h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: War - What is it Good For? - A27971715
Author: Icy North - U225620

I've been fine-tuning this entry for about 6 years, and reckon it might be just about ready for Peer Review.

Comments and suggestions welcome, but I don't want to make it any longer than it currently is.

Icy

It is to the point and remains on topic throughout, Icy.


I wouldn't even suggest using headers in this instance, as it may detract from the Entry.


Well thought out


lil xx

Thanks Lil.

Nice to get some feedback. Up to now, all I've had was a load of subeditors offering to take this one on.

Icy

Clearly presented, entertaining, and just on the right side of being overly verbose. Why can't more Entries be like this?

It will only require a little sympathetic sub-editing.

Don't let them fill it up with too many links


lil x

It already has two, Lil - not sure if you spotted them.

Oh! My mistake

They are well hidden


lil x

Although the work seems transparent I suspect it has a hidden agenda ... but where could it be hiding


I think this should be accepted into the guide, but as long as "good" has any meaning in language I think statements can be made about "what is it good for?" and I think it would be worthwhile listing them in a parallel entry e.g.

a) re-election campaigns
b) land and resource grabs
c) eliminating competition in the international sphere
d) giving purpose and direction to the youth
e) opening up markets
f) opportunities for heart felt poetry and art
g) increasing circulation of newspapers
h) legitimising austerity policies and loss of freedoms within the civilian population
i) Justifying nationhood (and hence national elites) and providing a sense of togetherness
j) ...

I knew this would happen.

I think after 6 years we should commend your brevity, however, whilst succinctness can be a virtue there are times when it must be sacrificed for intensity of emotion. Whilst you have prescribed a blank canvas for this out-pouring, there still lacks that element of emphasis that can only be achieved with a solid bass line and a good backing combo.

Wha? Huh?

Must be an English teacher.

Silences, pauses and blank canvas can in context be emotionally intense. Personally I think this submission does work and I think it would add to the guide because a blank is fair in this instance. The editors could monitor the situation if there were complaints but I don't think there will be. It's fun but also contains a serious "message".

I like to see a separate guide entry, perhaps submitted at a later date, which could be titled along the lines of "War - Reasons for going to war" that includes a list (similar to above example in an earlier comment) with elaborating text. This entry would need to drop the "good" from the title to make it consistent with this entry.

What about the darker side, war hides theft, genocide, slavery, mass murder, cull of the surplus population, ethnic cleansing. And they still get away with sometimes.

Caesar did the lot and now he gets excellent reviews.

>> What about the darker side, war hides theft, genocide, slavery, mass murder, cull of the surplus population, ethnic cleansing. <<

Yes, these are all reasons for going to war.

Having read and considered this unique entry and the comments I am tempted as an amateur historian to make the following observations, not as a suggestion of inclusion in the Entry, but only points of consideration;

The War of Greed

These wars are fought to gain land, wealth or both.

War of Enlightenment

These wars are fought to teach others how your ideas can help them live a better life, unfortunately you have to kill and maim many of them to make them listen (most religious wars fall into this category).

War of Oppression

Similar to the previous two, the focus of the type of war is to force a people to serve your needs, whether they want to or not.

War to Overturn Grievances

These wars are fought because one people thinks others have taken unfair advantage of them.

The War to Maintain Control

A pre-emptive strike against the War to Overturn Grievances

War of Convenience

Your country is in a position of idleness, economic down-turn, or there is a scandal that you wish to hide with more exciting news.

War of Revenge

Usually fought because somebody else fought a war against you, or your ancestors, and you think you are now in a position to fight back

I could probably give a good example of each, and probably several cases of several having been combined in a single action.

Just a thought

Any other suggestions?

F S

War on Whoring .... self-explanatory
War on War ... it's about time the pacifist pulled their finger out.
War on Andy Warhol ... surely that's not art?

Should it classified that it is "War" not phaow - which can always be worthwhile