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The Cost Of War


OpenMind5

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The following is a Paper that I am writing, and I wanted to share my ideas with everyone else. I would like comments and ideas...PLEASE!

 

-----Paper Starts-------

 

Webster dictionary defines War as “an open armed conflict as between countries.” But War is not something that is waged just by countries. War can happen on so many levels, all around us. War is the embodiment of evil…pure hell.

Wars have been fought, over land, resources, and even love. And the costs of these Wars are far greater than any one of us could imagine. Wars happen every day, and they leave us with scares on our bodies and our souls.

I have asked many people about War, and they always talk about the wars that they have learned about in their textbooks or their times in school. About Vietnam, or World War II, when more deadly and costly wars are being waged in every day life right under their noses. Battles are being fought right now. Some people are fighting for their rights, or other rights. So people are fighting for their lives against a dictator and others against cancer. Some are fighting politics, and other against gangs. And that’s what war is, fighting. And in the end, the costs of these battles are all the same. The cost is nothing to do with money, or time, or any types of numbers. It’s about death. War cost us our lives. We all know we are going to die in the end, and war is something we do, to make it feel like we lived for a reason. To make us feel we were there, we lived, and we died for a cause. For if you die without a cause, is your death worth anything. That is something society has done from day one. War is of human nature, and cannot be avoided, by even the holiest of people. Everyone wages War against something.

But just because everyone wages War, in their own ways, is it right to go to War. There is no time in which it is right to go to war. But we, as people, have no choice in the matter.

Everyday, people die from battle in Wars like Vietnam, and everyday people die from battling in Wars against cancer. War is the confronting of a conflict, that results in a battle or multiple battles, and no matter if you win or lose the battle, your lose the War in the end. That’s is the ultimate price we pay.

 

“War is a malignant disease, an idiocy, a prison, and the pain it

causes is beyond telling or meaning; but war was our condition

and our history, the place we live in.”

-Martha Gelhorn

 

-------------------paper ends--------------

 

Op5

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And that’s what war is, fighting. And in the end, the costs of these battles are all the same.

Op5

 

 

Really? I think war is not just about plain fighting.(if that is what you mean) Why do we fight? To gain something? To make others comply? To mark our place? Or something else? There is a story behind every fight, we don't pick a fight for no reason what so ever, even the pettiest fight has a motive. The cost of war in concept might be the same but each war/conflict/battle is so uniquely different that the cost in detail is very different. Especially if you include personal fights such as fighting for a goal, or against a diease. Those fights have very different ideology compared to for eg the Cuban Missile Crisis.

 

The cost is nothing to do with money, or time, or any types of numbers. It’s about death. War cost us our lives.

Op5

 

But some wars(as you mentioned), eg. fighting against cancer, doesn't neccessarily cost lives and instead it can make us value life more. Also, we are greedy beings and some wars are about money, land and gain.

 

We all know we are going to die in the end, and war is something we do, to make it feel like we lived for a reason. To make us feel we were there, we lived, and we died for a cause. For if you die without a cause, is your death worth anything. That is something society has done from day one. War is of human nature, and cannot be avoided, by even the holiest of people.

Op5

 

We don't have to fight to feel like we lived for a reason, and I don't think this is the reason we are fighting for. Many people are happy just living in this world and others leave their mark in many many differnt ways, (history is filled with amazing people who are eternalized in text for their contributions). I think : War can be avoided, conflict cannot. But conflicts can be resolved, it depends on how willing the opposing parties are to understand each other. In this situation, ignorance is certainly not bliss.

 

But just because everyone wages War, in their own ways, is it right to go to War. There is no time in which it is right to go to war. But we, as people, have no choice in the matter.

Op5

 

We certainly have no choice in 'getting' cancer but we do have the choice to fight it or not. Most do, some don't. Life is full of choices, eve picking out what'll wear tomorrow is a choice. War is not initiated by one choice, it is full of choices and every action can contribute. (good eg would be Cuban Missile Crisis :cup: again)

 

War is the confronting of a conflict, that results in a battle or multiple battles, and no matter if you win or lose the battle, your lose the War in the end. That’s is the ultimate price we pay.

Op5

 

What about winning against cancer, that is certainly win.

 

My first somewhat longish feedback! ^^ I hope it was of some use, but I need to go now it is 1 in the morning and I need sleep.

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Op5 - you say that war is wrong, and never justified, but you appeal only to emotion, to our gut reactions. You give no logical reasoning why war, which helps cull the population to livable sizes, helps boost the standard of living for the people in the years after, and helps scientific and technological innovation, is truly bad. I am not saying that I think war is good, but at least I provide reasoning.

