Top Ten Peace Culture List Activity

List 1: Violence

1. Name a movie about war or violence. 300

2. Picture a war uniform. Breastplate, Bracers, Chain Mail, Helmet, Greaves, etc.

3. Name a high-school course where you study war. Comparative Civilizations 12

4. Picture a war painting. Blood, violence, gore, swords, spears, war machines, fear, death.

5. Name a television show about war or violence. 24

6. Name a war hero. Achilles

7. Name a video game based on war. God Of War

8. Picture or name a war toy. Army Men

9. Picture or name a war memorial or monument. Iwo Jima War Memorial

10. Name a poem, book, or story about war. Realms of War

List 2: Peace

1. Name a movie about peace. Jeremiah Johnson

2. Picture a peace uniform. Buddhist Monk Clothes

3. Name a high-school course that studies peace (okay, okay, I know!!) Hah hah, Peace and Youth Cultures 12

4. Picture a peace painting. Sacajawea leading Lewis and Clark

5. Name a television show about peace. That 70's Show!! Hah hah!!

6. Name a peace hero. Mahatma Ghandi

7. Name a video game based on peace. Beyond Good and Evil

8. Picture or name a peace toy. Frisbee!!!

9. Picture or name a peace memorial or monument. Mohyla Miru Peace Monument

10. Name a poem, book, or story about peace. Most books I read are about war and fighting that finally ends in peace.

1.Were there any differences in the amount of information you were able to fill in on each list? Yes. It was a lot more difficult for me to think of items based on peace than it was to think of war derivatives. I think that's because society has a dread fascination with war and violence.

2. How do you think these messages about violence influence our everyday actions? What do your responses reflect about our culture? I think all the messages of violence in our every day life do indeed have a huge impact on our everyday lives. It makes us desensitized and I think we tend to see violence as more of a solution than we normally would. Our culture is violent and torn up, but we are aware of it now, hence the responses to these questions and even the existence of this course.

3. Does the absence of war or violence mean that we have peace? Why or why not?

Absolutely not. Peace is much more than the absence of war. It is harmony both within people and between people. It starts with the individuals focusing on kindness and goodness, then grows into virtue, then there could be peace. Still, this begs the question of possibility.