when we get there.

International Peace obligation.

 International Peace.

Every thing needs a start date. Peace has 1947 as a year of great hope. The founding nations of the United Ntions agreed to the boundaries of Israel and Palestine. Those Founding Members which Ukraine and Russia are, gives clear evidence as to the politacal bloundaies for Russia and Ukraine - as well as Irsael and Palestine. That is reality.

Any peace deal must be based on truth and Ukraine has been an independant state for centuries so stop fighting truth.

All nations should patrol a Demilatariezd zone expanding from those 1947 borders, at least 100km wide swath. For the next 100 years this border shall be patroled by United Nation Department of Peace Operations.Forces. 

worth a shot.

I think Canada should commit 200 000 soldiers trained in peace operations every years to patrol that DMZ for at least one hundred years.

Spider web theories and six degrees of separation

 

Over the past number of years, there has been an increase of information that drives distrust in society. The information being provided starts with making connections of realities which are undeniable. For example, two people are seated side by side on an airplane and find out they are going to the same conference concerning some issue of global awareness. Once at the conference they meet again and are photographed together a number of times. There is no other connection or workplan in place other than that. A few months go by and the photos are placed all over making the accusation that these two people are controlling global events. Even though in truth there is nothing taking place, the connections can be made and events can be traced back to those meetings.

Such situations take place often in the current world of information sharing. This phenomenon is known as spider web connections and six degrees of separation. This is a very dangerous reality because it so happens that one event in thousands actually turns out to be true. Even though the failure rate is enormous, that one event is enough for people to post about it on social media and broadcast on other forms of media to amplify the importance of that one event.  Thus is born the distrust and cementing factually rare evidence as a commonality.

All this leads to the distressing truth, which is that most times things are more often happenstance rather than orchestrated, that peace is lost to fearmongering, hatred, distrust, anxiety, etc… All because some person hits on a relational fact that spans from one thread of a spider web to another connecting two points that in fact have nothing in common other than that thread providing evidence of the six degrees of separation.

The place of peace studies.

 

Everything that we do involves peace. To study is to seek understanding for a greater knowledge of what is taking place. This knowledge is a step towards peace. Every school and program of study that exists seeks understanding, which is a component of peace. In essence, every school is a study of peace. Which is why most peace programs are interdisciplinary.

The formal labelling of peace and conflict studies is noted to have been started by Johan Galtung. However, it is my view that peace is the foundation of very relationship and the main pursuit of knowledge. With that view, peace and conflict is the sole purpose/goal for any educational institution, society and person.  Also, it is important to understand that each of us are engaged in the task of peace each day. It has been that way from the beginning of time. That is why peace and conflict education has been part of everyday life from the very beginning of life.

To have a program of peace under any other discipline is putting the cart before the horse. Peace is not a component of philosophy or psychology or politics or law.  In fact, all of those are components of peace. Each of those are avenues that we use to obtain peace. Most of the time, all of them are utilized on a daily basis for peace to have even the slimmest of success.

Take economics for example. Peace has been understood as perfect balance, which is zero. To have peace in economics there can be no constant growth because that is out of balance. This does not mean that there is no wealth accumulated. It means that there is equal distribution of input and output. To have more on either side is out of balance. The same scenario plays out with all other components of peace.

This balance is the calm resolve needed to obtain peace. In order to have that balance, each of us must study their own personal balance.

Peace in everyday life

 

Peace in everyday life

Peace is not for the faint of heart. To ensure peace, you have to work every second of life, there is no vacation or time out, unless you are sleeping. For most, it is a goal to have your life and/or the world be in a better place at the end of the day than it was when you woke up. How that day goes is unknown. So, each day as you wake up, there is a mystery of what will happen. That mystery can be a good thing, a bad thing or a bland thing. A peaceful person understands that each reality needs to be met with a sense of calm resolve.

For example, the day begins and you spill stuff on yourself. Your clothes are in need of changing and you catch a hang nail that rips a good chunk of skin off. Of course you bleed on the new clothing you just put on. A few mad minutes of rushing to prepare to get out the door and you slip in the puddle of stuff you had spilled earlier on yourself. The day is now a basket case of shite. How do you stop from “losing your mind”? Then there are those that have other people such as family involved while all the above takes place. How do you keep from “losing it” on them as well. You still have to contend with everyone else and the rest of the world. That is the struggle of every second to have peace.

Meditation, yoga and other strategies are popular to help with coping in times of stress. There is no doubt that the mental work to focus in such times is not easy. As the cliché states, life does not get easier, you just get better at managing yourself during such moments. In such situations each person must find what works for them to ensure they act with calm resolve.

Keep in mind that there are no time outs or vacations from peace. Even as you take your yoga sessions or meditations you are working to manage your own peace. Now the tricky part comes when your style of peace is not what is shared by another person standing in front of you. Peace needs to evolve for both. This will ramp up the intensity of work to ensure peace.

