<p>Please grade this essay?</p>
<p>Quote: Defeating an enemy by force always has profound, and usually unforeseen, consequences. Destroying another requires destroying a part of one’s own humanity, and strengthening resentment in others. It is better to understand one’s enemy, to learn the subtler but more ennobling art of persuasion and coexistence.</p>
<p>Assignment: Is it more important to defeat your enemy or to understand your enemy?</p>
<p>My Essay:</p>
<p>Groups of people have waged wars against other peoples with different cultures, backgrounds, and nationalities for centuries, often knowing little more about their opponents than a blind-folded wrestler does about his. The little information they have acquired comes from the rumors and stereotypes passed around by his side; the often know no truth, and therefore, do not understand their “enemies/” Perhaps if they were to learn about and try to comprehend the values and background of the other side, there would be no reason for conflict. Thus, the most important aspect of a battle is not defeating the enemy, but to understand it.</p>
<p>One of the most tragic instances of masscre and genocide in history, the Holocaust, was caused by the misunderstanding of the “foe” by those that seeked to eliminate Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, and numerous other “undesirables” that were seen as an enemy to the German people. Those that strongly believed in the massacre of these innocents got all their notions from Hitler, on man condemning millions. They never sought to try to understand the enemy they were killing. Without any reason other than those promoted by the propaganda of Hitler, they essentially killed blindly. Had they even tried to look into the backgrounds and the culture of their victims, they likely would have seen that their condemnation had no merit, and perhaps it would have prevented some, if not many from dying due to their false understanding.</p>
<p>Even in modern society, we witness religious and cultural groups waging war against each other simply due to the lack of understanding for the opponent. In Iraq, the two sects have been pitted against each other by the manipulative forces of their previous government. They, like those who killed in the Holocaust, have no other reason to fight each other other than the false notions authorities have given. Again, like those ivolved with the Holocaust, were they to try to understand each other’s values and cultures, they would perhaps see that they have no true reason for conflict. They would likely be able to coexist without the bloody war that currently takes place.</p>
<p>Often, two opposing sides focus on destroying each other without truly trying to understand each other and their reasons for conflict. If they were to look into each other, the conflict might end, eliminating all reasons for bloodshed.</p>