Focus on that which Unites Us.

I wanted to take the time out today to write about something that seems to be lacking in the modern day discourse which has brought hateful and xenophobic administrations to power worldwide. Fearfully instead of moving forward in the direction of an inclusive and equal world we seem to have taken some missteps and found ourselves on the opposite side of this. On the paradox we have unwittingly contributed to the creation of societies built on fear, discrimination and hate speech where the protection of the majority outweighs the oppression of minorities.

It is synonymous for humankind to fear the unknown. However it’s at the point when this fear spills over into hatred that we must take a step back and challenge our own beliefs. Surely, the antidote for addressing the unknown is knowledge, it’s equipping ourselves with the understanding of what we once we feared. On most occasions once this occurs we tend to not be so fearful anymore as ignorance dissipates and we open our hearts and minds up to the things that bring us together instead of those that tear us apart.

In saying this it seems to be evident that at the heart of all of this is an issue with our collective ethics. Fear mongering has all too often been the weapon wielded by harmful political figures to divide us in order to reap their own and party benefits in relation to power. Our existence is portrayed as being tied to a zero sum game in which there isn’t room for anything outside of homogeny. They have tried to mould us into beings without empathy, tolerance and kindness by attempting to pit us against each other.

The world that we live in today is nowhere near that ideal of free, just and inclusive. However, I urge you to remember that we are not helpless in this sense. We have the ability to wake up every day and challenge this rhetoric of prejudice, bigotry and intolerance. The key to this is to be found in matching out thoughts, speech and actions to our humanity. To remembering that the things that unite us outweigh those that are portrayed to divide us. That although we may be of different nationalities, gender, physical abilities, religions and ethnicities at the core we are all human beings. We all have something unique and wonderful to offer this world individually and collectively and these are to be treasured, as opposed to being feared, repressed and shamed.

Sx