World of Peoples
The Age of Peace
End War 2050
ICAN 2030
World of Nations 2020
Question: Will Humanity take the third step toward global governance before or after
World War III?
In 2012 the doomsday clock was set at five minutes to midnight.
in 2015 the clock was adjusted to three minutes to midnight.
The Doomsday Clock 2017 set two and half minutes away from midnight. The closest it's been since 1953.
(A story to turn the clock back is contained herein.)
Our Choice
Our Call
Our Vision
It Is a Matter of Imagination and Collective Human Will.
End War Forever Survey
Initial Impression Beliefs Attitudes
U.S.A. General Population
Survey Monkey
10/18/2016
JanStephen J. Cavanaugh, Ph.D.
Summary:
End War Forever is a meme to draw attention to the law against war. The End War Forever Survey was designed to identify beliefs and attitudes about end war forever at a time of unending war in 2016.
Sample size 269 U.S.A. General Population
Respondents are from all parts of United States with a slightly larger number from North West and North East. Respondents cut across all income ranges from $0 to $200,000 plus. Fifty four percent female and forty six percent male.
When findings of this survey are projected onto the collective American psychic, a profile of U.S. beliefs and attitudes about end of war forever emerges. These data indicate a majority do not believe war can end, ever. There is more interest in ending war from middle income earners. Almost all are some degree of skeptical, and one third are some degree of negative, even hostile to the concept of ending war. Does gender percentage response gap reflect greater female interest in ending war?
Conclusion: The major obstacle to embracing the meme “end war forever” is disbelief among ordinary citizens that war can end, let alone forever. This state of mind reveals most citizens to be war conscious dominant: they trust only war to keep them safe from war. The general belief that war is inevitable is a learned believe. The existential truth is war is a choice.
Introduction
In casual conversation about current events since 9/11, a question, “What do you think about ending war?” I have asked this question, or some variation thereof, to a random sample of 400 persons.
Most folks were some degree of skeptic, dismissive, amused, a few curious, and another few quite hostile to the idea of ending war. Some thought the question anti-military and unpatriotic, in a time of war.
How could it be that there was so little interest in ending war, a surprise to me. The responses contradicted my assumption that at least in the abstract everyone would favor peace from war. Perhaps the Psalmist in 120: 6-7 who laments “Long enough have I been dwelling with those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for fighting.” is describing not then, but now.
Out of that informal survey rose a determination to look more systematically into the beliefs and attitudes concerning ending war. The result is “End War Forever Survey”. The survey is comprised of ten questions. Some items worded to cause a little cognitive dissonance, to evoke. These data intended to reveal a profile of the cognitions that informs attitudes and beliefs in the matter of ending war at a time of unending war.
Data Gathering Method: Following each question the respondent was presented with opposing responses, and a binary choice. Each respondent also given the the opportunity for commentary.
Data Gathering Engine: Survey Monkey
Sample size: 269 U.S.A General Population
Gender: Fifty four percent female and forty six percent male.
Respondents are from all parts of United States with a slightly larger number from North West and North East.
Respondents cut across all income ranges from $0 to $200,000 plus.
Summary Results by Question:
Q1: Do you believe humanity can end war forever?
Answer Choices Responses:
A humanity without and beyond war forever can be built. 29.00% 78
War is with humanity forever. 61.34% 165
Comments 10.78% 29
This question goes directly at the underlying projected belief an individual has about what humanity believes in the matter of ending war. 61% of persons believe humanity believes war is with humanity forever.
Many of the 29% who were more hopeful. Many of the 11% who commented felt this would happen in the context of a religious awakening. But even among this subgroup of hopefuls there was much misgiving about whether end of war can be done. Some chose a back-up position; maybe “defensive” war will always be us.
Commentary Q1: A significant majority of this survey believes humanity believes war is with humanity forever. War becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Skepticism would be the best way to describe the beliefs and attitudes in the matter of ending war. Many expressed doubt on the wisdom of ending war.
The belief that humanity has the power to end war does not exist in the mindset of a clear majority of the population. If results of this survey are confirmed, then it appears the vast majority of humanity is “war conscious dominant”. This makes sense, given the dominance of patriarchy across globe earth.
When cognition is affirmed by majority and a person identifies with that majority, the more likely the individual feels empowered by that belief. War is a self-fulfilling prophecy. For now, end war forever is a minority opinion.
A world without war is a hard sell to citizen john and jane doe.
Q2: Do you agree the root of all war is injustice?
Answer Choices 
Responses:
Responses: I agree injustice is the root of all war. 25.28% 68
I disagree injustice is the root of all war. 60.97% 164
Comments 15.61% 42
Total Respondents: 269
The underlying epistemology of this question is, no matter the particular sin or abuse of power that gives rise to war, when all is said and done the common denominator of war is injustice. There are many numerators.
