To start, I just want to thank Edwin Starr for the title of today’s blog. Thanks Edwin. Very cool song.

There’s always a story in the news about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. You just can’t avoid it. Almost ten years on and I suspect you would need less than one hand to count the number of days during that period where either encounter hasn’t been mentioned on the television or in the broadsheet. The topic of today was an Australian soldier who had served in Afghanistan turning his back on the army. In an irate email to his mate, he tells of a situation endured by troops during a certain gun fight where one soldier was killed. The email, that was leaked, berates the military for not supplying the troops with enough ammo or the right sort, insufficient back up and allowing the diggers to go into the situation with bad intelligence reports. It’s a cutting email.

The night before I had sat through an Australian Story programme which focused on an Australian war correspondent who had served the equivalent of 80 odd tours in Iraq. The movie The Hurt Locker came to mind as this guy was obviously seriously screwed up by everything he had seen and experienced, but kept going back until he reached breaking point. Having brought his long list of consecutive consignments to an end, he still kept watching videos of the war, over and over and over. Why? I don’t know. To try to understand it better? To try to understand his reactions to situations he had found himself in? To try to understand war full stop?

War has been part of human activity for thousands and thousands of years. It’s what we do. Has there ever been a time when there wasn’t some sort of war somewhere? I think not. The thing that amazes me is how prehistoric we are sometimes. What actually has war achieved? Peace? Perhaps, but for how long? Personal satisfaction for power hungry despots? Yes, but we all know they’re a bit screwed in the head to begin with anyway, whether they lived thousands of years ago or today, and often even when they wear a suit and tie (a very clever disguise for all those Westerners out there, dear reader).

Humans seem fascinated by war and disaster. Just look how many of us couldn’t stop watching those Twin Towers fall over and over and over again nine years ago. Don’t worry, I’m not judging or accusing anyone, I include myself in that group. I also love historical novels about war. Hannibal and his elephants fascinate me, Roman army tactics can keep me in awe for hours, and the war strategies of Alexander The Great leave me speechless and impressed. But why? Is it part of who we are as humans? Is it something we have to do, just to be a mammal on this planet? I watch the television and see grown men (or not so grown if I’m honest, which makes it all the sadder) pump lead into each other, and if I detach myself enough I can see how utterly ridiculous and immature it seems.

Is this because as humans we crave initiation and awakening in what is termed the hero’s journey? Think along the lines of Jason and the golden fleece. The point of the story is not just to pop you off to sleep at night. It’s about overcoming your adversity by finding your inner strength and reaching your bliss as a result. The point is, the journey is an inner journey, not an outer one. Yes, you may have to overcome outer obstacles and situations to put you on that inner journey, but you have to deal with yourself, not “what’s out there”. Is this what we are trying to achieve in a rough and primitive fashion globally by creating war? Or is it a cunning ploy by “those in charge” to keep us in fear and hence make us easier to control? Possibly, but it’s up to each of us not to buy into that.

Humans supposedly have a higher consciousness than other animals. Many believe we are more more developed both in spirit and in the mind; that our brain is structured differently, more evolved so to speak. Alberto Villodo, PhD tells of the four levels of awareness, the reptilian brain, the limbic brain, neocortex and prefrontal cortex. The former two are of a prehistoric brain and based on survival. The latter two are more evolved and wiser in their functioning. A lot of the time we don’t evolve to use the latter to their potential, sticking to the former with the idea of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

It’s easy to look at everything going on out there and say that the problem is too big, that you’re too small to make a difference. But, as Gandhi said, you have to be the change you want to see in the world. A lot of individuals put together can make up a considerable group, and who knows, perhaps the theory of critical mass holds true and we only need a certain amount to change the whole. Perhaps we need to take a leaf out of Mother Theresa’s book. When asked to protest against war, she said she wouldn’t. But have a rally for peace, and she would be there for sure. SHe was focusing on the positive.Enough of pointing the finger and time to make the change for ourselves. And no matter how important and intelligent those world leaders out there look on our television sets, they’re just humans and they (very obviously) have their fears. Let’s help them out.

Now, perhaps I’m being way too idealistic. Maybe the gods want us to war with each other for their own entertainment and maybe my own interest in war is what concerns me. I don’t know, but thought it was worth a thought.

XXX