Knowledge, as they say, is power. Or to put it another way, ignorance is a weakness. The Dunning-Kruger effect, unknown unknowns, the Darwin Awards, it’s well established that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. But just as power corrupts, so too can too much knowledge. And in the Information Age, that’s a serious problem. Fifty years ago, for example, newspapers were constrained by word counts and printing costs. Before the dawn of the 24-hour news cycle, TV news was constrained by time. And these constraints motivated them to report, y’know, actual news. There was a limit to the amount of information they could put out.
Violence is often a response to violence. An important question is, it the response self-defense, or vengeance? The question can be seen as philosophical, but the answer might have long lasting consequences. Unfortunately, when the violence is protracted, the answer to the question is difficult, but the results are painfully clear.
In law as applied to individuals, the analysis and answer to your question is pretty straightforward. With countries (Gaza kind of qualifies), it’s much harder to say.
As time goes by, the collateral damage from Israel’s “self defense” long ago morphed into pure aggression. I say this painfully and reluctantly but whatever moral standing Israel had in the world has been destroyed by its Right Wing.
My 2nd daughter visited Hebron. The settlers set up armed camps that are like fortresses. She said the hate in the air was palpable. They are a stain on Israel and I cry for the good liberal Israelis of Tel Aviv who so deeply oppose this.
Wow. I lived in armed camps as a young man in a war zone. My family was safe on the other side of the world. The idea of moving my family to live like that seems insane. It is horrible for the people it is thrust upon against their wish, but to choose it!?
Daryl Davis. What a brave man. I once held him up as a man to emulate and was laughed down for my efforts. Well... not "down."
I've always been a man of Faith. But events in my family’s life these past 26 months have rendered my past faith nothing more than a used, day-old tissue. So when I say that Christ himself used words and arguments to make his point, again and again, I have good reason. Even when those who followed the Mussolinis of the time hung Him up to die, He prayed for their forgiveness.
The way to change this world is through persuasion, one soul at a time. At least until, as I've heard said, "shit gets real."
It really seems to come down to whether you believe in the individual to have agency and decision making power, or whether you believe we are all an identity and the ‘other’ needs to be eliminated. I’ll choose agency and the individual every time, yet know that flies in the face of the easy route to demonize and protest against those not of your “side.”
Violence is often a response to violence. An important question is, it the response self-defense, or vengeance? The question can be seen as philosophical, but the answer might have long lasting consequences. Unfortunately, when the violence is protracted, the answer to the question is difficult, but the results are painfully clear.
In law as applied to individuals, the analysis and answer to your question is pretty straightforward. With countries (Gaza kind of qualifies), it’s much harder to say.
As time goes by, the collateral damage from Israel’s “self defense” long ago morphed into pure aggression. I say this painfully and reluctantly but whatever moral standing Israel had in the world has been destroyed by its Right Wing.
The Gush Emunim Party is behind this, Israel's most radical right. They represent the settlers.
This is all about the settlers. The 10/7 attack is barely a footnote.
Netanyahu has already announced new settlements in Gaza. More stolen land. Next up? Lebanon and Syria.
Israel's moral standing was destroyed for me decades ago. I learned about the settlers. Utterly vile people.
My 2nd daughter visited Hebron. The settlers set up armed camps that are like fortresses. She said the hate in the air was palpable. They are a stain on Israel and I cry for the good liberal Israelis of Tel Aviv who so deeply oppose this.
Wow. I lived in armed camps as a young man in a war zone. My family was safe on the other side of the world. The idea of moving my family to live like that seems insane. It is horrible for the people it is thrust upon against their wish, but to choose it!?
Daryl Davis. What a brave man. I once held him up as a man to emulate and was laughed down for my efforts. Well... not "down."
I've always been a man of Faith. But events in my family’s life these past 26 months have rendered my past faith nothing more than a used, day-old tissue. So when I say that Christ himself used words and arguments to make his point, again and again, I have good reason. Even when those who followed the Mussolinis of the time hung Him up to die, He prayed for their forgiveness.
The way to change this world is through persuasion, one soul at a time. At least until, as I've heard said, "shit gets real."
There is no tonic more cleansing of digital diarrhea than being confronted with the analog consequences of words.
Suppose Mick had to actually follow through on what he said. Might be a different conversation.
1:0 for words!
It really seems to come down to whether you believe in the individual to have agency and decision making power, or whether you believe we are all an identity and the ‘other’ needs to be eliminated. I’ll choose agency and the individual every time, yet know that flies in the face of the easy route to demonize and protest against those not of your “side.”