Custom «Changing Society to Be Nonviolent» Essay Paper Sample

In today’s modernized world we can see that our society is depending more and more on violent measures to meet several demands. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was welcomed by American citizens during 1950s and 1960s because he stressed a lot about the significance of a loving, caring society based on the principles of nonviolence during a period in which social and racial riots was escalating out of bounds. Even in today’s society, we still see signs of intolerable conflicts occurring very frequently and people going out of control. So in fact it is time to revisit and adopt the nonviolent principles and teach our society the importance of non violent means of achieving their demands or needs. Teaching society how to show good human behavior , taking peacemaking efforts ,getting right and freedom of choice leads society to by nonviolent.

Nonviolence is in fact a way of life for people with courage. It means seeking friendship and understanding among those who are distinct from each other which is essentially the traits of good human behavior. It has the power to defeat injustice, and not people. As we know sufferings can teach and transform people and societies. Nonviolence adopts peaceful solutions and not hateful ones so that the entire society embraces justice. In order to help individuals bring about social change in a nonviolent way several processes need to be followed. First of all gather Information about the issues seen in the community by means of the media, social and civic movements, and by communicating with the persons involved. Educate other people, armed with the new data collected. It is every citizen’s duty to aid those around them, such as neighbors, acquaintances, friends and colleagues, and better understand the problems facing society. It would be very effective if a team can be build of people committed to finding solutions. Ensure that people who will be directly affected by the work are included. Remain devoted and try to accept the fact that there will be many stumbling blocks and challenges as the team try to change the society. Always encourage and consider one another along the journey. Peacefully negotiate with both sides by going to the people in the local community who are facing deep problems and who are deeply hurt by society’s ill treatment. Also go to those people who are contributing to the breakdown of a peaceful society. Using good manners and intelligence will eventually lead to solutions that benefit the bigger good. Peacefully take actions when negotiation fails to produce results, or when something is in need of broader attention is an ultimate way to non violence. It can include tactics like peaceful demonstrations, writing letters and petitions or organizing campaigns.

Reconcile and keep all activities and discuss the terms of an arrangement in a peaceful and constructive manner. Learn to disagree and be assertive with certain individuals and groups as you work to bring non violence and peace to the society. Give awareness to all the people who are involved in this, about the advantages of changing, and not what they will lose as a result of changing.

To assist this transition to a non violent society training materials will be of great help to assist people in the application of principles of nonviolence. By adopting these principles people will be inspired to keep the reality alive: The reality that all individuals are created equal.

In this perspective, nonviolent activities are not passive, nor a primitive belief in transforming the opposition, nor is it a "safe" way of protest, free from forcible subjugation. Rather, it is rooted on an independent understanding of where people's power really lies. By disobeying, individuals try to withhold, more than surrender, their cooperation. This acknowledges that the individual's discovery of self-respect is bound to the recognition that one's own help makes the unjust thing possible. When a large enough group of individuals recognizes this, the result is a huge non cooperation and obstruction consisting of the usage of social, economic, and political power.

Then why cannot people decide to withdraw cooperation? Why instead do so many obey a minority? And how can a change be brought about? The authorities are able to have and exercise power both because large number of people passively obeys, and since they have the violent methods for suppressing dissent-police, National Guard, prison guards and prison cells. A few disobey and are punished, keeping many afraid.

Freedom of choice and awareness of rights is an essential path towards a non violent propaganda. If people are not aware of their rights and freedom ultimately repression and suffocation will result.

First, the repressive device is made up of people, whose cooperation is essential. The repressive apparatus can only survive with a minimal level of dissent (either much mild dissent or a small number of militant dissenters). When dissent increases and brings stress to bear, the system goes down. When a nonviolent campaign stands its ground using nonviolence to resist dispersal (not merely for a day or a weekend but over time), it greatly increases the cost of continuing violence opposing it until it is no more possible.

So we can see that teaching society how to show good human behavior, taking peacemaking efforts, exercising the rights and taking freedom of choice leads society to by nonviolent. Not harming anyone and not reacting to violence by means of violence is the best step. We will be honest and will treat every human being with respect, especially law officers. We will express our feelings but will not harbor hatred. We will be alert to people around us and will provide needed assistance. As peacekeepers we will protect others from insults and assault. If demonstrators become violent, and we cannot stop it, we will withdraw. There comes the freedom and right of living. We will not steal, and we will not damage property. We will not take any weaponry. We will not bring or use any alcohol or drugs, other than for medical uses. We will keep the agreements we make with other demonstrators. In the event of a serious disagreement, we may withdraw. We will accept responsibility for our nonviolent actions, and we will not lie nor use deception to escape the result of our activities. In short we can say that nonviolence is not merely a personal virtue. It is also an essential factor to be cultivated like every other virtue. The systematic implementation of above mentioned things can ultimately lead to a non violent environment everywhere in society,