The Quest for Harmony
Do we always need to fight?32 total reviews
Comment from Sandra Stoner-Mitchell
Well, I have to say that was a well written essay, and you had my head nodding up and down all the way throught it, so much so, I might have brain damage now.
I found your arguments, and reasonings, spot on, humans are built to argue their point, and many times each other's point is not open for discussion. They are right, other opinions don't compute with them. We will never reach that state of utopia, because one person's idea of it won't be their neighbours. I think you closing point truly is the best we can hope for. Very well done, and good luck in the contest. :) Sandra xx
reply by the author on 01-Jul-2022
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Well, I have to say that was a well written essay, and you had my head nodding up and down all the way throught it, so much so, I might have brain damage now.
I found your arguments, and reasonings, spot on, humans are built to argue their point, and many times each other's point is not open for discussion. They are right, other opinions don't compute with them. We will never reach that state of utopia, because one person's idea of it won't be their neighbours. I think you closing point truly is the best we can hope for. Very well done, and good luck in the contest. :) Sandra xx
Comment Written 01-Jul-2022
reply by the author on 01-Jul-2022
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Thank you :-). Some probably see it as an exercise in sitting on the fence but I'm okay with that - you need people on the fence so they can tell when it's falling one way or the other! As you say, the issue is that two people can have fundamentally different concepts of life and reality - they will never understand one another's responses to things, so there's a need to accept that fact. I'm so glad you liked it and thank you for sharing your response with me :-)
Mike
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You are most welcome, Mike.
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You are most welcome, Mike.
Comment from Sally Law
I agree with much of your post, Mike. Your wry wit and poetically licensed sarcasm is fun and fresh.
The good book I read every days says something so simple, we fall over it as humans, yet, it is the key to all realations and foundational to world peace. "How can two walk together if they're not in agreement?" Paraphrase mine. The answer is--they can't.
Neither can they close a real estate deal if they don't have a meeting of the minds. As a retired real estate professional, I know this all too well.
Sending you my best today and blessings to you always,
Sal :))
reply by the author on 01-Jul-2022
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I agree with much of your post, Mike. Your wry wit and poetically licensed sarcasm is fun and fresh.
The good book I read every days says something so simple, we fall over it as humans, yet, it is the key to all realations and foundational to world peace. "How can two walk together if they're not in agreement?" Paraphrase mine. The answer is--they can't.
Neither can they close a real estate deal if they don't have a meeting of the minds. As a retired real estate professional, I know this all too well.
Sending you my best today and blessings to you always,
Sal :))
Comment Written 01-Jul-2022
reply by the author on 01-Jul-2022
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Thanks so much, Sal :-). It definitely feels true that some people will never, ever see eye to eye, and so the best they can do is avoid one another and save the stress of arguing! I'm really glad you liked this, and happy you shared your response with me.
Mike
Comment from giraffmang
I really liked this piece.
in your 'solutions', it's an excellent demonstration of how far things can go and how easily things can get warped or taken to extreme. personally, I'd have communism (small C) over most other forms - you know, the kind that Jesus preached but then someone still has to maintain it and therein lies the issue.
Democracy is a crock of shite. Our systems of democracy aren't democratic at all. the minority always wins... In Northern Ireland, it's a complete joke as we have to 'power share' which doesn't work. We didn't have a government for 3 years because someone threw their dummy out of the pram. Same thing right now, as well, different group but probably the same dummy.
when Black Lives Matter marches happen, white people say 'my life matters too' and when trans rights are spoken about, some campaigners for women's rights feel their own message is diluted. When Muslim groups speak of being targeted, Christian and Sikh groups speak up about their own experiences of being victims. The result? Division. - I'm not so sure about this victim, too mentality. If used in the right way, these could be a method for healing and unity rather than division. I was watching a clip from some British comedy show just last night and it was two brown-skinned Muslims being questioned at the airport. My wife (who is english) turned to me and said 'bring back memories?' I'm Northern Irish and I worked in England so used to travel back and forth regularly and I got this every time I stepped off the plain on the mainland UK. I empathise with their current situation, not the other way around. Funnily enough, when I worked in London, it was with young black man that I usually knocked about with. There was a lot of empathy and solidarity between the Irish & the black community due to treatment in the earlier part of the 20th century in England Signs which read 'No Blacks, No Irish, No dogs.'
But I do get what you're saying. The victim culture, I believe, in it's wider sense stems from the ever-growing exposure of american culture in British society.
Conflict is a part of human society. We just have to accept it and hope it doesn't go completely ape-shit.
Good strong piece here.
