This quote ...

"The alternative is a future of increasingly destructive terrorist attacks and our eventual decline."

Is it an insight or a prediction :-) (I tend to think it is both).


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When I was talking about how a dominant group with a conscience essentially become vulnerable, I was thinking in one aspect of the Moriori peoples - a sad story.

[link|http://history-nz.org/moriori.html|History of the Moriori]

"Similarly to the Maoris, inter tribal warring led to a dangerous decline in the number of the Moriori population, and this was said to have been stopped by the chief Nunuku Whenua, who ordered no more warring to take place so that the population would not become decimated. If a dispute took place, the custom was to cease immediately at the first drawing of blood. In this way, the Moriori became a totally peaceful people. "



When the Maoris eventually discovered the Chathams and the Moriori people (they did this while a chiefs son was sailing with British sailors). The chief's son eventually went back to his mainland tribe who than arranged to invade the Chathams and over a period of years systematically slaughtered and enslaved the peaceful Moriori until only a few remained. The Moriori had found a degree of peace and harmony but lost it to others who had no such goodwill.

I suspect that this type experience is not uncommon for us humans and unlikely to change. I fear that the Moriori practice for peace is too difficult to ever become universal - there are too many destabilising factors, more so as the worlds population keeps spiralling.

Doug