CONTEXT PIECE
‘The way people respond to and resolve conflicts says a lot about them and their community’
An individual’s solution to an issue or conflict represents a part of their identity and community in which they belong to. There are particular individuals in certain communities that when confronted with an issue they seek to solve it through peaceful and non violent means. But opposed to them are those who advocate violence as a way to deal with their predicaments which reflect on their values and beliefs and the society in which they represent. Today’s present communities consist of disputes waiting to occur, each and every individual face their problems differently depending on where they belong and their form of identity. The method in which people utilize when they are confronted with a problem reflects on who they are and the communities in which they are apart of.
Any individual who promotes pacifism solves their disputes through a peaceful manner and promotes anti-violence, this defines who they are and their community values. When there is a clash of views or a disagreement, pacifist tend to deal with it through words to seek a mutually agreeable solution, their manner is never a resort to harmful circumstances. In Peter Weir’s film ‘Witness’, this method is clearly present in the Amish community, but despite how the ‘English’ resolve conflicts they still have their own method of drawing on peace; this shines on why they are such a strong founded community based on harmony and are violence free. They are devoted to the religion of Christianity and believe that when confronted with a problem “Christians do not retaliate or seek vengeance, for the bible says that vengeance should be left to the Lord.” The biblical ways offers a fence to fend of the violent and destructive ‘English’ culture. Their peacekeeping ways are evident in film scenes where Daniel and his family are being provoked by tourist; they fail to retaliate but instead just watch. This portrays them as non violent and reflects on why their community is illustrated as peaceful. The Amish ways are depicted in the scene where Eli says “We believe it is wrong to take life and that it is only for god” this shows the Amish’s respect for life, meaning it is not up to an individuals choice to be able to take someone’s life and that it is considered immoral. Their dispute settlement methods reflect on their peaceful identities and their strong form of community.
Our identity makes up who we are and reflects on our community. In the modern civilization in “Witness”’ we observe their ways of dealing and responding to conflict which shows us their values of self importance and brutality. One of the various ways for dispute settlement is through physical means, the protagonist John Book a character belonging to the city streets of Philadelphia has a passion for justice which is a fundamental aspect of his identity and is expressed in the career he has chosen. The violent motives occur due to the community’s selfish nature and dissolute way of life; this is evident within the corrupted police force consisting of high classed police officers who abuse their powers for the main purpose of wealth depicted when Mcfee murders the undercover cop in the bathroom. Not only does this corruption infect the bad they also reflect on how the police abuse their power for instance when Book and Carter required T-bone for identification purposes, they apply physical means to obtain him even though he showed no sign of resistance. In addition streets where police shoot one another does not represent safety at all such as Book and Mcfee’s shoot out in a public car park. Philadelphia portrays a society in which the streets itself is not safe, public shootouts and bathroom murders occur, even the police are not worthy of trust; a city which majors in crime, consist of individuals who resort to violence as a solution to their problems and disagreements.
In our present day communities, an individual’s solution to conflict varies but the approach in which they adopt allows a precise assumption to be made about their values and beliefs and where they belong. Humans are social beings who thrive through connections with others, the method in which they solve conflict by means of are similar to the community they belong to because when you choose to fit in you mix with like minded people, with common interest and similar values. To exemplify school groups, we like to talk to friends who share similar interest, and when a problem arise’s since we have similar values we deal with it the same, depending on the school group you may undertake bullying or through means of discussion. In addition countries also vary in methods of resolving issues, let’s say in America; when an individual undertakes murder they are deemed to capital punishment where as in Australia a much more lenient imprisonment will be imposed. In relation to my perspective, I belong to several groups, for instance in my family when we reach a conflict, we deal with it through discussion or through my parents laying down their binding decision; this reflects on my identity and my family as being fair.
Disputes arises, arguments occur and violence breaks out; depending on the community and your own identity says a lot about whether you will or will not adopt this method of dispute solution. Individuals confront their problems according to their values and beliefs. This reflect on their society they belong to, they may wish to solve it through verbal means such as discussion or negotiation or through violence, placing the other disputer in danger of harm. As we can see in the film “Witness”, the Amish adopt these pacifist methods as the ‘English’ focus on their own individual wealth and wellbeing without care of anyone else. In the world we perceive today, we have formed several methods of dispute settlement; through the means of the justice system enforced by the police or in some cases by individuals in the community in which we pertain to.
