The Force of Evil

"I used to think that some people were simply good and others were not. Now I think that evil is a force in the world, a force that seeks & finds its way into our lives through anger and loss, through sadness & betrayal, like mould on bread, like rot in an apple, it takes hold". "The Lake of Dreams" - Kim Edwards.

The force of evil seems to be on the ascendancy in our world. Here at home we have increasing numbers of dreadful crimes against children & women. In Europe they are on constant alert against brutal, fundamentalist religious, terrorist attacks. On the high seas pirates capture ships & hapless migrants are left to drown by people who have charged them huge sums of money for the chance of a better life. In the developing world there is abject poverty & communities being preyed on by thuggish militias, not to mention needless death from virulent viruses & contagious diseases. Vicious wars are fought against innocent populations by dictators with no moral compass whatsoever. I could go on....

Where does it end? How do we re-balance a world which seems completely out of alignment? Can we actually stop any of this from happening? Is is as bad as it seems, or is it the negative reporting by the press & media always on the look out for a "good" story?

From my small life experience most people are good at heart, or at least not entirely bad. I think I have only met 3 people that I know behaved truly badly & who I wouldn't want to have anything to do with. If that is generally true there must be hope.

So what are the barriers to sorting out this human despair & pain & giving humanity the chance of a safe life with at least the basic needs satisfied? A lot of people are trying their hardest & risking their lives to do just that already.

Money pours in, but money isn't enough. It needs to be directed to the source of the problems, not to the criminals who pocket it. Politicians say the words at press conferences & meetings to get their ration of soundbites for the electorate. Big charities (NGO's) & international organisations (IGO's) like the UN, OECD, WTO, & SC are bogged down in politics to the extent that they achieve very little.

The mould & the rot need to be treated or we will be engulfed by it. It is a disease which is spreading almost unhindered. Action is needed before it is too late & we unleash another holocaust.