Share:
.
Why Do Humans Go to War?
Wars continue to escalate in Israel and Palestine, plus Russia and Ukraine, killing civilians, and displacing many more, causing a humanitarian crises.
Despite the horrific costs, humans continue to go to war.
So I took it to AI, to find out, why do humans go to war and what would be possible solutions?
Identity Threats
While there are specific reasons leaders justify their wars, one statement from AI stood out. Political leaders will use ethnic, religious, and political identity to divide and conquer, and recruit people for their agendas.
So I started delving into this issue, asking, why do people feel their identity is threatened causing them to go to war?
People often rally and fight more fiercely when they feel their identity—whether ethnic, religious, or nationalistic—is threatened. Leaders exploit these feelings, using identity politics to mobilize support and justify aggressive policies.
While identity is used to divide us, I wanted to find out if there is a solution to this issue of identity.
Wisdom Teachings
So, I asked what do wisdom teachings say about identity?
According to AI, wisdom teachings from various traditions offer insights that challenge our conventional notions of identity:
Essentially, wisdom teachings say, there is more that connects us than divides us.
Identity is not about labels or categories, as we are more than just our ethnicity, race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.
Our true identity is eternal and unchanging.
Wisdom teachings invite us to see our deeper selves beyond our physical bodies and social roles.
From this understanding we can see how war is the anti-thesis of what we really are and we can begin looking for solutions.
Overcome Identity Politics
So I asked AI, how can we overcome identity politics, not be exploited by political leaders and pave a path towards peace.
Of course things can be done by international organizations like the U.N.
But more interestingly, is what we can do on a personal and social level.
Most importantly, it will require a shift in our consciousness. We need to move away from a culture of violence and aggression towards a culture of peace and cooperation. This requires a fundamental change in how we think about ourselves and the world around us.
Please watch the video for more detailed responses.
And leave your comments to continue the discussion.
If you like these types of insightful videos, please subscribe to the channel or our newsletter here.
Share:
Share Your Thoughts...