#berthavonsuttner

The Red Thread was conceived by Bertha von Suttner and it is described as a narrative that connects the thoughts, ideas, and movements of the Peace movement.

In my mind, if there is one thing that defines the Red Thread, it is inspiration. The Red Thread connects people and stories through inspiration passed on from one person to another. Without people inspiring other people there can't be a Red Thread. In order to understand history one needs to see the inspiration behind each action and each movement. The Red Thread that runs through Korean history will define the movements that made the country and will allow one to better understand the causes and effects of each event and person. As Bertha von Suttner says,

"Seek not good from without: seek it within yourselves, or you will never find it."

This is the kind of inspiration that contributes to the winding of the Red Thread through history. Being "the good" and finding goodness within oneself is a powerful motivator for others who see it.

Leymah Gbowee unveils a Bertha von Suttner statue at the Peace Palace in The Hague.

Bertha von Suttner, the first woman to participate in the 1899 Hague Peace Conference and the first sole woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, most certainly began her work for peace before she was ready. To be the first woman to take part in this conference and to receive this award meant that she was taking uncertain steps forward. There were no precedents set for women who participated in the peace movements, much less women who led them. Still, Bertha began her work before anyone gave her the instructions on how to do so, and, therefore, learned along the way and made great change in the world. Bertha’s whole story can be found at: http://www.berthavonsuttner.com/ABOUT/index.html.

Do the Work by Steven Pressfield explains why starting before one is ready, like Bertha did, is a crucial step in achieving success towards one’s dream. Pressfield writes, “Good things happen when we start before we’re ready. For one thing, we show huevos. Our blood heats up. Courage begets more courage. The gods, witnessing our boldness, look on in approval.” Where there is a dream, a passion, or something that one feels must be done there is always resistance. Resistance can take the form of relationships, finances, societal standards, or simply fear itself. However, resistance only exists when one’s dream is strong enough to be successful. If an individual waits until they feel ready to begin, this is a form of resistance. Too much time spent preparing decreases the momentum of a movement and holds an individual back from real accomplishments. Though it is uncertain and terrifying, beginning before one is ready is necessary to overcome the excuses and justifications not to start.

Florence Nightingale.

Pressfield’s idea is not a new one. Take, for example, Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. Florence came from a wealthy family that expected her to marry and fulfill the duties of a housewife. However, Florence felt the pull to do something more in the world. She was drawn to hospitals, and, though she was untrained and did not know much about nursing, she took the first step forward and became the superintendent at a care institute for sick women in London. Florence ignored her fears and uncertainty and began before she felt ready. If she had waited until she did feel ready, she may never have started. The environment of an individual does not always encourage them to start, and, therefore, they must push forward even if they have not been prepared because they may never be. More information about Florence Nightingale can be found at: http://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/florence-nightingale.

Paul Loeb’s Soul of a Citizen firmly echoes this idea. Loeb writes

“There is no perfect time … no ideal circumstances for voicing our convictions. What each of us faces instead is a lifelong series of imperfect moments in which we must decide what to stand for. Choices may at times be thrust upon us … more often we’ll have to seek them out consciously, in contexts that don’t always encourage them and sometimes when we don’t feel ready. The wonder is that when we do begin to act, we often gain the knowledge, confidence, and strength that we need to continue.”

Fear gives an individual power. Uncertainty gives an individual the ability to grow and to do the things that they and society might not believe they can. Bertha and Florence challenged themselves and revolutionized the world around them. They made their dreams, which many regarded as idealistic or delusional, into realities by beginning before they were ready.

The four cardinal virtues.

Starting before one is ready is the idea of the cardinal virtue of Fortitude. The four cardinal values are explained at: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm. Fortitude is the virtue that allows one to continue on the path of creating good in the world by conquering fears and enduring many oppositions and hardships. When an individual starts before they are ready they do not know how long they will have to keep stepping blindly forward, but they endure the fear of uncertainty and keep stepping anyway.

 Leymah Gbowee unveils a Bertha von Suttner statue at the Peace Palace in The Hague.

Bertha von Suttner, the first woman to participate in the 1899 Hague Peace Conference and the first sole woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, most certainly began her work for peace before she was ready. To be the first woman to take part in this conference and to receive this award meant that she was taking uncertain steps forward. There were no precedents set for women who participated in the peace movements, much less women who led them. Still, Bertha began her work before anyone gave her the instructions on how to do so, and, therefore, learned along the way and made great change in the world. Bertha’s whole story can be found at: http://www.berthavonsuttner.com/ABOUT/index.html.

 Do the Work by Steven Pressfield explains why starting before one is ready, like Bertha did, is a crucial step in achieving success towards one’s dream. Pressfield writes, “Good things happen when we start before we’re ready. For one thing, we show huevos. Our blood heats up. Courage begets more courage. The gods, witnessing our boldness, look on in approval.” Where there is a dream, a passion, or something that one feels must be done there is always resistance. Resistance can take the form of relationships, finances, societal standards, or simply fear itself. However, resistance only exists when one’s dream is strong enough to be successful. If an individual waits until they feel ready to begin, this is a form of resistance. Too much time spent preparing decreases the momentum of a movement and holds an individual back from real accomplishments. Though it is uncertain and terrifying, beginning before one is ready is necessary to overcome the excuses and justifications not to start.