As the intensity increases, the need to work towards peace also increases. This is where many see those who advocate for peace as being weak. Such a perception is as far away from the truth as a perception can get. To be peaceful in such situation takes great skill and courage.

There will be perceptions of giving in at times yet the calm resolve will allow you to see the longer play. Of course the reality of insanity needs to be kept in check. For example a person is rushing at you with the intent to destroy you. A completely peaceful person would be able to understand that destruction of self is an absolute anyway so how can both people engage in peace? For most of us, self preservation is paramount and the insane person must “lose” in this circumstance. This reality is what is known as war.

We have not figured out how to live without war yet and we may never figure it out. At this moment in time, the world has slipped in the stuff that was spilled on its clothes earlier as the dog barks, the children cry, the phone is ringing and the bus you take to work just went by. Oh yeah, that hang nail is still aching and bleeding. Have a nice day.

What is Ownership of Peace.

 

What is Ownership of Peace.

 

In this article, the idea of peace ownership will be discussed. For the purpose of this article, ownership are the roles/actions each individual person and/or organization acknowledges and works towards to ensure peace. Ownership is linked with responsibility and are cornerstones of peace. As an example, ownership is illustrated with this phrase by Judi Chamberlin, “Nothing about us, without us”. That simple phrase is seeking ownership and involvement. The simplicity of that quote holds a very complex reality about the efforts of ownership needed for peace.

One complicated area of peace ownership is the reality of a person who has been a child soldier. The life of Dominic Ongwen is one such example. Dominic was forced into the Lords Resistance Army as a child. He lived many years as a member of that group which is known for committing crimes against humanity. He was brought to the International Criminal Court and found guilty of such crimes. His story is well documented as he lived as a victim and a perpetrator. The questions that are debated in the example of Dominic Ongwen reach deep into the complexities of peace. One such question asked by Renée Nicole Souris (2023), concerns the issues of passive victim, political actor and, moral character. Souris states that we need to “construct a new narrative that accounts for the coexistence of agency and vulnerability”, (2023, pg. 696).

 The two words, agency and vulnerability stand out as important markers of peace ownership. As in the quote “nothing about us, without us” there are elements of agency and vulnerability. In the case of child soldiers or youth gang members, they experienced a cycle of vulnerability and agency.

In the case of Ongwen, the reality of forced events and choices made is the area of question where ownership of peace is concerned.  The vulnerability portion is being made to commit crimes or be punished. As the experiences and time in such an organization, a person can become numb to the disintegration of peace. Each of us also have such realities take place, perhaps not to the degree of a child soldier yet realities none the less. As we comprehend the disintegration of peace, those are the moments of most need to be aware of agency, vulnerability and what ownership of peace will be.

What is provided here is an example of the complexities involved in peace ownership. Questions of personal survival and societal survival are all involved in this example. In another similar example are the youth who endure gang violence in Central American, (Moreno, 2023).

In the article written by Moreno, the question of peace ownership is dealt with through understanding, “how youth morally deliberate about conditions of gang violence shaping their communities”, Moreno, 2023, pg., 1). The reality that youth “deliberate on the shaping of their communities” provides evidence of ownership. Also. The similarities between these youth and Ongwen are relatable. Decisions of survival and moments of forced actions would be present in each situation. As the forced actions reality evolves, at some point the argument will be made that a person was “just following orders”. In such circumstances the consequences of not “following orders” is physical harm and perhaps death.

In the two examples of child soldiers and youth gang members, the individual is met with an organizational force based on violence. This shows the importance of societal/organizational ownership towards peace. These organizations span communities and the world. To have a look at the complexity mix of global peace and community peace scale, ownership rings loud in this quote, “More often than not, stakeholders and official agencies do not give proper attention to community members to become central in the processes of peace”, (Idebe, 2023). The term “proper attention to become central” is echoed in the Judi Chamberlin quote, “Nothing about us, without us”. In those two quotes, the systems that are built to provide peace have become systems that hinder peace. The hinderance of peace is not only criminal organization. There are systemic factors in organizations that are built to protect and maintain peace.

Perhaps the top of the heap of organizational peace is the United Nations Security Council. To that point, The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) sponsored a discussion concerning global perspectives on United Nations Security Council Reform. Now, this has been a topic of great discussion for years. It is noted in the CEIP work that the United Nations General Assembly formed a working group concerning equitable representation in 1992, “More than three decades later, that body continues to meet—with no tangible results”, (Patrick, 2023, pg., 1). Further to that quote are more remarks of peace ownership, “The permanent members have stymied progress. Each of the Permanent 5 (China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and, the Republic of the United States) are determined to maintain its permanent seat and veto - power”, (Patrick, ed, 2023, pg., 4). This reality puts the question of ownership of peace in a global complex cycle. This are more sparks of debate when we equate the individual person as though that individual were a member state of the United Nations.

