I like your idea. I even tried to take sign language as my foreign language here at USC, but they wouldn't let me. However, how are you supposed to use sign language on the internet?

I can see how the Blissymbolics could be frightening to some because of the potential for global unity on something tangible. This is possibly irrational, in my view. Your point is that one might also be afraid of cultural imperialism, which is certainly valid. But does your cultural identity really depend on the alphabet?
-Matt Landau

The concept of a global language is of course held in the same context as global religion and government, it is feared by most as a means of control and the death of culture, for very good reasons, that is just what happens.

However the human race has always had a global/universal language, which is love. The first forms of communication used the verse and symbols of love, compassion and understanding, to convey ones thoughts and desire to another.

A non threatening global language can be easily created and implemented, through the use of sign language, which could then be taught to every school aged child, and in the matter of one year each child on the planet would be able to understand and communicate with all others, in effect by using their own language.

In perhaps less than a decade the entire world might be capable of silent communication.

A powerful tool which leaves no one in the dark, as even the blind and deaf are capable of feeling hand signs. The need to hold private conversations in private would of course increase, which seems like a win win for everyone, at least no one would have to listen to an argument unless they choose to look at it ;) As it would soon be quite unsavory to have a verbal argument in public, with the wide spread adoption of a global sign language being used.

The ability to communicate with anyone without the use of technology, is a long held desire of the human race, which is only natural as you are the only species on the planet to have given up this ability, it has always been there, you just have to choose to use it.

BL*M

Global-Luvolution.blogspot.com

Here's something I've been working on popularizing for about a year, which I think is relevant to the post at hand. Blissymbolics is a writing system designed for the world at large. It enables people to communicate via mostly universal symbols regardless of their native language. It has other good traits, too, but most importantly in my mind, and the relevance to David's post, is that it is something constructive that we can do. There's no politics in Blissymbolics besides the ideal of universal communication. I suspect that world peace entails world communication, anyhow.

I made a site a while back, www.activebliss.com, but it is in sore need of renovation. A good lesson in Blissymbolics is available at www.crockford.com/blissym . Anyhow, I hope you find this idea provocative, or at least, far out.
Peace outside,
Matt Landau

"If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas." –George Bernard Shaw

Yeah, labels are for jars.

There is great advantage in adversity in the labeling of others. Particularily, if you can convince a majority of persons to side with you in such labelings. The problem is that labels always create damnations from which there is no escape for the one labeled and absolute tyranny for those who dish out the labels. Such sick society games are played out in our medical, law-enforcement, and other local communities to the upteenth degree. It is the viliest form of one-up-man-ship. And always, labelings are the leading cause of violence, brutalities, and wars.
Try hard to converse making reference in all ways to our commonality, relate to others as brothers and sisters, and halt where-ever and whenever even the concept that labels are okay. Now is the time to move to a higher level of maturity in our common circles. View others as we ourselves want to be viewed, without excess baggage of someone's else class-I-face-shuns (classifications). One of the ways of peace is tolerance. Another of peace-ways is acceptance. Give yourself a wonderful gift this Christmas of letting go of the desire to label others.

Peace is healthy for children and ALL other Living things.
Simply Live to do no harm.

Even a journey of a thousand light spans, starts with a single thought.

Trust* that this journey was begun long ago, perhaps longer than one can "Imagine" . . .

BL*M

The propeace transformation cannot be forced upon people from society's institutions down. It can only be encouraged from the individual up. So what we can do during the holidays, and everyday for that matter, is to deepen our own commitment to this transformation and to talk about it with our families, friends, neighbors and co-workers.

This is not always easy, as we are given implicit permission through cultural and media messages to talk about violence and conflict, but not necessarily to talk about peace, transformation, reconciliation, resolution and evolution (not in the Darwinian sense).

Anyway you go about this transformation is fine. It's not limited to any faith, ideology or ethnicity. In my view, one simply intends it in one's own unique way, and the process unfolds through that intention.

I hear your urgency, however I would caution against expectations of immediate results. We are trained to expect instant gratification for our efforts. This is different. The ideal may never be reached, but the effort creates a life that is a joy to live.

Being Peaceful, Being non-judgemental are often difficult, because we always ebb into doing. Being Kind yeilds doing kind things. Being non-judgemental requires forgiving ones self for the judgement you are ashamed of having already made. Fear not, practcise makes perfect, and we have all the time we need to practice. When we get it perfect, there will no longer be a need for time.

David and Dotti Ann, you are both so right. I would add that we are all products of our upbringing and our culture, and we are trying to create a fundamental change. While I have become convinced that peaceful coexistence is the natural state for humans, we have strayed from that path for so many centuries that it will take a lot of work - joyful work, to be sure, but difficult work - to get our species back on course.

One thing you can do to get involved face to face wherever you are is to have a look at the ways Marshall Rosenberg suggests to create social change. He has several very good books that are easy to read and full of interesting real-life examples. The original work is available in several languages at the library; it is called NVC: A Language of Life.

The worldwide organization that does this work is the Center for Nonviolent Communications. You can learn how to practice peacebuilding whether your interest is in international relations, education and social change, or personal spiritual development.

The Peace Alliance sponsors a monthly conference call with Miki Kashtan, a leader in NVC training, in which we learn how to be effective peacebuilders through the Department of Peace Campaign. It's easy to participate; all you have to do is call 702-851-3330, and when the recording asks for your code, enter 654654 on your telephone keypad. You only pay for the regular phone charge, and if you want to just listen, all you will be asked to say is your name and where you are from.

Our next teleconference is a week from today, December 29th, at 9:00EST. I hope you will join us along with anyone else who wants to know how to use the language of NVC to bring about social change - every day, not just when there's a planned event in your area.

Editor, propeace.net

At every instant, the doing of Peace requires acting with kindness one to another. It requires the letting go of judgemental tendencies, of existence in the Now not the "then", of striving beyond the baser desire of retailation to a higher priority of reconcilation, of finding the most common ground in a very shaky world, of going astray of self to seed for a harvest of Peace.
Gathering together with the like-minded to overcome the preversion of a world, already insane and unsatisfiable, that is always ready to arm itself for the fight that it works to assure will come.
Look for and forward towards peace. It is only then that it will come.