Category: conflict studies

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Communication and Culture: Writing, Talking, Listening… – Tolerance can be Key

Image of two women and a man from different cultures, sitting in a public place and friendly talking and listening to each other
Image by Grand Ath Thariq Kusmara Gustav from Pixabay

“You just don’t understand!” – That’s the title of a book by a famous social sciences researcher. She writes in a manner everyone can understand about the difficulties that can arise when men and women talk to each other. It’s focused on the US-American, that is, to some extend Western society and culture.

Most of us know how different and thus difficult to understand the approaches and outlook on life can be between the sexes.
Even more so, when there are similar ideas around, living and working together, where expectations are yet different in detail.

The outlook, the perspective on life, and other people can be a crucial key to understanding each other.

There are people with a quiet and withdrawn everyday behaviour. Who think for themselves, take longer to finally speak about their thoughts; or exchange ideas.

Others rather like to talk soon to someone of like mind.

‘Like mind’: Wonderful words, in some ways.

The person who understands us without any drama or long discussions. Makes us feel welcome and at ease. Accepted. Because we understand each other easily, due to similar outlooks.
Like minds.

There is yet another very interesting and yet basic difference in communication between so called high-context and low-context cultures:

    • “High-context” means not so much a measure of better quality – it means that in order to properly understand what is said you have to know body language.
      The non-verbal messages that come with the words, the talk.
    • “Low-context” too, is not a measure of lower quality – it means that almost exclusively words are regarded as the whole ‘message’ of the speaker.  Facial expression or gestures are almost not taken into account. At least, not knowingly.

I have seen both: People who register every tone of voice or the lifting of an eyebrow in order to ‘decode’ the message.
And those who don’t. At all.

I also know how easily we all are mistaken in judging others: The famous story of the man with the hammer by Paul Watzlawick, a leading figure in communication studies, in his even more famous book: “The situation is hopeless but not serious” is ample proof of that way we all have at times to interpret others – willy nilly:

The man decides he needs to lend a hammer from his neighbour, thinks a while, remembers all kinds of apparent recent snides and strange looks, concluding a grudge, the other is harbouring against him – when he eventually reaches the door of the neighbour’s house, rings and the neighbour opens, screams to his face:
“You can well keep your hammer to yourself!”

Things can become more subtle than that, though: When we live in a close-knit community with some strict ideas on how to behave – it can happen that we become intolerant towards others.

A wonderful concept that can help a lot to more peace and peaceful coexistence:
“Tolerance”: “willingness to accept behaviour and beliefs that are different from your own, although you might not agree with or approve of them” (Cambridge Dict., online version)

What can make tolerance so difficult is the fact that we so often are raised with the silent premise of: “if you are not for you are against me” – The unspoken effect inside being even a (temporarily) shaky self-confidence:
We look for someone to confirm our uneasiness, or our hurt feelings. To feel we are not wrong. But right, in feeling insulted or even hurt.

This ‘comes with the territory’: Many of us get a basic idea of ‘right and wrong’, sometimes strict parents or elders raising us with those ideas. And no explanations of – or more subtle views on – the how and the why.

Or the even less-easy-to-grab concept of being right – and the other person being right too… in their view of a situation.

That we will not lose a point or our position, our dignity, ‘face’, when we acknowledge the other’s perspective to be understandable.

But, that is the starting point of more peace and understanding:

Practicing tolerance.

Starting to learn about perspectives and (apart from legal or ethical considerations) about diversity of beliefs, outlooks – points of view.

And still retain our sense of self-esteem.

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“More of the Same”: The Non-solution is Human… or: War is not an Option – Neither are Threats

Photo of peacock's feathers presented like a pattern of a cloth
Image by Alexa from Pixabay

Anyone watching the scenes that are public and published can state it that way: “More of the same.” It’s interesting to see that people behave the same way everywhere, just as Paul Watzlawick in his famous book called it:
“More of the same.”

He is a leading figure in communication science and has written standard works for the field.
The well-known, bestselling “The Situation is Hopeless but not Serious – The Pursuit of Unhappiness” was written with tongue in cheek, so it is the reverse of what you would expect. A tutorial how to do it right…to be happier. It’s revealing the patterns people repeat making themselves unhappy that way.

The patterns are there, not just in the book but in life – and in politics. Especially surprising it might seem as regards the war in Ukraine and the situation in Gaza.

Hellooo?

We do not need to repeat the ideas, statements and threats of the past 2 and 7 decades, respectively.

