We, as a civilisation, have a tremendous responsibility to grow and work together. Humans have a great capacity to bond, not only because of the social nature of this animal, but also because the earth is turning fast into a global melting pot of all cultures and religions.

During the course of this travel, human nature takes control over the body and the mind – often relates them with the brain and the heart – and charts out a nice path for her (or him) to follow.

But we have also been witness to the hardest fights, screaming and jibes that our fellow humans engage with us. Or may be we provide them with the harshness that characterizes the pains of the journey of life. These skirmishes or clashes are the sole point of being a painful saga in the whole concept of ‘charaivati … charaivati’, the eternal travel.

I pause for a moment here. Is this a crime to bark at others or being barked upon?

Suppose not, since we are essentially the believers of Darwin’s concept of ‘struggle for existence’ and immediately afterwards ‘the survival of the fittest’. In this whole journey that we call the life, our struggle for survival knows no bounds … and we create as much as witness roadblocks or stoppages.

We see husband clashing with wife, friends with friends, colleague with another colleague, boss with subordinates and fights among siblings and what not.

Trust me, this is a very negative yet competitive aspect of the human ‘race’ … the eternal race that every human joins for free and then attempts to break the tape at the finishing point. We can’t trust any human … for that matter, anyone, who will join this race and become a competitor.

As I write this, I have been bitten a numerous times and I may have also provided the sting to countless others … in my race to eternity. We can safely argue to say that this is a common phenomenon in the whole human life. I hope you will agree too.

But, my contention does not end there … as I get restless to see that the competition seems increasing. Jibes getting stronger … clashes more frequent … criticisms of competitors more common. Isn’t that strange?

What could be a possible reason?

Is the increasing population to blame? Or for that matter, has the struggle grown stiffer or may be the survival has become rarer these days? The bunch of people who have grown in the last fifty or so years … who are still young comparatively … are more eager to ‘fight it out’.

Mental violence, be it within the workplace, family or school … place of worship, clubs or charitable institutions are fast becoming normal … and gaining strength.

Why is this so? What is there so intimidating that we can’t resist ourselves from barking or biting at each other?

Countless philosophers and psychiatric evaluations over … we are yet to reasonably appease individuals in this crave to fight more … bark more … and be vociferous in doing that.

This is a sad feeling … and even sadder that this is being seen at the onset of a new century … and in times when humankind is poised for growth. We are criticising more, passing negative remarks more … and cribbing for ourselves more in lieu of others.

And still we keep believing that we all, irrespective of religions and tradition, parentage or upbringing … believe in peaceful co-existence.