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Op5 - you say that war is wrong, and never justified, but you appeal only to emotion, to our gut reactions. You give no logical reasoning why war... is truly bad. I am not saying that I think war is good...

 

Ok, no logical resoning...as to why war is bad? Maybe somthing ot do with death? Death is bad right?

 

WHat do u think i need to add? The idea of Mamed people. Elaborate on the idea of the scares?

 

 

 

 

Minna- Thank you soo much for the feed back.

You mentioned how i said,

War is the confronting of a conflict, that results in a battle or multiple battles, and no matter if you win or lose the battle, your lose the War in the end. That’s is the ultimate price we pay.
and you said
What about winning against cancer, that is certainly win.

Don't You agree that in the end you still die? You fought a battle, and won, but you still get the same fate as the person that lost...Death.

 

Thanks Again guys!

Op5

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hmmm...

*sigh*

I wish a had at least a few more opions....

PLease guys...

come out of your shells.

 

Op5

This is a long and dragged out thread, very repetitive and somewhat pedantic. Don't you think you have had enough opinions? The answers appear to be couched in terms of why we have war, instead of what are its costs. The costs are easy to calculate, the reasons are difficult to determine. War is a male pursuit. Men throughout evolution have had to fight for and defend their status. It is rare that women take that rold in society as evidenced because the vast majority of violent behavior is by men. in humans as well as in most animals fighting among males is a genetically transmitted characteristic.
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Ok, no logical resoning...as to why war is bad? Maybe somthing ot do with death? Death is bad right?

 

WHat do u think i need to add? The idea of Mamed people. Elaborate on the idea of the scares?

Op5

 

Back to what others have said, the topic 'war' is much much to broad and generalised. It is immpossible to find what is pure bad or pure good. (That doesn't mean you should give up in your attempts ^^ *cheers*)

 

Don't You agree that in the end you still die? You fought a battle, and won, but you still get the same fate as the person that lost...Death.

Op5

 

Yes, in the end we are all going to die. That doen't mean we shouldn't strive to live even though our fate is the same. I mean being alive is life right? And that makes all the difference...(I think I am off topic) ^^

 

-minna

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No, your right on topic. Thank you very much Minna for helping me out here. I am going to post my paper again (slightly revised)...

 

Webster dictionary defines War as “an open armed conflict as between countries.” But War is not something that is waged just by countries. War can happen on so many levels, all around us. War is the embodiment of evil…pure hell.

Wars have been fought, over land, resources, and even love. And the costs of these Wars are far greater than any one of us could imagine. Wars happen every day, and they leave us with scars on our bodies and our souls.

I have asked many students, teachers and parents about War, and they always end up talking about the Wars that they have learned about in their textbooks or during their times at school. They talk about Vietnam, or World War II, even though more deadly and costly wars are being waged in every day life right under their noses. Battles are being fought right now. Some people are fighting for their rights, or other rights. Some people are fighting for their lives against a dictator, others against cancer. Some people are fighting politics, and other against gangs and drugs. And that’s what war is…fighting.

At times there are different motives and reasons for War, but in the end, the costs of these battles are all the same. The cost is nothing to do with money, or time, or any types of numbers. It’s about death. Not a death toll or body count, War cost us our lives. While you might think winning a war against cancer, or the “Japs,” does not cost you your life, but in the end, you will suffer a similar fate than your lost opponent.

Yes, we all know we are going to die in the end, and war is something we do, to make it feel like we lived for a reason. To make us feel we were there, we lived, and we died for a cause. For if you die without a cause, is your death worth anything. That is something society has done from day one. War is of human nature, and cannot be avoided, by even the holiest of people. Everyone wages War against something or someone

But just because everyone wages War, in his or her own ways, doesn’t make it right. War can never be justified by any means. Human’s lives cannot have a price put on them, and War is never worth the risk to get resources, or even time…

Everyday, people die from battle in Wars like Vietnam, and everyday people die from battling in Wars against cancer. War is the confronting of a conflict, which results in a battle or multiple battles. No matter if you win or lose the battles…No matter if you win or lose the War…we pay that ultimate price.

 

“War is a malignant disease, an idiocy, a prison, and the pain it

causes is beyond telling or meaning; but war was our condition

and our history; the place we live in.”

-Martha Gelhorn.

 

Are there any spelling/gramatical errors? And...

like Minna has done...pin point ideas/commentsthat don't make sense or u think i should bakc up more. And i will try to fix them. PLease

 

Op5

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