In The Face of Increasing Global Discord and Polarization, Let's Display Togetherness and Kindness Harder

Because that is the best resistance against those who seek to divide people to rise to power and leave us joyless.

Me among the trees of the Yukon in the snowy wilderness | Photo taken with tripod

In the face of increasing global discord and polarization, let’s display togetherness and kindness harder — because that is the best resistance against those who seek to divide people to rise to power.

Following this path of division and fear inevitably diminishes our capacity to experience and maintain genuine joy and contentment in our lives. When we allow ourselves to be swayed by divisive rhetoric and manufactured fears, we sacrifice our inherent ability to find happiness and meaningful connection with ourselves and others.

When someone campaigns for office simply by presenting their platform and requesting votes, they often find limited success in capturing public attention. These people, however, have discovered a more effective approach: they deliberately instill fear in the population by suggesting that people's fundamental identities—their culture, religious beliefs, or very way of life—face imminent threat. They position themselves as the sole protectors against these manufactured dangers, and remarkably, this strategy frequently succeeds in garnering widespread support. We, as ordinary citizens, often fail to recognize the subtle manipulation in their rhetoric. Overwhelmed by artificially induced fear, we cast our votes in their favor, effectively delivering them to positions of authority.

Once they ascend to power, these people swiftly abandon their promises, revealing their true objective: the systematic accumulation of wealth and control to further consolidate their power base. Meanwhile, the general population remains trapped in their existing circumstances—their economic conditions stagnate, their aspirations go unfulfilled, and they continue to endure various hardships while persistent challenges stay unaddressed.

It's crucial to understand that natural enmity between different groups of people is largely a myth. Historical analysis reveals that widespread conflict and polarization rarely emerge spontaneously from the general population. Instead, certain politicians, religious figures, and other ambitious people cleverly manipulate public sentiment to achieve fame, power, or material gain. They expertly exploit people's emotions and vulnerabilities to advance their own interests. As citizens, we must develop a deeper understanding of these manipulation tactics and learn effective ways to counter them.

Unfortunately, history continues to repeat itself in a seemingly endless cycle. Time and time again, we find ourselves susceptible to such influence, falling victim to those who seek to divide us. When confronted with these negative messages that aim to fragment our shared humanity, we rapidly lose sight of our fundamental interconnectedness, succumbing all too easily to the divisive rhetoric propagated by certain politicians and religious leaders.

We seem to have forgotten the profound wisdom expressed by the great Stephen Hawking, who reminded us that nothing surpasses the vastness and expansiveness of the universe. Yet, paradoxically, we choose to confine ourselves within narrow walls and restrictive groups. Within these confined spaces, our perspective becomes increasingly limited, and our understanding grows more clouded with each passing day.

Consider this fundamental truth: the people who reside across borders are fundamentally identical to us in their hopes, dreams, and basic humanity. Those who practice different religions or embrace different cultures share our essential human nature. People living on the opposite side of the world are simply fellow human beings. Throughout history, certain people deliberately constructed these artificial divisions—races, castes, and other social hierarchies. These classifications were not natural developments but rather calculated tools designed by those seeking dominance, enabling them to maintain control over the collective consciousness and preserve their positions of power and influence.

We must engage in serious reflection and extract meaningful lessons from this pattern. Repeatedly, driven by our unfounded fears and apprehensions about others, we continue to empower these self-serving people, granting them opportunity after opportunity to exploit our anxieties. Yet there is no inherent reason to fear our fellow human beings. While it's true that some bad folks can be found in other cultures, religions, or countries, we must acknowledge that such elements exist within our own communities, cultures, religions, or countries as well. We, however, demonstrate a remarkable cognitive dissonance—quickly dismissing or minimizing the presence of negative elements within our own groups while eagerly highlighting and condemning similar behaviours when exhibited by those from different cultural or religions backgrounds.

While exploring these challenging topics, I believe it's essential to provide my readers with moments of respite and levity. Although discussing important subjects is necessary and valuable for our collective understanding, we must simultaneously nurture our inner joy and maintain our emotional well-being. The ability to balance serious discourse with moments of lightness allows us to approach complex issues with greater resilience and clarity. In recognition of this principle, and to demonstrate the importance of finding joy even in serious times, I'm delighted to share with you a heartwarming video I created while engaging in a spontaneous dance celebration amidst the pristine, snow-covered landscape of the majestic Yukon wilderness. Enjoy:

Ahieving genuine happiness and fulfillment requires not just passive awareness but also taking thoughtful, deliberate actions and fulfilling our civic responsibilities with wisdom and discernment. We must understand that if we continue to allow ourselves to be governed by individuals who ascend to positions of authority through the deliberate fragmentation of society, we cannot reasonably expect to find or maintain authentic joy in our lives or communities.

*****

Dear reader,

I've chosen to keep my articles free to ensure they remain accessible to everyone, regardless of their income. I don't wish to create barriers for those facing financial hardship. If you have stable employment and a steady income, though, I trust you'll read my articles as a paid subscriber.

If you can, write your thoughts in the comments below.

Cheerfully,

Gurdeep