Message-ID: <m0uEmCB-000arsC@aztec.co.za> Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 02:24:00 EET From: steve worth <mailto:stevew@AZTEC.CO.ZA> Subject: Re: Massacre and Development To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
Frankly, I am a little surprised at the lack of faith in man's ability to grow and learn and change. I do realise that there are few cases of success, but there are some... and I would maintain that the successes in quelling opposing forces comes more from the internal growth of the individuals required in accepting the right of their 'enemies' to be and to share the space than from material development.I find it interesting that so many of us seem to miss the vast historical evidence of man's ability to create unity on an ever increasing scale. It was not so long ago in the earth's history that an 'eye for and eye' was the law of the day; we have moved from the unity of the individual, to the unity of the family, to the unity of tribes, to unity of city-states, to unity of nations... can we not see the progression to the ultimate resolution in a global society where the diversity of human qualities -- be they physical or ideological -- will be seen as a positive rather than a negative?
It is intervention at this level, assisting people to recognise the irrefutable singleness of the human race -- which would bring to an end, if truly believed, the desire of one group to dominate or eliminate another -- it is this consciousness which needs to be behind our develoment efforts...
Granted there is much work ahead, but surely this is the vision we carry. To merely alleviate immediate suffering only to make the prey again available for the predator and not attempting to address the core issues seems far below our capacity.
Steve