Photo by Matt Collamer on Unsplash
While Gaza and Ukraine make most of the headlines, more than 110 armed conflicts are going on around the world, some of which started recently, while others have lasted for more than 50 years. War has been on the rise since about 2012, after a decline in the 1990s and early 2000s. Although the problem and the solution certainly lie in global politics, is there anything we ordinary people can do to prevent the world from falling apart?
According to the butterfly effect, a concept from chaos theory, small things can have non-linear impacts on a complex system. The concept is imagined with a butterfly flapping its wings and causing a typhoon. Of course, a single act like the butterfly flapping its wings cannot cause a typhoon. Small events can, however, serve as catalysts that act on starting conditions.
The butterfly effect shows that the systems around us are chaotic and entropic, prone to sudden change. For some types of systems, we can try to create favorable starting conditions and be mindful of the catalysts that might act on those conditions. So, although we don't have the power to change conflict in a certain area, we can create favorable conditions by acting with kindness and compassion towards other fellow human beings.
This is easier said than done. We are usually kind to those close to us, people who think and act like us, but we quickly draw the sword when faced by the "other".
Ancient Greeks created a word to label the "other". All non-Greek-speaking peoples, including Persians, Egyptians, Medes, and Phoenicians were labeled as "barbarians". The ancient Romans, who by the original definition were barbarians themselves, were the first who transformed the use of the term. Late in the Roman Empire, the word barbarian came to refer to all foreigners who lacked Greek and Roman traditions, especially the various tribes and armies putting pressure on Rome's borders. 2,500 years after the first use of the word "barbarian", societies still define themselves in terms of "us" and "them", depriving "them" of their humanity.
The greatest tragedy is our lack of empathy and altruism, stemming from our reluctance to embrace our shared humanity. We may feel momentarily sad when we read a headline about an armed conflict or terrorist attack somewhere in the world, but those victims are merely statistics to us. And if the statistics belong to the "other side", it doesn't even raise our sympathy—the barbaric actions become justified.
We do not deeply care for those we have never met or who don't belong to our groups. We create boxes and segregate people by their race, identity, faith, or lack of it. We cling to identities, geographic boundaries, or religious and social affiliations to find a sense of disconnect from other people's tragedies. As if the fears felt in London or New York were not the same felt in Baghdad or Aleppo. As if the tears of a Jewish were not the same as the tears of a Christian or Muslim. When we forget our shared humanity, we return to barbarism.
It is time for people of all faiths to stand together and decide what type of society we want to build and leave to future generations. If we continue to drink from the cup of apathy and indifference, anger and fear will continue feeding the hate cycle. The only viable way of ending this cycle is to act with cooperation, love, and tolerance in the face of fear and hostility. One kind gesture at a time.
As individuals and nations, we must recognize our shared humanity and build a world where love, compassion, and kindness are valued over power, influence, and money. Let's strive to be more compassionate, sympathize with others' suffering, and help alleviate their pain. Let's speak the language of light, love, and kindness and build a more humane society together. In a world filled with chaos and uncertainty, our small acts of kindness can serve as catalysts for positive change.
‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.’ - Martin Luther King, Jr.