There is every proof out there that the world is becoming more violent than it has ever been before, and Mankind stupider than we have ever seen it in the past- this happening in our time of the extremely elevated human sophistication, marked by an unwitnessed-before scientific boom and technological progress.
Historically speaking, Man has always wanted to be violent; easily and vehemently killing fellow humans all over the planet, knowing no limits to those brutal attacks against somebody else’s happy, peaceful household and valuable property. Over time, this kind of indiscriminate viciousness subsided somewhat, as humankind went through considerable intellectual growth and moral development.
It is universally recognized that the advent of Christianity, for instance, made the world a more tolerant place to live, saying nothing of other religious trends of similar cause and functionality, although quite different in content. The world should seemingly be less turbulent today thanks to our ability to instantly communicate throughout the globe, making every possible issue negotiable and every mutual goal achievable. Yet, in actual fact, the contrary is happening. Notwithstanding the truth that the nations have finally learnt to live in peace together, it is suggested that more people have died as a result of the recent deadly conflicts of our times than ever before.
Of course, I am referring in particular to the infamous conflict ongoing smack-bang in the middle of old, blissful, affluent Europe, nominally called the Russian-Ukrainian clash, but actually figuring as a military clash between Russia and the entire West. Let’s put it this way: The West wants Ukraine in her free, wealthy, fair and democratic, social, political and economic realm, whereas Russia is ferociously adamant it will keep Ukrainians in her old imperial caboodle to meet her own interests of state security, and provide for her own national wellbeing; the West is pulling Ukraine into NATO and the EU, asking Russia to be nonchalant to the prospect, and Russia is screaming at the remaining pitch of her voice that there is no way they will tolerate the Western military expansion right under her nose. Hence, the atrocious interminable belligerency between the feuding sides.
Notably, while the Russian rockets and drones ceaselessly fly through the Ukrainian skies, Kyiv’s perpetual desire to be independent from Russia persists just as incessantly. These are the main reasons why hundreds of thousands of young people have died in this war, why many more will die, and why the material losses suffered might go beyond trillions of dollars sometime very soon, seeing even more of beautiful Ukraine being levelled. Moreover, the entire thing might very well grow into a third world war which will sooner involve the usage of nukes than not.
It is exactly here that the plainest question might occur to the trivial imagination of even the most gullible head of the world: Is all this worth the life of even one soldier, a soldier who would rather have contributed their strength and talent to the motherland instead of dying anonymously and aimlessly on the sinister battlefield? Not to mention the more than half a million war casualties, the distressing number of wounded fighters and refugees, ruined family lives, eliminated infrastructure and devastated cities, towns and villages.
Nothing terribly new, is it? It is statistically corroborated that in the last quarter of a millennium, almost 40 million people all over the world have been killed in wars, but it has not served us a lesson. As it seems, Man will never learn what to do with life and the Earth on which life happens. We are the way we are – mean, bellicose and bloodthirsty exterminators, and will never desist from slaughtering each other; no matter how insecure we feel because of wars that destroy the environment and lower our standard of living, we still go for it as if we have nothing better to do in this beautiful world of ours.
Is there anything out there that can stop the human moral, physical, intellectual, cultural and material disaster? Yes, there is. Jokes aside, if the entire eight-billion population of the world says in one voice that they will not go to serve in the armed forces of their respective countries. Just don’t go and stay home, even if they want to come and get you. If there is nobody to shoot a gun or press the button, how would those warmongers make war?
Op-Ed by Nugzar b. Ruhadze
