The end of war is a book by John Horgan that looks at war on a different perspective. Jus as the title of the book suggests, Horgan has ideas and suggestions on why war can be brought to an end and the strategies that can be followed. Contrary to what many believe, Horgan believes that peace can be as natural as people look at war. War is not a gene that people are born with but a vice that people acquire basing on the external environment. However, looking at the external environment, it cannot be absolutely blamed for war. War is caused by people and in most cases; it comes from fear rather than any realistic issue. Horgan has taken an example from the First World War and how the war was caused. When the issue is critically analyzed, there was no apparent reason that agitated people into war. There were mainly tensions from all over that caused fear among people. The fear emanated from the fact that they will be considered hooligans or cowards if they did not participate in war. The egocentric nature of leaders was also prominent as they used war to prove their masculinity and power.
Most of the issues that have been considered to have caused the war such as economic interests and the likes were just a cover up. This is because at the time when the war was being fought, most nations were not in dire need of economic supremacy as they are now. They simply believed they were masculine enough to fight and engaged other young people who were not ready. The main idea raised by Horgan is on the fact that war trend can be reversed. It is clear that nobody loves being in a state of war, not even the soldiers love going to the battlefield despite the fact that it is a source of their living (White, 74). War has negative impacts on both a country’s economy and its relationships. It is something that affects an individual just as much as it does to a nation. The young and the old are affected a like and nobody wants to hear about the outcries of wars. Commanders are only people who are anxious about the outcome of the war, it will be a boost to their ego if they win yet a shame if they loose.
It is clear from the wars that have been fought that if people had an alternative way of solving their disputes, then they will not have to engage in war. We however realize that it is not because nations lack alternative means to solve disputes, war has been commonly used as a last resort, which has made the world consider it to be the order. If none of the states wishes to engage in war, these should have been followed by disarmament and avoidance in any activity that involves empowering a countries military. Horgan has noted that every country is investing in more military even when there are no signs of war around them. Even the poorest of the nations have a military to protect their borders. This is simply because of fear, fear which comes from the fact that other nations are empowering themselves for military action. It has become normal for a country to have a judiciary and a strong military power. This implies that nations are always looking forward to war and hence preparing themselves.
Having a military and weapons implies that if a war does not happen, then something will have to be triggered just to ensure the military is put to service. We have seen many nations exercising their military and even outsourcing some just to ensure they are busy somewhere. This therefore implies that war is an attitude tat has been engraved in the minds of people, which will happen even if it was not meant to. Horgan therefore suggests that if a reverse is adopted, it will work for the nations. He suggests that people decide to live peacefully and have an attitude of peace even when there are deep tensions (Horgan, 63). This is however not a theoretical move but has to follow some practical steps. The attitude of peace cannot be developed in the minds of people when they are still holding weapons and empowering their military. It will require that all military forces be disbanded all scientific measures of nuclear researches to be stopped. This will be the first step towards getting rid of the war mind, which will definitely be replaced by a mind of peace.
Horgan observes that the world faced numerous wars in the past compared to the present. However, when you look at how states are investing in military, one may think that the world has become more insecure. Most scientists and even scholars are finding it easier to carry out research and studies in the filed of military more than any other filed. Technological developments are even coming up with sophisticated ways through which people can comfortably engages in war by simply a press of a button. As long as such studies and researches are encouraged, then we are far from achieving our efforts towards a peaceful nation. With the full knowledge that each person dreads war and that is why they invest in military, it will be appropriate for a different approach to solve the issue. If a nation really fears war, then they should be afraid of anything that has to do with weapons, soldiers and the military. Such fears can be effectively countered if the nations took a further step to get rid of them and instead hope for a peaceful feature.
War has always been associated with negative consequences, which include death of our loved ones, psychological trauma especially for the soldiers that participate in war, killing of innocent civilians, increased taxes just to fund the wars, and causing unnecessary fears and tensions. When a war happens, it leaves wounds, which may take quite sometime to heal. There is no positive outcome of war, irrespective of which party conquers. When it comes to war, each party is considered to be a looser considering the efforts they employed which may never be rewarded. It is hence agreeable that peace is preferred at all times by everyone (Wright, 29). This being the case, then every nation has to be on the forefront of facilitating such peace by refusing any war association. If such a decision will be reached by every nation, then there will be no need of fear of war. In fact, people will be more obsessed with peace that they will engage in activities that promise them a peaceful nation.
Conclusion
Even though the arguments raised by Horgan are not practical, they present the truth of what nations have to employ if an end has to be put to wars. The enmity that has already been created among various nations and the war tensions that keep breeding will definitely not make leader t get rid of military and weapons. This will otherwise be considered a strategy of disarmament with the aim overtaking. On the other hand, if the move has to be taken with no hidden agendas among the parties, then it will be the perfect way of ending wars. Apparently, with the many investments that have already been done in terms of education and training, it will be impossible to reverse the minds of leaders, and more so amidst war tensions, to make them believe that they disarmament will work towards a peaceful nation.
Works cited
Horgan, John. The End of War. London: McSweeney's, 2011.
Wright, Ronald. A Short History Of Progress. New York: Canongate Books, 2010.
White, Matthew. The Great Big Book of Horrible Things: The Definitive Chronicle of History's
100 Worst Atrocities. London: W. W. Norton, 2011.
