The Path To Utopia Is Not A Straight Line - Applications

The Path To Utopia Is Not A Straight Line - Applications

 
From addiction to being addiction free, the shortest feasible path is not a straight line for an individual.

The quickest feasible path from being a violent, competitive, greedy world to being a peaceful, sharing, kind world is not a straight line.

The quickest feasible path from the world today to a world where all individuals have no need to carry a gun is not a straight line.

It might be if the playing field were perfectly flat -

that is,

- if no one had a weapon and

- No one wanted to own a gun if no one ELSE had one.

But the playing field is NOT flat. Hence the path is NOT a straight line. One cannot simply take away some people's weapons and hope to arrive at the desired destination. It will make the field more uneven and the problem even worse for those who are weak.

The only feasible, peaceful path lies in creating a society where less and less people feel the need to own a weapon. This involves creating a safer society without disarming. Treating people well, better and building up trust and love for each other. It is weakness and fear that breed the insecurity and desire for weapons. It is removing the reasons for fear, weakness and treating each other respectfully that will increase trust.

Just like we sometimes have to move in the opposite direction to get to the destination we might even have to arm more people. Everyone might need to have a weapon if they want to, until trust grows enough that some will throw it away. Maybe there will be instances when they will regret doing so. But when gradually society becomes such that no one really needs it to be treated well, fair and not exploited we will have reached our goal.

It is not a straight path or quick one, but will take time and the long scenic route. All the sights might not be pretty, but we can get there together. In fact, it is the only way I can think of! That is why I believe the gun laws in the USA were put in by the founders.

　

　
The path from being a world of countries that are highly armed or nuclear armed to one free of all weapons of mass destruction, is not a straight line - just forcing or coercing all countries that we can, to disarm will not lead us there. It will only worsen the tyranny of a few.

It is by increasing trust by our behaviour that nations can feel the need for less arms. In the time it takes to build this kind of trust and atmosphere, some countries may be allowed to arm themselves more. If the stronger ones trust themselves AND act responsibly, the weaker ones will grow stronger, less insecure and then we can all perhaps one day lay down our weapons, all at the same time. If we dont, atleast we dont live in fear of each other!

It is the only feasible, peaceful way to reach the goal without getting ourselves into a worse state of tyranny against each other.

Copyright  (c) Kannan Narayanamurthy 2014

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