Has Our Malevolence Towards One Another Grown To Become So Systemic, And Pathologic, That It Is Now Just A Given In Our Lives?
We violate our own inherent preciousness when we disdain others, belittle their hopes, undermine their dreams, disrespect their needs, and above all, treat them as if they have nothing but a utilitarian value for us… and they, of course, can do the same to us. When one does it, others suffer, but when it becomes a way of life for all, it institutionalizes misery into the very core of what is possible each and every day of our lives.
So, is it a violent world we live in, or are we the victims of our own commonplace malevolence towards the world and each other?
Terrorist attacks against innocents show a pathological disdain for the pain and suffering they cause; but what about the farmer who uses products that threaten the very foundation of life in order to enjoy slight profits in the interim, or the merchant who sells outdated food that might sicken his clients, or the manufacturer that makes shoddy and defective products that can injure and kill, knowingly robbing someone of their hard-earned money and giving little value in return?
And what of businesses and governments, or just the folks next door, who pollute the means for a healthy life for our families, friends, and communities, or who scheme to have hegemonic control over us — mentally or physically — using fear and the creation of disputes among all peoples in order to gain a little power?
Does the violence that we experience originate in the world at large, or in our hearts? Or is it just so much a part of how we view the world and each other that our malevolence towards one another has become systemic, and pathologic, so that it is now just a commonplace of our life here on earth?
When “how to profit” off others is the rule of the day, “how to survive” is next in play.
