For peace is a process — a way of solving problems.
John F. Kennedy
American University Commencement 1963, 1963
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Kennedy deliberately redefined peace — not as a destination but as a method. He rejected both the utopian vision ('I am not referring to the absolute, infinite concept of peace and good will of which some fantasies and fanatics dream') and the cynical one (that peace was impossible until the Soviets changed). Instead, he proposed 'a more practical, more attainable peace — based not on a sudden revolution in human nature but on a gradual evolution in human institutions — on a series of concrete actions and effective agreements which are in the interest of all concerned.' The redefinition was crucial because it made peace achievable by increments rather than requiring a grand transformation. 'World peace, like community peace, does not require that each man love his neighbor — it requires only that they live together in mutual tolerance, submitting their disputes to a just and peaceful settlement.'