Lots of world leaders come up to me and say: "Shav. Shav, how do I stop this madness and create world peace?"
And I'm going to let you in on a little secret! I never answer: "Go out and kill civilians."
Honestly, I don't.
There's a lot of talk recently about terrorism and the answer to terrorism and quite frankly (although I'm never sure, since my sister dated a Frank, if frankly shouldn't be spelled with a capital F) a lot of it is bull.
So, sit back and let me explain the world to you!
There are a few home truths you're going to have to accept. One of them is that diet coke just tastes so much better than diet pepsi that there is really no justifiable comparison, another is that every action causes a reaction and that every reaction, in turn, is an action which will, in turn, again cause a reaction.
We'll call this the Action-Reaction cyclus...The A-R cyclus, to save letter space.
Another home truth that I have to mention before I continue is that a lot of information comes your way as a 'matter of fact' rather than a 'comparison'. Don't be fooled! These matter of facts are really cloaked comparisons! Elvis once sang a little mantra on the subject:
"You look like a fact, yes..." Echo: "You look like a fact, yes..."
"You sounds like a fact, yes..." Echo: "You sound like a fact, yes..."
"You feel like a fact, yes..."
"But I got wise...You're a comparison in disguise...oh yes you are...a comparison in disguise..."
Here are a few comparisons you may not have noticed:
1. George Bush is an idiot.
Not a fact! Compare him to Ronald Raygun and you'll be pleasantly surprised!
2. Tony Bliar is a poodle.
Not a fact! It's a comparison. And since we're comparing likenesses, how come British political leaders have slipped from being compared to Bulldogs to being compared to poodles? What's next? Gordon Brown the Chihuahua?
3. Islamic fundementalism is extreme behaviour.
Not a fact! Compare the stabbing and shooting of Theo v. Gogh with the Dutch support of the war in Iraq (and 100.000 civilian deaths) and the Dutch bombing of Afghan villages with F16's. Which is extremer?
And this leads us to our last home grown truth of the session: If you want to stop a persons' behaviour, you have to look at the world as he sees the world.
Right. Take a break. A wee sip of your coffee, if you will.
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Back? Good. Let's get on with it then!
Let me pose a question.
"Are you trying to tell me that in the last 1500 years of Islam, it's just the last 30 years which has seen the rise of a small group of individuals in that religion hell bent on not sharing the world with anyone else?"
Wouldn't that be a little odd? Now, take a peek at the A-R cycle. So, even if the above question would be true, it would still be a reaction! And now we have two questions:
1. What goals do Islamic extremists have (is the above question correct in its assumption)?
2. What caused this mood swing?
No. Let's go the whole hog and ask the third question:
3. How are we going to bend this behaviour and create world peace?
The first question is the most difficult to answer.
The problem with extremists is that they take the word of their holy books (whether it's Islamic, Jewish or Christian extremists) as fact. These books are old and are written with the wisdom of their time. Lots of these facts are in story form and open to different translations.
Most extremists, however, are not stupid and do understand reality.
It's not realistic to try to force the world to have one religion. Even Hitler, who is probably the most extreme extremist who ever existed (he created his own holy book to believe in) didn't think he'd be able to destroy his enemies in every corner of the planet (Corner of the planet? Well...that's what it says in the bible...).
A more realistic approach to the Islamic fundementalist's mentality can be found in 'who they are'.
It's not the Saudi royal family. It wasn't Saddam Hussein. It isn't Yasser Arafat.
The Islamic fundementalists are generally civilians who live in poverty, feel their governments betray them to be friends of the 'west' and can't be heard politically.
Iran is an example of Islamic extremists managing to gain power in a country.
The Taliban too.
Watch what happens to HAMAS when Arafat dies!
Look how Iran and the Taliban behave(d). What causes their violent side to be enflared?
The Taliban were never agressive to the West once they were in power. They were dealing with the US up to 6 months before they were attacked by the US.
