Compassion or lack of from Candide by Francois-Marie Arouet deVoltaire

Voltaire (born François-Marie Arouet) was one of the most prolific and controversial writers of ancien régime France, and his works encapsulate the spirit and ideology of the French Enlightenment. His writings, which span a broad spectrum of genres, do not readily provide the reader with a single, coherent philosophical system or even a systematically argued world-view. In fact, Voltaire deeply mistrusted systems and system-builders, and he frequently satirized, particularly in his later years, the terminology and theories of metaphysicians such as Spinoza, Descartes, Leibniz and Wolff (see LEIBNIZ, G.W.).

Voltaire's answer was to individually act upon all of these horrors. “We must cultivate our gardens,” is what he really was trying to tell his readers. He believed that each individual is a good person. If enough of these take individual efforts to change the world just a little bit, as a whole we will have a better world. If for example if enough people stop retaliating violent act with violence then the majority would cease continuing to kill one another. They would get the point that massive war and brutality towards one another is not the way to answer and problems. Voltaire's solution seems so easy, though in a world as vast and diversified as today's it becomes harder and harder each day for people to change. The thought of one person making a difference in such a huge world seems almost funny.

Despite that fact, goodness will eventually prevail. Unfortunately for now, horrors such as natural disasters, war, violence, sickness and disease, and religious wars will continue to be a problem in the near future. In due time, generations upon generations from now, humans will realize that Voltaire's solution is in fact universal and timeless and with hopefully bring about world peace ...