The great crisis, the great opportunity

Will we be trapped in a cycle of screaming hatred, or will we start recognising our common humanity?

IT’S always someone else’s fault, isn’t it?

It’s someone else who is plunging the country into chaos. It’s someone else who is tearing apart the social fabric of our nation. It’s someone else who’s ruining everything.

Perhaps some of us think: All we need for this country to heal is to throw those “other” bigots into the sea (along with most of our politicians for good measure), and we will all live in peace and harmony.

After all, isn’t it those crazy, delusional, arrogant extremists who are always asking for more than their due that are spoiling things for the rest of us?

That’s what people in Group A are saying about people in Group B.

The opinions of the people in Group A couldn’t be more different than the opinions of the people in Group B, especially on matters concerning race and religion.

The funny thing is, the things people in Group A say about people in Group B are almost exactly the same as the things people in Group B say about people in Group A.

Completely different ideologies, completely identical opinions about one another – along with a completely identical fervour to attack one another.

Over, say, the last half a year, Malaysia has seen no end of issues that have increasingly polarised Malaysians along racial and religious lines.

The one-man protest against the Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Malaya, the LTTE arrests, the buy Muslim first campaign, khat, Zakir Naik – the list just goes on and on.

In each controversy, the polarisation happens in almost exactly the same way. Group A interprets it as Group B launching an offensive, extremist attack against Group A. Group B interprets it as Group A launching an offensive, extremist attack against Group B.

The pitchforks all go up on both sides, and the shouting match begins, each Group yelling essentially the same things at each other: You’re impertinent, you’re an idiot, you’re a racist, and so on.

The Internet, once thought to bring us all together, has made the situation considerably worse.

We are now freer than ever to surround ourselves only with input from people we know already agree with us – where each person in the group is whipping each other up into a frenzy, in the proverbial echo chamber.

The louder and angrier Group A gets, the louder and angrier Group B gets, and vice versa. “Turning and turning in the widening gyre / ... The best lack all conviction, while the worst / Are full of passionate intensity.” (WB Yeats’ The Second Coming.)

The fabric that binds our nation together is burning, and no one is doing anything helpful about it – “helpful” being the operative word.

Some of the controversial issues that are fuelling this fire may be actively and purposefully perpetrated by the powers that be, while others are nearly spontaneous and take on a life of their own.

At this point, I think my reflections must become a little more personal than usual.

Frankly speaking, between Group A and Group B, I’m sure one group would at best completely ignore anything I have to say, and within the other group, I’m certain I won’t be winning any popularity contests either – my positions will surely be deemed far too mild, and do not pander to the passions felt.

It is not uncommon for people in one group to think that people in the other are plain stupid – moronic idiots perhaps, that a little old fashioned education (or caning) will probably set straight.

I don’t subscribe to this belief. I’m not here to browbeat anyone, or give stern lectures.

I’d be delusional to think such high-horsed lectures would convince, persuade, or change anyone (including people in either Group A or B).

Many people are on paths of their own, and are unlikely to ever be dissuaded – especially while they are spurred on by their respective echo chambers.

I suppose I write in some dim hope that perhaps there are yet a few others who may tire of all the screaming and shouting for long enough to take a step back and look at the big picture of what is really unfolding in Malaysia today.

In a number of the issues mentioned above, I am sympathetic to the view that an injustice has been perpetrated. I am aware that in many cases, people have extremely polarised views of exactly what the injustice in question is.

Where I differ, perhaps, is in my belief that perhaps these issues cannot be resolved or “brought to justice” in the atmosphere and situation we currently find ourselves in.

Let us imagine a metaphorical court of law which is supposed to mete out justice in a measured, balanced fashion.

Such a court cannot mete out justice properly if the court itself is in disarray, packed to the brim with people scuffling and screaming so loudly that you can barely differentiate among the accused, the public, the lawyers, or even the judge.

Already a completely chaotic place, it sometimes feels like we are moments away from chairs starting to fly across the courtroom.

What hope have we for justice amidst such chaos and noise? Indeed, in such an atmosphere, can we hope for anything beyond sound, fury, and deafening hatred?

Amidst this crisis, however, amidst our darkest hour on the precipice of catastrophe – perhaps there arises a great opportunity. An opportunity to say: “The line must be drawn here. This far, no further.”

An opportunity for enough of us in the courthouse to draw that line, organise ourselves into a critical mass of united calm, and be enough of a beacon to inspire people to slowly start turning away from obsessing over the screaming extremes.

Once that happens, we can start to listen – really, really listen – to those just a little closer to the middle: Malaysians who grew up differently from us, with different worldviews, and cultural norms that sometimes seem alien to us.

If we can do that – if we can listen with our hearts – we may just hear how we’re really not that different after all. We may even, with a little effort, discover some real common ground.

It is that difficult, hard fought discovery that will ultimately enable us to punch through abstract, thin notions of “national unity” and reach a place that matters much more – a place where each of us, person to person, finally recognises the common humanity inside us all.

Then, and only then, can we build the bonds that will truly bring Malaysia together, and free our nation to become all we can be.

The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of The Star.