Many people, witnessing the widespread violence and wars raging across the world, often criticize modern civilization. Their blunt accusation is that this so-called "global civilization" is continuously pushing nations towards warfare.
If a robber breaks into your house, engaging in polite and sweet conversation with him is probably only natural for angels. And since humans are not angels, people tend to blame civilization.
But the real question is: was there ever a time, an era, that was truly free from conflict?
Were the ancient or medieval ages free of wars and clashes? Rather than blaming civilization, we should seek the root causes of war. As the French writer Victor Hugo once said, "Peace is the virtue of civilization, war its crime."
It seems we have truly forgotten the terrifying days of the COVID-19 pandemic! Yet that very virus is once again reemerging in different parts of the world.
Naturally, a question arises: if we can launch pinpoint missile attacks into the bedrooms of enemy territories thousands of miles away, why can we not defeat tiny viruses or bacteria? COVID-19 brought our civilization to the brink of existence — a danger that has yet to pass — and still we have not managed to overcome that microscopic foe. Why?
Nations across the world are constantly opening new war fronts, spending billions to manufacture weapons of destruction to overpower one another.
Sadly, they seem to lack the time or resources to develop proper vaccines to save humanity. While billions are spent on war every day and cutting-edge labs are being set up to build precision long-range missiles, scientists spend more time developing lethal technologies than life-saving ones.
The result is predictable — bullets, bombs, and missiles on one side; diseases, famine, and untold suffering on the other.
Regarding what a post-Cold War world might look like, American political scientist Samuel Huntington wrote in his theory of the "Clash of Civilizations" that future global conflicts would not be driven by ideology or economics, but by culture and religion.
Though his theory is not universally accepted and has been widely debated, it remains a notable perspective on modern warfare.
Contrary to that theory, it is worth noting that most wars today are driven by economic or geopolitical interests. Modern civilization has evolved through industry and commerce — nations are supposed to focus on trade and economic development. Yet, wars rage on across the globe.
Justice and legality seem absent; laws are ignored. Here, "might is right" appears to be the governing principle. Nations are using their strength to serve their own interests by any means necessary. Are we even studying why this is happening? Do we have the time?
The civilization that has been built through the collective effort and dedication of countless people over generations surely cannot be devoid of humanity. Moreover, there is no truth in the world that is inherently inhumane.
Judging by this, civilization is not as much to blame for the warmongering of nations as is our own reckless and short-sighted behavior. We created civilization, and we hold the keys to its future. If it collapses, it will be by our own hands.
Therefore, we must decide — will we throw the progress of civilization into question and turn into war-crazed beings obsessed with building weapons? In the name of civilization and our very existence, finding the answer to this question has never been more urgent.
