The conflict between peace and violence is as old as time itself. If we were incapable of violence, we might not have survived as a species. Unfortunately our brains have not evolved seriously understand that people who are different from ourselves does not constitute a reasonable threat. Fighting in the middle east has been ongoing for almost forever. Cain murdering Abel was entirely over jealousy.
On the flip side of this coin, there has always been hope and love. There must always be a balancing opposite. Sometimes it seems as though the balance has tilted, but the weight of both opposing forces is always there. Darkness vs light. Yin vs yang. Life goes through cycles. Ice ages, melt downs. Feast, famine. There are times when good weighs more in the world than evil. But we don't always focus on that simply because good doesn't feel threatening.
I hope this makes sense. I know it is very scientifically presented. Love and hope just always exist in some form or the darkness will win completely. Sometimes it takes darkness to make the light shine brighter.
Thank you for this beautiful post, Sarah. You put the questions succinctly yet deeply. I don't have any answers, of course, but I do take hope from the fact that (some) people survived very dark times in the past. Of course, they didn't have the internet, which poisons so many minds and yet somehow provides healing and connection for others. I belong to a book group (which meets on Zoom, speaking of technology), and we are constantly discussing these questions and what we can do. It's so easy to stay inside our bubbles--I am trying to reach out beyond mine more, but it feels so hard and so unlikely to ever help. However, I believe in trying.
It’s an incredibly difficult time to see hope. And then I look toward my daughter, current traipsing through northern Italy, whose passion for human rights far exceeds many I know. And that passion, fervor, instills my hope that the power of young adults who believe in rights for all, will drive the future more than hate.
The conflict between peace and violence is as old as time itself. If we were incapable of violence, we might not have survived as a species. Unfortunately our brains have not evolved seriously understand that people who are different from ourselves does not constitute a reasonable threat. Fighting in the middle east has been ongoing for almost forever. Cain murdering Abel was entirely over jealousy.
On the flip side of this coin, there has always been hope and love. There must always be a balancing opposite. Sometimes it seems as though the balance has tilted, but the weight of both opposing forces is always there. Darkness vs light. Yin vs yang. Life goes through cycles. Ice ages, melt downs. Feast, famine. There are times when good weighs more in the world than evil. But we don't always focus on that simply because good doesn't feel threatening.
I hope this makes sense. I know it is very scientifically presented. Love and hope just always exist in some form or the darkness will win completely. Sometimes it takes darkness to make the light shine brighter.
Thank you for this beautiful post, Sarah. You put the questions succinctly yet deeply. I don't have any answers, of course, but I do take hope from the fact that (some) people survived very dark times in the past. Of course, they didn't have the internet, which poisons so many minds and yet somehow provides healing and connection for others. I belong to a book group (which meets on Zoom, speaking of technology), and we are constantly discussing these questions and what we can do. It's so easy to stay inside our bubbles--I am trying to reach out beyond mine more, but it feels so hard and so unlikely to ever help. However, I believe in trying.
It’s an incredibly difficult time to see hope. And then I look toward my daughter, current traipsing through northern Italy, whose passion for human rights far exceeds many I know. And that passion, fervor, instills my hope that the power of young adults who believe in rights for all, will drive the future more than hate.