It is about dropping the ‘attitude’:
“Me (us) – always right.” and getting down to brass tacks. To the real thing. To negotiating instead of making a lot of noise. Or expecting the other, the person across from us to change just as by magic – because we suddenly decided that it would be the best way:
Just ‘let’ them give in…

It’s indeed almost as if people had taken some of the bad movies and fairy stories too seriously – and forgotten to consider the other person.

When you meet people in life they don’t behave according to your wishes – just because you tell them so.

No king will get that – and no dictator.

What you can do is: Learn!

Learn about humans, about the universal truths and the actual real things that make life fine – not bragging and boasting and ‘making it an act’.

But about community and the bigger picture, peace and – eventually kindness of hearts.

Because: That’s what real happiness is about. Sense of community – and kindness.

The great kings of the past still considered to be great were not the ones to make a lot of noise and war.
They were the ones to understand about people, that is, their subjects – and about life’s essentials.

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Migration, ‘Illegal Aliens’ and the War: ‘Desparate Times’ Call for Desparate Measures? – Ridiculous Right-wing Cover-ups

Image by HazarMan from Pixabay

There they all are: Gathering speed and momentum: “Illegal aliens”, “migrants” are being blamed for difficulties. It’s an age-old argument, and just as ridiculous and stupid as the ‘war effort’ and its ‘necessities’: Kill people into the bargain? Just because you crave money, power and attention of the wealthy circles…?

The patterns are there, in history, for everyone to look up.

There is a new effort at getting Trump to leave, an impeachment, perhaps… I wonder how long it will take until those blind wealthy idiots start to realize who it is that keeps them wealthy: Exactly those ‘illegal aliens’, among others, they now so furiously kick out of the country.

Millions to spend on that programme – send them out?

When so many of those ‘migrants’ work hard and thus provide revenue and profits, make more businesses that actually employ more people…?

Who else really makes the money? Managers? They so often start the problems, because while getting millions of severance payments the ‘little folk’ are left in the ‘clear’…

So, quickly covering up, blaming the wrong ones; making more war, because that not only sells weapons you then produce more of, employing people that way.

In the meantime you send the ‘little people’ to the front, to get killed. Cannon fodder. Right?
Yes, right-wing politics. Covering it up: The scandals and the mismanagement.

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Put the Pressure On… – The USA and the Selling of Weapons… “Money, Money, Money”…

Why would you try and negotiate properly…? As the present president Trump has already got them almost where he wants them: With threats and scare tactics regarding tariffs and weapon deliveries, especially to refuse proper negotiations with the opponent, Putin, he has pressured the NATO and the EU into practically crawling at his feet…including Ukraine.

It’s unbelievable, to think that a region like the EU – or, just as much the NATO – lets itself being blackmailed by someone like Trump into basically ‘jumping through hoops’ at his command…the ‘wonderful’ summit the other day with NATO leaders, him included was the perfect stage to ‘butter him up’.

Who knows, he will probably one day manage to do to the US what Putin is doing to Russia: Make it a dictatorship. The Supreme Court Justices already do his bidding as well…

What a spectacle…

When it’s so obvious that the US are just as dependent on others as others are on them…

What would he be without the NATO – or the EU – or Russia, especially?

Is that all?

Of course, it’s been put into so many words ever since mankind has started to use money instead of exchanging goods…

Contrary to the song’s (apparent) message above, I am proud enough to rather starve than to make myself depend on anyone rich… but, not everyone is the same.
Mr Trump apparently depends on his money to buy and bully himself the respect and attention he craves sooo much…

The song really is pure sarcasm, of course…

When you look at research at the time, and contacts in between, between Trump and Putin, that is – when you look at the articles of the New York Times – since sadly the Washington Post has been acquired already by Jeff Bezos, amazon founder, and is not dependable anymore – it seems rather obvious: The rich and wealthy (the oligarchs* behind people such as Putin) are starting to divide it between them: The oil, the gas – and ultimate profits, namely those by war and weapons.

One thing is true too: When you’ve bombed them back into the stone age you can waltz in later and again make money on repairs and rebuilding…

Who cares? I do. Still.

The Swedish pop group ABBA put it into these apt words in 1976, rather revealing, really…

* “oligarchy, government by the few, especially despotic power exercised by a small and privileged group for corrupt or selfish purposes. Oligarchies in which members of the ruling group are wealthy or exercise their power through their wealth are known as plutocracies.” (Encyclopaedia Britannica Online)

* Oligarch: “one of the people in an oligarchy (= a government or society controlled by a small group of very powerful people)” (Cambridge Dictionary Online)

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Thinking it Through from the End – Or: Where Do You Want to Go? – Or: Nothing in This Life Worth Having Comes Easy…

Collage of four images that show a person traveling, a finish and a start line and a pin pricked into a map someplace
Images licensed via Adobe CC

The principle is as old as mankind itself: When you want to get somewhere, you need to know two things, basically: Your finish line – and your starting point.