To live in peace and to build peace so we share ownership is what we strive to accomplish. There exist are responsibility of actions and, those actions either builds or destroys peace. For example, going back to the gangs “gang membership seldom provides the supportive, family type advantages that entice youth into belonging”, (Beare and Hogg, 2013, pg.,421). In this quote the “family advantages” speaks to the peace that a youth is seeking. The organizational composition of the gang sells that family yet, “are characterized more by tension, violence, and betrayal, both from rival gangs and from fellow gang members”, (Beare and Hogg, 2013, pg.,421).

These elements of selling family and delivering much less is a path of many. Such paths are destructive yet those who sell it prosper from the destruction, and thus a cycle of violence begins. To stop such cycles, those who take great ownership of peace battle against the cycle. That battle is a direct reality for the quote, “nothing about us, without us”. The battles of racism, hatred, injustice, inequality, etc… rage on as we seek the answers to questions such as, what is ownership of peace.

 

 

Bibliography

Beare, Margaret E., and Chris Hogg. "Listening in to Gang Culture." Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice, vol. 55, no. 3, July 2013, pp. 421-452.

Moreno, Franklin. “Moral reasoning about gang violence in context: A comparative study with children and adolescents exposed to maras in Honduras and not exposed in Nicaragua.” Child Development, Wiley. 2023.

Souris, Renee Nicole. “Child Soldiers, Agency, and Aristotelian Virtue Ethics”. The International Journal of Children’s Rights. Brill, 31(2023), pages 698 – 728.

Patrick, Stewart. Editor. UN Security Council Reform: What the World Thinks. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 2023.

The speed of peace - Who controls you?

 

This may seem like an easy question to answer. However, we often take actions that are counter-productive to living in peace. For example, we know that mass/public transit is a better method than everyone owning a car. Yet the perception of public/mass transit carries a degree of shame.

Each of us wants to protect ourselves from harm yet we are willing to give information freely for the sake of convenience as we stay connected to the internet. We are spending more money on security because of the want of convenience as this want destroys peace. The programs of social media platforms have been designed to encourage content. That content is filled with hateful rants and shallow lifestyle advertising. We know this and yet as a society we are not willing to curtail ourselves away from what we know is destroying us because to an individual there is no way anyone is going to tell me what to do.

There are great arguments about what the “government” is doing to our lives, yet a democracy is rooted in the people being informed, being engaged, being respectful and being willing to work at finding solutions together. Often, we get people who only vote and think that is enough. Again, it is not convenient for us to be that involved because there are shows on streaming services to watch, sports, vacations, jobs, families, healthcare, and community partnership volunteering. Because of all the pressures people feel, the decision process that is crucial to a democracy is left to erode. The speed of peace relies on each of us to take greater responsibility to be correctly informed. Peace relies upon each of us to engage in public dialogue with respect as changes are made to improve society. This is the situation we are in and if society decays, the tasks of peace become greater.

As people begin to feel constrained for whatever reason they will need to vent. How that is done is an important component of peace. What is funny is that it is rare for a persons to say they suck at communication. Often people say they are good at it. If that were true we would not be in the mess we are. What this indicates is that we are lying to ourselves every day and that is very harmful to peace. How can we say we are in control of ourselves when we can not even speak truth to our own selves. We built a society that wants cheap products, quick service, and no one responsible for our collective actions. That is a recipe for disaster.

It has taken thousands of years to get where we are today. It will take a few more years to improve peace. But it will hinge on each of us to be responsible, respectful, patient, caring and willing to work harder at peace. At your speed, the world will have peace.

The Speed of Peace

 

Without a doubt, we are living in interesting times in 2022. In my view, the largest shift has been the increase of distrust in the world. In particular the question of trust in authority to a multi-pronged monster including who are the trusted authorities?

A number of years ago there were the protests of the Multi-lateral Agreement on Investment. The protests around the world for peace as the Occupy Movement, We Are the 99%, Jasmine Revolution, Arab Spring, and others. Each of these protests have asked questions of trust in authority. Of course, there is the reality of war on a global scale being discussed and in every war, trust is a casualty each second. Now those are some of the ideology questions towards mistrust. The physical impact of trust is also being tested.

Physically, we are being shown that this planet is alive on its own. We are witnessing unprecedented weather and geological events across the globe. It was not too long ago the  Indian Ocean had an earthquake that sparked a tsunami during 2004. Japan, 2011 had a similar experience. Hurricanes, heat, floods, fires have all set records for intensity of force.

Those two areas of mistrust are the mind and body, now we have the spiritual impacts. What is peace telling me about the impacts on the spirit. First, peace tells me that this is the utmost of importance. Trust needs a leap of faith sometimes and now is such a time. Sadly, the population of the world has been going through some shite and people need to vent. How are we do deal with that “venting”. For proper ventilation, we need to understand the speed of peace. This is what my spirit is asking me, what is the speed of peace?

That question leaves me with this – strengthen your patience, you are going to need a shit ton of it.