In life, there tends to be more questions than answers. Why are we here? What is the purpose of our existence? Why is there so much Pain and suffering? When we watch the news, we cannot help but acknowledge the many varying degrees of suffering and pain which seem to be a direct consequence of an Evil action. Necessary? Not at all it would seem - but it still happens. Must there be so much pain? It seems like a terrible waste. But what of purpose? Can we find a meaning in all of this?

*The Nature of Evil:

How can we define evil? To me, an evil action is one in which an individual either deliberately or unintentionally hurts another human being through a lack of awareness, self-interest or it can be executed through our own pain and suffering (we have suffered pain and misfortune so we have the same desire to inflict it on other people). So, is it all about conditioning from our past experiences or do we actually have a choice in the matter? Is performing an evil deed a conscious act of will or do people do these things because they have simply been programmed to do so through their past experiences?

*Do we have a Choice?:

The struggle between good and evil is the oldest struggle in the book. Epic movies have been made exploring the concept. Take Star Wars and Lord of the Rings for example - both depict the ongoing battle between the forces of good and evil. Why do people turn to evil? As a consequence of having to endure a great deal of pain and suffering in life we are always faced with a choice. Should we see pain and suffering as a chance for personal growth? The answer to that question is of course, yes. We can either become stronger or weaker depending on how we choose to deal with the pain and suffering life has brought us. Taking our grievances out on other people is the easy way out and to quote a famous film it does indeed lead to 'the dark side' in which we consume others through our pain and anger whilst simultaneously destroying ourselves in the process.

*Human Nature - Protect and Survive:

Within every situation is a chance to learn and grow. Evil acts bring about very unfair consequences which can destroy the lives of many people and nations. Why is this the case? A lot of it has to do with self-interest at all costs (the 'screw it as long as I'm alright' philosophy). Greed is also a prime example of evil at work (albeit subtly). Take the world economic collapse for instance. That was a direct consequence of a select group of people who were making choices that supported their own self interests whilst exploiting the lives of others with no regard for what the consequences would be. I personally feel this is an inherent vulgarity of human nature that is not likely to change anytime soon. It is part of human nature to protect our territory, to find food, to procreate and to safeguard ourselves from danger. Protecting and ensuring our own survival takes precedence over anything else. This is a fact that none of us can escape from. No matter how sophisicated and intelligent the human race has become, we cannot escape the most essential aspects of our nature.

*Can things Change?:

Absolutely. If people become more conscious and aware of how we are all interconnected and dependent on each other and how our actions directly affect other people and the world around us, it would certainly help things to get better. Humanity would evolve. There is no need for suffering to exist on such a large scale in the world. If we can make a conscious choice to enhance the lives of other people by enhancing our own via personal growth, then we really will start to make a difference. Within pain, lies a tremendous opportunity for change - and the best part is - it is within your grasp to make an overwhelming difference by doing something no matter how small you think it is - do it anyway. A moment's consideration and kindness towards someone else will have its own significance in time whether you are aware of it or not. The saying 'Evil prevails when good people do nothing' (Edmund Burke) is all it takes for evil to triumph in the world. So - do something!