Twenty Six per cent of respondents agree injustice is the root cause of war. Sixty one per cent disagree injustice alone is the root of war. The 15% who commented respondents list of the root causes of war: greed, malice, ignorance, prejudice, religion, stupidity, power and control, mentioned most frequently.
The looming question in the comments was: who decides what “justice” is. The perennial “is” question. Ending war starts with metaphysics.
Comment Q2: The Kellogg Briand Pact was built on the assumption that law has power over war. The god of war can be put to rest. The goddess of justice rules. In 1928 humanity signed up for justice, the rule of law world wide to end war. And with broad support from all sectors and players. Attitudes in 2016 are very different. End of war is a hard sell. Those interested in ending war must re-excite humanity to complete the work of our great grandparents.
These data also point to what may be the biggest problem in ending war: citizen john and jane, they vote for the taxes to keep the war machine alive because they see no clear and trust worthy alternative.
The master of war Sun Tzu made it clear the successful battle is won before the first shot is fired. In the end, ending war comes down to votes, and vision with a strategy and tactics to get that global vote.
3Q. Do you support the Kellogg Briand Pact signed by humanity in 1928 to outlaw war?
Answer Choices Responses:
Responses: I do not support outlawing war. 21.56% 58
I support outlawing war forever. 46.84% 126
Comments 32.71% 88
Total Respondents: 269
The Kellogg Briand Pact 1928 is the lesson of WWI. The wisdom of our great grandparents to end war. As of yet not the global will to enforce it. Perhaps the horrors of WWI yet a thousand fold before the lesson fully learned.
Twenty two percent do not support this Pact. Forty seven percent do support this Pact. Of the eighty eight people who commented 50% indicated they did not know what this was … with intentions to look it up.
Many comments expressing general cynicism about the “reality” of such thinking, and others are cautiously optimistic, “As long as there can be multi-multi-lateral agreements with UN-like verification agreements in parallel.”
Commentary Q3: That almost half this sample supported this Pact suggests that even though the idea of ending war seems far-fetched to most, there is a social openness to the concept. That such a large number had not heard of Pact suggests much needs to be done to educate the general citizen.
Q4. Do you understand peace through justice is the alternative to the unending terror of war?
Answer Choices Responses:
Responses: I understand peace through justice is the alternative to war. 52.04% 140
I disagree peace through justice is an alternative to war. 31.60% 85
Comments 20.82% 56
Total Respondents: 269
The phrase “peace through justice” is common phrasing in prayers for peace. “Peace through Justice restates the relationship of peace and justice from an “and” relationship, to a “through” relationship. They are not the same … one is a precondition for the other. Justice is the active outer principle in ending war. Peace the inner passive principle in ending war.
When presented with the meme “peace through justice” as the alternative to unending war, fifty two per cent of respondents agreed. Thirty one per cent disagree. Of the 269 total respondent’s 56 offered comments. The majority of these persons expressed some variation of the concern regarding what is “justice” and who gets to decide that? So much of ending war is about trust.
Commentary Q4: 52% agreed. The meme “peace through justice” is understandable to a simple majority. And many comments expressed some degree of ambivalence about the concept of peace through justice, even as many agreed the meme made some sense. One respondent’s wording captured a lot of the sentiment: “Takes more than justice to uphold peace. It takes understanding and compassion too”. .
And again on this question an emerging concern: who gets to decide what “justice” is?
Q5. I believe many feel peace to be weak and feminine?
Answer Choices Responses
Responses I agree. 25.65% 69
I disagree 68.77% 185
Comments 6.69% 18
Total Respondents: 269
In our time there is a grand social experiment in effect to deconstruct gender inequality as hard wired into human consciousness. The wording of the question intentionally puts peace, weak and feminine in the same sentence (in the context of war and peace survey), confronts that deconstruction, and asks respondent to project their answer onto other.
Twenty six percent of respondents agreed peace is weak and feminine and 69% disagreed.
Eighteen respondents offered comments. One respondent did object to the “politically incorrect” arrangement of ideas in the sentence, thought it “rude”. For some the meaning is unclear. Others agreed that peace needs “strength”, “power”.
Comment Q5: That a clear majority disagreed with this item suggests that the solidity of patriarchy is being deconstructed. Perhaps the trauma of Chamberlain and WWII when peace judged as dangerous and peacemakers judged weak (and characterized as "effeminate”) is no longer so deep in collective memory from the horror of that war.
Perhaps this is ray of hope, a changing of consciousness that justice as portrayed in the great stories, the goddess of justice, strong enough to face god of war down.
Q6. I believe most people see war as strong and masculine?
Answer Choices Responses:
Responses: I agree. 41.26% 111
I disagree 54.28% 146
Comments 5.58% 15
Total Respondents: 269
That 54% of respondents disagree suggests patriarchy is being deconstructed, although among some, a fear that "we" are getting "soft".
Fifteen respondents left comments that reflected the complexity of the issues:
“No war for no reason is bullying, what if the rolls were reversed how would the other feel if they were over powered, weak, hungry, wondering why so and so country is treating them like this.” “War is quick and simple thus making it weak, but peace and enduring the outcome is strength that we all have.”
