Here is a possible scenario -

Unfortunately.. 'killing' is not always so dramatic and so wholesale as - as what we all saw on 9/11. If it were, every time, just maybe it would be more in our collective nature to actively seek *and find* non-lethal solutions to our squabbles (usually over control of the Earth's resources; whatever is said about "Gods' Wills").

Perhaps next, via our techno: each death could be shown in slo-mo, million-color as the piece of some object flattens a living human, one loved by someone else who must next contemplate: What To Do about This killing. Next ??

These hate-filled people have declared war but we haven't attacked any nations, races, religions or peoples. Why? We don't want to escalate this into a war.

As a species - we seem unable to be honest about what we are actually killing about, each time: and this time. And next.

Leaders get away with the platitudes because those are what we want to believe. This must be the case, otherwise their 'logic' (for the next groups of 19-year-old cannon fodder: ALWAYS somebody's children) - would be ridiculed for its patent absurdity. (Kuwait wasn't about oil. Grenada was a threat to 'national security'.)

Those who blame.. America? the idea of America? the past actions of those covert operations allegedly the ~"will of Americans" ?? etc. may or may not have each story straight -- but carry around the hatred of that which they are "sure enough" -- caused the death, injury of some *one person* close to them. Sometimes this 'causality' is a tortured syllogism, leading to a comfortable target for the grief caused. Maybe other times - the causality is unmistakeable (?) Ask a Chilean who loved Allende - for just one specimen.

(Others will settle for the hearsay and the admonitions of their local.. Authority figures) As here: remember the cold war? First Strike? (might be the only way to survive: nuke Them All first!). Was it overall any more cerebral, less a visceral reaction than: kill a Commie for Christ ?

This attitude began while.. WW-II was winding down and it became obvious that: Stalin wasn't about to withdraw from the occupied E. Eur. countries. Finally *after decades* a Gorbachev appeared and Enough! was declared. Miraculously no one used a single nuke -- but it was Very close in 10/62.

(Almost) nobody is 'innocent' of willingly believing stereotypes about opponents - always generated so as to de-humanize the ones in Your crosshairs. Or turning a blind eye to one's own machinations - for advantage. (If the target isn't *really* human, then you aren't really killing people.. just.. The Enemy.)

Were you unfamiliar with this process? Last I looked: it's still the main one. Truth re motives is not this species' strong suit, y'notice?

HTH



Ashton

Language was invented that men could disguise their thoughts from each other

In love, war, bizness, sports, science (in the pursuit of tenure), religion (in the pursuit of appearing Right-eous) ... Have I missed some?

Art, music - more honest - there are no words and beauty needs none. (Even bad art is at least authentic. Unless it's selling something - then it isn't art anyway.)

Free will? Change our nature? Sorry - don't know what that means. Another problem with our species: there is little agreement even about, ~"what it means to Be"! let alone.. 'to be human'.



A.

When you're drunk it's so much fun --
Your stories don't make sense.
An early fall has strung
The elms with yellow flags.

We've strayed into the land of deceit
And we're repenting bitterly,
Why then are we smiling these
Strange and frozen smiles?

We wanted piercing anguish
Instead of placid happiness. . .
I won't abandon my comrade,
So dissolute and mild.

1911 (Paris)
-- translated by Judith Hemschemeyer

And a brief comment from:

[link|http://dybka.home.mindspring.com/jill/akhmatova/|About the poet]

Anna Andreevna Akhmatova (1889-1966)
"Anna Andreevna Akhmatova used poetry to give voice to the struggles and deepest yearnings of the Russian people, for whom she remains the greatest of literary heroines. She has lately come to symbolize for the world even beyond Russia the power of art to survive and transcend the terrors of our century."
Judith Hemschemeyer, A Stranger to Heaven and Earth

Thanks for reminding about her.

A.