"The whole world must learn of our peaceful ways... By force" - bender
4 years ago | 687
Didn’t Thor’s father say something like. “A king doesn’t seek out conflict, but must always be ready for it.”
4 years ago | 860
Both these statements are right. The mindset is flawed, but the mindset will keep peace. What’s peace if you can’t protect it?
4 years ago | 220
Like Ultron said, "You're confusing peace with quiet" Peace means not having to worry about what stick the other guy has.
4 years ago | 56
“If you want peace, prepare for war.” Si vis pacem, para bellum
4 years ago | 723
As much as I wish it was a flawed mindset, the world is not a fairytale. "Speak softly and carry a big stick."
4 years ago | 113
That IS “Peace.” However it’s a defaulted Peace. True Peace would be for all people to be without strife. But that’s unrealistic, most would say impossible. So the default, the “next best thing” is peace by threat of force. We haven’t had World War III because no one wants to push the button. The threat of nuclear catastrophe means it’s peaceful (mostly, all things considered). It’s still peace, but it’s not what I would call true peace. Many of the Clone Wars era Star Wars comics deal with this: Are the Jedi guardians of Peace if they’re generals in an army fighting a war? Is it peaceful to take up a sword in the name of ending the conflict, or as Tony Stark later refers to it, the purpose of fighting is to eventually go home. It’s a very interesting question you’ve posed here.
4 years ago | 232
As if my other comment wasn’t long enough, it’s also worth noting that Iron Man 2 backs up his statement—“I’ve successfully privatized world peace.” That’s in reference to “The Iron Man, um, weapon.” Iron Man 2, buried under a sketchy script, is trying to be about that concept. “Stark has made a sword, and yet he insists it’s a shield! And asks us to cower behind it...” So can a sword be a shield? I would say yes, but it isn’t for forever. It’s Peace... but it’s temporary peace. Not “True Peace”
4 years ago | 209
In a world where nobody has sticks, somebody would be the first to throw a rock.
4 years ago | 417
" Our very strength incites challenge. Challenge incites conflict... " - Vision True Peace was already unobtainable the moment the first guy decided to pick up a stick to resolve conflicts.
4 years ago | 164
A harmless man cannot be good, because he doesn't have a choice. A good man is someone capable of doing damage, but choosing not to. So yes, the size of your stick matters.
4 years ago | 90
“An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.” Robert A. Heinlein
4 years ago | 208
“It’s better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in a war” “Peace is the time spent preparing for the next war.”
4 years ago (edited) | 79
Teddy Roosevelt famously quoted “speak softly and carry a big stick.” Which is a more complete philosophy. I’ve always taken that to mean; if there is no stick behind the words, the voice can only carry so much weight. If there is no voice behind the stick, there is no meaning beyond fear. It is ultimately a balancing act; much like peace.
4 years ago | 56
In practicality the statement is true, fear is a strong deterrent. The mindset is also flawed from a philosophical stand point because that isn't really peace, it's only peaceful for the one with the biggest stick it's fear to everyone else. It also encourages people to keep building bigger sticks.
4 years ago | 55
Peace is just the time in between wars. What deters war? A big ass stick.
4 years ago | 78
I see the big stick as a contingency but whoever wields it needs to be kept in check.
4 years ago | 72
Depends on who 'the other guy' is. some people need the carrot and some people need the stick.
4 years ago | 123
I’ll counter with this DC quote: ”Peace is a virtue. A state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence and justice. It is not simply the absence of war.” —Wonder Woman
4 years ago | 39
Whatever Kojima was trying to say with the MGS franchise is what I agree with.
4 years ago | 74
Jeremy Jahns
OK, new post, better phrased for the science:
In the first Iron Man, Tony Stark says "peace means having a bigger stick than the other guy".
So...
4 years ago | [YT] | 4,137