Weekly Blog Post #10

Tuesday, October 15th, 2013

A Shared Knowledge of Peace

Sometimes, I think it is true that "older" people learn from children. Maybe it's because children are honest, as in they don't hide any of their thoughts. Children blurt out what is on their minds, because they have a less strong and set notion of other people's emotions. I mean, children are probably one of the most egocentric beings in the world (meaning we have all been the most egocentric people in the world for a while early on in our lives), and children only think about themselves and their desires. Okay, I'll stop right there, because I do not want to look as if I shun children, because really that's not true. I love being with children, especially when they make me think, as unconsciously they begin a series of reflections in my mind. 

At the end of the school day, I was walking down the hallway to go to my locker when a little boy ran up to me, looking very enthusiastic. "Hey! I remember you!", he told me eagerly, his eyes shining. I could not suppress a smile when I recognized him as well.

"Oh really?", I asked. 

He nodded, "Mhm, you came into my classroom last year, when I was in 1st grade, and you talked to me and the others about Peace and not fighting and being nice to each other." He stopped his little discourse, thoughtful. I tilted my head to the left, curious about the little boy's sudden silence. Then, he began again, more measuredly this time. "I thought about what you said. And now, I always try to stop myself and think about the other person as well, because I don't like fighting. But, I have a question. How do you know about all these things?" 

"Mm? What do you mean?", I asked, slightly confused. 

"I mean like, you know, like how do you know about what other people think. And about how to not fight. And about how to stop fight. And about how to understand and be nice. And about the things you said about Peace." A pause. Then, "How do you know that there is going to be Peace if we do what you said? I mean, I don't fight as much anymore, and Mommy said I was nicer and that I played with my brother better now. But how? And why?"

I opened my mouth and shut it again. To tell you the truth, he looked so serious, looking up to me as if he was seeking all the answers in the world from me, and I did not know what to reply to him without either confusing him or disappointing him. But the teacher called him as his mother had come to pick him up.

"Mommy!" He turned to me and smiled. "I have to go. But we will talk more. I just wanted to tell you. Because I remembered you, and you are nice, and I wanted to tell you."

I bent down, putting a hand on his shoulders. "You are a very thoughtful young man, you know? And I'm very happy you came to talk to me. Let me know if you have anything else you want to say, okay? You should go now. Your mother is waiting."

He threw his arms around my throat. "Bye!"

I waved as he ran to his mother. I saw him pointing at me, excitedly reporting our conversation (I assume it was our conversation). But I had blanked out, thinking about his questions. I have my definition of Peace. Actually, everyone probably define Peace one way or another. All of our definitions may have similarities, and differences as well. Peace is something felt within, something achieved within. We need peace inside us to be able to spread peace to others, with others. Peace is intimate, yet peace in the world involves interactions with others.

To tie it with ToK: I wondered whether Peace would be defined as a Shared knowledge or a Personal knowledge. At the beginning, I thought Peace would be a Personal knowledge, as it is something felt individually and intrinsically, unique to each and every person. But then, I thought maybe Peace is actually a Shared knowledge that we made Personal. Maybe the reason that there isn't Peace in the world is because people think of Peace as Personal only, because they do not try to turn it into a Shared knowledge. If people tried to understand each other, tried to define Peace in a way that the knowledge of Peace becomes Shared, would we maybe have Peace in the world?

I realize, as I type this post, I am becoming increasingly abstract and fumbled up in my explanation. But that's what always happens when I talk about Peace. See? That proves my point. It is so difficult to talk about Peace because it is mostly internal, and it is hard to shape/word something that is felt only. It reflects the obstacles in transferring Peace from the realm of Personal to Shared.