World peace.

[dimreepr]

What would it take?

 

Let us not resort to global threat, in this discussion, such as an alien or other external threat; yes, of course, that type of jeopardy would unite us but for how long, after the threat dissipates?

 

Can anyone imagine a strategy or event, other than that described above, that could lead to a long term peaceful world?

 

Would, for instance, a purely secular society instigate such a peace or is a new religion or pseudo religion required?

[Gees]

World peace is easy. Just take away free will and most emotion. It would be boring, but peaceful.

 

Gee

[zapatos]

I don't think there is any practical way implement world peace. Since conflict that prevents global peace comes from groups, such as countries or religious groups, perhaps we could work toward preventing people from being able to join large groups.

[Phi for All]

If this were in Politics, I'd say we need more stable governments designed to give their citizens the most opportunity for prosperity.

 

Since this is Philosophy, I'd reach deeper and say we'd need a major change in perspective to achieve world peace. There are still many people who think "others" aren't worthy because of economic status, education, nationality, religion, color of skin, work ethic, or <insert meaningless standards here>.

 

I think we have an image that the world is over-populated by humans, and this gives rise to the thought that we can afford to lose quite a few and not miss them. Not OUR people, of course, just the foreign ones who were barely subsisting anyway.

 

I think life in general is amazing, and human life in particular. Like fire or lighting, our lives aren't material "things", they're events that happen because all the right pieces are in place, and out of those bits of mundane chemicals and processes a human life emerges, something incredibly more than the parts that keep it going.

 

I think many religions dismiss this worldly life in favor of an eternal afterlife where there's no problems. I think this often makes people very callous about the way they treat others. We see ourselves and others as merchandise, property, or lumps of flesh to be used for particular purposes.

 

I had an idea a few years ago that, since reality TV seems here to stay, we should use it for good purposes and share the daily lives of people in other countries. It's easier to think disparagingly of a group of people you know little about. I may be alone in this, but I think "A Day in the Life" of people from many different cultures would be fascinating, and I think it would foster the kind of understanding and compassion that could lead to a peaceful Earth.

[StringJunky]

..

I had an idea a few years ago that, since reality TV seems here to stay, we should use it for good purposes and share the daily lives of people in other countries. It's easier to think disparagingly of a group of people you know little about. I may be alone in this, but I think "A Day in the Life" of people from many different cultures would be fascinating, and I think it would foster the kind of understanding and compassion that could lead to a peaceful Earth.

That's the kind of thing the UK's BBC would do.

[michael7858]

An excellent start to the possibility of world peace is if all people remembered that human beings have the ability to make errors. Even if a particular person believes themselves to be right, if they can just remember that one of the flaws of humanity is the ability which is sometimes involuntary, of making errors then world peace has a possible beginning. Nothing beyond that beginning, but a starting point nevertheless.

[michel123456]

Make war illegal.

Oblige nations to behave like individuals. No spying, no brutality, no robbery.

[Endy0816]

Who would enforce this? How would they enforce this?

[iNow]

Most illegal activities are still engaged in by people, anyway.

[dimreepr]

Most illegal activities are still engaged in by people, anyway.

 

 

Besides, world peace, by definition couldn’t be achieved through force or enforcement.

 

 

+1 BTW

Edited May 26, 2015 by dimreepr

[Phi for All]

We have this need, as modern humans, to be better. Better lives for our children, better conditions to live in, better tools, better knowledge, better opportunities. But also a better car than her, a better home than him. Better way of life than these guys, better way of running things than those guys. What we believe in is better than what they believe in. We seem to need to justify what we do by classifying it as better than what others do. And if there's a chance others might jeopardize your better life, war will make them stop.

 

We seem to be unable to make the majority see that peace is better than war. Many wealthy people become wealthier when there's war, perhaps we need to show that those people aren't better at all.

 

I've long believed that when business is down for an arms dealer, their marketing departments just send some free weapons to the craziest people on the planet. It's what you do when sales are down in most businesses.

[dimreepr]

We have this need, as modern humans, to be better. Better lives for our children, better conditions to live in, better tools, better knowledge, better opportunities. But also a better car than her, a better home than him. Better way of life than these guys, better way of running things than those guys. What we believe in is better than what they believe in. We seem to need to justify what we do by classifying it as better than what others do. And if there's a chance others might jeopardize your better life, war will make them stop.

 

 

IOW If you can’t be content without money you’ll never be content with it.

[Phi for All]

IOW If you can’t be content without money you’ll never be content with it.

 

Content is a good word to use. Content people don't start wars. But can we ever be content when it comes to this concept of "the way we live is better than the way they live"?

 

I tend to look at everybody as necessary. I love the guy who's wearing the loud clothing I would never wear, because somebody made it, so somebody should wear it, and I'm just so thankful it doesn't have to be me! I'm good at some things, and there are plenty of people to take up the slack with things I'm not so good at. A healthy system works well and provides a process for improvement and contentment.

 

And I agree that contentment needs to be acknowledged. I have a friend who's ex-wife was always looking for things to make her happy. If they could have a bigger house, if they could have a horse like she grew up with, if they could have another child, THEN she could be happy. They did all these things before the divorce, and as far as I know, she's still miserable.

[dimreepr]

The problem with western society (possibly the world) can be summed up in one word ‘aspiration’; it makes money the route to happiness.

 

 

The rich suffer, often more than the poorest, through fear (of losing their wealth) and a misdirected faith that money equals safety but when food is more important than art, in this world of ours, money has no meaning.

And I agree that contentment needs to be acknowledged. I have a friend who's ex-wife was always looking for things to make her happy. If they could have a bigger house, if they could have a horse like she grew up with, if they could have another child, THEN she could be happy. They did all these things before the divorce, and as far as I know, she's still miserable.

 

Some people choose misery as a sort of virtual happiness; the martyr, to them, is admired.

Edited May 26, 2015 by dimreepr

[Phi for All]

The problem with western society (possibly the world) can be summed up in one word ‘aspiration’; it makes money the route to happiness.

 

I hate to use aspiration to mean greed. I think our aspirations can be good too. We get a lot of good things out of being aggressive, too. How can we keep our pioneering spirit, our stick-to-it-tiveness, our determination, while striving to be content?

 

I agree, though, that money has gotten to be a problem. Not sure what solutions are best wrt that. If everyone were prosperous, would no one be prosperous? Or would everyone just be prosperous?

[iNow]

Perhaps if instead of focusing on eliminating war we alternatively choose to focus on eliminating scarcity, shunning tribalism, and ensuring no cost ready access to the treatment of psychopathologies then potentially the same downstream outcome desired by the OP will be realized.

[MigL]

I have a great idea for achieving world peace.

But I'm not the smartest man on Earth and I'm having a difficult time synthesizing Dr. Manhattan's energy signature...