War can be defined as an organized effort by a government or other large organization to stop an idea that is viewed as dangerous or bad. War is inevitable because there will always be differing views and perceptions among people, therefore there will always be war. In the beginning of conflict there may be an effort to find a solution to opposing viewpoints, however if both sides can not come to an agreement the outcome will be war.
In this photo we see a little boy and an armed American soldier. While war highlights the “evil” aspects of people’s human nature, there can be positive outcomes from it. In the photograph, water is exchanged between the boy and the soldier illustrating humanity even in times of conflict. The paradox of war is represented. Often, people turn to violence as a solution to resolving differentiating points of view. War is seen as a solution to problems between countries or people because it is easier than facing their problems and taking responsibility to find an answer to their conflict. In Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried several rules of war are expressed. Each rule is contradicted by the next. Conflict has no “definite” answer. There are no guidelines and no boundaries. It is an open playing field with no winner or loser. The picture represents that within a conflict people loose sight of what they are trying to resolve and therefore loose sense of what they are fighting for. People forget what the original source of conflict was and will continue to fight in a war changing their points of view, supporting the notion that: "nothing is ever absolutely true" in war. Once a war is started, the only way for there to be an end is by declaring a winner and loser. Even then, there will be tension and irreconcilable views between the two sides. Therefore, war creates everlasting conflict.
In this photo we see a little boy and an armed American soldier. While war highlights the “evil” aspects of people’s human nature, there can be positive outcomes from it. In the photograph, water is exchanged between the boy and the soldier illustrating humanity even in times of conflict. The paradox of war is represented. Often, people turn to violence as a solution to resolving differentiating points of view. War is seen as a solution to problems between countries or people because it is easier than facing their problems and taking responsibility to find an answer to their conflict. In Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried several rules of war are expressed. Each rule is contradicted by the next. Conflict has no “definite” answer. There are no guidelines and no boundaries. It is an open playing field with no winner or loser. The picture represents that within a conflict people loose sight of what they are trying to resolve and therefore loose sense of what they are fighting for. People forget what the original source of conflict was and will continue to fight in a war changing their points of view, supporting the notion that: "nothing is ever absolutely true" in war. Once a war is started, the only way for there to be an end is by declaring a winner and loser. Even then, there will be tension and irreconcilable views between the two sides. Therefore, war creates everlasting conflict.
"Hope & Haven Initiative." Hope & Haven Initiative. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.
I really liked how you analyzed the picture. I agree with you because when soldiers are at war, they need still to take time and realize they are still humans and civilized people on this earth. This helped put another perspective on soldiers because sometimes they loose a sense or sight of what they are fighting for because they get so caught up in the moment. I also loved the picture you chose because it shows how soldiers sometimes need to take a step back from all the gory fighting and go back to reality.
ReplyDelete