Mark Twain, the celebrated American author, once described humanity as “the Damned Human Race” in a scathing critique of human behaviour. Though often labelled a pessimist, Twain’s observations about mankind’s capacity for cruelty remain strikingly relevant today.

Human actions, rather than natural forces, have inflicted untold suffering on the planet. Conflicts rooted in religion, ethnicity, and economics continue to ravage societies. Twain’s analysis, once a philosophical reflection, now mirrors the grim realities of our time.

Bloodshed and atrocities persist unchecked across the globe. In Gaza, Israel’s relentless airstrikes have transformed the region into a living hell. According to the World Health Organization, over 50,000 civilians, including women and children, have been killed, and 120,000 others injured in the past year alone. Schools, hospitals, and refugee camps lie in ruins, while international powers remain silent spectators.

Similar carnage unfolds in Ukraine and Russia, where violence has claimed countless lives over the past six months. Despite the United Nations’ mandate to prevent such massacres, the global body appears powerless, reduced to a bystander in the face of overwhelming brutality.

The world, once full of promise, now feels uninhabitable for many, including Palestinians and Kashmiris, who endure endless suffering. If humanity fails to act, the future will only hold more bloodshed, leaving Twain’s bleak assessment of mankind tragically prophetic.

SAJJAD KHATTAK,

Attock.