PEACE is some goal…

When it is a problem to be solved it is important to not just get a hazy idea of some problem or issue… a clear idea of the true problem is vital. Since, trying to find a solution without the clearly identified problem is pointless and a waste of time.

In other words: To get a clear picture of reasons for people doing something – or a system failing, you would look into history: Because it can help to find similar situations you can learn from.

And: Nothing in this life worth having comes easy…but that’s no reason to despair, but: “Keep at it – and remember about the breaks.”

We have come quite some way, in general!

In the past, people for centuries actually found it a great pastime to visit public torture and public hangings!
That has stopped.
In most countries around the world the death penalty has been abolished!

The most simple principle in that respect I have mentioned too, already:
Whatever you colour, creed, or conviction, you are not supposed to either kill, torture or bother other people. Period.

So, again, our goal as societies that have learned a thing or two about communities and responsibility – most, if not all of us yearn for peace: For peaceful coexistence. For more mutual understanding.

People in power these days once more seem, at the moment at least, have begun to realize that they are not just powerful for their own fun – or into the bargain; but that they carry the responsibility for exactly that kind of thing with them, each and every day:

    • Keep the goal, the ultimate finish line, in focus.
    • Start thinking it through from the end.
    • Get proper counselling.

Remember that you are not alone on this planet and that your ‘powerful’ existence as such would be pretty pointless without all the others around….

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‘Power-games’ – The Camera Front and Background Deals – Pressure Attempts and Diplomatic Dignity

Image of an empty room with cameras in front pointing towards it
Image by Andy Leung from Pixabay

There are enough people who know that Trump is not to be trusted. Neither is the statement about ‘just’ wanting to destroy the Uranium enrichment facilities in Iran. Nor the ideas in relation to tariff raises for all and any countries outside the US. That’s blackmail, pure and simple.

To start a war on a country to pressure it into deals is extortion.

Even inside the USA people protest against his politics.

As far as Iran is concerned, I wonder how it is possible that almost any diplomatic respect and rules for negotiation have apparently let go?

Since when would you try and pressurize or scare a whole country into a certain position, when before you yourself made negotiations impossible?

Trump cancelled those contracts that had been agreed upon between the US, EU and the IAEA after 10 years of negotiation!

Is it really feasible that any country – how about the US? – would take it like a scared animal, run, hide and then concede anything?

If you do not know yourself and human beings you cannot possibly understand others. Understanding the other, your opposite at the table, is crucial in order to negotiate.

Again I want to remind us all of the 30-Years’-War in Europe during the 17th century: It was not only a long war, with a number indicating that – it took actually 30 years and it left Europe devastated and devoid of more than 50% of its population; whole regions were left waste and destroyed.

The common history and latent memory of humans make it one of the dreadful periods of time. It took years to end that war!
Negotiations were conducted again and again.

Finally, they were successful.

The same way the first agreements about Uranium enrichment control between Iran and the parties concerned took 10 years!
It was the height of irresponsibility to cancel those contracts!

Years later, a country under threats from all sides is moved into a position that leaves almost no way out…

People, start thinking: This is no way to handle that country and its situation!

Iran, for all its internal politics of cruelty and suppression, with reason is proud of a rich and thousands of years old culture and tradition, much older than the Islamic religion.
Additionally, they are used to natural disasters and foreign potentates from all sides attacking that country just for its rich soils, and huge amounts of oil and gas. They had to learn resilience and it has developed into a fine art, basically.

Starting a war can only end in dreadful consequences and more lives lost, yet.

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The Supreme Court: ‘UNsupreme’ — A Dictator in the Making — Nero Burning Rome… When Silliness Meets Power

Montage of Supreme Court building USA, being on fire.
Images licensed via Adobe CC, my graphics. The building is the Supreme Court in the USA. — NOTE: This a fake image I created on purpose to make my point. There was no recent fire — if any — to the Supreme Court.

They say, I mentioned this a while ago, that the emperor Nero of ancient Rome was supposed to be silly; not to say — mad. He was suspected for ages to have set fire to Rome in order to watch it go under in ‘supreme’ flames… and to play the lute as accompaniment.

I wonder, if he was… more recent findings seem to indicate that he couldn’t have burned a whole city because it would have meant literally hundreds of helpers, who would have been too hard to find…even in those times.

Whichever the case was exactly:
Facts are: Rome burnt that day.