Comment Q 5 and 6: Perhaps these numbers suggest "war dominant consciousness" is a malleable mentality and humanity agrees war is subject to justice. Voting law dominant conscious.
Q7. Justice is the answer to war?
Answer Choices Responses:
Responses: I agree. 31.97% 86
I disagree. 47.21% 127
Comments 24.54% 66
Total Respondents: 269
Thirty two percent of respondents agreed justice is the answer to war. Forty seven percent disagreed, and twenty four percent left comments that in the main where skeptical about the validity of imaging justice as the answer to war.
Commentary Q7: There is significant minority support for the meme “Justice the Answer to War”, but almost 50% disagreed. In the comments much ambivalence even hostility to idea that justice is the answer to war.
There is no clear answer in the minds of most as to what it is that will end war. And, in the not knowing, they favor war.
Q8. The next best thing to the law of love is the rule of law?
Answer Choices Responses:
Yes, I agree. 44.24% 119
No, I disagree. 38.29% 103
Comments 19.33% 52
Total Respondents: 269
The question comes out of a line of reasoning that states that if humanity is not yet ready to love their neighbors as they are taught, then off to court they go. And it envisions a globe Earth Civilization living free from the terror of war, a universal human right.
Forty four percent of respondents agreed if not love, law is next best. Thirty eight percent of respondents disagreed.
The 19% who wrote comments that spanned from quizzical, cynical, helpful and supportive.
Commentary Q8: The weight of the answers and comments to Q8 indicates support for the idea that if we are not able to love our neighbor as we should, then of to court we go. But, respondent verbalized deep concerns about what justice is, and who gets to decide that? This question appears frequently in comments on several of the items.
Q9. The Age of Peace, humanity without war, it can be done?
Answer Choices Responses:
Responses: Agree. 37.17% 100
Disagree. 50.56% 136
Comments 13.38% 36
Total Respondents: 269
For sure many other evils and injustices afflict humanity, but would not the removal of war be the next great step?
This statement asks the respondent to image humanity without war called the Age of Peace.
Thirty seven percent agree it can be done, just not yet.
Fifty per cent out right reject the idea that an age of peace defined as no war can be done. The nineteen percent that commented expressed deep reservations about this concept, it seemed difficult for them to imagine it.
Commentary Q9: There is great difficulty in the general population imaging a world of peace from war, even among those who favor the concept. Perhaps Einstein’s observation, “to imagine is everything” relevant in the matter of ending war … first we have to envision it. That a significant minority thought end of war can be done, just not yet, encouraging.
Q10. I agree with Pope Francis and other prophets humanity is currently on path to WWIII?
Answer Choices Responses:
Responses: Agree. 56.88% 153
Disagree. 26.77% 72
Comments 18.59% 50
Total Respondents: 269
A majority, 57%, share Pope Francis prophecy on WWIII, and 27% disagree with 19% offering comments. The comments express some degree of reservation about this prophecy, its meaning and its power.
Commentary Q10: A significant majority of this population agrees WWIII is in the future. A very significant minority do not see WWIII in our future.
Conclusion
The intent of this survey was to get a reading on beliefs and attitude of citizens of the United States of American in the matter of ending war in a time of unending war. They were presented with a meme “End War Forever” as the stimulus. To the degree this survey got a valid reading on beliefs and attitudes, to that degree the results of the survey can be projected onto the larger population. The major limitation of survey is sample size. The instrument in need of validation.
What seems clear is that even with all the reservations about the concept of end war forever expressed by this population, there is openness to an alternative to war. One might conclude that the ground is being prepared for a populace ready to embrace end of war, but they do not see a plan to make that happen. That a majority of us thinks WWIII is down the road is significant. This implies they are unconsciously looking for a plan to make end war forever happen.
What needs to happen to set in motion the end of war an open question.
Peace through Justice does emerge as a unifying refrain, but there is a lot of work to be done to tell a story of ending war that jane and john doe will find trustworthy. Most specifically, if law is to be the answer to war, who gets to decide what justice is … the overwhelming concern.
On Main Street in our body politic ending war generates great ambivalence. Ambivalence can set the stage for change.
I was at No War 2016 Conference. I attended with mindset of Jane and John Doe. In the opening session of the conference a question arose as to what the “is” of war is. The growing tension in the room, at having no answer is deflected by agreeing to not to “go there”, to table resolution of what was clearly an uncomfortable topic. In my Jane and John Doe mind-set I was horrified. I observed a large group of seemingly well-intentioned persons agreeing to meet on ending war, but could not agree on what it was they were ending. And not agreeing on the what, offered no plan as to how.
It appears the major psychological issue to ending war is trust … building trust in justice and law to keep folks safe from war. And a plan to make it happen.
“The more peacemakers talk down the military, the more people distrust peacemakers.” Jsc
