I like that analogy Ebbie. Quitting smoking was, for me, incredibly hard, and even the "last time" I smoked, I didn't really believe I was going to quit. I got up one day, and didn't smoke anymore. In fact, as I type this, I'm laughing because I can't even remember my last smoke--not a thing about it! I can't even remember how many years I've been smoke free! Around 10 years maybe?

People have asked me how I did it. What I did was quit doing the things I associated with smoking. I quit coffee, recreational drugs, and alcohol. I knew if I did any of those things, my will power would be shot, and I'd smoke. I didn't tell myself I could never have those things again. I just told myself I couldn't do them and stay off cigarettes. I still don't drink coffee, and I haven't done recreational drugs since. I probably went 2 or 3 years before I drank. And I didn't miss any of it Of course, food tasted so damn good I ate enough to gain 50 lbs! But eventually I lost that too.

Anyway, the analogy is a good one for any sort of behavior that has to change. Justifying not changing the behavior results in one thing, and one thing only--continuing the behavior. Maybe we should start with not recruiting/enlisting/drafting any more folks into military service. If we just did that--declared a moratorium on new blood coming in, we could also quit buying and building new weapons. Eventually you'll run out of soldiers and weapons.

And then what will we do?

Pax to you too Bobert. :)