Language and Violence - are they linked?

What would need to happen to stop violence and war? What would human beings need to be willing to do in order to put down their weapons and refuse to use violence as an option?

Many people say that violence is not the answer. We say that violence is a terrible thing as people get hurt. If violence is so terrible why do we use it? There is always the option, ALWAYS the option to choose a peaceful path. Human beings are different from other species of animals because we have cognition, reason and choice. We choose violence. Why? Because sometimes peace can feel too difficult. Peace may require being willing to be wrong or to compromise. Peace may require expanding our world view. It seems that we are attached to being right. We are attached to our view of thee world and we get upset when someone threatens our view. Instead of taking the perspective that we can learn something, we try to shut down the other person's perspective. A perspective is a series of thoughts. And what are thoughts? How are they formed? How do you know your thought is the right one? Thoughts are created from language. Language is a form of communication that allows us to understand each other, yet with language we also get so much misunderstanding.

Does that mean that language is a cause of conflict in human beings? Through language we create meaning and through meaning we create reality. Ideology is created through language. My ideology is a  perspective formed from ideas I hear from those I respect. The  concept of  'I am right and you are wrong' is a phenomenon of language. If we did not have language we may use violence for basic survival but would we have wars? Without language, would a way of thinking, such as communism be a threat? Is it through language and meaning that we gave Jesus 'God' status? Would Islam exist if Mohammed didn't talk about his beliefs? Would there even be a concept of God? Would suicide bombers be willing to kill others and die themselves if they had not constructed a meaning about it all?  Does that mean we've made it all up?

Language is an abstraction of reality, not reality itself.  This suggests that we kill each other and ourselves based on the stuff we make up because we confuse our concepts with truth.

Alternatively, we could start creating positive and unifying concepts instead. If language is a key and it is an abstraction, then why don't we abstract reality in a positive way? Language gives us the freedom to create any interpretation we want. it is a gift and often we misuse it to undercut others or ourselves. Use your language for care, for strength, for love, for fun. Through how we think and speak we can change the world.