Thoughts on Conflict

One of the greatest tragedies of our time, of all time perhaps, is our inability to outgrow conflict. From the legalised brutality of nations to the frozen spaces between individuals, this fatal flaw has survived impervious to all other aspects of our advancement. Without exception, at the heart of every conflict are arrogance and ego – often disguised as more virtuous twins but still a fatal combination. Conflict emerges with the expectation of a single narrative – the easy grasp of oversimplification or the deceptive appeal of a superficial ideology. The world’s subtle complexities often harden to naive ideology in the presence of arrogance - and ego will always take sides in the face of ambiguity. Whatever dilemmas the world presents to us, it is only with humility that we can see rightly. Every conflict drives us towards oversimplification and every true resolution opens us to truly hear the voices of others. If a new consciousness is ever to emerge amongst the divisions of humanity its first breath will be drawn in the presence of humility and its first cry will be peace.