Buffalo shooting was symptom of dehumanization culture
The recent shooting at a Buffalo, N.Y., is an apt case of moral exclusion. A young man, 18 years old, drives hundreds of miles to a supermarket to target members of a particular community. The only reason he targets members of this community is because they have a different skin color. That is why they do not fit to his moral world, and therefore, he believed they can be killed without guilt.
How can a teenager, who should have focused on his future career and joy of life, plan, invest time and energy to perpetrate such a heinous act? Certainly, it is not the result of a sudden rage or for self-defense. Is the society, of which he is a part, responsible for this act? Is the social environment, riffed with hate and violent othering, responsible for this crime? The shooting raises these questions. The whole society needs to rethink this so that no more such incidents happen, and no more people are targeted because they do not fit into a frame of mind.
The role of social media in promoting such hate crimes needs to be examined. We live in a social media world, in which news, whether authentic or fake, spread like forest fire. While media as a value-neutral tool can be used to promote messages of peace, love, and belonging, the current trend points to a negative direction, towards polarization and othering. Reportedly, the accused gunman in Buffalo was amply influenced by social media in developing the dangerous plan and executing it.
Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam argued that one of the reasons why dynamism in our society is decreasing is because people are not gathering in community meetings anymore.
He coined the term “social capital,” which implies when community members interact with each other, such as discussing social issues in community forums, they prefer peaceful and democratic ways to resolve conflicts. The more the people interact with each other, share each other’s happiness and sorrow and think in terms of moral inclusion — accepting other viewpoints — the lesser the chances of conflict and violence.
But apparently social media has replaced direct social interactions, replacing the live and face-to-face interactions with virtual interactions. And in a virtual world, it has become more possible to dehumanize human relations, and engage in violent actions without remorse.
The reality is that we live in a very challenging time, and it is incumbent on all members of society to reevaluate their moral position. Moral inclusion promotes belonging and harmony. Moral exclusion promotes othering and violence.
The founding fathers of the nation were aware of this fundamental dichotomy that shapes human psychology and behavior. Though themselves were not perfect human beings, they were very much aware that only in a democratic republic — not in a monarchy or a totalitarian state — could people’s aspirations be channeled through political process. Since the founding, the republic stood the test of time and corroborated this vision of the founding fathers. The republic confronted many challenges, but it evolved.
As people from all corners of the world migrated to this land of democracy and opportunity, the country not only emerged as a beacon of democracy but also an incubator in which merit and innovative ideas are valued. If the narrow-minded leaders and their followers work to turn the wheel back, they will not only cause damage to the nation and its image in the world, but they will also undermine the very vision that inspired the founding fathers.
The shooting in Buffalo is a symptom, not a disease. The disease is much deeper, ingrained in the very fabric of polity and society. The sooner we understand this and engage in nonviolent social interaction to address the moral exclusion, the better.
While the government must take action against the elements that promote hate and violence, it is just as important that every individual in the society — the very brick of the social edifice — must call the best spirit in him and engage in community peacebuilding. It is time to put into practice the great phrase, “thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” There is no other way.