Why Do People Fight?

"War news again."

Haru sighed. Looking at her phone.

"Human history is a history of conflict," Ren said quietly.

"Why?" Haru asked. "Why do people fight?"

Noa put down her book. "An ancient question."

"Hobbes said," Ren began, "'Man is a wolf to man.'"

"Wolf?"

"In the state of nature, humans are hostile to each other. 'War of all against all.'"

Haru was surprised. "That is human nature?"

"Hobbes thought so. Resources are limited. So we take from each other."

Noa objected. "But Rousseau said something different."

"What?"

"'Humans are originally good. Society makes people bad.'"

Ren supplemented. "The concept of 'noble savage.' Pre-civilization humans did not fight."

"Which is correct?" Haru was confused.

"Both capture an aspect," Noa answered. "Humans are complex."

"Complex?"

"We have the ability to cooperate, and the ability to fight."

Ren offered another perspective. "Marx sought the cause of conflict in economics."

"Economics?"

"Class struggle. Conflict between capitalists and workers. A structural problem."

"Not individual nature, but social structure?"

"Yes. Change society, reduce conflict, he thought."

Noa said cautiously. "But conflict occurred in socialist countries too."

"So not just structure?"

"Human desire, fear, misunderstanding. Various factors intertwine."

Haru thought. "Not just fighting over resources?"

"Freud said," Ren continued, "'Death instinct' Thanatos."

"Death instinct?"

"Humans have impulse toward destruction. That creates conflict."

"Scary..." Haru murmured.

Noa said gently. "But there is also 'life instinct' Eros. The power of love and creation."

"Both exist?"

"Yes. Which becomes dominant depends on situation."

Ren quoted another philosopher. "Levinas emphasized otherness."

"Otherness?"

"The other is fundamentally different from me. That difference can create conflict."

"But also enables dialogue," Noa supplemented. "Because different, we can learn from each other."

Haru organized. "Causes of conflict are... resources, structure, instinct, otherness."

"And misunderstanding," Noa added.

"Misunderstanding?"

"Misreading the other's intentions. Communication failure."

Ren nodded. "Game theory's 'prisoner's dilemma.'"

"What is that?"

"Two prisoners. If both cooperate, both benefit. But fearing betrayal, both betray."

"Lack of trust," Noa said.

"So to stop conflict?" Haru asked.

"No simple answer," Ren acknowledged. "But there are several approaches."

"Like?"

"Kant wrote 'Perpetual Peace.'"

"What content?"

"Democracy, international law, cosmopolitanism. These bring peace."

Noa supplemented. "Gandhi taught 'nonviolence.'"

"Not using violence?"

"Yes. But still resist. With moral force."

Haru was surprised. "Can that win?"

"Achieved Indian independence," Ren said. "Showed there is power stronger than violence."

"But," Haru objected, "does it always work?"

"No," Noa said honestly. "Depends on situation. Effective when the other has conscience."

Ren gave another example. "Arendt pointed out 'banality of evil.'"

"Banality?"

"Great evil comes not from special evildoers, but ordinary people following orders without thinking."

"Not thinking?"

"Thought cessation. That enables conflict."

Noa said quietly. "So continuing to think is important."

"Think?"

"Why fight? Is it really necessary? Are there other ways?"

Haru took a deep breath. "Can philosophy reduce conflict?"

"Not directly," Ren answered. "But indirectly."

"How?"

"Promote dialogue. Make people understand different perspectives. Show there are no simple answers."

Noa smiled. "Conflict often arises from simplification."

"Simplification?"

"'Enemy and ally' 'Good and evil.' Binary thinking about the world."

"But actually complex?"

"Yes. Full of gray zones."

Haru looked at the window. "Will people keep fighting forever?"

"Probably," Ren said honestly. "But we can reduce it."

"How?"

"Education, dialogue, institutions. And individual awareness."

Noa placed a hand on Haru's shoulder. "We are also dialoguing without fighting now."

"True," Haru smiled.

"That is hope," Ren said. "Small, but certain hope."

The three sat quietly.

A world without conflict may be a dream.

But a world with less conflict may be created.

From each dialogue.