Sometimes our civilisation reminds us just how self-centred, greedy, and inhumane we can be.
We describe ourselves as civilised, as intelligent beings. Yet common sense tells us, time and again, that an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth leaves everyone blind and broken—while others stand behind them, ready to continue the cycle.
We watch in awe as humanity strives to travel 250,000 miles to the moon, pushing the boundaries of science and possibility. And yet, at the very same time, we witness bombs falling over cities, over families, over children.
All of it, we are told, in the name of freedom and security.
Let’s be clear. I believe there are regimes and actions in this world that are cruel, oppressive, and deeply unjust. I believe that atrocities—wherever they occur—are among the darkest acts humanity can commit. And I understand why many people feel that retaliation is justified.
But that is not what history teaches us.
That is not what intelligence supports.
And it is certainly not what common sense tells us will lead to peace.
When bombs fall on innocent people—destroying homes, families, and entire communities—human instinct takes over. Like any living being, people will seek to protect their own. They will defend. And in that defence, especially when trauma is deep and prolonged, something else is born.
Memory.
And memory does not disappear. It is passed down. It becomes story. It becomes identity. It becomes belief.
Generations grow up not just remembering what happened—but feeling it.
And so the cycle continues.
An eye for an eye.
A tooth for a tooth.
And every time one is taken, someone else begins searching for theirs.
So no—I cannot accept that war is the solution.
I cannot accept that death at the hands of another is justice.
And I cannot accept that humanity has no alternative.
This is where my art begins.
For me, art is not decoration. It is reflection. It is questioning. It is storytelling.
Through my work—whether visual or musical—I try to explore what it really means to be “civilised” or “intelligent.” Because in our everyday lives, we build laws and systems based on reason, fairness, and collective understanding. Yet in conflict, those same principles are often abandoned, even when we know the outcome will only be more suffering—just in a different form.
One of my pieces, The Story of a Soldier Boy, explores this idea through narrative and lyrics.
It tells of a child—no name, no flag, no nationality, no colour or creed—who grows up surrounded by violence and loss. This child could be anyone. A boy. A girl. From anywhere.
Afraid, damaged, and shaped by what they have lived through, they eventually take up arms—not out of ideology, but out of pain.
And in doing so, they become part of the same cycle that created them.
Their actions will, in turn, create another child like them.
And the story continues.
All of this, because humanity has yet to truly learn how to maintain peace without resorting to war.
We aim for the moon—250,000 miles away—yet struggle to take the few inches required to step back, reflect, and choose a different path.
While mass media brings us stories of conflict, analysing politics and events with necessary distance and neutrality, it rarely offers a moral direction. Its role is to inform.
Art, however, can do something different.
Art can challenge.
Art can question.
Art can offer a moral perspective—not as truth, but as an invitation to think.
In a world of free thought, there will always be disagreement. Some will reject these ideas. Others will embrace them.
That choice belongs to each of us.
But perhaps the real question is this:
What if we took those few inches back?
What if we invested in understanding, in restraint, in future generations—before continuing our journey toward distant horizons, carrying the same unresolved conflicts with us?
Because progress is not just measured in miles travelled.
Sometimes, it is measured in the steps we choose not to take.
Already out there for you to listen:-
The story of a soldier boy
link to spotify – https://open.spotify.com/track/0zUYEVvHIjsee6rRh71j1b?si=6ff1507fd7b04746
Lyrics
Scared in mind
And not in flesh
The boy soldier lifts his arms
Carrying the tools
With which to cast revenge
forced into hunger
his family now lost
to the bombs
and the politics of others
his heart now cold
no warmth will flow
towards those he will face
Man brings war to hide from his peace
they rained down terror
over his young mind
sending death to his doorstep
avenging years of hate
casting generations
into an abyss by man
Man brings war
To hide the weakness of his peace
To distract from his own disease
That of greed
his mind now ready to use his own sword
upon the hearts of others
to bring back the terror
never let the blood-flow stop
this was the hatred spread
by the politics of greed
and fake claims
men who searched for numbers
telling stories with wrong words
fooling those who believed
sending countless legions
to starve and defame
to wipe away nations
who asked for it to cease
but were never heard
Man brings war to hide from his peace
Man brings war
To hide the weakness of his peace
To distract from his own disease
That of greed
the young boy
with his tools to kill
will march
into the plains of death
spreading our ill-will
only to sow the seeds
for generations of death
this is the way of men
scarred by rains of terror
over their homes
left to starve
left blind to their futures
destroyed of name and honour
which they must reclaim
nation within them
not the land in which they stand
Man brings war to hide from his peace
where brothers lost
sisters will perish
for that is the rule of men
living under the rain of terror
the young boy
scarred and without name
will live forever
as the consequence of men
Coming soon on popular streaming platforms
Song – NVR-Believe
Lyrics –
I never knew it felt like this
so damned and hopeless
that’s how I feel
the corridors quiet
the rooms empty
no pinging, no laughter
no shouting, no screaming
(just silence)
I never knew it felt like this
so damned and hopeless
and so damned still
where did my energy go?
did it flicker away in the breeze
like everything else
it’s all so still
nothing gets done
so much to do
but nothing gets done
(just no will for it)
I never knew it felt like this
so damned and hopeless
as if I did not exist
you look at the screen
search for the mentions
the ticks
the hits
you just don’t exist
(you just don’t exist)
could be words
could be marks
could be sounds
I never knew it felt like this
so damned and hopeless
just dreams in the wind
I just don’t exist
(just don’t exist)
was I there once?
did I fade?
or was I ever really there
I never knew it felt like this
so damned and hopeless
just dreams in the wind
as if I don’t existed
(just silence)
Link to your “Innocence of Child and Nature” post
a more reflective piece exploring innocence and nature
explore how these ideas translate into visual work
stephenignacioart 
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