Peace Index. Daily stats for words such as “peace”, “nonviolence”, and “anti-war”. How much are Americans talking about peace today?

See ongoing chart of daily peace index numbers under **asterisks** at the bottom of this post.

“When will the wars end?” I wonder that each day, and, I reflect on secondary questions, such as: “Is anyone succeeding with peace work lately?” and “Is the peace movement thriving?”.

I had always wished there was a way to check up on these concerns, a way to check the pulse of peace. I wanted to find statistics on peace, just like people can find statistics on the stock market, the price of gold, or, even, the casualties of war. I did a little research, and I could not find a number or index that answered my questions. There are some very good peace indexes. Though, the ones I found are only calculated yearly, or they only changed when big events happen.

So, it is still impossible to predict exactly when the wars will end. Though, we have devised a system to give some answers about the status of peace and antiwar sentiment in the United States. The system is The Daily Peace Culture Index for the United States [DPCIUS], which has the nickname PAXi. The PAXi number will be posted prominently at Peace Couple every day. [Well, we try!] We hope you will seek it out when you do your daily searches for news, information, and updates on the state of the world.

PAXi is designed to describe the amount of energy and discussion devoted to peace in The United States each day. PAXi relies on: key word searches of regular search engines, blog search engines, and Google News; product searches which will reflect new books, music, and media related to peace and peace strategies;  indicators of support for various peace and justice organizations; and videos created about peace. The key words and phrases used in the PAXi formula are: “peace”, “nonviolence”, “nonviolent communication”, and “anti-war”.

The index is aimed at sentiment in the United States. There are many international aspects of the calculations. Though, it is geared to the United States in that the word searches are in English, and there are some USA-specific groups used as part of the count.

We hope that many of our readers are peace activists, who strive to create more peace in the world. We feel like our peace index is comprehensive enough to actually reflect the work you do. And, if you want to impact the base numbers for PAXi, here are some hints:

One of our favorite antiwar groups is War Resisters League. If you join and/or recruit people to “like” War Resisters League on FaceBook, you can help the PAXi number move up. Other important organizations this index follows through FaceBook include: Amnesty International USA, American Friends Service Committee, and Fellowship of Reconciliation. Also, if you write or share press releases that get the word “peace” or “nonviolence” into the Google News stream, you can help the PAXi number move up. If you blog about peace or nonviolence, your efforts will, most likely, ultimately be reflected in our index.

The PAXi number for today, July 15, 2012 is: 131 (one hundred and thirty one). So, 131 is the starting point for this project. This number is a percentage of the numbers we collected and added to get a snapshot of antiwar culture in the United States for today. Each day, we will gather data from the same set of indicators, and apply the same percentage formula. Based on our test cases, we expect the indicator to fluctuate somewhere between zero and fifteen points each day. We have not set an arbitrary top or bottom to the PAXi number. It is a moving number, like the Dow Jones Industrial Stock Index. As the PAXi grows, it should mean that there is more and more sentiment in the United States to end the wars, and to embrace nonviolence as a value and political strategy.

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Chart for PAXi:

***Beginning: July 2012***
July 15, 2012 PAXi: 131 (Opening Day of the PAXi Index)
July 16, 2012 PAXi: 147 (Monday)
July 17, 2012 PAXi: 145
July 18, 2012 PAXi: 131
July 19, 2012 PAXi: 131
July 20, 2012 PAXi: 134
July 21, 2012 PAXi: 136
July 22, 2012 PAXi: 135
July 23, 2012 PAXi: 137 (Monday)
July 24, 2012 PAXi: 141
July 25, 2012 PAXi: 137
July 26, 2012 PAXi: 135* (taken in eve)
July 27, 2012 PAXi: 137
July 28, 2012 PAXi: 138
July 29, 2012 PAXi: 140
July 30, 2012 PAXi: 141 (Monday)
July 31, 2012 PAXi: 144
***August 2012***
Aug. 1st 2012 PAXi: 141
Aug. 2, 2012 PAXi: 141
Aug 3, 2012 PAXi: 141* (some numbers taken late)
Aug 4, 2012 PAXi: 140* (included one new indicator)
Aug 5, 2012 PAXi: 143
Aug 6. 2012 PAXi: 145 (Monday) (Hiroshima Anniversary)
Aug 7, 2012 PAXi: 148*(some numbers taken late)
Aug 8, 2012 PAXi: 150 (First time the PAXi reached 150)
Aug 9, 2012 PAXi: 145
Aug 10, 2012 PAXi: 145
Aug 11, 2012 PAXi: 144
Aug 12, 2012 PAXi: 143
Aug 13, 2012 PAXi: 146 (Monday)
Aug 14, 2012 PAXi: 145
Aug 15, 2012 PAXi: 148
Aug 16, 2012 PAXi: 148
Aug 17, 2012 PAXi: 147
Aug 18, 2012 PAXi: 147
Aug 19, 2012 PAXi: 146
Aug 20, 2012 PAXi: 149 (Monday)
Aug 21, 2012 PAXi: 149
Aug 22, 2012 PAXi: 151
Aug 23, 2012 PAXi: 149
Aug 24, 2012 PAXi: 151
Aug 25, 2012 PAXi: 150
Aug 26, 2012 PAXi: 149
Aug 27, 2012 PAXi: 144 (Monday)
Aug 28, 2012 PAXi: 143* (some numbers taken late)
Aug 29, 2012 PAXi: 153 (highest point ever for PAXi)
Aug 30, 2012 PAXi: 150
Aug 31, 2012 PAXi: 148
***September 2012***
Sept 1, 2012 PAXi: 144
Sept 2, 2012 PAXi: 145
Sept 3, 2012 PAXi: 143
Sept 4, 2012 PAXi: 145
Sept 5, 2012 PAXi: 150
Sept 6, 2012 PAXi: 157 (new high for PAXi)
Sept 7, 2012 PAXi: 154
Sept 8, 2012 PAXi: 158 (new high for PAXi)
Sept 9, 2012 PAXi: 156
Sept 10, 2012 PAXi: 153
Sept 11, 2012 PAXi: 337 (a new high, and big jump)
Sept 12, 2012 PAXi: 332 *(some numbers taken late)
Sept 13, 2012 PAXi: 158
Sept 14, 2012 PAXi: 164
Sept 15, 2012 PAXi: 166
Sept 16, 2012 PAXi: 159
Sept 17, 2012 PAXi: 165
Sept 18, 2012 PAXi: 161
Sept 19, 2012 PAXi: 166
Sept 20, 2012 PAXi: 169
Sept 21, 2012 PAXi: 171 (Day of Peace)
Sept 22, 2012 PAXi: 172
Sept 23, 2012 PAXi: 172
Sept 24, 2012 PAXi: 173
Sept 25, 2012 PAXi: 181
Sept 26, 2012 PAXi: 174
Sept 27, 2012 PAXi: 172
Sept 28, 2012 PAXi: 169
Sept 29, 2012 PAXi: 171
Sept 30, 2012 PAXi: 168
***October 2012***
Oct. 1, 2012 PAXi: 168
Oct. 2, 2012 PAXi: 170
Oct. 3, 2012 PAXi: 173 (Presidential Debates)
Oct 4, 2012 PAXi: 176
Oct 5, 2012 PAXi: 177 (some numbers taken late)
Oct 6, 2012 PAXi: 179
Oct 7, 2012 PAXi: 179
Oct 8, 2012 PAXi: 179 (Monday. Columbus Day)
Oct 9, 2012 PAXi: 198
Oct 10, 2012 PAXi: 197
Oct 11, 2012 PAXi: 194
Oct 12, 2012 PAXi: 197 (Nobel Peace Prize announced)
Oct 13, 2012 PAXi: 754 (a new high and a huge jump)
Oct 14, 2012 PAXi: 979 (a new high)
Oct 15, 2012 PAXi: 976
Oct 16, 2012 PAXi: 774 (some #s taken later) (Prez Debate)
Oct 17, 2012 PAXi: 767
Oct 18, 2012 PAXi: 233
Oct 19, 2012: PAXi: 213
Oct 20, 2012: PAXi: 192
Oct 21, 2012: PAXi: 190
Oct 22, 2012: PAXi: 184 (Presidential Debate in Florida)
Oct 23, 2012: PAXi: 181 (3rd Party Prez Debate in Chicago)
Oct 24, 2012: PAXi: 185
Oct 25, 2012: PAXi: 186
Oct 26, 2012: PAXi: 186
Oct 27, 2012: PAXi: 188
Oct 28, 2012: PAXi: 184
Oct 29, 2012: PAXi: 179
Oct 30, 2012: PAXi: 181
Oct 31, 2012: PAXi: 176 (some numbers taken late)
***November 2012***
Nov 1st 2012: PAXi: 177
Nov 2, 2012: PAXi: 161
Nov 3, 2012: PAXi: 155
Nov 4, 2012: PAXi: 154
Nov 5, 2012: PAXi: 154
Nov 6, 2012: PAXi: 154 [Election Day in the USA]
Nov 7, 2012: PAXi: 153
Nov 8, 2012: PAXi: 154
Nov 9, 2012: PAXi: 154
Nov 10, 2012: PAXi: 155
Nov 11, 2012: PAXi: 157
Nov 12, 2012: PAXi: 157
Nov 13, 2012: PAXi: 155
Nov 14, 2012: PAXi: 157
Nov 15, 2012: PAXi: 157 [some numbers taken late]
Nov 16, 2012: PAXi: 149
Nov 17, 2012: PAXi: 149
Nov 18, 2012: PAXi: 149
Nov 19, 2012: PAXi: 151 [Monday]
Nov 20, 2012: PAXi: 157
Nov 21, 2012: PAXi: 161
Nov 22, 2012: PAXi: 168 [Thanksgiving]
Nov 23, 2012: PAXi: 163 [Black Fri/Walmart Strike]
Nov 24, 2012: PAXi: 165
Nov 25, 2012: PAXi: 163
Nov 26, 2012: PAXi: 162
Nov 27, 2012: PAXi: 155
Nov 28, 2012: PAXi: 155
Nov 29, 2012: PAXi: 155
Nov 30, 2012: PAXi: 155
***December 2012***
Dec 1, 2012: PAXi: 156
Dec 2, 2012: PAXi: 155
Dec 3, 2012: PAXi: 162
Dec 4, 2012: PAXi: 163
Dec 5, 2012: PAXi: 162
Dec 6, 2012: PAXi: 165
Dec 7, 2012: PAXi: 164
Dec 8, 2012: PAXi: 164
Dec 9, 2012: PAXi: 163
Dec 10, 2012: PAXi: 164
Dec 11, 2012: PAXi: 175
Dec 12, 2012: PAXi: 174
Dec 13, 2012: PAXi: 169
Dec 14, 2012: PAXi: 169
Dec 15, 2012: PAXi: 167
Dec 16, 2012: PAXi: 169
Dec 17, 2012: PAXi: 167 (some numbers taken late)
Dec 18, 2012: PAXi: 168
Dec 19, 2012:PAXi: 168
Dec 20, 2012: PAXi: 167
Dec 21, 2012: PAXi: 170
Dec 22, 2012: PAXi: 167
Dec 23, 2012: PAXi: 165
Dec 24, 2012: PAXi: 165
Dec 25, 2012: PAXi: 164
Dec 26, 2012: PAXi: 171
Dec 27, 2012: PAXi: 177
Dec 28, 2012: PAXi: 174
Dec 29, 2012: PAXi: 174
Dec 30, 2012: PAXi: 171
Dec 31, 2012: PAXi: 168