Al qaeda had bases there. So they did too in Pakistan. Al qaeda are Saudi-Arabic, funded by people (like Bin Laden) who want the Saudi dicatorship deposed because it is 'owned' by the West and want an Islamic regime installed there.
Iran has not been violent towards the West. They have no love of the West, but that's embedded in history. US involvement there in the 70's and US support for Iraq during the war between Iraq and Iran in the 80's.
I give to you, on a plate, that the goals of fundementalist Islamists is the creation of States in their region not owned by the West, but controlled by the Islamic people who live in those countries. They feel this will better serve the people who live there.
Let's be honest...the rich-poverty gap in these middle-eastern countries is not so much a gap (like in the London underground), but more of a canyon in size!
So, what's caused this mood swing then? What's it a reaction to?
To keep a long article shorter, I'll name a few, I'm sure you can think up a few for yourself!
* Poverty
* Blatant meddling by the West in their affairs
* Education
* A feeling of helplessness and not being heard
I'm sure, by now, you've got a fair idea of where this is all heading to. I'm sure you may not be totally convinced yet, but I'm also sure you won't disagree with it all either.
For all you have to do is look at yourself and you do (I know you do), and you will realise that your behaviour is nothing more than the A-R cyclus as well! You do notice that you get angry when you're over-looked. You do know you get stressed when your debts are piling up and you have no way out. You do know you stamp on that spider when you're scared. You have shouted at someone because he drove dangerously in front of you.
You know it is logical that nobody has unreserved hatred and that all hatred is a reaction to an action. I know you know it makes sense. Just let it settle a little. Take a large step back, stare at the sky for a few moments without thought and look around you.
You will know.
You will understand.
Okay, this article is turning out pretty long, but surely you didn't expect to be able to create world peace within two paragraphs. Haven't I just told you to be realistic???!!!!
I started off by saying: "Don't go out and kill civilians."
I presume you now understand why.
But, just in case you're still staring at the sky without thought, I'll devote a wee sentence or two on the subject:
"If you go out and kill civilians you are only doing that which has caused the initial reaction again. You want to do something which won't cause that reaction, but will actually stop that reaction instead"
If someone is shouting at you. Shout back at them. Has he stopped shouting? Nope.
If someone threatens a social worker with violence, does the social worker:
A. Threaten back and get punched, or
B. Bend with the threatening behaviour, communicate with the offender on his level and gently coach the behaviour into a pattern which is acceptable for both?
It's B. Well done.
You will notice that bending with the threatening behaviour, communicating with the offender and coaching the behaviour are all forms of...
what?
COMMUNICATION
That's right. Not aggression. But communication.
If you want to create world peace you have to communicate. You have to see the problems people have as they see them. You have to support them in solving their problems. Support is not telling them what to do. Support is trying to help them when and how they ask for it.
Let me ask you a last question:
"Would Islamic fundementalists be admired more in your country if they helped build churches, put on comedies about their culture and swapped dietry tips....or if they car-bombed you?"
It's just a comparison. But if they could build respect by doing what you like...what on earth would make you think anything else is going to make them respect you?
The last question out of the way, I'm about to head-off to a lovely little hotel to celebrate something, but I will leave you with a few practical tips. You might not like them, but that means you just haven't understood what I've written.
Come back in a week or so and read it again. You will eventually see that it's the only way to achieve a better and more peaceful world!
* Invite fractions you disagree with to the conference table
* Fund the Palestinians and Israeli's equally per head of their populations
* Do not do unto others that which you would rather not have them do unto you.
* Saving the life of one child will get you more respect than killing ten of them.
* Understand that just because someone doesn't use toilet paper, does not necessarily mean they have a dirty bum!
Party on.
Originally posted by shavixmirit being saturday night, and i have had a glass or two,
.......
* Invite fractions you disagree with to the conference table
* Fund the Palestinians and Israeli's equally per head of their populations
* Do not do unto others that which you would rather not have them do unto you.
* Saving ...[text shortened]... per, does not necessarily mean they have a dirty bum!