 Florence Nightingale.

Pressfield’s idea is not a new one. Take, for example, Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. Florence came from a wealthy family that expected her to marry and fulfill the duties of a housewife. However, Florence felt the pull to do something more in the world. She was drawn to hospitals, and, though she was untrained and did not know much about nursing, she took the first step forward and became the superintendent at a care institute for sick women in London. Florence ignored her fears and uncertainty and began before she felt ready. If she had waited until she did feel ready, she may never have started. The environment of an individual does not always encourage them to start, and, therefore, they must push forward even if they have not been prepared because they may never be. More information about Florence Nightingale can be found at: http://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/florence-nightingale.

 Paul Loeb’s Soul of a Citizen firmly echoes this idea. Loeb writes

“There is no perfect time … no ideal circumstances for voicing our convictions. What each of us faces instead is a lifelong series of imperfect moments in which we must decide what to stand for. Choices may at times be thrust upon us … more often we’ll have to seek them out consciously, in contexts that don’t always encourage them and sometimes when we don’t feel ready. The wonder is that when we do begin to act, we often gain the knowledge, confidence, and strength that we need to continue.” 

Fear gives a person power. Uncertainty gives a person the ability to grow and to do the things that they and society might not believe they can. Bertha and Florence challenged themselves and revolutionized the world around them. They made their dreams, which many regarded as idealistic or delusional, into realities by beginning before they were ready.

 The four cardinal virtues.

Starting before one is ready is the idea of the cardinal virtue of Fortitude. The four cardinal values are explained at: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm. Fortitude is the virtue that allows one to continue on the path of creating good in the world by conquering fears and enduring many oppositions and hardships. When an individual starts before they are ready they do not know how long they will have to keep stepping blindly forward, but they endure the fear of uncertainty and keep stepping anyway.

          I recently attended Forward Into Light, a three day Master Class investigating the historical roots of the Peace movement inside the illustrious Peace Palace. This class was one of several events being held this year in an effort to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the International Congress of Women. Part of this commemoration was paying homage to the life and legacy of Bertha von Suttner, and I am once again reminded of the power within individuals to change the course of human history. Despite having no official political voice, Suttner she was available to personally redirect the course of human history. As the author of Lay Down Your Arms in 1889, Suttner pierced into the hearts and minds of millions of people worldwide and presented rational arguments against war in a fashion that did not require decades of education to understand. This novel also played a major role in motivating Tzar Nicholas II to request that leaders of nations convene to discuss peace, resulting in the 1899 Hague Peace Conference. Suttner was the only woman invited to attend. But Suttner was not alone; she was not the lone voice advocating for peace and arbitration. She was at the tip of the spearhead, but what of the spear?   

          This is a picture from the 1915 International Congress of Women. Otherwise known as The Women’s Peace Congress, women from around the world came to The Hague demanding an end to World War 1. This is part of the spear Suttner heads. None of these women had equal civil and political rights (i.e. the right to vote, to hold public office, etc). On May 1, they formally proposed a set of resolutions demanding a non-violent form of continuous mediation, which would be substituted for war until a peace treaty could be negotiated.

Since the mass of the people in each of the countries now at war believe themselves to be fighting, not as aggressors but in self-defence and for their national existence, there can be no irreconcilable differences between them, and their common ideals afford a basis upon which a magnanimous and honourable peace might be established. The Congress therefore urges the Governments of the world to put an end to this bloodshed, and to begin peace negotiations. - Resolution II.3 International Congress of Women, 1915

           Proposing a set of resolutions is a monumental task, and given what they sought to accomplish, demanded a high level of precision and eloquence. To get 1200 people to agree on anything is exceedingly difficult, let alone a set of resolutions aimed at ending the bloodiest conflict that humanity had ever witnessed. They had to overcome language barriers, personal vendettas, and all other ‘very human’ problems that show up inconveniently during meetings like this. And so they did. Their hastily completion of this self-appointed task is a powerful lesson in ambition, efficiency and cooperation. 

           Creating this set of resolutions was not all that they did, though. Using a technique now labelled ‘informal diplomacy’, they were involved in activities like writing letters to world leaders, knocking on office doors of ambassadors, or having lunch with diplomats; all of which was an effort to simply begin discussions. These individual conversations combine to become a way for politically disenfranchised peoples to insert their voice (in this case, the voice of women) into the broader conversation. This congress spawned the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), an active non-governmental organization devoted to making the voice of women heard. 

WILPF’s mission is to further by non-violent means the social transformation that enables the inauguration of systems under which social and political equality and economic justice for all can be attained to ensure real and lasting peace and true freedom.