And Trump is on his way to do the same. Just a little more modern and true to dictators’ forms: He has bought himself some followers and supporters.

And during his first time in office he already replaced four of the total of nine Supreme Court Justices. So he also has bought himself some justices…
Which makes for ‘smooth sailing’ now.

Another win (‘surprise surprise surprise’…) in front of it: Although he already is a convicted felon on 34 counts ruled guilty in front of a yet existent and legal court of law of the United States of America he not only has been voted (even if it was indeed a very close shave) for the office of president.

He also does everything he can to heap atrocity on outrage, one after another: Supporting people like Netanyahu in Israel who has set Gaza strip and West Bank ‘on fire’. Torturing and killing people on the pretense that it is the terrorists of the Hamas he is trying to hit…

Being on best terms with Putin in Russia, although claiming the contrary.

Power corrupts, apparently. Money does too, some people at least.

Trump knows how to wield terror and use his money to extort and blackmail and bully – true to form. It’s his life’s story. I wonder how dreadfully empty inside he must feel at times – forcing people around him to lie and lick his boots.
“The Picture of Dorian Gray”, by Oscar Wilde, comes to mind.

It even appears that at the moment the threat of Putin to the EU has done what nothing else could more effectively do, so they both get what they want:

Via Trump Putin gets Ukraine.
Via Putin’s apparent threats NATO and EU lick Trump’s boots who can pose as the saviour, and on the side is ‘making the weapon industry’ heaps of money.
Lo and behold: There are still horror stories out there…
‘Denver Clan’ and ‘Dallas’ revisited…

Would that person called Trump be really pitiful, because a half-wit, unable to grasp facts, or actually disturbed in mind, that would be different.
But he is perfectly capable to see the ‘light’ of sense and clear thought. And refuses to do so… And that is his own doing and his own fault.
He is not to be pitied.

In ancient times there was a story of a king, who was cruel, selfish and lawless. Who had a virgin brought to his bedside every night, to revenge himself — from disappointed love, on all womankind — and had each of them killed the next morning.

Scheherazade one day made her father bring her to the throne and started to tell stories to the king. Each she left unfinished so he would be curious for the next night and the ending of that story. When she started another one. After 1001 nights and 1000 stories he let her stay alive and married her, being a more wise and kind king than any before him.

The story not only makes it clear that ‘love’s way to a man’s heart actually is not through the stomach’ — but his mind. As true love always is.

It also and in vivid colours shows that true understanding, grace and wisdom comes from education and empathy.
By the knowledge that no man or woman is alone or actually can exist on their own on this planet. And that we should at some point learn where true calm and serenity and thus happiness lies:
In self-respect which in turn generates respect and even liking for your fellow man — as well as woman.

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CEASEFIRE between Israel and Iran – Negotiating has Age-old Rules – Time for Patience, Wisdom and Knowledge

map of Iran and Israel and their flags showing upright stuck into the map
Image licensed via Adobe CC

For hours now the ceasefire has been declared. Israel and Iran have stopped attacking. Negotiating is the next step.
To think that all of this could have been prevented, had not Trump cancelled the contracts with Iran on Uranium enrichment control, is almost inconceivable.

Trust is something that has to be built and be confirmed in private as well as diplomatic relations. Not just once. But continually.

That US-president Trump now starts to position himself as the great saviour is only again true to form: ‘Make it up, say it often enough, some of it will stick.’

Iran is, due to its tradition of thousands of years existent long before Islamic times, a country with ample reason for pride – and knows resilience in the face of adversity only to well.
They will never stoop nor give in – or up – but stay the course to the end, if necessary.

Iran is by itself a country not only rich in culture and arts, it is also rich in oil, gas and soils which practically beckon outside powers to try conquering. They did that for hundreds of years.

The present government in Iran rules with cruelty and suppression internally, that is no point of discussion or even a question.

But there is more to be lost if the idea should be to (mistakenly) meddle with internal affairs of the country. It seems that some sensible counselling has been going on in the background now.

I would wish with all my heart that one day Iran finds its own strength to generate a more free and similar to democratic ideas wielded government and society.
It will not be a copy of Western societies, most probably, but according to the country’s culture something special, fitting its customs and traditions.

Over all of this we should remember too, that the people in Gaza still are suffering. Reports are most tragic and there should be put an end to the reign of someone like Netanyahu, who apparently does not see the limits power should impose on its holder.
That he is so friendly with Trump, beyond the tradition of special support of Israel by the US,  is no wonder.
Yet:
At the moment signs are more hopeful.