Party on.
can i interpret this as being fairly fundmentalist christian dogma that you spout?
love your enemy,
do not take an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,
drink wine!
Originally posted by wucky3Okay, let's call violence a form of communication...
aggression can and is used as a form of communication usually by people who are disempowered and have no choices ie control
Jo
It is the last....once you hit me, you end any possiblity of resolving anything, you create fear and you may create a violent communication in response. So now, we have fist fight? Exactly, what is accomplished?
Respectfully submitted
Originally posted by ivanhoeAgression is not communication.
Oh Shavvy ....... :'(
It's sooo beautiful ....
........ but hey, wait a minute .... agression is also communication ..... 😠....
Agression can be a result of non-communication.
Agression is what generally happens when people have no way of communicating and feel frustrated by it.
Originally posted by shavixmiryes...so aggression ( to g's shavi 😉 ) can be interpreted as a means to communication granted it stems froms frustration as a result of non communication but if being aggressive gets you noticed..even in a negative way then you would see this as a future way of communicating.
Agression is not communication.
Agression can be a result of non-communication.
Agression is what generally happens when people have no way of communicating and feel frustrated by it.
I'm not saying this is a good thing Aynat but this can be a common problem with children and adults who are regarded as having severe disabilities and no verbal communication
Jo
Originally posted by wucky3Two G's in English...grumble...One G in Dutch...mutter...
yes...so aggression ( to g's shavi 😉 ) can be interpreted as a means to communication granted it stems froms frustration as a result of non communication but if being aggressive gets you noticed..even in a negative way then you would see this as a future way of communicating.
I'm not saying this is a good thing Aynat but this can be a common problem with ...[text shortened]... dren and adults who are regarded as having severe disabilities and no verbal communication
Jo
Yeah, yeah, yeah...
Just so you know: I'm not a hypocrite by choice, just by coincidence. Anyway, I don't think that Blobby frequents this forum, does he? I hope not...that would be embarassing.
Originally posted by wucky3Can't find the right words in the right order...
yes...so aggression ( to g's shavi 😉 ) can be interpreted as a means to communication granted it stems froms frustration as a result of non communication but if being aggressive gets you noticed..even in a negative way then you would see t ...[text shortened]... ed as having severe disabilities and no verbal communication
Jo
Basically, there is a difference between the individuals who have these issues (and others) and those who use violence to address issues on the larger scale.
If you blow something up to communicate your frustration over a lack of power and control in your life and world you do not open a window of opportunity for futher communication...in fact, like the fist in my face, you close the door and my willingness to listen to you or work things out with you disappear. And you may create such fear in me that I cannot hear you at all.
So, okay, it can be argued that violence is a form communication. However, it ends communication. I ain't talkin' with someone who has demostrated willingness to harm me.....look at the violence in the world....
Respectfully
So, okay, it can be argued that violence is a form communication. However, it ends communication. I ain't talkin' with someone who has demostrated willingness to harm me.....look at the violence in the world....
aggression (not violence) ....
i'm just being realistic and am not in anyway condoning aggressive behaviour.
Originally posted by wucky3I know you aren't condoning aggression or violence.
aggression (not violence) ....
i'm just being realistic and am not in anyway condoning aggressive behaviour.
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I think if there is ever to be peace, we have got to be absolutely clear that aggression and/or violence is not an option;nor, is the way to resolve anything either on the internation scale or within families.
Originally posted by AynatThere will never be peace, hasn't been for the last one hundred years, and that's probably not even true, some tribe will have been headhunting and it just didn't make it into the 'times'.
I know you aren't condoning aggression or violence.
I think if there is ever to be peace, we have got to be absolutely clear that aggression and/or violence is not an option;nor, is the way to resolve anything either on the internation scale or within families.
we are warriors, we have to keep our numbers down, it's the way we are, just have to come up with a justification to top the other man off, usually religion, sometimes greed, if it's not war then look forward to some disease and pestilence and a bit of famine chucked in for good measure.
oops just a bit whisk cynical just now
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