What Is At Risk 

Perhaps it’s the news I read but has anyone else noticed a huge divide? It seems as though an aura of separation has taken over and very quickly impacted the solidarity of integration in a way like never before. 

What I’m saying is, everyone has gone back to their comfort zone. Sides, alliances and affiliations have become much more prevalent in even the smallest communities.  

I’m reminded of To Kill A Mockingbird and the manner in which Atticus was received as a traitor for helping the ‘other side’ as opposed to maintaining the divide. He stepped out of his comfort zone, community and cultural bias for the greater good. The moral obligation to himself and his children spurred him on and although the reference is fictional, the message remains clear and impactful. 

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Martin Luther King Jr

I feel that there is fear brought on by recently heightened uncertainty and insecurity in the world . This seems to have caused groups to feel threatened and therefore unite (which is good) and proceed with caution and defence. What this has inadvertently caused however is separation and isolation from other groups who may be considered ‘the enemy’ . Sides are established and enemy lines are drawn. People are uniting with ‘their own’ and although I support unity in every form, I worry that years of working to unifying,  accept and integrate people of different cultures, communities and backgrounds is at risk. The inviting riveting blend of individuals that paints the picture of the modern day society at risk. 

What is at risk here is decades of hard fought feats for integration, acceptance and equality. 

Side note : I crave a remedy. It’s bizarre to see things happen right before you and feel somewhat helpless but writing helps. It’s a platform of expression and sharing things from an individual perspective. 

Granted, there is plenty going on around the world and trying to fix all situations and trying to understand why circumstances are the way they are is pointless (sometimes).  It’s human nature to identify the problem and try to fix it. I don’t feel it’s a problem to be fixed as such but it is something that must be acknowledged with immediate urgency. 

If this growing division continues to steadily increase, memories of the past could very soon be a daunting reality. 

If you have any comments about what I’ve said or if you agree /disagree let me know. 

4 thoughts on “What Is At Risk ”

  2. Interesting article. Comes to mind that the most urgent thing that can be done is actually down to each of our individual’s choices. Now it becomes interesting that some people or groups of people might consider the prospect of those hard fought feat’s fragmentation as favourable to them, whilst others would want to protect those same feats or even take them further.

    What does the individual choose?

    And how does the collective choice affect the ship’s course?

    From a democratic point of view, the majority usually get to steer the wheel.

    So, it is predominantly down to the individual. London, for example, is inhabited by an extraordinary pool of world’s nationalities who, for the most various reasons, constantly relate to one another. It is during those daily encounters that I am given the most urgent opportunity to show the other person “who I really am”. Incidentally, this is true of any community, big or small, although I understand that in some cases many an individual might find it harder to look beyond another’s colour, race, religious belief etc.. My own mother, to some extent, is an example of that, bless her!

    Side note: London is my second home. I might even consider London as being my first home. It is where I have lived the most emotionally intense parts of my life so far, with people from different backgrounds and cultures. It is London’s magic unity’ that has turned me, among other things, into the open minded person that I am today.

    It is sad to think that London, or the UK, is experiencing a divide as you describe it.

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    1. That’s an awesome insight Roger and I absolutely agree. The majority will steer the ship and I find the UK to be the most accepting country despite the outcome of Brexit. Where I think this uncertainty comes from however (this includes the United States) is the seemingly misplaced trust in the loyalty of the majority. Look, no one genuinely thought the majority vote would be leave right? But it was. No one thought Donald Trump would win the election, but he did (his circumstances were different though because he didn’t win the majority).

      There were two sides, for Brexit there was Leave and Remain. With the US election there was Trump vs Clinton and though neither were that appealing, one stood out as the better option but still lost.

      The safety net that reassured society was a morally good and accepting place dissolved when the ‘clear’ morally acceptable option was shunned for the almost animated alternative.

      In this reality however, the animated alternatives carried very strong and severe messages that caused a rift and a change in what our perception of society was. It was no longer a welcoming, all accepting place as once perceived and the peaceful gradient that society should aim for was shattered, I feel when the majority of votes favoured set candidate/political outcome represented. The majority supported what seemed divisive, unfair and unjust and the reality of living in a society like that would leave people that ‘don’t fit the mould’ feeling unwanted, uncertain and quite honestly afraid because societies pursuits for equality, liberty, freedom and diversity has been somewhat abandoned and its every man, group for themselves. Reverting back to primal human nature.

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