Giving peace a fighting chance

Don writes:

This takes you to Howard Zinn's Boston Globe review of Jonathan Schell's "The Unconquerable World," which argues that war in its current state is even more self-defeating than it was in WW1.

Zinn seems to find Schell persuasive and convincing " that the era of massive violence can be brought to an end."

Quoting Zinn who is quoting Schell:

"Violence, he says, '''always a mark of human failure and a bringer of sorrow, has now also become dysfunctional as a political instrument. Increasingly, it destroys the ends for which it is employed, killing the user as well as his victim. It has become the path to hell on earth and the end of the earth.'''

He concludes:

"Violence by its nature is instigated by elites. Nonviolence requires the commitment and cooperation of masses of people. It is by its nature democratic. Schell, in this profoundly important book, wants us to begin thinking about how we can use democracy - the actions of people, rather than governments - to bring about a peaceful world."

This is an interesting conceptual distinction and may well be a contribution to thinking about peace. It's not a recipe for peace but an invitation to think in a novel way which may foment "aha phenomena.".

I read the review. I'm going to get the book. While I agree with Don, I think he ,if anything, understates the case. But I won't quibble. I'm delighted to know about the book and Zinn's review.

For me it's simple: Governments should serve people, not kill them.

When we allow them to make war they become the ultimate purveyor of pornography, preying on our fears and distorting our love of country into something sick and disgusting. Nothing in the anals of human depravity is so stupid - so costly to body, soul and property - nor so untilately shortsighted, as making war.

Sounds to me like Schell, focusing on the practical rather than the moral ground, is building arguments that give peace a fighting chance - though I can't imagine a more difficult case to make in a way that sticks. He's battling against our fear and in some instances, our stramge, sick love affair with violence and death. Can reason prevail?