War Is Weaponized Confusion
From The Observatory
Right now, people are confused about what to believe, especially concerning the violence in Gaza. Some call Israel's actions genocide, while others are unsure how to label the violence. The word “war” comes from an old word meaning “to confuse,” and this confusion is often intentional, created by those who benefit from war.
War creates a state of confusion about what’s important and how we should live together. This confusion is not accidental but is used as a tool to keep people indecisive. The U.S. government, for instance, uses words like “war” and “self-defense” to hide the reality of genocide and attacks on civilians. This leads people to support conflicting causes without recognizing the hypocrisy, often influenced by racism and propaganda.
This confusion starts early in our education, with biased versions of history like the first Thanksgiving and the U.S. being the “good guy” in wars. We don’t learn about the darker parts of history, such as the massacre of Indigenous people. As a white person, I realize that people of color often see through these lies more clearly, but I still struggle with this confusion.
The U.S. spends $1.5 trillion a year on its war machine, which influences our need for safety and belonging. There is no perfect clarity, as the war economy is always changing. However, there is an antidote: focusing on our local communities, or the “local peace economy.” By rooting ourselves in local issues, we become less susceptible to war propaganda. Local peace requires continuous effort and showing up as both learners and contributors.
To learn more about building a local peace economy, you can explore resources like The Local Peace Economy Workbook. By connecting with our communities, we can cultivate clarity and peace, recognizing real care and seeing through lies that justify violence.
🔭 This summary was human-edited with AI-assist.
