Many people believe that we exist in far more dangerous times today as compared to what our predecessors had to deal with back in their time. Today, many live in fear that a disgruntled outcast or involuntary celibate could obliterate their schools, homes, or office buildings with a barrage of automatic gunfire at any given moment in time with an easily-accessible and unregulated firearm, or that a radicalized terrorist or mentally-ill aggressor could commit random or premediated acts of horrible atrocity on unsuspecting innocents, instilling an unhinged sense of impending doom deep in the minds of everyday people. With racial discrimination, terrorism, police brutality, surging rates in hate-crimes, global pandemics, and increasing poverty rates in many countries (as well as the crimes and corruption associated with it), it is not too far-fetched to assume that we currently live in the epitome of worldwide suffering.
However, some may argue that the lack of modern medicine, constant warring and conflict, exposure to elements and nature, and primitiveness of pre-modern technology in the lives of our ancestors may suggest that human beings in the past were subjected to experiences which were potentially much worse than the current ills of society that plague our world today. It is noteworthy to mention that the average life expectancy for someone living in the dirt and grime of the impoverished Middle Ages was significantly lower than that of today’s average middle-class person, and that the chance of being mauled by a wolf or bear, dropping dead from a tiny fever, or having your village raided and your family massacred by invading empires seeking land and power was somewhat high. With these difficulties in mind, it is safe to assume that the overall experience of welfare and “a good life” is highly subjective in nature, and may vary depending on the context of when and how that life was lived. While thousands have suffered within the context of their history, now the tables have turned in modern times – in the sense that we human beings now possess the individual capacity to bring about significant, immense societal change. People in previous eras of human civilization saw no such luxury.
Countless souls were stuck within the confines of their unforgiving realities, forced to live out the entirety of their lives under tyranny and cruelty that was so widespread at times that it was merely seen as a facet of everyday life. Insurmountable carnage and death on a daily basis (coupled with nightmarish living conditions and just a terrible streak of luck stemming from merely being born into the wrong place at the wrong time) is single-handedly responsible for the suffering of millions upon millions of unfortunate human beings that came before. Not a single soul possessed the capability to do something about their desperate conditions, and many could not even fathom the prospect of achieving change. Many of those who could, simply thought about it – while a majority of those who attempted to achieve it were silenced and tossed aside. Many have perished as victims of their inevitable circumstances, living in sub-human conditions that were previously impossible to break free from without external aid. So in short – a good life is subjective, but human rights are universal.
The knowledge of all human rights issues and successful advancement in the fulfillment of human rights — whether political, legal, financial, or spiritual, are political inseparable, interlinked and interrelated, with a gender context, and gives societies a systemic view into how we humans differ from each other and aspire to be in a culture of equality with everyone. Our species has distinct and varied cultural relations and individual personalities, despite cohesively being a part of the same society united by the vision and purpose of humanitarian law as a lifestyle. Lobbyists and voices of change have come and gone throughout the ages, and some share many similarities in their beliefs and missions – much like in Moyler’s book on A Comparative Investigation which draws comparison between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Albert Camus – two first class role models who lived out their passions for justice and freedom. Today, their contributions to humanity echo throughout the world as their legacies remain influential and morale-inspiring in the constant fight for human rights.
Despite the fact that we may possess our own individual interpretations of unity and we attach our identities with memories of our families, our nationalities, and the geographical uniqueness of our hometowns, it is vital to remember that we may break the cycle of cruelty by understanding the universal nature of human rights for all. By recognizing the bond that we all share as human beings on the same planet, we may strive to fight for the God-given rights that millions of innocent souls before us died without.
Wandering Will 