If a sufficient number of people who wanted to stop war really did gather together, they would first of all begin by making war upon those who disagreed with them. And it is still more certain that they would make war on people who also want to stop wars but in another way.
-G.I. Gurdjieff
If a sufficient number of people who wanted to stop war really did gather together, they would first of all begin by making war upon those who disagreed with them.
Great quote, but I think I would just go ahead and make trade embargoes on anyone who started a war… and anyone who didn’t also embargo anyone who, etc.
Not saying it would work (getting enough people to agree just wouldn’t happen) but not everyone who wants to stop war is stupid.
I dont think the idea is that anyone who wants to stop war is stupid … its that anyone who thinks war is necessary clearly does not see that the diversity of viewpoints exists and that others viewpoints are just as valid as theirs (as hard as it may be to understand) and deserves respect.
In most cases where unnecessary violence has occurred, the suppression of individual freedom and loss / harm of human life has always been justified in an effort to end the conflict of one viewpoint and it’s antithesis.
The blind spot of the oppressor will always be that their “oppressing” of others is justified for the viewpoint of their subjective view of “greater” good and not the good of all people, as they all would objectively see it.
I dont think the idea is that anyone who wants to stop war is stupid … its that anyone who thinks war is necessary clearly does not see that the diversity of viewpoints exists and that others viewpoints are just as valid as theirs (as hard as it may be to understand) and deserves respect.
I do not think that is what Gurdjieff meant. The idea that all viewpoints are valid could hardly be more alien to his system. From my reading of Gurdjieff, I take him to be speaking here of the mechanical nature of the ordinary man, who imagines himself to be thinking and acting, an idea contradicted as soon as one observes him in his life.
If a sufficient number of people who wanted to stop war really did gather together, they would first of all begin by making war upon those who disagreed with them. And it is still more certain that they would make war on people who also want to stop wars but in another way. -G.I. Gurdjieff
Great quote, but I think I would just go ahead and make trade embargoes on anyone who started a war… and anyone who didn’t also embargo anyone who, etc.
Not saying it would work (getting enough people to agree just wouldn’t happen) but not everyone who wants to stop war is stupid.
I dont think the idea is that anyone who wants to stop war is stupid … its that anyone who thinks war is necessary clearly does not see that the diversity of viewpoints exists and that others viewpoints are just as valid as theirs (as hard as it may be to understand) and deserves respect.
In most cases where unnecessary violence has occurred, the suppression of individual freedom and loss / harm of human life has always been justified in an effort to end the conflict of one viewpoint and it’s antithesis.
The blind spot of the oppressor will always be that their “oppressing” of others is justified for the viewpoint of their subjective view of “greater” good and not the good of all people, as they all would objectively see it.
I do not think that is what Gurdjieff meant. The idea that all viewpoints are valid could hardly be more alien to his system. From my reading of Gurdjieff, I take him to be speaking here of the mechanical nature of the ordinary man, who imagines himself to be thinking and acting, an idea contradicted as soon as one observes him in his life.