War is no destiny! Neither is it inborn to mankind. It does not happen overnight, especially not in these postmodern times.
Let’s remember that.

Human beings have wonderful potential for peace and coexistence.

 

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Money, US-presidential Madness, Power and Propaganda in Times of War

image of a map of Iran
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

To think that Iran should take all of this ‘lying down’, is practically a child’s vision… People, anyone in governments of NATO, UN, EU and others, what did you expect???

Iran had agreed to contracts for the control of Uranium enrichment after 10 years of negotiation. I wrote about that.

Now, starting to attack the private areas of a country that has suffered so much from international meddling.
At the same time when you look at its history you will realize that pride and resilience always made it stay the course – till the end.

They will defend their country with all that is given them.

ANYONE who knows enough about the history and the particular culture – independent of recent governments – would be able to explain:
THIS is no way to proceed!

President Trump of dollar graces has cancelled the contracts himself a few years ago.

It’s so obvious it’s like a bad dream to look at news broadcastings.

Mr Friedrich Merz, German chancellor, it is clear that talks to president Trump had been based on the usual endeavour to stay ‘in tune’

If anyone really cares – start thinking and get proper counselling. This is the wrong way!
This could end in a third world war.

The foolishness of such a president to the USA and prime minister Netanyahu in Israel cannot be believed. Netanyahu for years had escalated the actions against people in Gaza. In Israel itself Netanyahu has almost no support in the Knesset, where some time ago he won by 2 votes only. The link opens a post on LinkedIn by an Israeli citizen.

For decades such a result was known to be natural should one try and force anyone in that region, Arab or Persian, into a corner.

Start thinking! It’s high time!

Author’s Note:
I am a German born and bred. I was married to a Persian man of peaceful and politically left-wing character. He had official refugee status in Germany until he died.
I have studied culture,  history and language of Iran and received an M.A.
I have followed the ideas, the news and the background information for well over thirty years closely. I know that there are more people who know the facts. Well-educated and knowledgeable. Involve them!
I was raised and always of the opinion that one should try and provide justice to all concerned.
In times of war the truth and its implications often become warped.
PEACE is reached by negotiations. War always results from failure to negotiate properly – with deep insights and patience.

2nd Author’s Note (8:35 p.m., local time, UTC+1):
Omid Nouripour, vice president to the German Bundestag a few minutes ago reacted very wise, camly and with a fine background understanding on German TV. He is one of those people to include in consultations.

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The First Thing to Die in a War is the Truth – Or: Propaganda or Facts

Image of a mother holding her dead son
Image free license courtesy pixabay.com

Looking at news in regard to wars – any war – it’s like normal life: People will tell you what they think makes them right. The idea they had in the first place why they were right to start it. The war. The heated argument and possible fist fight.

Yet, too often it is overlooked in wars we deal with long-term interests, such as money – or business. In a general sense: “Where does the money come from – and go?” is an old journalistic principle.

Even older is the Latin phrase that makes it clear as daylight: “Cui bono?” – “Who benefits?”

This conflict between Israel and Iran is not new.  And when we listen to the news or read about them, in most cases it becomes clear that in the West people have a lop-sided view: They will report about the bad Iran regime and the good Israel government.

That is a view on matters without any consideration for facts. Often enough in everyday life too the whole truth, the bigger picture, becomes warped with ideas and perspectives; with defense arguments why person A was right and person B was not.

The truth is not always simple: Not in war, not in normal life.

Look closely, at the history and also the main actors of this drama: They have hidden agendas usually to do with money and power.

So dreadfully cruel internally the present Iranian government rules the country – so true is the fact that Iran as a whole has every reason to protect itself from greedy potentates.

Its history is full, I mentioned that more than once, of all those ‘super-powers’ meddling with its politics just because Iran has huge natural resources of gas and oil as well as rich soils beckoning to anyone just interested to make even more money.

Or as is the case with the US, be in dire need of cheap petrol. They have been for decades, if not centuries.

This war was not started for honourable reasons – it is not conducted for honourable reasons – and there is no honourable justification for it.

Practically any war you may take care to review in history, had long periods of time before actual military actions – to develop from conflicts that were not properly negotiated.

Iran had already agreed to contracts to control Uranium enrichment there. Contracts signed on all sides after almost a decade of negotiations. Trump was the one to cancel them during his first stay in office. No one in their right minds can actually want war!

It destroys, kills and leaves people in desperate situations. But then, are people who already have been corrupted by their own power really in ‘their right mind’? Corruption being too deeply set in, would be my guess. To say the least.

The only people who benefit from wars are those companies supplying goods to armies… Is that what we want?

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