At Positive Polynesian, I believe peace is not just a state of mind but a way of life. I asked 20 individuals aged 18 to 35 from seven countries: USA, Guatemala, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tahiti, and Vanuatu what peace meant to them; the goal was to determine how people value peace in their lives and how they define it according to where they are from and experiences. What I found was truly inspiring and a powerful reminder that peace, in all its forms, is something we can all work toward daily. Let's first dive into the collected data:
What words or short phrases do you think of when hearing the word "Peace"?
What words or short phrases do you think of when hearing the word "War"?
Peace Is Universal Yet Unique
These are qualities that transcend borders, cultures, and backgrounds. It's clear that peace is about more than just the absence of conflict—it's about cultivating an environment where love, understanding, and happiness thrive.
Most Common Words and Phrases
Love (6 mentions): Central to peace, often associated with mutual respect, unity, and care.
Calm (5 mentions): Indicates inner tranquility and a harmonious environment.
Happiness (4 mentions): Emotional well-being as a critical aspect of peace.
Unity/Community (3 mentions): Emphasizes collective harmony and mutual support.
Absence of Conflict/War (2 mentions): Peace as a state free from external or internal strife.
Cultural Insights
Samoa and Tahiti: Highlight harmony and serenity specific to Polynesian culture, emphasizing cultural ties to peace.
The USA and other Western countries strongly emphasize emotional states like joy, happiness, and calm.
Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu: Reflect indigenous perspectives tied to safety and emotional well-being.
Recurring Sentiments
Peace is universally tied to emotional (happiness, love) and situational (absence of conflict, safety) aspects.
Protection, care, and community well-being are culturally significant, especially in collective societies like Samoa and Vanuatu.
War: Key Themes
Most Common Words and Phrases
Hatred (6 mentions): Strong association with the emotional impact of war.
Violence/Death (5 mentions each): War is perceived as a source of suffering and loss.
Anger (3 mentions): Reflects the emotional turmoil caused by war.
Conflict (2 mentions): A direct descriptor highlighting discord and tension.
Cultural Insights
Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu: Indicate personal safety concerns and instability from war.
USA and Western countries: Focus on more prominent geopolitical associations like "Russia" and "power," reflecting media influence.
Samoa and Tahiti: Responses like "smog" and "destruction" suggest broader environmental and societal impacts.
Recurring Sentiment
War is universally perceived as destructive, with emotional (hatred, anger), physical (violence, death), and societal (conflict, instability) consequences.
The fear of war is deeply personal, linked to feelings of being unsafe or powerless.
What did we learn from it?
Well, a few things. First, people want to adopt peace and avoid war; they value being stable emotionally and want a sense of security in their lives, but how do you do that/ is that achievable? What needs to be done to have more peace in our lives? Just like you might think, to have peace in our lives, we must foster love, mutual respect, and emotional well-being and create safe, harmonious environments.
This is it for now; make sure you subscribe to part 2 of this blog, where I will discuss how the definition of peace varies based on cultural backgrounds, personal experiences, and aspirations.
But we want to hear from you! <3>What does peace mean to you?<3>
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