Today is the International Day of Peace – September 21st. So let's talk about pacifism.
The fact that I'm a pacifist probably comes as a surprise to those who only know me as the person with a recently announced book featuring a teenage assassin and plenty of violence. But I am, even if I'm still figuring out exactly what it means for me in practical terms. It runs in the family – my great-grandad was a conscientious objector who was imprisoned for his beliefs – and peace is one of the Quaker testimonies, alongside equality, simplicity, truth, and sustainability. Quakers are, and historically always have been, PESTS...
Not everyone vibes with pacifism, for a lot of different reasons, many of which I respect, even if I disagree. However, to those who dismiss pacifism as cowardice or a refusal to engage – to those who see it as passive – I'd like to recommend The Force of Nonviolence. It's by far Butler's most readable book, in my opinion, and they discuss how violence and force aren't synonyms, and how pacifism isn't a passive refusal but an active, forceful, and even aggressive commitment to working to dismantle societal systems of violence. They highlight how nonviolence and equality are intrinsically linked by the belief that all lives are grievable, and therefore worth preserving, and that peace doesn't just mean avoiding war, but also advocating for a society that actually provides the means for all to thrive.
I found it hugely eye-opening; it's the best nonfiction book I read in 2020, and I had to buy my own copy so that I could keep coming back to it. You can't see it in this picture, but I have a bunch of index tabs in there to mark important passages. Frames of War is Butler's earlier book on the subject, and also worth a read, but I would definitely recommend The Force of Nonviolence as a starting point.
I'm still figuring out exactly what my pacifist values mean on an everyday level and how I'll live out those beliefs, but this book is a useful and thought-provoking challenge in that regard.