The very concept of violence is one that I will never understand. In my opinion, there are certain situations in which violence is necessary, but sometimes there is confusion and conflict concerning that very idea: Is violence ever a concept that everyone agrees on? Is violence necessary at all?

We see violence in movies, video games, books and other sources of entertainment. There have been debates about the negative affects of that kind of media on children, and it brings to attention the thought that maybe violence is simply part of human nature.

Violence can kill hope and destroy lives, and yet it is still very present in the world.

I have heard people argue that there is no peace without chaos, and perhaps they are right; would we know what love was without hate?

We live in a world of conflict and violence that is overpowering a sense of peace and hope. We see incidents that are highly public and spoken about, but we also miss out on mourning the victims of attacks that have not be publicized, such as some incidents in both Turkey and Syria. There are thousands of refugees who are fleeing their countries that have become war zones, and yet our attention is pulled away from their struggles as we fail to remain educated on the very matter.

I am not saying that we need to remain updated on every terrorist attack or war-like action. We are not responsible for knowing everything that is happening is this world. In my own life, I am not personally affected by many of these incidents. I have been more concerned with my everyday responsibilities, and less concerned with watching or reading the news. There are certain events that are, in fact, personal to me, and I put a lot of attention to the after effects of those times.

Not paying attention does not necessarily mean that I don’t care about the rest of the world, just that it’s difficult to focus on things other than priorities. However, I do believe that knowledge is always power; it is always good to be aware of what is happening outside the comfort of home. Knowing about the violence in the world makes us more aware of what is happening and who is being affected.

I woke up the other morning to new police shootings and an emphasis on the movement for Black Lives Matter. There have been arguments concerning the morality of the situation, with different sides fighting for what they believe is right: Yes, black lives matter, but don’t all lives matter? Who is right, and who is wrong? The fight for equality has been present for years, and violence has always been a factor in that fight.

There have been many wars fought in history that were dependent on violence, because no one could decide who was right and who was wrong; violence became a way to make that decision. Whether it is in a physical fight or vocal confrontations, violence has a way of making its way into everyones’ lives at some point.

There has been so much violence that has affected various countries and populations all over the world, that it is almost impossible to keep up with all of it. We live our everyday lives even when there is an incident or attack because we have no choice—life goes on—but it’s still difficult to understand why that violence was necessary.

I think that violence can be necessary in self-defense and similar situations, but there are certain times where violent actions were completely irrational and innapropriate. I dread the thought of violence that will hit close to home or loved ones in a different state or country, and it is terrifying to even think about what could happen.

To be honest, we cannot do much about the violence that we disagree with. We can only vocally express our opinions, protest our views, and then sit and wait for a change that may not happen. We’re human though, and we don’t like thinking that we can’t make a change in the world. We can still hope, and sometimes that is more than enough.