G
reply by the author on 01-Jul-2022
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I really liked this piece.
in your 'solutions', it's an excellent demonstration of how far things can go and how easily things can get warped or taken to extreme. personally, I'd have communism (small C) over most other forms - you know, the kind that Jesus preached but then someone still has to maintain it and therein lies the issue.
Democracy is a crock of shite. Our systems of democracy aren't democratic at all. the minority always wins... In Northern Ireland, it's a complete joke as we have to 'power share' which doesn't work. We didn't have a government for 3 years because someone threw their dummy out of the pram. Same thing right now, as well, different group but probably the same dummy.
when Black Lives Matter marches happen, white people say 'my life matters too' and when trans rights are spoken about, some campaigners for women's rights feel their own message is diluted. When Muslim groups speak of being targeted, Christian and Sikh groups speak up about their own experiences of being victims. The result? Division. - I'm not so sure about this victim, too mentality. If used in the right way, these could be a method for healing and unity rather than division. I was watching a clip from some British comedy show just last night and it was two brown-skinned Muslims being questioned at the airport. My wife (who is english) turned to me and said 'bring back memories?' I'm Northern Irish and I worked in England so used to travel back and forth regularly and I got this every time I stepped off the plain on the mainland UK. I empathise with their current situation, not the other way around. Funnily enough, when I worked in London, it was with young black man that I usually knocked about with. There was a lot of empathy and solidarity between the Irish & the black community due to treatment in the earlier part of the 20th century in England Signs which read 'No Blacks, No Irish, No dogs.'
But I do get what you're saying. The victim culture, I believe, in it's wider sense stems from the ever-growing exposure of american culture in British society.
Conflict is a part of human society. We just have to accept it and hope it doesn't go completely ape-shit.
Good strong piece here.
G
Comment Written 01-Jul-2022
reply by the author on 01-Jul-2022
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Thanks so much, G :-).
I studied government and politics at A-Level (and a little at university), and what fascinated me most was how similar the far right and far left are - it's as though extremism breeds its own goals. I think I had that in the back of my mind when I started writing this.
I agree there can be value in sharing experiences of (especially cultural) victimisation and especially in understanding one another's histories. What worries me is when these are then used as a reason for segmentation. I've grown up in a multicultural environment and work in an office where there has been huge diversity at all levels right back from when I started work in 1997, so it doesn't always occur to me that there are issues until I'm exposed to other viewpoints.
Your comment about american influence interests me - I used to remark that they cling to their different heritages over there (perhaps because it's a far younger nation), so most will tell you they're Irish, or Italian, or 'Asian' (USA understanding) before they say they're American, and that can't be good if you're after a contented, mixed populace. Contrastingly, my neighbours call themselves English, even though their parents came from India and Jamaica respectively. I used to think the UK did better in race relations (not that we don't have some awful history there), and perhaps that was why, but we seem more divided than even these days. People are retreating into their groups - whichever forms they may take - protective of things that deserve acknowledgement but not necessarily devotion.
lol, I'm just moaning now.
Thanks so much for sharing your response!
Mike
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Yep, i did political studies at A-level, too and History at University. The extremism is incredibly similar. i think a lot of this stems from the causation. The 'breeding ground' is very similar.
It's a fascinating subject. i remember when I went to England and we were talking about mixed marriages and I'm really white, one of my mates looked at me in disbelief and said 'There's no way one of your parents is black'. Mixed marriage doesn't mean that in NI. It means catholic & protestant!
I think you have a strong piece here. i hope it does well.
G
Comment from Scott Rhodie
I have really enjoyed this, it is like a rant you needed to get out, and everybody else needed to hear. I've probably added to this myself in my writing. what you've is all true. Power to the people. Well done.
reply by the author on 30-Jun-2022
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I have really enjoyed this, it is like a rant you needed to get out, and everybody else needed to hear. I've probably added to this myself in my writing. what you've is all true. Power to the people. Well done.
Comment Written 30-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 30-Jun-2022
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Thank you, Scott :-). I don't think harmony will ever happen, but it's a worthy goal.
Mike
Comment from dmt1967
This is a really good essay with a lot of useful points and I agree with most. All points of view matter but it is how and what one says that make people band against them like J K Rowling. Good luck in the contest and thank you for sharing. Have a good week.
reply by the author on 30-Jun-2022
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This is a really good essay with a lot of useful points and I agree with most. All points of view matter but it is how and what one says that make people band against them like J K Rowling. Good luck in the contest and thank you for sharing. Have a good week.
Comment Written 30-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 30-Jun-2022
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Indeed - there is a prime example of words being interpreted way beyond what was intended by them! Many thanks for your response.
