When it comes to conflict, many people have a hard time settling their differences. Despite the need for peaceful resolutions and non-violent means, it seems that war and violence is as prevalent as ever.

Whether it’s because of mass media influence, or the impatience to deal with change, here are some reasons why violence is never the answer:

• It dehumanizes others. Many forms of violence involve dehumanizing others. People who focus on winning conflict often find ways to make their enemy sound less-than-human to divide instead of unite. Some people do this by means of harmful propaganda like racial bias, stereotypes, and systematic oppression. When left ignored, it can perpetuate a never-ending cycle.
• It leaves permanent scars. Violence creates trauma which can leave physical and psychological scars. People who have been harmed or are susceptible to damage become less likely to grow into fully-realized individuals, making it more likely for negative influences to fester in society.
• It creates a vicious cycle. When one man is ready to throw a stone, another is ready to retaliate with something more harmful. More often than not, this cycle continues until many innocents die off and can continue for generations.

So, how can one be an instrument for a peaceful end? This is a loaded question, but I believe in what Hindus call Dharma, a religious and moral law that governs individual conduct.

“Dharma is the power that maintains society, it makes the grass grow, the sunshine, and makes us moral people or rather gives humans the opportunity to act virtuously.”—Professor Gavin Flood, 2009

Despite all our differences, we are all one of the same people who descended from an initial race. When we turn to violence and try to eliminate all our foes, we slowly lose what is left of our humanity. Violence is never the answer to all the pressing issues this world is constantly facing.