by Scott Hayden

Created on: May 29, 2008   Last Updated: May 13, 2010

The world would be a better place without criminals. Have you been a victim of a crime? It's an upsetting experience. You could be walking along, minding your own business and suddenly you are confronted with an individual who says the following sentence, "Give me your money." Naturally, you don't want to be hurt or killed so you comply to neutralize the threat. Even if the thief leaves you alone, the incident can haunt your dreams for a long time. This just perpetuates feelings of fear and anxiety.

Throughout human history, murder has been a common occurrence in many societies. Premeditated or otherwise, it destroys the lives of individuals and entire families. The reasons for taking a person's life have ranged from political and religious motives to racial prejudice and old-fashioned greed. No country on Earth is immune to this kind of crime. I realize I'm just dreaming when I try to envision our world without murder. Is this realistic as long as there are such powerful emotions as jealousy, envy and hatred?

People are becoming tired and cynical of war, and all of the horrible things that go along with it. There are no winners; there are only losers. Those who are lucky enough to survive end up reliving traumatic events, over and over again. But, how realistic is this kind of expectation? The human condition in the 21st century, being as unpredictable as we know it to be, is just as susceptible to irrational behaviour as our predecessors in ancient times.

We would live in a happier and safer world if there were no fanatical, megalomaniacal dictators. When somebody finally wins a big position in government or authoritative body the quest for power and money becomes intoxicating, and irreversible. No examples need to be mentioned because these people are well known. Those who lived under their regimes probably still haven't recovered completely. Can we really hope to have a leader who is totally selfless and benevolent, like Mahatma Gandhi? Wouldn't it be great if there were more guys like him?

Pollution isn't beneficial to anyone, whether it's of the water, air, soil or the foods we eat. Wearing a mask over your face because of the exhaust fumes from cars and buses can become tiresome. The things we need to sustain our existence are now toxic. Fortunately, we have the ability to reverse what is happening. All we need is the will.

There would be less cruelty and inequality if global businesses were smaller and more accountable. These companies would pollute less and treat workers more fairly. We don't need any more big corporations; the ones already in existence operate with impunity and in some cases, get away with murder.

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