Mike
Comment from Carlos' girl
I think love or hate black or white left or right are really falsehoods that leave out alot of reality.
Didnt F.Scott Fitzgerald say that the ability to hold two thoughts simultaneously is the sign of a first rate mind? Something like that.
Well done, Mike
reply by the author on 30-Jun-2022
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I think love or hate black or white left or right are really falsehoods that leave out alot of reality.
Didnt F.Scott Fitzgerald say that the ability to hold two thoughts simultaneously is the sign of a first rate mind? Something like that.
Well done, Mike
Comment Written 30-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 30-Jun-2022
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That sounds familiar, yes, and definitely what we should aspire to! Thanks so much :-)
Mike
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Most welcome
Comment from Jesse James Doty
I think that we have that right all along. No matter how far back we go in our history we have always fought for what is right! It is up to each individual what corner they choose to come out fighting over! Whether it be the right to choose or the right to bear arms some of us will die for these rights if they are infringed upon.
And maybe that is a good thing after all.
I say protect our freedom to fight for our causes!
And if that ever ends, we will never be the same!
Thanks for letting me share.
Jesse
reply by the author on 30-Jun-2022
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I think that we have that right all along. No matter how far back we go in our history we have always fought for what is right! It is up to each individual what corner they choose to come out fighting over! Whether it be the right to choose or the right to bear arms some of us will die for these rights if they are infringed upon.
And maybe that is a good thing after all.
I say protect our freedom to fight for our causes!
And if that ever ends, we will never be the same!
Thanks for letting me share.
Jesse
Comment Written 29-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 30-Jun-2022
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Thanks, Jesse. Absolutely - conflict is baked in, I think, so it's incumbent on us to judge when it's necessary with extreme care. And yes - we must have the right to disagree :-)
Mike
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Hello Mike.
I am glad we are on the same page.
Have a great day,
Jesse
Comment from Tyletta Staton
Not only did I think this was very well written, I also agree with the sentiments.
We have so much division right now. I hope that it eventually culminates in a better breeding ground for positive changes and a world united in the quest for harmony.
reply by the author on 30-Jun-2022
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Not only did I think this was very well written, I also agree with the sentiments.
We have so much division right now. I hope that it eventually culminates in a better breeding ground for positive changes and a world united in the quest for harmony.
Comment Written 29-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 30-Jun-2022
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We seem destined to fight as a species - and when we can't fight, we find things to argue about! Still, it's worth hoping there are brighter things ahead. Thanks so much for the awesome review :-)
Mike
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⭐ I'm glad there are other people out there who feel the same way about things. As I stated previously, you did a great job!
Comment from Tpa
Nicely done and much agreed by your statements. I live in the United States, proud to be an American but embarrass with of the false truths issued by the news and social media which help in creating disharmony and battles in our streets, making no longer a pleasant opportunity to agree to disagree without friction. Churchhill, however, was absolutely right. GOOD LUCK IN THE CONTEST.
reply by the author on 30-Jun-2022
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Nicely done and much agreed by your statements. I live in the United States, proud to be an American but embarrass with of the false truths issued by the news and social media which help in creating disharmony and battles in our streets, making no longer a pleasant opportunity to agree to disagree without friction. Churchhill, however, was absolutely right. GOOD LUCK IN THE CONTEST.
Comment Written 29-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 30-Jun-2022
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Thank you so much :-). The problem with any media channel is that their primary goal is not to inform, but to generate sales or clicks. As such, news will inevitably be slanted in service to that...
I'm so glad you liked it, and thank you for sharing your response.
Mike
Comment from Wendy G
A very well-written essay and your thoughts and observations are expressed with clarity. You summed it up well when you said there are more than two ways of looking at anything, and none of the many ways is likely to be without bias. I think it boils down to man's desire to put himself first above all others and grasp his own personal independence and freedoms. Everything is viewed through the lens of what benefits he personally gains from whatever the issue may be. Best wishes for your entry in the contest.
Wendy
reply by the author on 29-Jun-2022
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A very well-written essay and your thoughts and observations are expressed with clarity. You summed it up well when you said there are more than two ways of looking at anything, and none of the many ways is likely to be without bias. I think it boils down to man's desire to put himself first above all others and grasp his own personal independence and freedoms. Everything is viewed through the lens of what benefits he personally gains from whatever the issue may be. Best wishes for your entry in the contest.
Wendy
Comment Written 29-Jun-2022
reply by the author on 29-Jun-2022
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Thank you, Wendy :-). It felt good to get the thoughts out on virtual paper. I do think we're naturally inclined do a certain amount of disharmony, and the more densely we're populated, the more likely it will show.
Mike