Rising violence point to a world in untold distress

People loot an area near a burning warehouse after violence erupted following the jailing of former South African President Jacob Zuma, in Durban, South Africa, July 14. [Reuters]

That the world is in distress is not in doubt. The symptoms are everywhere – riots, violence, suicides, murders, general aggressiveness, and the like. The world over, there has been a steep rise in cases of individual and social distress. In Kenya, we have seen an unusual increase in domestic violence, robberies, and gruesome murders – especially of women and children.

It speaks of a society bearing more than it can handle – a people carrying too much emotional stress and suffering poor mental health. There are many of us feeling so overwhelmed that, at the minimum, are unable to perform our normal daily functions. But at worst, many have lost meaning and significance of life and can therefore easily take our own or those of others.