Violence is the Supreme Authority ... true or not true?

It’s absolutely true. It’s what settles arguments. Ask the Iraqi people what life has been like since 2003. I bet some of them wish Saddam really did have WMD’s(nukes). They got invaded precisely because they didn’t have them. The US knew that, saw an easy target who no one was going to come to the aid of and they pounced. Force settled the differences Baghdad and Washington had.

And yes the peaceniks are naive and ultimately dangerous if given power. While I’m not generally in favor of never ending wars and costly interventions abroad...I don’t believe in scrapping our nukes and neutering our military. It’s better to have it and not need it than not having it and needing it.

Every civilization that got too soft, allowed the peaceniks to reign...got overrun by more rude, more martial cultures they encountered. It’s a fact of human existence. Same reason it’s best to have a gun for self defense at home. You hope you never have to use it, but that one time you do have to...you’ll be thankful you had it...as opposed to not.

The Romans had a saying; “The man who sleeps with a sword is a fool every night but one.”

That one night is the one that makes a difference. So what if you’re thought a fool every other night? You’ll be alive, and those that thought you a fool will be dead in similar circumstances.

Yes. Those that preach about how violence never solved anything will always appeal to a higher authority to commit violence on their behalf should they ever be threatened. It is violence or the threat of violence that keeps order in most cases.

In small groups, people can work collaboratively. But once outsiders apply violent pressure, it must be met with violence to maintain the balance.

Violence is the "de-facto" authority behind rules and laws...

That’s actually not true at all. That’s only one type of power, coercive power, which is more to do with being punished (like sent to prison or losing one’s job). However in a society we do not only look for people with that type of power, we also look for people with expert knowledge or referent power.

Knowledge is the real source of all power. You can easily defeat violence through brains.

The idea of “violence being the supreme authority” was just propaganda by the fascists state in the film to keep people subjugated.

September 15, 2021 Wednesday 11:50 PM ET
Edited for grammar: (Sept. 16, 2021 Thur. 12:00 AM ET)

The words 'power' and 'authority' are often used interchangeably. It can be reasoned that if one must resort to using violence repeatedly in order to control their subjects, then the governing bunch exerting force can only "assume" authority through the exercise of their commanding "presence".

Most of the time, violence is hardly if ever necessary. Most peoples' cooperation can be gained not through control, but trust; gaining the confidence of others through mutual suggestion, deliberation, and patience (persistence). It is quite surprising what happens through the strength of listening.

~~/o/

Violence? No. Wisdom? Yes.

there was one story that always stuck with me.

its probably famous and im probably butchering/. misremembering.

btu i believe it was about a smaller state being invaded by the athenians. and it basically went with the leader of the state explaining how they are right, how they have the moral correctness in this situation and how the Athenians are wrong. and basically the athenians pointed to their ships and said thats all that matters.

conservative, liberal. libertarian or commie. force is important.

but it certainly does get to a level, like in the USA, on a continent full of allies. where the spending gets out of control.

you re setting up a false dichotomy and simplistic post

Intelligence is more important that brute force.... but maybe brute force determines intelligence.