War vs Peace

[H2O Man]

4. Thanks.

I had recently re-read Erich Fromm's book, "The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness" (Holt; 1973). It's a great book, that is as important today as it was 40 years ago. But it is the most under-rated of Fromm's works.

Human beings will be violent, to defend themselves and their loved ones. I don't think that anyone would deny a person's right to do that. And I say that as a person who lived a violent life for my first 25 years, but who has attempted to become non-violent as an adult. Still, a few years back, an individual presented a threat to my then-wee little girls, and I cannot say that nonviolence was the first thing that crossed my mind. (The state police who investigated the incident told my daughters' mother that they were concerned that I'd take matters into my own hands. While I'm old and feeble, I could still do a fuck of a lot of damage -- quickly -- and I'm not talking about using any weapon. I'm not proud or ashamed of that: I accept that I'm human.)

So I think I understand why people in the Middle East may hold grudges, and be prone to striking out at those they see as threats. But all of what is happening today only creates greater momentum, and there comes a tipping point, where people no longer can control violence ....it takes on a force so great that it controls people.

There need to be people on both sides who step up, even though it puts them at great risk. If even a few people were willing to do that, it could offer a way out of this madness.