Originally posted on Jul 31, 2013 as a reflection for Fast4Malaysia. I have made some changes and added more thoughts to this - do share yours too.
What has the Alvivi "BKT" posting, Beauty Contest Fatwah, Eating in a school changing room, seemingly racial slurs, and now the video of a Muslim with a dog, and other similar cases have in common?
Firstly, for whatever reasons, some people are angry, maybe even angrier now. Evident from the the social network postings, rightly or wrongly, people are upset. When people are upset and angry, people will take sides. When people take sides, we are beginning to a create a "us" vs "them" situation. It will become who is right and who is wrong. Our community is becoming either, "black" or "white". Emotional experts arise and defend each parties of "should" and "should not be" and we then take sides. This is not good, in my opinion.
Secondly, facts becomes blurred and manufactured. The media (social and mainstream) coupled with inefficient human sharing are distorting facts. Remember how as kids we played a game where we whispered a message from one person to another and later laughed at how the original message became grossly distorted? Today, this is no laughing matter - we basically passed on information adding into them our own, perception, fear and biases and a sense of righteousness. Sadly, people forget to ask basic questions. Heck! We forget to even ask questions! Have our education systems and socio-political conventions dumb us down? Alas! Facts and figures becomes fiction and fantasy.
Thirdly, more seriously, we are becoming emotional. We have become petty over small things and missed the bigger picture. One of the symptoms here is the prevalent name calling - this usually happens when the objective is lost and the facts ran out. When one loses out in an argument or find that there is not other form of expression, we become emotional. Being emotional cloud our thinking.
Next, because of all these - some have decided crawl back (hide, or stay) in their comfort zone where they find their perceived safety. Their excuse? It is "sensitive", cannot talk! They are helping shape our community into a fearful one. I was in a religious center a couple of weeks ago and spoke about the need for inter-faith dialogues. Before I could complete my discussion, several religious leaders there cautioned me, "You must not dwell in 'sensitive' topics!"
They, of course, did not / could not articulate what constituted "sensitive" issues. This is heard not just in the corridors of religious institutions but in the kopi-tiams and bars in the country. We have created self-censorship, we have succumb to fear!
Then there are the escapees. Those who can afford to are planning, thinking or dreaming of emigrating to other countries.
From our childhood days were told to be tolerant. I say, stop tolerating - start appreciating. We hope that we are not losing our ability to discuss deeply, share and appreciate one another.
Some feel that to keep maintain harmony, threats and fear is needed. Invoking draconian laws like the Sedition Act will not solve the problems.
If we want change, we must be able to go beyond our fear and insecurities. A deep spiritual practice with a strong social dimension can be good start. This must be followed by the ability to dialogue. We need more dialogues, not threats.
Are dialogues possible? Of course, there are those among us who are not fearful, who are are not afraid to speak their minds and who are deeply concerned. They believe that love and compassion should lead the way in driving change for a better society.
Deep conversation, focused discussion and dialogues without fear or favor is what we need to connect thoughts and actions. Let us have the courage to confront the challenges of our society - with peace, compassion and appreciation of each another - no matter how different we may seem to be.
PEACE
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| Watch how kids talk, dialogue and solve problems. We can learn from them. talk!, a photo by Lord Taipan on Flickr. |
What has the Alvivi "BKT" posting, Beauty Contest Fatwah, Eating in a school changing room, seemingly racial slurs, and now the video of a Muslim with a dog, and other similar cases have in common?
Firstly, for whatever reasons, some people are angry, maybe even angrier now. Evident from the the social network postings, rightly or wrongly, people are upset. When people are upset and angry, people will take sides. When people take sides, we are beginning to a create a "us" vs "them" situation. It will become who is right and who is wrong. Our community is becoming either, "black" or "white". Emotional experts arise and defend each parties of "should" and "should not be" and we then take sides. This is not good, in my opinion.
Secondly, facts becomes blurred and manufactured. The media (social and mainstream) coupled with inefficient human sharing are distorting facts. Remember how as kids we played a game where we whispered a message from one person to another and later laughed at how the original message became grossly distorted? Today, this is no laughing matter - we basically passed on information adding into them our own, perception, fear and biases and a sense of righteousness. Sadly, people forget to ask basic questions. Heck! We forget to even ask questions! Have our education systems and socio-political conventions dumb us down? Alas! Facts and figures becomes fiction and fantasy.
Thirdly, more seriously, we are becoming emotional. We have become petty over small things and missed the bigger picture. One of the symptoms here is the prevalent name calling - this usually happens when the objective is lost and the facts ran out. When one loses out in an argument or find that there is not other form of expression, we become emotional. Being emotional cloud our thinking.
Next, because of all these - some have decided crawl back (hide, or stay) in their comfort zone where they find their perceived safety. Their excuse? It is "sensitive", cannot talk! They are helping shape our community into a fearful one. I was in a religious center a couple of weeks ago and spoke about the need for inter-faith dialogues. Before I could complete my discussion, several religious leaders there cautioned me, "You must not dwell in 'sensitive' topics!"
They, of course, did not / could not articulate what constituted "sensitive" issues. This is heard not just in the corridors of religious institutions but in the kopi-tiams and bars in the country. We have created self-censorship, we have succumb to fear!
Then there are the escapees. Those who can afford to are planning, thinking or dreaming of emigrating to other countries.
From our childhood days were told to be tolerant. I say, stop tolerating - start appreciating. We hope that we are not losing our ability to discuss deeply, share and appreciate one another.
Some feel that to keep maintain harmony, threats and fear is needed. Invoking draconian laws like the Sedition Act will not solve the problems.
If we want change, we must be able to go beyond our fear and insecurities. A deep spiritual practice with a strong social dimension can be good start. This must be followed by the ability to dialogue. We need more dialogues, not threats.
Are dialogues possible? Of course, there are those among us who are not fearful, who are are not afraid to speak their minds and who are deeply concerned. They believe that love and compassion should lead the way in driving change for a better society.
Deep conversation, focused discussion and dialogues without fear or favor is what we need to connect thoughts and actions. Let us have the courage to confront the challenges of our society - with peace, compassion and appreciation of each another - no matter how different we may seem to be.
PEACE
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