2017 – Most Philosophical 4th Grader in America

Bernadette Spear, Pennsylvania.

     Pen vs. Sword

Is the pen mightier than the sword? That questions essentially asks whether peace and rationality are stronger than violence and rage. I think it depends whether we look at the short term or the long term, and the long term favors the pen.

In the short term, it may seem easier and more efficient to label someone with whom you disagree as an “enemy,” and to hurt them. But in the long term, this choice will lead to more, and more, and MORE problems for you since your “enemy” will almost certainly hate you and seek revenge. If you communicate with those same people, you may be able to solve things peacefully. You can try to show them that you understand why they hold their position, and try to convince them that a different position will be better. You can propose a compromise. All of these things are better than hatred and revenge and violence.

If world leaders decided to stop producing weapons and print more paper instead (or grow more food, because food can communicate too!), people all over the world would be healthier and stronger. A famous example of a leader who promoted peace is Martin Luther king, Jr. In choosing non-violence, he achieved more good than ANY violence achieves. Regardless of some choices made by others in the Civil Rights Movement, he showed that our only real enemy is evil, not other human beings. Yet we human beings frequently choose the sword over the pen. War and bloodshed sometimes seem to address problems, don’t solve them, and leave us with more problems in the end. Discussion and compromise are much better in the long term.

The pen is the only way we can find prosperity, really learning to work together, and when we work together, we are always stronger!

 

 

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