Sophia Gunter’s Post

Are we too quick to accept war as necessary? In the face of escalating conflicts, especially those involving powerful nations, the narrative often shifts to justification. But have we, with all our advancements, truly learned when violence is justified? This question has haunted military leaders for millennia. As early as the 5th century BC, "The Art of War" grappled with the ethical complexities of violence. Wu Tzu, a revered strategist, offered timeless standards: "To strike in reliance on numbers is oppression. To raise the standard for reasons of anger is a war of revenge. To quit propriety, and seize advantage is tyranny. When the state is disordered and the people worn out, to harbour designs, and set a multitude in motion, is a war of unrighteousness." What can we do to break the cycle of cultural, structural, and direct violence that war perpetuates?