NEW YEAR: ***January 2013***
Jan 1, 2013: PAXi: 160
Jan 2, 2013: PAXi: 168
Jan 3, 2013: PAXi: 166
Jan 4, 2013: PAXi: 167
Jan 5, 2013: PAXi: 167
Jan 6, 2013: PAXi: 165
Jan 7, 2013: PAXi: 165
Jan 8, 2013: PAXi: 166 (some numbers taken late)
Jan 9, 2013: PAXi: 165
Jan 10, 2013: PAXi: 166
Jan 11, 2013: PAXi: 166
Jan 12, 2013: PAXi: 170
Jan 13, 2013: PAXi: 171
Jan 14, 2013: PAXi: 170 (some numbers taken late)
Jan 15, 2013: PAXi: 169
(will catch up soon on these missing dates)
Jan 27, 2013: PAXi: 183
Jan 28, 2013: PAXi: 183
Jan 29, 2013: PAXi: 181
Jan 30, 2013: PAXi: 179
Jan 31, 2013: PAXi: 180
Feb 1, 2013: PAXi: 177
Feb 2, 2013: PAXi: 178
Feb 3, 2013: PAXi: 179
Feb 4, 2013: PAXi: 179
Feb 5, 2013: PAXi: 182
Feb 6, 2013: PAXi: 190
Feb 7, 2013: PAXi: 190 (one number taken late)
Feb 8, 2013: PAXi: 185
[Numbers taken for missing days. Will tabulate soon.]
March 7, 2013: PAXi: 201
March 8, 2013: PAXi: 195
March 9, 2013: PAXi: 198 (some numbers taken late)
March 10, 2013: PAXi: 198 (some numbers taken late)
March 11, 2013: PAXi: 198
March 12, 2013: PAXi: 194
March 13, 2013: PAXi: 195
March 14, 2013: PAXi: 543
March 15, 2013: PAXi: 325
March 16, 2013: PAXi: 1,152
March 17, 2013: PAXi: 609
March 18, 2013: PAXi: 619
March 19, 2013: PAXi: 651
March 20, 2013: PAXi: 316
March 21, 2013: PAXi: 909
March 22, 2013: PAXi: 575
March 23, 2013: PAXi: 585
March 24, 2013: PAXi: 2,127
March 25, 2013: PAXi: 1,650
March 26, 2013: PAXi: 824
March 27, 2013: PAXi: 569
March 28, 2013: PAXi: 1,592
March 29, 2013: PAXi: 1,432
March 30, 2013: PAXi: 1,218
March 31, 2013: PAXi: 1,371 [Easter]
April 1, 2013: PAXi: 1,701
April 2, 2013: PAXi: 328
April 3, 2013: PAXi: 1,167
(Numbers taken. Will catch up soon on these missing dates)
April 15, 2013: 725 [Boston Marathan bombing in afternoon]
April 16, 2013: 1,245
(Numbers taken for missing days. Will catch up soon on these missing dates)
May 26, 2013: PAXi: 540
(Numbers taken for missing days. Will catch up soon on these missing dates)
June 24, 2013: PAXi: 1,401
June 25, 2013: PAXi: 613
(Numbers taken. Will catch up soon on these missing dates)
August 11, 2013: PAXi: 1,544
(Most numbers taken. Will catch up soon on these missing dates)
Oct. 7, 2013: 1,444
Oct. 8, 2013: 991
Oct. 9, 2013: 1,320
Oct. 10, 2013: 1,519
Oct. 11, 2013: 2,083 [Nobel Peace Prize announced]
Oct. 12, 2013: 3,926
Oct. 13, 2013: 3,637
Oct. 14, 2013: 2,377 [Columbus Day]
[Numbers for missing dates taken, but not calculated]