‘The way people respond to and resolve conflicts says a lot about them and their community’
An individual’s solution to an issue or conflict represents a part of their identity and community in which they belong to. There are particular individuals in certain communities that when confronted with an issue they seek to solve it through peaceful and non violent means. But opposed to them are those who advocate violence as a way to deal with their predicaments which reflect on their values and beliefs and the society in which they represent. Today’s present communities consist of disputes waiting to occur, each and every individual face their problems differently depending on where they belong and their form of identity. The method in which people utilize when they are confronted with a problem reflects on who they are and the communities in which they are apart of.
Any individual who promotes pacifism solves their disputes through a peaceful manner and promotes anti-violence, this defines who they are and their community values. When there is a clash of views or a disagreement, pacifist tend to deal with it through words to seek a mutually agreeable solution, their manner is never a resort to harmful circumstances. In Peter Weir’s film ‘Witness’, this method is clearly present in the Amish community, but despite how the ‘English’ resolve conflicts they still have their own method of drawing on peace; this shines on why they are such a strong founded community based on harmony and are violence free. They are devoted to the religion of Christianity and believe that when confronted with a problem “Christians do not retaliate or seek vengeance, for the bible says that vengeance should be left to the Lord.” The biblical ways offers a fence to fend of the violent and destructive ‘English’ culture. Their peacekeeping ways are evident in film scenes where Daniel and his family are being provoked by tourist; they fail to retaliate but instead just watch. This portrays them as non violent and reflects on why their community is illustrated as peaceful. The Amish ways are depicted in the scene where Eli says “We believe it is wrong to take life and that it is only for god” this shows the Amish’s respect for life, meaning it is not up to an individuals choice to be able to take someone’s life and that it is considered immoral. Their dispute settlement methods reflect on their peaceful identities and their strong form of community.
Our identity makes up who we are and reflects on our community. In the modern civilization in “Witness”’ we observe their ways of dealing and responding to conflict which shows us their values of self importance and brutality. One of the various ways for dispute settlement is through physical means, the protagonist John Book a character belonging to the city streets of Philadelphia has a passion for justice which is a fundamental aspect of his identity and is expressed in the career he has chosen. The violent motives occur due to the community’s selfish nature and dissolute way of life; this is evident within the corrupted police force consisting of high classed police officers who abuse their powers for the main purpose of wealth depicted when Mcfee murders the undercover cop in the bathroom. Not only does this corruption infect the bad they also reflect on how the police abuse their power for instance when Book and Carter required T-bone for identification purposes, they apply physical means to obtain him even though he showed no sign of resistance. In addition streets where police shoot one another does not represent safety at all such as Book and Mcfee’s shoot out in a public car park. Philadelphia portrays a society in which the streets itself is not safe, public shootouts and bathroom murders occur, even the police are not worthy of trust; a city which majors in crime, consist of individuals who resort to violence as a solution to their problems and disagreements.
In our present day communities, an individual’s solution to conflict varies but the approach in which they adopt allows a precise assumption to be made about their values and beliefs and where they belong. Humans are social beings who thrive through connections with others, the method in which they solve conflict by means of are similar to the community they belong to because when you choose to fit in you mix with like minded people, with common interest and similar values. To exemplify school groups, we like to talk to friends who share similar interest, and when a problem arise’s since we have similar values we deal with it the same, depending on the school group you may undertake bullying or through means of discussion. In addition countries also vary in methods of resolving issues, let’s say in America; when an individual undertakes murder they are deemed to capital punishment where as in Australia a much more lenient imprisonment will be imposed. In relation to my perspective, I belong to several groups, for instance in my family when we reach a conflict, we deal with it through discussion or through my parents laying down their binding decision; this reflects on my identity and my family as being fair.
Disputes arises, arguments occur and violence breaks out; depending on the community and your own identity says a lot about whether you will or will not adopt this method of dispute solution. Individuals confront their problems according to their values and beliefs. This reflect on their society they belong to, they may wish to solve it through verbal means such as discussion or negotiation or through violence, placing the other disputer in danger of harm. As we can see in the film “Witness”, the Amish adopt these pacifist methods as the ‘English’ focus on their own individual wealth and wellbeing without care of anyone else. In the world we perceive today, we have formed several methods of dispute settlement; through the means of the justice system enforced by the police or in some cases by individuals in the community in which we pertain to.
