Nooner

Last night we watched High Noon.

It’s interesting on pacifism. Is pacifism just a lazy way of not having to ever make a stand for anything?

What kind of morality can there be in standing up for what you believe in if you put your own life and the lives of people you love at risk?

But what kind of world do you live in when people only consider the safety and well being of their own and refuse to stand against the (inevitable?) bad guys when they come?

I get kind of frustrated sometimes with the idea that there should never be war because of how terrible war is. Well OK, war is terrible. But if you’re not prepared ever to go to war over anything then what do you stand for?

Of course the main example of a just war is WWII and the supposed fight against fascism. But of course neither Britain nor the USA went to war with Germany to save the victims of the Nazis. Any saving of the innocent that went on was basically collateral benefit rather than the goal of involvement.

I guess I’d be a pacifist myself if it wasn’t for a nagging voice that tells me that in my case I’m just doing it for the easy life. I’m like the townsfolk who thought Will Kane was crazy. I’d rather just let the gunmen ride into town.

Coward? Probably. Pragmatist - I’d like to think so. But there’s nothing idealistic about my distaste for war or violence.

14 September 2008 | Uncategorized | Comments