Civilization (Humans)

by Carl, Friday, November 07, 2008, 16:30 (5858 days ago) @ dhw

International Ethics
The UN has worked, just not perfectly. It provides a forum for discussion and arbitration between nations and expressing an international consensus, but also leads to international paralysis. It needs an enforceable new international standard of behavior, like the Magna Charta, Sharia law and the various national constitutions are for individuals, where nations surrender a degree of autonomy to gain stability. Nations would submit to the will of the majority standard in areas of international concern. It also needs a standard for good governance, with an international group to teach and enforce governance and help solve internal problems. Better techniques than economic embargo is needed, since that punishes the innocent most. There should be enforceable standards for minimal human rights that brings international intervention if violated. International approbation and focused violence in the most egregious cases might work - go after the nations leader.
Africa is a mess. The Middle East needs some conceptual breakthrough to bring down the barriers. Venezuela, formerly the most stable and prosperous nation in S.A., seems to be going down the toilet. Do we have the right to stop it. How would you do it. Chaves' aims are good, to spread the wealth to the masses in poverty, but his methods are ultimately self destructive. - How Civilized Are We
The last half of the 20th century was much less violent than the first half, and a lot of that can be credited to the UN. A lot of the credit also goes to nuclear weapons which made world war so unthinkable. The world is filled with proof that compelling people through violence to change their behavior is not as effective as diplomacy. China vs Taiwan is an example of talk vs. fight. Better to argue for decades than the devastation of war. Violence must be totally overwhelming to be effective, and modern human rights concerns won't allow that. We must enlist the effort of the peaceful majority against the violent minority.
The world needs to keep expanding the definition of "us" in the "us vs. them" thinking. 
 Much progress has been made between social classes, ethnic groups and religions, but until Americans and Europeans think of Africans as "us" instead of "them", we still have a ways to go at being our brother's keeper.
Civilization is designed to tame the human beast, and it has done a pretty good job, especially over the last sixty years. I expect it will continue to progress in starts, fits and stumbles.