If only we lived by this statement, how different our world would be. This inspiring quote comes from the writing of Albert Einstein. Apart from being the greatest physicist in history, Einstein was also a great pacifist. He was a great opponent of militarism and despised the use of force. He denounced World War I and along with many others asked for peace by signing the “Manifesto to the Europeans”. As a result, he became a predominant icon of the pacifist movement known to this day.
The aforementioned quote is found in Einstein’s book, Cosmic Religion: With Other Opinions and Aphorisms . Besides shedding light on his views about cosmic religion(a book in which he interlinks the realms of science and religion), Einstein also reflects on pacifism in his essays.
In the section Pacifism in the book, Einstein writes;
Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be
achieved by understanding. You cannot subjugate a
nation forcibly unless you wipe out every man,
woman, and child. Unless you wish to use so
drastic a measure, you must find a way of settling
your disputes without resort to arms.
The quote implies that in trying to attain peace, the use of force is never an answer. Force is often used when the parties involved are not in alignment. However, if the parties are aiming for a common cause (i.e. avoiding unnecessary bloodshed in the current discussion) it is necessary for them to come to a point of agreement. This can be achieved only if both (or all) the parties involved understand each other’s point of view, morals, values, likes and dislikes.
Who was Albert Einstein
The famous physicist Albert Einstein was born in Ulm Germany in 1879. His research work is focused mainly on quantum physics as well as motion and gravity. Einstein’s work on the photoelectric effect which explained the basics of electronics earned him the Nobel Prize in 1921.
As a pacifist, Einstein greatly supported social justice. He stood against oppression and opposed militarism that was widespread in his times. Einstein was a great opponent of the use of force to compel people to act or think in a certain way.
Although he urged the US government to start research into nuclear bombs (which later became the Manhattan Project), he opposed the idea of using nuclear bombs as weapons and warned people of the harms of doing so. The reason for why he urged the US government to commence research into nuclear weapons was that, at the time of war the Germans were also heavily invested in trying to produce weapons of mass destruction, thankfully they have never succeeded, otherwise our world would have been very different today.
In his book Cosmic Religion Einstein wrote;
… patriotism is no excuse for any group of men to assail its neighbors or to impress its point of view upon others by fire and sword.
What is the meaning of this quote?
Despite major differences among people, there’s one common goal the whole world is constantly striving for and that is the attainment of peace and unity. Since the earliest times, man has been struggling to establish a peaceful world. However, what’s ironic is that countries are constantly at war with each other each claiming that they do so to “maintain peace”.
Einstein presents a practical solution here for us to be able to reach that ultimate goal. When it comes to attaining peace, it is not something that can not be achieved by the use of force. The way to attain and thus maintain peace is by mutual understanding. One can not be compelled to maintain peace and order, however, peace can be achieved by understanding and being understood.
Settling disagreements
When it comes to maintaining peace one thing to remember is that COMMUNICATION IS KEY . When we are not able to communicate effectively, we fail to understand each other and that can build a lot of resentment. People find it difficult to communicate because they confuse understanding with agreement. We have to remind ourselves that it’s possible and completely fine to understand someone’s viewpoint and still disagree with them.
The key to effective communication is to keep calm and articulate your viewpoint as best as you can, whilst paying close attention and making sure you absolutely understand the opposing view. Communicating in this manner helps the two parties be more precise when seeking common ground. Once that is done, the first step to peace is already taken and you can look forward to a positive outcome.
Regarding our personal life, it is a common observation that individuals who are able to voice their opinions in an effective manner tend to have long-lasting relationships. Contrary to popular belief, staying silent during arguments is not a positive approach as this can give rise to misunderstandings and deep resentment. Thus in order to save relationships try to find a way to get the other person understand your viewpoint and try to understand theirs.
Understanding comes before Criticism
One of the main reasons why people fail to maintain peace is because they refuse to understand another person’s perspective. Even when communicating, people listen to the other party not with the intention to understand but to respond. This creates a barrier between the two and results in both parties criticizing each other. Such criticism that is devoid of clear understanding brings no positive results, only more criticism.
When you give other people the time they need to articulate their opinion, you are actually paving the way for them to agree with your viewpoint. By doing so you are able to bring back stronger arguments in favor of your idea. Another benefit of doing so is that your challenger will find it easier to agree with you when they know you have understood them clearly.
Lets conclude, by saying that you should communicate in order to maintain peace. But do so in the right manner. Argue with stronger points, not loud voices. Communicate in a way that people find easier to relate to and agree with you. When you explain your viewpoint do so with humility and sympathy, it becomes easier for people to comply. On the contrary, if you intend to use force and hurt the ego of your opponent in order to make them comply, you’re in big trouble.