It is Thanksgiving weekend in the United States where the seemingly unending pandemic makes it especially important that we contemplate our reasons for giving thanks when the majority of the traditional holiday and family celebrations have been cancelled completely or shifted into a virtual environment. It seems hard to believe that Jean Baudrillard had such circumstances in mind when he penned, “Simulacra and Simulation” in 1981. It was purely accidental that this author submitted her book chapter entitled, “Wired for War: When the Only Way to Win Is Not to Play the Game” on Black Friday which examines how while the strategies for waging war may have drastically changed over the years, the motivations have remained the same. As humans have become more adept at killing each other in greater numbers, such as by developing nuclear weapons or resorting to biological warfare, the “rules of engagement” that determine the conditions, circumstances, manner and degree in which the actions and utilization of force may be applied by individuals or the collective military seem to have become obsolete.
However, just as it is unwise to underestimate the expertise of one’s opponent, it is also unwise to underestimate the power of individuals’ wishes for peace as evidenced by Mr. Kawamoto, a survivor of Hiroshima who dedicates his time to volunteer at the Hiroshima Peace Museum in Japan. The gift of his hand-folded origami cranes and airplanes each bearing his wish for global
peace are shared with every visitor to the Museum. This author’s request for one of Mr. Kawamoto’s paper works of art to serve as an inspiration for her book chapter was graciously granted, and arrived serendipitously over this Thanksgiving weekend to be shared with others through the publication of her book chapter as well as through the distribution off Mr. Kawamoto’s origami art.

Reference: Baudrillard, J. (1981). Simulacres et Simulation. France: Editions Galilee. ISBN: 2-7186-0210-4 (French).