pacifism meaning and definition

A political or religious ideology that stresses peace over violence or war. A central tenet of many Eastern religions, and also surprisingly widespread in modern-day Europe. Pacifist ideology assumes that violence is inherently bad and should be avoided, typically without giving serious thought to the causes of and solutions to war and violence (see Heinlein quote below). Pacifism is also commonly linked with socialism and environmentalism, and was widespread in the US during the 1960s, with hippies for some reason favoring the communist, Soviet-backed North Vietnamese over the US and its involvement. This is also prevalent today with respects to the War on Terrorism. As is typical, those adhering to pacifist thought do not consider the alternatives to the war, and instead, as is typical, provide baseless or biased rhetoric as to why it is better to die like a dog than fighting on your feet.

Pacifism is the principled rejection of war and the ideology that peace should be achieved without the means of violence. It covers a spectrum of views ranging from the belief that international disputes can and should be peacefully resolved; to calls for the abolition of the institutions of the military and war; to opposition to any organization of society through governmental force (anarchist or libertarian pacifism); to rejection of the use of physical violence to obtain political, economic or social goals; to the obliteration of force except in cases where it is absolutely necessary to advance the cause of peace; to opposition to violence under any circumstance, including defense of self and others.

The belief that doing absolutely nothing will somehow stop violence.

a religious belief that violence is not a solution to problems.

a belief that many people seem to hate but solves problems with less pain and death if a guy is one they usually end up getting called a pussy. sadly though, that's america.