The sword is mightier than the pen.

This debate is on the virtues of force vs. persuasion, but it really shouldn’t be a debate, because the pen encompasses the sword, while the sword does not encompass the pen. So how could a part of a whole ever be mightier than the whole? I will however present my arguments now and respond to pro in the next round.Gone are the days of cave men clubbing people to get what you want. We all understand that using a gun (the modern-day club) to force someone to make you a cup of coffee at McDonalds is ludicrous. It is much more effective to follow the laws that have been penned out for this country to get what you want. This is true in every aspect of our lives, and it’s why the pen doesn’t allow taking others property, torturing others, even murder, or the one my opponent should be acutely aware forcing others to do what you want at the tip of a sword. As a female, I shouldn’t need to explain to her that a guy attempting to force himself on a woman is not the most effective at getting laid, a girlfriend, a relationship, or whatever. And as previously stated the pen allows individuals the use of the sword in protection of the penned laws.I will be proving the power of the pen with these 4 points: 1) The pen directs the sword, the sword doesn’t direct the pen 2) Live by the sword, die by the sword 3) The power of religious pen 4) The pen hurts more than the sword 1) The pen directs the sword, the sword doesn’t direct the pen The pen has many faces, and military is only one of them. However military rule removes all the diplomatic options in a countries toolbox. This is the reason no developed government is a stratocracy with the globalization that exists now. The closest we see to one currently is Russia and England, and both of those have laws and lawmakers who are in charge. Pro needs to convince you that the sword is more effective than the pen, I look forward to seeing pro try to put forth an example of a government that is effective without the use of the pen. So either Pro needs to prove that all these governments are ineffective and they should change over to a stratocracy, or Pro needs to concede the debate on those grounds alone. A partial list of governments ruled by the pen: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, etc.Be it hiring mercenaries, or assassins, all military contracts are the pen directing the sword. When you sign up to be a soldier you sign a contract. The military is ruled by laws that we’ve penned. If you break those laws, a military court will try your offenses against those penned law. Every aspect of military life is dictated by the pen, and the sword doesn’t dictate a single thing in this (and all the countries listed above) country. While there may be some cases were temporarily the sword is in charge instead of the pen, but even in martial law, the pen is dictating the rules of what the sword can and cannot do. The pen controls and dominates the sword in every aspect of the swords existence. 2) Live by the sword, die by the sword The sword is a tool for people who lack the ability to function in modern society. We no longer create fiefdoms of warring clans where only the strong survive. It’s not effective to risk your life every time you want Starbucks. And that’s a good thing, because when a person resorts to the sword to get what they want they remove all other forms of compromise, and create a dual to the death. It forces the person on the other side to either given in, or fight back. How many times have we seen in the news of a shop owner killing a thief in a shootout? Is that 6 pack of Budweiser really worth losing your life over? http://abc7.com...Even if you do “win” the battle with that individual, you still risk their friends and family vengeance. (and even your own family) When you live by the sword, you never know who is coming to harm you. They know you cannot be reasoned with, and the only thing you understand is the sword, so it is the sword they will use against you, and you must have constant vigilance to protect yourself from that retribution. I think we can all agree that’s not an effective at achieving your goals in life. (unless your goal is to always be hunted and on your guard) http://abcnews.go.com... https://www.thenewsminute.com...And to bring it back to the female perspective, maybe the sword works the first time, the second time, or whatever, but there is always the chance that it’s going to be too much, and she is going to kill you. I think we are all aware of Cyntoia Brown who at 16 killed her capture, because she felt like she had no other choice. Which highlights another issue with the sword, in a world full of guns being physically stronger does not give you any advantage against bullets. So, the belief that only the strong survive has been nullified by Mr. Colt. https://nypost.com... 3) The power of religious pen In some ways religion has the strongest pen, there are billions who believe that the word (pen) of various gods is mightier than the sword. It doesn’t matter whether you are a believer or non-believer, you must respect the power that the religious pen holds globally. Two quotes on the topic Napoleon - “Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.” Lucius Annaeus Seneca – “Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.”The power of the religious pen to effectively control the masses better than the sword has been proven time and time again. In the modern age, it has gotten to where we now use clergy as diplomats: “the objective of faith-based diplomacy is not only conflict resolution but also the restoration of the political order that has suffered from war and injustice, and the reconciliation of individuals and social groups.” http://internationalstudies.oxfordre.com... 4) The pen hurts more than the sword Propaganda has shown to be one of the most effective ways to control the masses. The most popular example of this is Nazi Germany and the holocaust, but we don’t need to go to another country to see how hurtful propaganda can be. The weapons of mass destruction the US government used as propaganda to take us into yet another war leading people to vote against their own interest, and causing untold harm. “Many say that it is inevitable in war that people will die. Yet, in many cases, war itself is not inevitable, and propaganda is often employed to go closer to war, if that is the preferred foreign policy option.” “In the West the calculated manipulation of public opinion to serve political and ideological interests is much more covert and therefore much more effective [than a propaganda system imposed in a totalitarian regime].” http://www.globalissues.org...On an individual level words and the emotional pain are far more effective at destroying someone than the sword. This article goes through the ways that the pen is stronger than the sword: 1. Memories Trigger Emotional Pain But Not Physical Pain 2. We Use Physical Pain as Distraction from Emotional Pain Not Vice Versa 3. Physical Pain Garners Far More Empathy from Others Than Emotional Pain 4. Emotional Pain Echoes in Ways Physical Pain Does Not 5. Emotional Pain but Not Physical Pain Can Damage Our Self-Esteem and Long-Term Mental Health https://www.psychologytoday.com... Conclusion I enjoy freedom, and I enjoy trade as I think most people do. I have no interest in risking my like to get a country fried steak dinner at Cracker Barrel with force, it’s just not effective. At best, the sword provides for an ineffective way to sacrifice your future for a chance of short term gains, but every time you chose the sword you are putting your life on the line. (and not just with the person in front of you) This is true on both a personal and national level, and I have shown why governments and individuals don’t live by the sword anymore, it’s simply not an effective way of getting what you want. In the same way that torture is ineffective, so too is choosing the sword over the pen. We all know this to be true because as children we tried to live this way. Some of use found that there was always someone bigger or better, and even the rare undefeated swords cave to the power of the pen as they matured. The use of the pen to incite people to use the sword in the case of Black American protestors should be a sad reminder of how easy it is for the pen to beat anyone who draws the sword.I’ll leave you with a quote from John Lennon: When it gets down to having to use violence, then you are playing the system’s game. The establishment will irritate you – pull your beard, flick your face – to make you fight. Because once they’ve got you violent, then they know how to handle you.