OT: well said.
I used to be a pacifist, but I have changed my views, after seeing a lot of violent people, and a lot of victims. I've come to see that violence will continue, if it is rewarded in any way. The only way to stop it, is to have a set of rules for CivilizedBehavior, and to be prepared to enforce those rules, using any means necessary. Pacifism doesn't work, because they don't have any effective way of punishing violent behavior. Having dealt with a lot of violent people, I am firmly convinced that they (correctly)see pacifism as a weakness, to be exploited.
I lived in an Inuit community for 6 years, and I'd agree that their values are "peace, life and community". And, I'd agree, that they had severe and effective ways of enforcing Group Rules (or used to, till contact with Western Civilization). In a place where winter lasts 9 months, and it can get to 40 below, humans can only survive in cooperative groups. It isn't necessary to put someone out on an ice floe. All you have to do is do nothing, ignore them, stop actively helping them, stop sharing with them. That's a death sentence, quick and certain. They had a society where everyone was very, very careful not to upset anyone else, not to break the rules. There was no "Us vs. Them" in their society (until the white missionaries arrived a century ago). Everyone was Us, there was no demonized Them. They were a peaceful unified society, because the consequences of not getting along were draconian. |
