“War cannot be justified as a means of maintaining ideals if our ideals are based on peace” –Unknown
So in English we were looking at quotes and I chose this one to analyze. I posted it on the English blog but I thought that with the nature of the quote it would also be relevant here, this is what I wrote about it.
This quote is made powerful by the simplistic phrasing of an eloquent idea. It has relevance to a present day situation, making it more powerful, as people can relate to it by opinion and emotion. It is a call to justice, stating that we need to take a different action for war if we are truly at war to maintain peace. The word justify implies that the war needs justification, but because of the two contradicting words, it is implied that the justification is faulty, and needs a new one. The words “ideals” and “peace” have become important words in our society, as have freedom, liberty, and happiness; which are contained within American ideals. The quotes main statement is how hypocritical “we” are by using the war as an excuse to maintain ideals, when in fact, we state that our ideals are based on peace.The fact that “ideals” is used twice makes us connect the two action words together. Peace and war are paradoxical, and therefore the reader is forced to look at how exactly they are being connected. Simplifying the quote by taking out the connecting “ideals”, it becomes “War cannot be justified as peace”. A more direct statement of what the author is trying to portray. In this quote the wording is vital to how it is perceived. It is short and to the point. Without the comparison the author makes with his contradicting words and the repetition of “ideals” to enhance the comparison, the quote would not have the same meaning or effect.
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7 comments:
That's a really interesting quote...
Along with a nice analysis...
Anyway, my perception of the quote is fairly similar, I am normally against war, especially when it is being used for peace...
It's a huge contradiction, creating chaos, war in order to protect/have peace and order.
I agree with the above statement, People just create wars to "make peace". But by creating more chaos in order to remove chaos, its just like fighting fire with fire. NOTHING WILL OCCUR EXCEPT MAYBE A BIGGER FIRE. I GUARANTEE IT!!!
Its just stupidity in my opinion tho...
I completely agree, I have never understood how its possible to achieve peace through the use of violence.
In history, (I'm sorry to be so communism oriented, but it seems relevant) the proletariat should use violence to "sweep away the bourgeoisie" and then when communism is implemented, violence will just melt away because its usually over material objects anyways.
However, how will this work? I believe thats putting way too much faith in human nature.
Are humans violent by nature? Or could a system such as communism work?
Wars are almost never fought simply for the establishment of peace, but you do have to look at WWII. What ulterior motives could there have been for that war, other than ending the Nazi threat?
I'm not saying there aren't any, I just can't think of them.
StarD: Often in very large forest fires the fire departments will create smaller fires to create a barrier of already burned material, so that the larger fire can continue no further. In that case fighting fire with fire is very very effective.
Dani: the way I understand it is that the sweeping away of the bourgeois will eventually lead to the peace, but far from immediately.
Mr. T: Ending the Nazi threat is far from fighting for piece. Don't get confused and think I support the Nazi's, I don't, but stopping the mass murder is different than fighting for piece.
In the Communist Manifesto it seemed pretty closely following the slaughter of the bourgeois (do you know how many times I dyslexiced that freaking word on my history test today?), if not immediately. It would probably take a good century to get humans away from violence...I don't really get Marks' thinking anyway though.
And generally the people who start the wars may think that they are fighting for peace, but that's never the end point. Think of the war on terrorism, people think that by attacking terrorists, that it will further world peace. Is that the truth? I'd say not, because all that's happening is that we're killing innocent people, and suppressing other classes, and so eventually people will rebel, and it'll just be another big mess.
Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace. See the link below for more info.
#peace
www.ufgop.org
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