Reply #11: There haven't been any long periods I'm aware of when [View All]

[MineralMan]

the world has been at peace. We get a decade or two now and then, maybe, but it starts up again somewhere. It would be a good thing if that stopped, but I don't see it. We're tied to our biological history as a species, and we're very territorial because of that.

We form little bands of people who don't like the other little bands of people. So it began, and so it continues. About the best we ever do is to talk about peace amongst the little bands. As long as we're talking, we don't fight so much, but soon enough the talks fall apart and we go back to slinging rocks at each other.

Until we find a way to rise above our evolutionary history, it will continue, with just a small group of humans trying very hard to find a way not to fight with each other.

Peace is a wonderful goal. History, though, gives us clear evidence that it is an unattainable goal. That's sad, but it is also true.

From turf wars among street gangs and fights between rival fans at a sporting event to global ideological or territorial warfare, it is all the same thing.