The pandemic has not only made life difficult, but in some cases, it has brought out some of the worst traits in people all over the world. The fear of food and supply shortages caused a lot of problems during the beginning of the lockdowns which led to hatred and violence in grocery stores globally. The world has become a less peaceful place during the pandemic and this is something that we must overcome and change. Some say that the world needs to heal from the pandemic, I say it needs to heal from itself first.
With that in mind, I am going to discuss some of the ways that the pandemic has made the world a less peaceful place to live:
Increased Violence- the increased feelings of anxiety, fear, boredom, frustration, and anger caused people to behave improperly and violently, at times. Uncontrolled anger and frustration are strong triggers of violence and the intention to do harm and we saw this here in the UK and around the world.
Negativity- loss of jobs, failed businesses, depression, loneliness, and financial depletion have caused a deep feeling of negativity among many people towards their governments. It is not easy to see a positive side of the situation if people are being constantly pressured by conflict and financial burden. Loneliness and social isolation have curtailed the ability interact directly. In many cases, teleconferencing and social media are ill-suited to replace pre-pandemic group activities with good friends and family members.
Cybercrime- financial deprivation and loss of jobs have caused some people to turn to cybercrime and online scams. There’s a massive surge in the use of Internet, because billions of people need to work and learn from home. This gives cyber criminals more opportunities to target people who lack the basic awareness of online security. Criminals are using stolen personal data for blackmailing or accessing bank accounts illegally. Cases of online scams are also getting much higher because more people are shopping online to keep themselves safe from possible COVID-19 transmission.
Racism- there’s heightened racism, xenophobia, and prejudice toward East Asian people. Chinese and other East Asians in the United States and the United Kingdom have reported higher levels of verbal abuse and physical assaults. In China, there were reports that people from African countries were asked to leave China immediately, because they were thought to cause the spread of virus.
Riots- pandemic-related frustration may has fuelled widespread protests and riots. Black Lives Matter protests escalated into violent riots in North America and Europe in mid-2020 and prison riots have been reported in Italy, Brazil, and Venezuela when inmates violently reacted to COVID-related restrictions. In some countries, authorities arrested groups of people who intentionally broke quarantine rules, which often led to violence.
As an Ambassador for Peace at the Academy of Universal Global Peace USA, I believe that collectively, we have all it takes to create a peaceful world, but we must work together and share our talents. We all need one another to find happiness within ourselves and within the world. Peace is our birthright.
There are many ways that each and every one of us can make the world we live in more peaceful. It just takes the desire to make a difference, empathy to put yourself in someone else’s place, and compassion towards your fellow man. With these core values and attributes, the world can become a better place for everyone.
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