non-violence

non-violence is used in these causes because the people who chose to use it simply realized the futility of violence. the main denominator in the the methods that they use to resist is to refrain from picking arms to hurt the other. however they also differ somewhat. Gandhi practices self-sacrifice to move his enemies, directing suffering onto his body to prove his sincerity and will. He writes, ‘Real suffering bravely born melts even a heart of stone. Such is the potency of suffering. (79) Aside from fasting as a form of self-sacrifice, Gandhi and his followers also act in civil disobedience by refusing to follow unjust laws, boycotting British products and refusing to provide manpower. Similarly, Thich Nhat Hanh described the Buddhist non-violent peace movement in vietnam with self-sacrificing acts of hunger strikes and self-emmolation so that people 'were jarred into awareness, and compassion were born in them' (Nhat hanh, 41)


"During the announcement, Nobel Committee Chairman Egil Aarvik admitted to reporters that nonviolence had not been successful in achieving independencefor Tibet over the past three decades. But he believed there were no other honorable solutions. "Of course you may say it's a bit too unrealistic, " he said of nonviolence. "but if you look at the world today, what is the solution to conflict? Will violence or military power be the solution? No... the pat of peace is realistic..." (Dalai Lama and Chan, 46)

i don't really agree with self sacrifice or hurting the self and think that unless the situation is dire, self sacrifice as a tactic may not work. in today's transnational, globalized, capitalized world..