• Published 18th Jul 2016
  • 661 Views, 16 Comments

Philosophy of the Gator - IndiBrony



Gummy shares some thoughts. Should be mildly interesting if nothing else.

  • ...
0
 16
 661

Conflict and the Gator.

What is conflict?

To understand conflict, we must first understand the definition of the word. Conflict has two clear meanings. First, when used as a verb, it describes an incompatibility between two or more parties. Alternatively, when the noun is used, it describes anything involving an ongoing struggle, be it with one's own feelings, or all out war. So it is fair to say that conflict, by definition, covers a wide variety of things.

Regardless of the situation, one consistency is that it places one or more parties into a position of distress, and each and every conflict desires a satisfactory resolution. How that resolution comes about can be determined in any number of ways which can impact those involved either positively, negatively or neutrally: talking, fighting, or even ignoring the conflict, for example, can all serve to put an end to a conflict. Each have their benefits, each have their drawbacks, but very few conflicts are ever left truly unresolved.

The very nature of conflicts can be conflicting. We live in a world in which we desire harmony - nobody truly wants to fight with each other, do they? To that, I say that - in a sense - they do. In fact, I believe that conflict can make us happy, and that we often strive for conflict. Think about it. In the stories you read, in the shows you enjoy, they almost all repeat the same process: the protagonist's life is at peace until it is shaken by a conflict, and the story advances until a satisfactory resolution has been reached. And we enjoy this. But why?

The simplest answer would be knowledge. Each time we face a conflict, we're thrust into a situation where we have an opportunity to learn and grow. The desired outcome is an increased knowledge of how the world works, and that knowledge is satisfying to the mind, but it could even have more primal matters in mind. It is satisfying for many creatures to know that they are the most powerful in their group - being the Alpha - and coming out on top in a conflict can reinforce that fact.

We face conflict on a constant basis, often without even noticing it. Things which happen before our eyes that we respond to without question or pause. A lot of these responses we learn from experience, and any time we face a new challenge we learn how to deal with that, too, but there are many challenges require a lot more thought.

So what do you do when you find yourself in a situation where conflict leads to further conflict? How do you break the cycle? Ignoring the problem can negatively impact the lives of many, but showing love and kindness can often seem to fall on deaf ears, and responding with violence only encourages more backlash.

I dislike conflict where the resolution ends in suffering. I have, though experience, learned that there are cases where suffering can not be avoided. Whether it's a fight for equal rights, land, or merely survival, when you invoke conflict between two or more large groups, blood is almost guaranteed to be spilled. It is an unfortunate fact of life.

Steps can be taken to avoid such things happening, but often things can spiral out of control as one or more parties attempts to resolve the conflict through the easiest means as opposed to making a morally righteous decision. These types of conflicts will almost certainly escalate to a point where it cannot escalate further before it is resolved. The pain ends when one party loses the will to continue.

Is there a point to it? Will we ever learn from past mistakes, or is history doomed to repeat itself? Will we ever live in true harmony? Or will conflict be ever-present in our lives? How do we avoid needless conflict? And how do we use the lessons we learn to better ourselves? Do we absorb the knowledge given to us in these situations or do we shut out knowledge in favour of our own world view? Can every problem be handled peacefully or are there cases where even pacifists must take arms?

The next time you find yourself in conflict, will you choose to do what is right or what is easy? Do you try and resolve things peacefully, or violently? Each action affects those around you. Think carefully, think rationally, and most importantly you must think about how others will respond to your decision. Will your actions truly resolve the conflict, or merely lead to more trouble?

I sincerely hope we can all find the strength inside of us to do what is right when faced with difficult situations and do what we can to bring peace and harmony to the world.

Comments ( 2 )

I think this is the most awesome fiction about philosophy I ever read in this site. Thanks for another reflection fiction man. You did a great job.

This is still as thought provoking today as the day I read it. Bravo good sir, bravo.

Login or register to comment