By George Monopatis

There is a scene from the famous movie “Blood Diamond” that has always stayed with me. The co-star of the movie, Jennifer Connelly, after seeing some news on TV, comments that “the world is falling apart“. Then, the main protagonist, Leonardo Di Caprio, answers with absolute candor: “When was the last time the world wasn’t falling apart, huh?”

This statement, however extravagant, remains strangely accurate. There is a general feeling in the world now and arguably during every time period that things are unbearable and that things cannot get any worse, in other words an overall pessimism. Still, this is not actually true. What is true is that the international system with its anarchy, is characterized by deep rooted problems that are still being reproduced from one place to the other. Wars, corruption, hunger, insecurity and inequality have always been almost permanent features from antiquity until now. Our world always gave the feeling that things were not going well.

So, the question that’s running through our minds is: will this world, which has been falling apart time and again, change by itself? No. Unfortunately, we are not living in a utopia, as we said, but in a state of disarray/in chaos.

For this reason, people should always remember that for every problem there is at least one viable solution and option. Throughout history, humanity has framed problems, tackled plenty of them, and continues to try so. After all, human beings are marathon runners, and what best describes humanity is its infinite capacity for progress. A principle that has taken humanity from dirt roads to paved ones, from undrinkable water to drinkable, from darkness to electricity, from death due to bad teeth to advanced medicine that can cure even the most serious cases.

Most of the people who have made a difference in a “crumbling” world have been people who have managed to find a reason to carry on in the chaos and to be harbingers of change. So, whenever you think that your presence does not make an impact on a global scale, you are wrong and, were it to be collectively adopted, this way of thinking would prove catastrophic. For instance, the next time there are elections in your country, instead of abstaining, try to change the mess. Instead of acting idiotic, try to solve the problems.

We should remember that while states are the paragons of order in the international system, they remain in the hands of human beings. Most of the times, leaders rise with the help of ordinary people like us. It is therefore really important to pay attention to what is happening around you, politically, economically and socially. After all, the historical trends that will help you see the problems in this ever-changing world have been with us for millennia. The patterns that have shaped and continue to shape our world remain are persistent. We only have to discern them. One such pattern is technological progress and how it changes people’s everyday lives, such as the use of smartphones, which have become like extensions of our arms; better to learn how to use them more efficiently than to scroll endlessly through social media.

In conclusion, the trends of inequality, wars, corruption and hunger in the world order do give the feeling that the world is falling apart. It is up to the people, us, not to give in to this kind of thinking, to become passive, to not care about what is happening around us. Aristotle said that man is a “political animal”, which craves to connect with other people and to be involved in a community or society. Participating in the affairs of the community or society, discussing them even, can produce results. These results can lead to overcoming deep-rooted problems, which will make people’s daily lives easier. In short, do not shun world affairs, because the world will carry on falling.