On 2018 Nobel Peace Prize nomination

Alfred Nobel was a man with a scientific knowledge and practical approach. In one way or other he was involved in military inventions all his life. Dynamite and Ballistite, two of his own inventions and products, were used extensively, more by terrorists than a regular armies. Perhaps by establishing the Nobel Peace Prize he wanted to redeem himself of the consequences of his inventions. At least some anecdotal theories about his motivation are circulating since the Prize was established.

Too bad he had not left a definition of who are eligible for the Prize. Only one string has guided the Norwegian Committee:

“…done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses”.

He died before he specified it more strictly. And that opened the doors for as much “controversies” as we can imagine. Being political the Prize was always a member of a toolset. Sometimes the instrumental role was so ridiculous, that nobody wants to remember it. Perhaps the most known is nominating president Obama for “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples” … after he served first two weeks of his presidency. It was so blatantly ignorant that Nobel Peace Prize was compromised and diminished.

Since then most of the prizes goes to people easily forgotten. Some guys and guyessess, preferably from the far corners of the World. They are exceptional people, don’t get me wrong. Some of their stories are full of real heroism. But they do not fit the Nobel vision in any means. The scale is too small, as if Nobel has established “Good People Award”.

It is definitely not the fault of the persons awarded – they’ve done the best on their places. It even is not fault of the Committee. Maybe it is the fault of the time itself which do not yield a great and indisputable leaders to truly match the Prize ambitions.

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