It probably really is the case that many of us in many of the countries of the west have come to accept our mainly peaceful and orderly societies as the norm to which ordinary humans should aspire and as being the 'normal state' which is most conducive towards the betterment of our specie.
This is what we expect, aspire towards and see as probably the ultimate fulfilment of our fate; the realisation of a safe, stable and secure environment in which to achieve maximum enlightenment and pleasure.
And so, having become accustomed to this life of mostly peace and tranquility, people in most of the countries of the west have had the luxury of being able to view the conflicts and misery which seems to have become the norm many of the countries of other regions, such as Africa, Asia, the Far East and the Middle East, from afar, as it were, and being able to continue to feel assured in the knowledge that they 'are far away and it does not directly affect us.' When those conflicts are deemed to 'affect the security of the west, their leaders are able to resort to employing drones, predators and other means to intervene, as little overt boots on the ground as possible.
And then came 9/11/2001 attacks on the US, and 7/7/2005 bombings in Britain and the Charlie Hebdo massacre and other terrorist attacks in France, and more outrages in America by perpetrators professing to be Muslims, and attacks in Belgium and despicable massacre in Nice. All of which have resulted in engendering a climate or perception of fear, uncertainty and insecurity in the west.
And then, seemingly, all of a sudden, as far as the sense of peace, tranquility and security which had hitherto been the norm, appears to have been snatched away, and nothing seems to be the same anymore.
And the people might have thought to ask of their political leaders, how is it that you told us that we need to fight the 'war against terror' abroad, lest we end up having to fight it in our home countries, and now we are having to do just that; fighting it in our home countries?
Of course, it is the way of perceptionS that we can oftentimes perceive things to be worse than they really are, which can actually lead to a worsening reality, whereas having a positive outlook towards resolving our problems can actually improve them.
Until your time has come, when you will indeed have no choice, endeavour to approach living with a positive regard, and live in the light and not in the anticipatory darkness which might be the unfortunate lot of those whose time has now arrived. Just as how nobody can do our dying for us, so we should endeavour to do our own living to the full.
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