Conflicts are an attempt that is being made or continued after its failure.
The conflict, as a collision of two worlds that aren’t aware of their incompleteness, is an endless detour to an enforced peace.
Conflicts exist in the perspective of a possible peace. There is no conflict possible between two parties where there is no peace possible.
Conflicts arise and persist on the grounds of their superfluidity; they serve no purpose whatsoever.
The distinction between “cause” and “reason” in explaining the emergence of a conflict only emphasizes its inexplicability; it builds into the explanation a delay that is tantamount to a postponement of the explanation.
Conflicts arise from ignorance of their cause; they not only are there before the warring parties know about it; they also come because the parties don’t know about it.
The moment when a conflict arises cannot be predicted any more than the moment when an accident happens. Predictable conflicts do not arise.
Conflicts are prolonged indefinitely by the illusion that they will be short-lived.
The duration of a conflict is determined by the extent to which the motivation is unclear and can be shifted to other conflict material.
Conflicts are only motivated once they get going; they do not arise from that motivation.
The motivation of a conflict is subordinate to its continuation.
A conflict is a clash between two logical systems; it is about being right; reasoning is an essential component of a conflict.
At each subsequent stage of a conflict, the illusion arises that the conflict only took on realistic forms at a previous stage.
Conflicts are self-perpetuating and find motives in their own history to continue.
The relationship between the severity of a conflict and the size of the conflict material is only established during the conflict.
The motivation for continuing a conflict can also be used to end it.
Each conflict itself provides the material for a later resumption; new material is not necessary.
The escalation of a conflict does not arise from the conflict material, but from the conflict itself, which creates the illusion that the severity is proportional to its shortness.
When a conflict is at its most intense, the cause is forgotten, it no longer is about anything and peace is the most logical solution.
Conflict as a continuation of dialogue, but with other and inferior means, affects the effect and credibility of the better means.
Conflicts don’t solve problems, but force to pose them.
A relationship is more primitive and precarious, the more conflict it takes to become aware of the problems within it.
What the conflict is about, being right, is never made clear by its outcome.
Achieving victory in a conflict means: to force your own being right and to create your own truth.
Peace is the postponement of one’s own being right; peacefulness means being willing to engage in a dialogue without end.
Cornelis Verhoeven 