When I was growing up in India, non-violence was considered the highest virtue. In fact, my grandfather was a strong supporter of Mahatma Gandhi, and an advocate of non-violence to bring about social and political change. Modern society also has prominent icons of non-violence such as Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, and Lech Wałęsa. Yet today, basic human values are being eroded, resulting in violence and aggression.
The high incidence of violence in the society is appalling, whether at the domestic or societal level. Aggression has become an integral part even in the lives of children.
Violence makes noise and news while non-violence happens in silence. The time has come for the voice of non-violence to be heard loud and clear. We need to bring back the pride in being peaceful and steady, and compassionate.
To end violence of any kind from our society, we need to commit to the human values of friendliness, compassion, and non-aggression. Click To TweetA lack of connectedness or belongingness breeds crime and violence. No individual can be violent against someone with whom he or she has a true sense of belongingness.
Limited wisdom and a lack of education on human values are the main factors creating division. We need to introduce a sense of belongingness to nurture the character and the heart. This will not be possible without putting attention on values of responsibility, compassion and caring for humanity.
Violence is neither our true nature nor the basis of civilization. When we bring up human values in society and give people confidence that non-violence has more power and a longer-lasting impact than violence, the whole world will benefit. This is what Mahatma Gandhi demonstrated for us. We need to work collectively to bring back non-violence as the highest virtue.