War – Addiction and the Collective Ego

Peace organizations and an anti-war philosophy must have existed, at least to a degree, in Germany during the build up to WW II. Within the population there had to be those who saw the spiritual malady – the presence of the raw,  insane, ego-driven madness, which gave birth to one of the most horrendous regimes ever known to man.

Bear that in mind as you contemplate the following quote:

“Naturally the common people don’t want war: Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. IT WORKS THE SAME IN ANY COUNTRY.” -Hermann Goring (Hitler’s Right Hand Man)

By the time I was half-way through reading this quote the first time my mind had already gone back to George W. Bush during the build-up to the invasion of Iraq.  Remember the “You’re either with us or against us!” speech? What followed was an entire population who for several years were terrified to speak out against Bush, not because they believed the invasion of Iraq was wrong, but because they did not want to be branded as unpatriotic. Subsequently, hundreds of thousands of innocent people died. There were no weapons of mass-destruction, nor did Iraq play a part in 9/11, but they did have oil. The war was manufactured and sold to the American people – And the American people bought it and paid dearly for it. Now follow the money and ask yourself who made a profit?

Eckhart Tolle wrote, “The greatest achievement of humanity is not its works of art, science, or technology, but the recognition of it own dysfunction, its own madness.” This madness is symptomatic in the disease of our addictions to war, or alcohol, or drugs, or sex, or power, or any number of compulsive behaviors.  Rooted in the ego this dysfunction, this spiritual malady, is all about getting what we think we want – even if we have to kill for it. There is no end to the insanity unless you “recognize your own dysfunction” then you must go inside and find a way to change that which motivates you – your ego. And that ‘change’ for millions of people has come courtesy of 12 Step programs.

Is America ready to recognize its collective madness – its addiction to war? Can we continue as we have?

History may repeat itself, but 12 Step programs have given man the opportunity to actually make a choice. In fact, the 12 Steps have become the world’s most effective tool in changing the manner in which the ego functions. We can break the cycle and stop the insanity, but first we must recognize it.

Can these simple steps change our collective approach to war? I don’t know – what else have you got?