Will we ever evolve beyond wars and other evil doings

VDNKh · 11-10-19, 03:52 AM

In short, no.

If anything, war is what lets societies and political systems assert themselves. If they don't another political system that does will roll over them eventually. That is why there are no societies that don't have military, all the societies that didn't have one where wiped out long ago. It's natural selection.

I have no reason to believe alien societies wouldn't follow a similar pattern, and continue that pattern extra-planetary.

Jimbuna · 11-10-19, 05:20 AM

In a word, NO.

August · 11-10-19, 10:11 AM

Interesting question.

War and evil are pretty expansive words and i'm not sure we can discuss their removal without narrowing the definitions.

I am assuming that you mean War as in the shooting kind, versus a "War on Poverty" or similar call to public action. But even shooting wars themselves can be evil or good things depending on the point of view of the protagonists. For example a soldier fighting to defend his home and family from an invader sacking his town is not going to believe he is evil for doing it. On the other hand a soldier ordered to torch that village may feel his apparent evil act is necessary to achieve a greater good. One or both may be wrong, one or both may be right but even that is all just the opinion of others who weren't there.

Evil is far harder to define as it can be anything. Any human action or inaction, desire or dislike, intention or even the end result of any action (or inaction) including accidental ones. It's basically a societal opinion and one with a fair amount of variance between human cultures too.

There is something in all this about pavement choices for hells highway, but only in the opinion of future generations who are nearly always just trying to use (twist) the event for their own contemporary purposes

11-10-19, 05:20 AM	#2
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 191,393 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	In a word, NO. __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

11-10-19, 10:11 AM	#3
August Wayfaring Stranger Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 23,250 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Interesting question. War and evil are pretty expansive words and i'm not sure we can discuss their removal without narrowing the definitions. I am assuming that you mean War as in the shooting kind, versus a "War on Poverty" or similar call to public action. But even shooting wars themselves can be evil or good things depending on the point of view of the protagonists. For example a soldier fighting to defend his home and family from an invader sacking his town is not going to believe he is evil for doing it. On the other hand a soldier ordered to torch that village may feel his apparent evil act is necessary to achieve a greater good. One or both may be wrong, one or both may be right but even that is all just the opinion of others who weren't there. Evil is far harder to define as it can be anything. Any human action or inaction, desire or dislike, intention or even the end result of any action (or inaction) including accidental ones. It's basically a societal opinion and one with a fair amount of variance between human cultures too. There is something in all this about pavement choices for hells highway, but only in the opinion of future generations who are nearly always just trying to use (twist) the event for their own contemporary purposes __________________ Flanked by life and the funeral pyre. Putting on a show for you to see.

11-10-19, 03:52 AM	#1
VDNKh Swabbie Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: VA, USA Posts: 8 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	In short, no. If anything, war is what lets societies and political systems assert themselves. If they don't another political system that does will roll over them eventually. That is why there are no societies that don't have military, all the societies that didn't have one where wiped out long ago. It's natural selection. I have no reason to believe alien societies wouldn't follow a similar pattern, and continue that pattern extra-planetary.