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griffin tucker

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We can't stop war; can we control it?

In Sean Gorley's TED video (please watch, or at least refer to 5:57min) there is a specific mathematical formula that determines the outcome of how many people will be killed according to what situation arises.

Here is a very dangerous idea of losing control in order to restore order. I wouldn't actually suggest encompassing current wars with this idea, but I would suggest a physics experiment with numbers to see if it is possible.

Coalescence (the grouping of clustered and seemingly unorganized behaviour) and fragmentation (disjointed, but evidently more organised behaviour) are the two key principles.

If a war were to be in a stage of coalescence, as I am to understand, the people involved will act almost spontaneously, and this is fueled by their voices not being heard during the chaos, or, moreover, their voices are indeed being heard, but their point of view is not being dealt with appropriately.

If a war were to be in a stage of fragmentation, then the people will be living in a false sense of security for unknown periods of time, and attacks are made where often a lot of people are harmed and killed, and even often innocent people.

Should we then attempt to stop then the idea of fragmentation and instead let the people's voices be heard AND their statements validated, or should we live in a constant state of fear where an attack could happen at any time?

I say that to prevent war, the people need to be heard. Even the smallest of voices can start a snowballing effect of disturbance and eventual conflict, sometimes when this happens, the original reason for the war has lost all meaning and wars continue for the sake of whatever reason the leaders say, true or not.

How then do we end a war?

Listen AND validate every voice, no matter how small. Act on it. Prevent the snowball of war from being fueled any further by responding to statements logically, with the people's statements as a guide.

The truth always comes out. Transparency is the key.

Related Talks:
Topics: Saving our world World Peace a future without war alternatives to war end all war end war war and peace
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Closing Statement from griffin tucker

Should the effects of a decision be attempted to predetermined of coalescence or fragmentation according to the political decision?

Personally, if I were a leader involved in such a war, a simple survey of both sides of the argument would be carried out, and I believe that according to the survey's results of how a reaction might occur could help in finding a resolution, or at the very least, determine what to prepare for in terms of types of distribution of attacks to help save lives.

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  • george lockwood 20+

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    Nov 28 2012: There are laws of war, and they are discussed in school. There are situations where war criminals are punished. Even as a JAG officer this was discussed in training.

  • carolyn mcauley 10+

    • +1
    Nov 27 2012: I didnt know anybody knew about world peace day...911 got in the way of that concept in a large way. I admire your big picture sketch of war and the layers of activity within..it sounds similar to a industrial statement of productivity...All the voices crying out to stop is similar to the WW1 day,christmas in which germans and english stop to drink and play soccer...and yes the officers demanded eventually to go back to killing. If you wish war to stop perhaps studying the more unheroic side of war would be useful..for instance originally slaves were used in war,men were require to not have wives,so no inspiration to run back home for familywomen and children were taken as captives,hence the invention of prostitution comes from war culture..men often ran away during war..so military police to get deserters...this is just the beginning of how unnatural war is to mankind..but you grew up told it is enevitable...and so all that think this misinformation becomes truth....
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    Faisel Butt

    • +2
    Nov 27 2012: One idea that I think we should promote is the abolition of UN's International Day of Peace (World Peace Day) and instead introduce an International Day of War.

    Admitted, it might sound strange, but think about it; it does imply 364 days of peace instead of just one. It will be a global commitment to see peace as the norm and not the exception. The World Peace Day implies a world view where war is the norm - and peace the exception.

    And let the World War Day be a pillar of shame for all of us until we mature enough to abolish war on this planet.
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      griffin tucker 10+

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      Nov 28 2012: I see your idea's function is similar to that of control, where war isn't attempted to be stopped but rather attempted to be coalesced into a single day.

      I see the merit of your idea, but I don't think it is as easy to implement, and nor is my idea, as there are so many topics on war on TED, that I feel as though it has been drowned out in the hysteria of confused complex topics.

      Unfortunately I haven't had as many responses on this idea as I would like, but as we've all heard before, war = business.

  • Rhona Pavis 50+

    • +1
    Nov 27 2012: We can stop war.. We can use our freedoms, resources, energies, intelligence in purely positive ways, if we so choose. POWER TO THE POSITIVE!
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