- Since time immemorial, humankind has learnt the greatest lesson life teaches about how to exist, coexist, and make earnest efforts to tide over numerous challenges thrown along the way with equanimity. Make no mistake, controllables would always ensure human ingenuity comes to the fore to handle even seemingly impossible tasks. However, uncontrollable situations occurring from time to time were always considered to be left just like that because of the futility in attempting to address the same, yielding no results in the bargain. Wars are not uncommon occurrences for humanity that has witnessed innumerable conflicts for land, riches, and power. One-upmanship is not a new phenomenon, but better sense often prevailed, overcoming greed for more riches.
PC: Anadolu Ajansı
- Wars of any nature are not going to reveal any clear winner since the magnitude of the losses from both sides was always humongous. Even in the so-called modern-day world, where cutting-edge technologies have ensured our living standards are embellished with awe-inspiring amenities, our penchant for usurping power and showcasing domination hasn’t diminished. Mindless wars and conflicts have become the order of the day, showing our insensitivity to the horrors of clashes. Are we just powerless to even prevent wars from killing fellow human beings? One of the most affecting images to have come out of the war in Iran recently gives a bird’s eye view of excavators and workmen digging graves. What an agonizingly heart-wrenching scene it is.
PC: The Hindu
- The images were captured after a missile attack on a girls’ school, which killed 168 innocent pupils, mostly between the ages of 7 and 12 years. The killing of a single child should stop us cold, the UNICEF global spokesperson has said. The killing of 165 doesn’t. Have we become desensitized to the horrors of war? Or, habituated to witnessing so many conflicts with a cold heart. Some experts blame it all on information diarrhoea. Their theory is that the relentless volume of social media, emails, and news we engage with today has broken our empathy. This makes sense. The one caveat is that human beings have never, ever had limitless empathy. Modernity’s promise was that it would not be down to the individual. That structures, systems, and processes would keep peace.
PC: The Tribune
- Obviously, they have failed. Worse, they are in decline. Even compassion fatigue, therefore, is not a heartless thing. Many who really care about what’s been happening in Gaza are plumb worn out by nothing improving on that front. The idea that if enough people responded with horror and disgust to the brutalities of war, it would stop has had its wins. But these are outnumbered by defeats. Often, sustained coverage of conflict itself shifts the baseline of normal. Civilians were killed – hides who killed them. The village was bombed – conceals the bomber. Even graphic images can suckle voyeurs more than any anti-war movement. Greater opposition, pressure on govts, and moral seriousness should be thrust upon those war mongers. Wars should stop.
