Monday, August 18, 2008

Peace Accessories Redux w/ SuperForester P.J.

A few weeks back I posted about Peace Accessories. Basically, the post is about trying to re-brand Peace, making it more visually impacting.

Just got an email from SuperForester P.J.

"Hi there Jackson,

As a fellow Peace enthusiast(?) Does that make sense?

Well as a fellow Peaceful creature in this world, I am equally perplexed by how little PEACE has to represent it. Like you said everyone gets violence, it's what people resort to first, so it is no surprise war and violence are too often glorified, I guess because people can see it and feel it, so it is the most "real".

Since your post on "Peace Accessories" I have been thinking and thinking of what possibly could be a symbol for peace-aside from the dove, people holding hands, and worn out peace signs. I don't really have an answer for you, just that a smile comes to mind (but "Have a Nice Day" and Walmart have already claimed the "happy face"). But then I got to thinking of what peace means to me, at first it was the opposite of war and only when dealing with war. Until recently I decided that peace is everyday. From appreciating our families (friends, communities, loves-romantic and pets), to building a positive sense of self and respecting each other. I came to discover this everyday peace because I was lost. I was not sure what I wanted to do with my life, constantly trying to figure everything out (at once) while trying to make the most of my time and learning from my mistakes (the normal quarter-life crisis stuff). But how did I know where to go and how to let go? I sought out knowledge and stumbled upon Buddhist beliefs and thoughts through my local library. I became interested in "peace as a religion", and religion being a relationship a commitment (these wise words came to me through a t-shirt and a DJ!). (Inspiration is out there) Peace is out there. So the chaos in my life was from being "lost". Here is where your moral compass comes in. When I first read "moral compass" it struck a cord with me (I had never heard such a term). I thought to myself, "this is what I was looking for! Where is my moral compass? How do I use it? and Where does it point to?" Since we are all lost in some way, constantly in need of restoring peace to ourselves and "being peace", we certainly need something to point us in the right direction. A Moral compass! What does your moral compass look like? I am sure it points to Peace in all directions... so why not reuse something seemingly arcaic in this day and age and put it to good use? It could be the "new" face of the shift toward Peace? Maybe do a build your own moral compass post?

So maybe a compass isn't that sexy or attention grabbing. But when you think about it the compass is like the wheel, they are part of the foundations of our world, an essential building block that helped us advance. And I for one respect my education and all knowledge- someone had to die for us to learn -_______ right?(you fill in the blank).

Anybody can shoot a gun (scary thought) but it takes knowledge, patience and above all understanding to use a compass.
A compass works in harmony with nature, a gun has yet to do that.


Just some random thoughts.


Please keep the posts coming; the good, the bad and the sad, especially the funny and silly.

take care!"

-pj


It is really awesome to think that the Peace Accessories idea is out there and spreading. I've been working on a few ideas, but they are all so juvenile.

I'll post them tomorrow.

In the meantime, thank you, P.J. for your excellent letter and thoughts.

Peace is the brand, we will provide the accessories.

Peace out.

-Team SuperForest

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