Commentary
Every day, we’re barraged with media reports magnifying negative aspects of human behavior. Whether a story deals with geopolitical friction and conflict on the global stage, the acrimony of shrill, scorched-earth political tussles here in the States, or just the latest local crime, the repetitive din surrounding ugly behaviors can make it too easy for us to despair about the prospects for the human race.
On the surface, it may look like human beings don’t know how to get along with each other. That’s a fallacy, and an egregious one at that. As was proved on 9/11, and as being proved repeatedly in Ukraine, destroying a building takes only a fraction of the time it takes to build one. If destruction were predominant, or even if it were only, say, one-tenth as common as peaceful cooperation, the world’s cities would be piles of rubble. It’s helpful to remember that peace and nonviolence are the norm while conflict and violence are aberrations….