World Peace?

As I was sitting in my comfortable recliner today, dwelling on the issues facing our world today, I found myself dwelling upon world peace. It's a phrase that you commonly hear among politicians these days (let alone among Miss Universe competitions). The question always arises, "How are we to accomplish "World Peace" in a world of chaos and war?" I think I must first define world peace. World peace is the point at which all humanity ceases to war and fight. It is not the point where the whole world agrees, which is unagreeable in and of itself. World peace does not call for all people to agree and differences to disappear. World peace is the moment when differences are recognized and all of humanity accepts the differences of the other. World peace happens when borders no longer represent what is ours and what is theirs, rather only differences in laws and preferences.

So, what needs to happen for world peace to work? I have one main point here. For world peace to be even slightly realistic, nationalism and patriotism must die. Nationalism (Loyalty and devotion to a nation) and patriotism (love for a country and willingness to sacrifice for it) are the two thorns in the side of world peace. They are the forces that drive walls between countries and call men and women to war against other nationalists and patriots of rival nations. Rival is a key word. Due to a fear that the "enemy" (nationalists of other nations) will try to take what is theirs, the patriot will die to protect what is theirs, namely their views and possessions. They believe that the ways of their nation are so much more correct, that they are willing to force those ways upon other nations; and this is their method of acheiving world peace. It is egotistical, self-serving and worst of all, nationalistic.

Naturally, the nations leaders all encourage and almost demand nationalism from their citizens. The way to keep a nation together is to create a common enemy for all the citizens. Thus, countries often find themselves in wars every so often, in order to maintain nationalism and patriotism. Yet, if the whole world were to find a common enemy, then maybe world peace would be possible, because all humanity would be forced to work together to protect what is humanities (such is the ideology in the late movie "Watchmen"). Thus, the only plausible way to logically destroy nationalism and patriotism, is to find those things which all humanity suffers against. There are not many things, but currently medical sciences work to cross borders, such as the cure for cancer. Natural disasters also work to loose nationalism and being men together. World peace will be the product of men working together and sharing. By opening themselves to others and removing their need to protect themselves from the other.

I do recognize the few issues here. First, this requires all humanity to agree to lay down arms at the risk of giving up so of what is "theirs," which is unrealistic. However, this is already understood as the price of world peace. Second, the cure for cancer and natural disasters are only temporary. Soon after, nations would return to nationalism and patriotism. Third, the leaders of the nations would have to give up some power to discourage nationalism. Not very many politicians would be willing to surrender nationalism, the primary tool for national peace.

World peace, in my mind is possible 0nly through the worldwide death of nationalism and patriotism. These would necessarily need to be replaced by a nationalism of all humanity and a patriotism that places all men and women worldwide before the self.

Beginnings

Before I begin any blogging, I think it is necessary to clear the air. First, I do not claim to know anything on Philosophy nor Theology, these are simply my thoughts "on Philosophy and Theology." While reading Will Durant's "The Story of Philosophy," I found it entertaining and necessary to continue to ask questions like Socrates, to continue to story-tell like Voltaire, and to critique like Kant. Therefore, this blog is simply a discussion of thoughts concerning the areas of philosophy (and its many sub-sections) and theology.