Violence amongst people continue unabated all over the world
| by N.S.Venkataraman
( December 13, 2014, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) Great strides and improvements have been made in the field of science and technology around the world during the last several decades. Such developments are taking place with amazing speed and depth.
The developments with regard to information technology, space and nuclear science and robotics and automation are all astounding. Now, any individual is able to communicate with other individual anywhere in the world immediately and we see the global events in television programme instantaneously . Such conditions could not have been anticipated a century back. Perhaps, even more amazing developments will take place in the coming years.
However, what has not changed is the mind set of the men and women around the world. Prejudices, enmity, violence and greed continue to haunt the humanity, whichever part of the world one may belong to.
While science and technology has seen changes for the better, the battle for the future in the mind of men and women are yet to be won and it appears that there is no likelihood for this to happen in the immediate future.
While great scriptures like Bhagavat Gita are there, great thinkers like Mahatma Gandhi, great religious leaders like Adi Sankara, Christ, Allah, Buddha all have lived in this world, the overall impact in improving the mind set of the people appear to be practically insignificant. Basic behavior of men and women have not changed to any visible extent over the last several centuries.
The recent report published by World Health Organisation (WHO ) highlight such negative traits in the mind set of human beings around the world. This status report has been prepared by WHO after collecting data from 133 countries, covering 6.1 billion people and representing 88% of the world's population.
The report points out that around 4.75 lakh murders were reported in the world in 2012. About 60% of these victims were males aged between 15 and 44 years, which is the most productive phase of life.
The report of the WHO further says that over one third of murdered women across the world were killed by their male partners, indicating how women face greater threat to their lives from their trusted ones. When women are killed, it is often their partners who are responsible.
WHO report reveals more startling facts which should disturb anyone who think that the world civilization has progressed. The report points out that 25% of all adults have said that they have been physically abused as children. One in five women reports having been sexually abused as child.
The compilation of global data by WHO also reveals that approximately one in every two homicides is committed with a firearm, and one in four with a sharp instrument such as a knife, although the mechanism of homicide varies markedly across regions.
Obviously, the ethical and moral forces around the world have not been able to assert themselves adequately to defeat the baser elements in the minds and hearts of human beings. This also indicates that material affluence is no guarantee for spiritual betterment and quality life.
