WAR AND PEACE

In 1869 an emblematic work of world literature “WAR and PEACE” was published, by Leo Tolstoy. The occasion was the Franco-Russian war. Through the lives of the protagonists of the work, the following are expressed: the agony and the choice for the establishment, on earth, the values that ensure the peaceful coexistence of the people, the peoples’ right to self-determination, the social solidarity, and eventually, the human self-realization.

After one hundred and fifty years this work is relevant. In humanity, the establishment of values is a forgotten concern. The cοncerns that “run” are for the interests… interests… Best Interest. The dictionary says that it is what brings profit or benefit of moral, emotional and material content.

People fight with themselves in order to draw out the best for their own interest. They fight with their fellow being to show their strength, for their own interest. Nations fight among themselves guided by others for their own benefit. The great and powerful of the earth are fighting for the interests of other weak countries. Inside us, next to us, invisible and visible wars. Nearby, the war is raging visible today! It does not matter the country, the people involved. Today it is in Ukraine, yesterday in Yugoslavia, tomorrow some other country will come under fire for its own interest. Today Putin is “bad”, yesterday Clinton was “bad”, tomorrow someone else will be bad.

For economic interests, wars “hold” well still. We forgot the moral, the emotional and we focused on the interests of material content. That is, we forgot who we are. We do not have morals, we do not have the emotion to fight for them? We forgot that the interest of morality and emotion is PEACE! We forgot PEACE because we forgot who we are!

The UNESCO Declaration states: “Considering that wars are born in the minds of the people, there we have to build the defenses of PEACE.” Peace comes first to the mind and then to the lives of people and of the nations. Mahatma Gandhi constitutes a unique eternal symbol of peace and brotherhood of nations. He managed to carry out a peaceful revolution by peaceful means, without any violence, with the emblem to “stand and strive with peace, for peace”. He managed to inspire his people and defeat an omnipotent empire then. Thus, he gave independence and freedom to his homeland. Gandhi had studied ancient Greek Philosophers and he was influenced by Socrates. Peace does not come because we ask for it, he said, it must be built brick by brick, by identifying our flaws and changing them.

In the Gospel of John, it is stated: “ I give you my own peace. I do not give you the peace that the world gives”. In other words, peace is an internal affair.

Nelson Mandela said: “A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred; he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and sadness. I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself. ”

The statue of Goddess Irene (Goddess of Peace) dominated the center of Agora in Ancient Athens. Personification of a peaceful state. Goddess Irene was the daughter of Zeus and of Themis, and She was the sister of Justice and of  Evnomia (Good Law and Order), which are the supreme goods of a society. Peace, as it emerges through Ancient-Greek thinking and its classic works on Peace, is a mental affair. Peace is achieved in the human mind and after it has manifested in his life, it ensures his peaceful coexistence with all his fellow human beings. Regardless of color, race, origin, etc. The pursuit of peace is first and foremost an individual and political responsibility. Aristophanes in his work “PEACE” refers to the Athenian citizen who wanted to bring Peace to his city. First, he, himself, climbed Mount Olympus of his existence with “KNOW THYSELF” to conquer Peace, and then he became a Peacemaker of his city.

Homer’s Iliad, a work of war, but at the same time peace-loving work. Through the internal and external conflicts of the heroes, Virtues, and values for the moral and emotional interest of the people unfold on the battlefield. Virtues and values are sealed in this work. They convey the universal message that war concerns only internal conflicts with ourselves and with others, as conditions necessary to “show” us the hostile parts of our existence in the prospect of making them peaceful. This is appropriate because this is the way to attain Peace as a state of mind. Then every individual and political decision will be towards the prospect of Peace. Peace is ensured from within. It is the result of work. It is “KNOW THYSELF”.

I imagine in a peaceful mind, myself, the man next door, the parent, the teacher, the priest, the municipal leader, the mayor, the minister, the prime minister, the president of America, of Russia, of other countries, the head of the UN, the head of the World Health Organization. All of us, all of them in peace of mind, works would be done peacefully. Works fair to the INTEREST of Humanity! Utopia… How will this be done… If each one undertakes this for himself… Let us think… May not be everyone. Let there be few peacemakers who will inspire others. But where are they; They are all lost… Uh… so what? I undertake. Let me be the first one!

“Imagine all the people Livin’ life in peace.” John Lennon!

“Peace is the loving mother of the Earth” – Hesiod. I’m looking for you MOTHER!!!

“To love Peace” – Thales of Miletus (Delphic precept). I LOVE YOU, PEACE!

WITH VIRTUE,
MARIA TERZAKI