NEW YEAR: ***2014 HIGHLIGHTS***
Jan 1, 2014:     2,213
Feb 1, 2104:    2, 497
March 1, 2014:   568 (some #s taken late, next day)
March 27, 2014: 244
April 1, 2014:      202
April 2, 2014:       205
April 12, 2014:    204
April 28, 2014:     2,408
May 1, 2014:      1,964

NEW YEAR: ***2015 HIGHLIGHTS***
May 1st of 2015:                986
June 1st of 2015:                668
June 2, 2015:                        957
June 3, 2015:                        982
June 4, 2015:   (stats not available)
June 5, 2015:  (stats not available)
June 6, 2015:                         683
June 7, 2015:                         937
June 8, 2015:                         934
June 26, 2015:                     957
June 27, 2015:                      862
June 28, 2015:                      878
June 29, 2015:                     681
June 30, 2015:                     962
July 1, 2015:                         701
July 2, 2015:                         608
July 3, 2015:                         884
July 4, 2015:                         850
July 5, 2015:                         872
July 6, 2015:                         854
July 7, 2015:                         860
July 8, 2015:                         846

 

 

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Note on 7/16/12 numbers: I am interested in seeing if this kind of increase could be a result of increased internet activity and updates done on Mondays. I had only watched my indicators and index for a few days as I created this calculation. So, there will be some lessons and surprises for all of us as the project unfolds.

The 7/26/12 number is less direct a comparison, because some stats were taken later in the day than usual.

Note on the 8/4/12 number: I sifted in a new indicator — actually, one I had meant to include, but had gotten lost in the list-making. I believe I have introduced it in a way that will not affect today’s number at all, and a way that should keep overall continuity.

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Please tell other people about this unique way to measure peace, and to see the accomplishments of the peace movement in action each day.

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