Ever look at the world and wonder why are we always fighting? Why can’t we all get along? How will we ever achieve world peace? You see, I very well might have figured all this out!

Before trying to solve our problems, we need to examine why most disputes happen in the first place. In “The Reasons for Wars – an Updated Survey,” Matthew Jackson and Massimo Morelli indicate that wars happen for three reasons: religion, revenge, or ethnic cleansing because of some crazy ideology.

As a 21-year-old international student living in the Midwest, I have lived my young adult years in two different places on opposite sides of the globe. I've experienced two completely opposite and unique cultures in the most critical years of my life. When you grow up in a particular place, you develop a certain idea of what’s normal. For example, what your beliefs should be, how you should behave, what you should say, or what your wedding will look like. Once I moved, I had to turn my life upside down to adapt and switch the meaning of what’s normal to me. Somewhere along that road, the more people I met and the more classes I took, the more I realized that we’re not that different after all.

Why are we fighting?

The kinds of issues nations face could be different and their histories could be different, but human nature is the same all across. I’ve seen two different people with two different religions feel the same joy and comfort after a prayer. How can that be? Religion is supposed to cause war! Well, by examining the root of all wars, we will find that wars usually start because someone is being entitled and/or too stubborn. We love ourselves and we’re scared of the unfamiliar, there’s no shame in that; however, the real problem arises when we value ourselves more than we value others, when we’re too stubborn or too afraid to listen to unfamiliar opinions that might challenge our beliefs.

How can we achieve world peace?

Only when we stop seeing each other through filters of race, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and religion will we have a chance of achieving world peace. We need to start by treating each other as individuals who go through the same life together but with different struggles and stories, individuals in need of acceptance and compassion rather than discrimination and cruelty.

So go out there, enjoy life to the fullest with all of its ups and downs, and don't forget a simple act of kindness every once in a while goes a long way!