Can't we all just get along?

**MekongFisher** · January 29, 2009, 11:42 PM

So, I've been studying history of Spanish Civil War for a while, and at this point, sheer mention of the word "left and right" gives me a headache.

Even today, more than 30 years after the end of Franco regime and 70 years after the bloody civil war which threw the country into an entirely new era in history, as the arguments between Pio Moa and other historians show, this inherent, deep hatred between left and right still seems alive and prevalent.

But why?

Can't we all just, you know, sit down over a smoke of dope, be chill, and talk this out?

A rather naive and somewhat dumb question, but at what point does the political ideologies and theories which are supposed to be products of rational thinking that are to improve the lives of the people begin to spew hatred and spawn violence? Doesn't make too much sense to me.

Is it because political theories are never purely theories but entities that are very much prevalent to people's everyday lives?

Why is it that we fall into most irrational hatred over the difference in something that are supposed to be rational?

Ideas? Thoughts?

**Bovril** · January 30, 2009, 03:02 AM

Lust for power, preservation of dominanace, construction of out groups, lack of empathy, fear of rivals, etc. etc.

But also, a genuine wish to improve people's lives.

**Calamari** · January 30, 2009, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by Bovril

But also, a genuine wish to improve people's lives.

We should be so friggin lucky.

**Bovril** · February 01, 2009, 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by Calamari

We should be so friggin lucky.

Righteous fanaticism can be just as dangerous as megalomania.

**saglam2000** · January 30, 2009, 07:52 AM

get along.....lol, you made my day. now its time to burn down another kurdish village, i'll be back in an hour

**Steel of Fury** · February 01, 2009, 06:00 AM

No, we all can't get along. Edited.

It's simple OP. If someone doesn't share the same likes/beliefs as you do, nine out of ten times you're not going to like that person. Interests are a reflection and an extension of one's personality. The same applies to groups.

**Sven788** · February 01, 2009, 07:48 AM

Originally Posted by Steel of Fury

No, we all can't get along. Edited
It's simple OP. If someone doesn't share the same likes/beliefs as you do, nine out of ten times you're not going to like that person. Interests are a reflection and an extension of one's personality. The same applies to groups.

I agree.

**Salem1** · February 01, 2009, 07:35 PM

In short:

''Hey man, this is our plan for improving our stuff'' - Guy 1
''Hmm, nah, I don't like it, but we propose our own solution here'' - Guy 2
''Well I don't like it either...'' - Guy 1

They sit around for a while, going through each other's solutions.

''Well uh, look, you obviously don't know how to improve people's lives, so get away will you?'' - Guy 1
''No way man, you've got no idea what you're doing'' - Guy 2
''I know how to improve people's lives and you don't!'' - Guy 1
''All right that's it, you're dead man! I'm going to prove that I can improve lives better than you'' - Guy 2
''Fine by me, it seems you just won't let me improve lives so I'll have to destroy you'' - Guy 1

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that they're fighting over who to improve people's lives. It's sort of like the Family Guy episode with the chicken guy that Peter tends to fight with. They become friends as they stop to think about why they're fighting, lay down and the chicken invites him to a restaurant. Everything goes well until they get more and more wind up over who's going to pay the bill. Both of them want to pay the bill, neither will back down and so they start fighting over whom to do something nice to the other.

**MekongFisher** · February 01, 2009, 08:13 PM

Sigh..... World never ceases to amuse me. A tragedy in comedy,

**Muagan_ra** · February 01, 2009, 09:05 PM

The kind of people who rise to the top in politics are more often than not the kind of people you would avoid talking to in a bar. It is these people who send young men and women to war. That's why we can't all just "get along", because s*it floats to the top.

**Sven788** · February 02, 2009, 04:33 AM

Originally Posted by Muagan_ra

The kind of people who rise to the top in politics are more often than not the kind of people you would avoid talking to in a bar. It is these people who send young men and women to war. That's why we can't all just "get along", because s*it floats to the top.

Those young men and women have chosen that profession, so they have to accept the fact that they will go to a war. I am not saying that I dislike the army (hell I want to join it) but the argument of young and it's so terrible for those kids fails. It's their job, they have to fight if they agree with the purpose or not.

**Thorn777** · February 02, 2009, 04:39 AM

Originally Posted by Sven788

Those young men and women have chosen that profession, so they have to accept the fact that they will go to a war. I am not saying that I dislike the army (hell I want to join it) but the argument of young and it's so terrible for those kids fails. It's their job, they have to fight if they agree with the purpose or not.

Like 80% of Italys military is from the lesser populated and poor south, where young man have to choose between the gamorra, drangetta etc or the military as a way out.

**Heathen Hammer** · February 02, 2009, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by Sven788

Those young men and women have chosen that profession, so they have to accept the fact that they will go to a war. I am not saying that I dislike the army (hell I want to join it) but the argument of young and it's so terrible for those kids fails. It's their job, they have to fight if they agree with the purpose or not.

Most of people who join the army have no idea of what a war really is.

**Sven788** · February 02, 2009, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by Volh Vseslavich

Most of people who join the army have no idea of what a war really is.

I don't know what country you are from, but here they get taught a lot and there is a lot of information about the risks and all other things what comes when you chose that profession.

**Heathen Hammer** · February 02, 2009, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by Sven788

I don't know what country you are from, but here they get taught a lot and there is a lot of information about the risks and all other things what comes when you chose that profession.

I have a relative who fought Chechens in 1990s and I know people here in Canada who were soldiers in Afghanistan. There is a huge difference between training and an actual war zone, despite the quality of training.

**Muagan_ra** · February 02, 2009, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by Sven788

Those young men and women have chosen that profession, so they have to accept the fact that they will go to a war. I am not saying that I dislike the army (hell I want to join it) but the argument of young and it's so terrible for those kids fails. It's their job, they have to fight if they agree with the purpose or not.

I have a problem with the very concept of wars not being fought by the people who instigated it. I think the British should send Tony Blair and her Majesty the Queen to the frontlines, along with every MP who voted to authorise it. Just like it was in pre-modern times.

**Steel of Fury** · February 02, 2009, 12:10 AM

The kind of people who rise to the top in politics are more often than not the kind of people you would avoid talking to in a bar. It is these people who send young men and women to war. That's why we can't all just "get along", because s*it floats to the top.

Good point.