The Non-Future of Violence
Luis Gutierrez
The project, "Designing the Future of the Earth Co-operatively" is very
appealing. I am working on a very small piece of this action.
Specifically, it entails researching the roots of violence, and how
violence can be mitigated as an obstacle to the attainment of a better
future for humanity.
After 40 years in R&D, I am now retired and doing some independent
research on religious violence, and the long term repercussions of
such violence on human solidarity and ecological sustainability.
I self-publish a free monthly newsletter that takes the UN Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) as point of reference.
Starting January 2007, I am trying to provide my subscribers with
a digest of one MDG each month. This is the current issue:
Solidarity, Sustainability, and Non-Violence
Volume 3, Number 2, February 2007
http://www.pelican-consulting.com/solisustv03n02.html
This issue includes:
* Analysis of the U.N. Millennium Development Goals
o Focus on Goal 2: Universal Primary Education
* Review of UNICEF's "State of the World's Children 2007"
* Web site review of "Facing the Future" (K-K16 educational materials)
* Knowledge organization model for our growing links directory
* Another view of the prayer-study-action model of human development
* Reflection on approaching the 40th anniversary of "Humanae vitae"
* Brief meditation (poem) on tolerance by John T. Baker
See also the "invited article" ....
"Will women ever govern the Roman Catholic Church?"
by John Wijngaards
http://www.pelican-consulting.com/solisustv03n02wijngaards.html
Please notice the call for papers and the upgraded resource directories.
Feedback is always welcome.
Sincerely,
Luis
Luis T. Gutierrez, Ph.D.
Editor, Solidarity, Sustainability, and Non-Violence
Mail, solidarity-sust...@googlegroups.com
Subscribe, solidarity-sustai...@googlegroups.com
hearthstone
in my opinion, the "roots of violence" are so many that researching
them would take as long as humanity exists ...
However, if all (or most of) the parties involved in a conflict desire
a non-violent outcome, then all they have to do is to design/model
their common future together, because if they fail to actually "see"
what their peaceful coexistence should look like, a renewed conflict
is a possibility;
If we don't know what a "peaceful coexistence" "should look" like, it
is unlikely that we achieve it, since how can we get something that we
don't know what it is--hence the need for modeling of what "peaceful
coexistence" of any group/s should look like.
Likewise defining what "ecological sustainability" (and/or what
"social sustainability") should mean poses a problem--as many people
there are, that many diverse definitions there are. Should all those
diverse opinions on the subject be inputted into a model together in
order to arrive at a usable definition, such a dynamically evolving
definition could actually be used constructively.
Thanks, Hearthstone.
On Feb 8, 2:57 pm, Luis Gutierrez <luisgutier...@peoplepc.com> wrote:
> Dear friends,
>
> The project, "Designing the Future of the Earth Co-operatively" is very
> appealing. I am working on a very small piece of this action.
> Specifically, it entails researching the roots of violence, and how
> violence can be mitigated as an obstacle to the attainment of a better
> future for humanity.
>
> After 40 years in R&D, I am now retired and doing some independent
> research on religious violence, and the long term repercussions of
> such violence on human solidarity and ecological sustainability.
> I self-publish a free monthly newsletter that takes the UN Millennium
> Development Goals (MDGs) as point of reference.
>
> Starting January 2007, I am trying to provide my subscribers with
> a digest of one MDG each month. This is the current issue:
>
> Solidarity, Sustainability, and Non-Violence
> Volume 3, Number 2, February 2007http://www.pelican-consulting.com/solisustv03n02.html
>
> This issue includes:
>
> * Analysis of the U.N. Millennium Development Goals
> o Focus on Goal 2: Universal Primary Education
> * Review of UNICEF's "State of the World's Children 2007"
> * Web site review of "Facing the Future" (K-K16 educational materials)
> * Knowledge organization model for our growing links directory
> * Another view of the prayer-study-action model of human development
> * Reflection on approaching the 40th anniversary of "Humanae vitae"
> * Brief meditation (poem) on tolerance by John T. Baker
>
> See also the "invited article" ....
>
> "Will women ever govern the Roman Catholic Church?"
> by John Wijngaardshttp://www.pelican-consulting.com/solisustv03n02wijngaards.html
Luis Gutierrez
> Dear Luis,
> in my opinion, the "roots of violence" are so many that researching
> them would take as long as humanity exists ...
Are you familiar with the works of Rene Girard? According to Girard,
there is a single root to all violence, and it is to be found in early
religious rituals for which evidenciary records can be found in mythology.
> However, if all (or most of) the parties involved in a conflict desire
> a non-violent outcome, then all they have to do is to design/model
> their common future together, because if they fail to actually "see"
> what their peaceful coexistence should look like, a renewed conflict
> is a possibility;
> If we don't know what a "peaceful coexistence" "should look" like, it
> is unlikely that we achieve it, since how can we get something that we
> don't know what it is--hence the need for modeling of what "peaceful
> coexistence" of any group/s should look like.
Agree .... but easier said than done.
> Likewise defining what "ecological sustainability" (and/or what
> "social sustainability") should mean poses a problem--as many people
> there are, that many diverse definitions there are. Should all those
> diverse opinions on the subject be inputted into a model together in
> order to arrive at a usable definition, such a dynamically evolving
> definition could actually be used constructively.
Not sure about this .... this is a case in which the total is more than
just the sum of the parts.
Take care,
Luis
--
Luis T. Gutierrez, Ph.D.
Editor, "Solidarity, Sustainability, and Non-Violence"
hearthstone
On Feb 13, 7:20 pm, Luis Gutierrez <luisgutier...@peoplepc.com> wrote:
> hearthstone wrote:
> > Dear Luis,
> > in my opinion, the "roots of violence" are so many that researching
> > them would take as long as humanity exists ...
>
> Are you familiar with the works of Rene Girard? According to Girard,
> there is a single root to all violence, and it is to be found in early
> religious rituals for which evidenciary records can be found in mythology.
What would matter more in a collective modeling of the future than any
other considerations would be that people would be willing to design
their collective future in a non-violent way, and with the
participation of any and everyone.
What the history was, or wasn't, what the people's ideologies and
religions are would be of a far lesser importance.
>
> > However, if all (or most of) the parties involved in a conflict desire
> > a non-violent outcome, then all they have to do is to design/model
> > their common future together, because if they fail to actually "see"
> > what their peaceful coexistence should look like, a renewed conflict
> > is a possibility;
> > If we don't know what a "peaceful coexistence" "should look" like, it
> > is unlikely that we achieve it, since how can we get something that we
> > don't know what it is--hence the need for modeling of what "peaceful
> > coexistence" of any group/s should look like.
>
> Agree .... but easier said than done.
It has to be said before it is done, though.
>
> > Likewise defining what "ecological sustainability" (and/or what
> > "social sustainability") should mean poses a problem--as many people
> > there are, that many diverse definitions there are. Should all those
> > diverse opinions on the subject be inputted into a model together in
> > order to arrive at a usable definition, such a dynamically evolving
> > definition could actually be used constructively.
>
> Not sure about this .... this is a case in which the total is more than
> just the sum of the parts.
>
Would you, please explain the immediately above?
Thanks, Hearthstone.
> Take care,
> Luis
>