I would just like to ask a question to anybody who feels like responding - Are you a pacifist? If so, why? I believe in non-violence in all cases except in self-defence. Do you think that this is wrong and why? I am just curious. The cases of self-defence I am thinking of are if somebody attacks me for no reason in the street, that sort of thing. Also, things like if I saw a women been raped and I could help her, although this isn't exactly self-defence but could easily be justified. I want to spread peace and love everywhere but I don't think it is always possible 100% of the time. I don't think this is against what been a hippie is about, is it? Peace
The whole point of Pacifism is that you don't commit violent acts, even when attacked. I sport the other notion - a little Violence is a good thing. Fist-fights are natural, Pugilism is excellent sport, and Bar-fights are a coming of age ritual. Serious violence, on the other hand, commited with war machines on a wide-scale, should obviously be avoided at almost all cost.
I don't really know that I would really call myself a pacifist because like spooner I believe that some violence is quite natural but then again I tend to be a philosphical naturalist. I am not completely sure whether violence is good or bad, simply natural in that it is an evolved trait to be aggressive because those individuals of a population who are aggressive and violent are more likely to spread their genes. The problem with such a view is that if a little violence is natural so is "serious violence." Chimps have been known to go on raids into neighbouring communities and kill all of the males and infants and take all of the females back to their own territories and since humans share a last common ancestor with chimps it makes biological sense that humans have this same natural tendency towards taking other peoples stuff. This is not saying that violence is morally justifiable nor that it is even justifiable in any sense, just that it is natural. All this being said I really do not like violence of any form. It really bothers me to see it or hear about and I don't think that I would engage in such activities. I guess the short version of all this would be, I am not really sure if I am a pacifist or not.
I completely agree with what you say and share the same views except for that I think violence in self-defence or to protect someone from harm (e.g. rape) can easily be justified. Peace
Well I'm sort of pacifist, I mean I never start a fight, and I am always chilling, but violence is the only way to talk to simple minded people sometimes. IE they rob you for thousands of dollars, rape your sister, throw a bottle in your buddy;s house that hits you in the face (lol that one kid is lucky he ran, haven't been so mad in my whole life probably) etc. etc. you just gotta lay a beating on them. They're primitive enough to resort to bullshit like that, so they deserve an appropriate response. I really don't believe in war, I mean thousands of people fighting each other anonymously, playing a game of chess for the rich folk? Just isn't right. I guess this doesn't conform with being a pacifist though if there is no in between.
Well, I am a pacifist to a degree, that I believe violence solves nothing. However, I think that if someone was trying to hurt me or rape someone or something like that, that physical force would be the only thing to do. Not for the sake of solving anything, or for the sake of getting even, or for the sake of violence itsself. I think it would be for the sake of ensuring safety and for a "quick fix" so to speak. Really, basically just figthing back enough to keep them from inflicting more hurt, or something. Not beating them to a bloody pulp. That is vengance, which I don't like. Although if I saw someone raping someone else, especially if it were a child, I would probably just be rageful and beat them to literal death. I am not, however, saying that action of killing someone else would be justified.
I think that i would be lying if i wouldn't call myself a pacifist I protest against war, i listen to pacifist music, i try to be friendly whenever i can and i hate violence.In fact, violence and racism in particular make me a depressed panda Why do people have to be so cruel against each other, we aren't white,black,yellow,red,green,purple etc... We are all human beings and deserve to be treated as such
It's an evolutionary adaptation which divides people into 'in-group/out-group'... Not necessarily around ethnic lines.
I'm a pacifist, and I usually take a beating if it's not anything serious. I've never hurt someone, and I feel that doing so would be wrong. However, I've never been in a situation where I was being attacked for any reason other than to piss me off. So if I was in actual danger, I would defend myself. But unless someone was actually trying to hurt me severely, I can't hit people. I just can't make myself do it.
