Never say never!
Next Monday, the 21st September, is going to be the most important day this year. No! The most important day ever!
Because next Monday is the date of the People’s Climate March in New York. It is predicted to be the largest climate march in history. Well over 100,000 are expected to attend. I shall write more about this event during the coming week.
But also the 21st September will be International Day of Peace. That coincidence strikes me as highly significant. For a world at peace would cause the most massive reduction in our use of carbon-based fuels.
Thus without any embarrassment, I intend to republish in full [Ed: but see my comment] a recent item on the Permaculture News website: Seven Reasons Why World Peace is Possible.
Do I mention dogs? Read through to the end to find out! (Probably not difficult to guess the answer!)
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Seven Reasons Why World Peace is Possible
Introduction
The 21st of September will be International Day of Peace. It may seem a little premature to declare that world peace is due to break out by the end this month. I do not deny that the amount of killing and death and war and torture and death and coercion and abuse and death all over everywhere can be overwhelming. Nor do I deny that considering this, it is a natural assumption to believe people are sinners, destined for extinction. However, I do argue that compassion is as much a part of human nature as cruelty.
There is evidence that humankind did not always live violent lives. In fact, I assume most people reading this article are not habitually violent, and do not desire to watch someone suffer. All animals have the capacity to enrich the lives of others. We have the capacity to be both selfish and kind. What matters is which quality we chose to focus on; bringing that quality into focus within ourselves, the world, and our children.
Here I have collected an array of research demonstrating that there is a positive potential within each social group and person. I argue that humans can learn to build societies which are not founded on the expectation of organised violence. Here are seven reasons why world peace is possible. You won’t believe your own strength of belief: There is at least some hope.
Experimental prototypes
The balance of this powerful and fascinating article may be read here.
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How many links did you follow? Most of them are wonderful links to organisations that many readers, including me, may not have come across before.
So to close.
I was about half-way through arranging today’s post when I realised that dogs have evolved without the need to have their own police forces or armies. It’s not as silly as it first sounds. Of course, dogs fight and some fights can be brutal and, occasionally, fatal to one or more of the participants. But they have a keen sense of their locality, of their tribal space; so to speak. Even as domestic animals, they are fiercely protective of what is their own place. Before dogs were domesticated, like the wolves from whence dogs evolved, the pack size was around fifty animals with just three animals having any form of status; something that has been mentioned many times before in this place.
The point is that dogs are creatures that have evolved to live in a local community and to live peacefully; by and large. My sense is that ancient man also evolved to be most complete within a community environment.
This is the end of the era of huge federal and national social constructions.
We must return to locally run and managed communities, which is the pathway to peace across this planet.
Learning from Dogs 
Be back later, only got half way through reading.. School Run of Granddaughter Calls
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Thanks Sue. Hope you got to read it in full.
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Dear readers,
Earlier on today, I received the following email:
In the next few minutes I will be complying with Craig’s request.
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Wow. A world at peace, you said? The world at peace people are not so peaceful, proving my point entirely.
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🙂
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I am afraid, Paul, that you fell for a bunch of crooks. They just want to make a quick buck, so they say whatever the naïve want to hear about peace. Then they sell peace trips around the world.
Obama is sending more than 3,000 soldiers, plus medical personnel to Liberia. To fight ebola.
Meanwhile, Obama had to order air strikes in Iraq. And the French not only sent weapons, but troops and officers to Iraq, who have been on the ground for a few weeks (in Kurdistan).
Madman Putin, head of the world’s largest dictatorship, is in the process of invading a country because it signed an Association Treaty with the European Union.
Peace does not come from prayer. Peace comes from the right kind of war.
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My head tells me you are correct, my heart wishes it were not so.
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Hitler was selling peace and protection of minorities. That was the core of his message. That’s why the naive Germans fell for it. Naivety can be diabolical< I have an essay that is very hard to write coming on it, expanding by under-standing the famous Roman proverb: Errare Humanum Est, Perseverare Diabolicum.
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Hummm.. back to read and see We perhaps need to wave the White Flag… 🙂 .. Oh Dear!… seems some people will never embrace Peace while still embracing the Greedy Flag.. Reading Patrice’s comments I have to agree.. One hand War and killing while the other pretending to save humanity ..
Some times Paul even though I still embrace Peace, as Peace begins within each of us, its starts within ourselves to reach out to others.. I sometimes think Humanity has stepped over the No return line.. And that’s why Nature will end up sorting the wheat from the chaff.. As it has done I am sure times many before..
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Sue, that is the truth above all else – Nature will impose her Will.
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