The astronomical costs of unfriedship
A post-war civilization has been a dream across many centuries and cultures. But, even if this is attainable, there is still another huge cost that humanity is paying for no logical reason, argues Mohammad Jafar Mahallati a professor of peace and friendship studies. We are born to enjoy friendly relations and instead have been suffering from hostile competition, unnecessary conflicts and increasing cold loneliness in a life that is supposed to be all sweet. It is time, Mahallati asserts, that we all become conscious that not only war is a cost but an “”unfriendly”” state of life is even a much greater and unnecessary cost we need to avoid. He concludes that the first step is to take friendship studies and institutions seriously.