FEAR & PREJUDICE

Fear & Prejudice - A Toxic Cocktail

The Challenges of a 
' Me Centred' World

Recent events and history reveal a growing challenge for our human family. Our societies are in danger of fragmenting and splitting into egocentric and small minded factions. Events in the UK , have revealed an growing and underlying tendency towards prejudice and racism. This is not new, I have personally both experienced it and been aware of it for over 50 years.  It is important that we all face this challenge with courage and do our best to counteract the growth of intolerance  and prejudice.

All prejudice is based on, and rooted in,  fear and ignorance. This mainly shows itself as fear of difference. Any difference in race, culture, ethnicity, education etc  can be easily perceived as a threat . We can all find it much easier and more comfortable to gather together  with our 'own kind' . This tendency  can then be expressed in potentially dangerous forms of nationalism or the many other 'isms'  that divide people from each other. These 'isms' are then often  wrapped up in divisive flags and banners and waved in a threatening manner at others who are different. It is also unfortunate that many who seek power and position can too readily use this human tendency towards 'isms' for their own ends.

Some recent events in the UK show the underlying ignorance that feeds this prejudice and fear. It seems that many people fail to realise that  humanity shares  a common 'home'.  As a species we all walked out of Africa. ( for those who doubt this , check it out on Google ! ) As we developed and evolved we became a wonderfully diverse and rich species  in areas of  race, ethnicity , culture and religions. We are all passengers  and crew members on a small 'ship' we call Earth. It is floating in the vast seas of an expanding Cosmos. Our 'ship' which we also refer to as ' Mother Earth' faces many challenges and urgently needs us all to work together . We are made primarily  for cooperation and not for competition.  The latter can lead us towards selfishness, greed and fear of strangers and difference.

 It is important to realise that we struggle with a brain , whose most  primitive and earliest part is wired for anxiety and fear and thus needs to be regulated and controlled by reason and compassion. The latter are the parts of our brain that evolved more recently and  give us a great ability to empathise with and develop compassion for others.

A combination of fear and prejudice can be toxic and  requires that we all act to counteract and dilute it.  Our task as compassionate and loving people is to strive to remain calm but also vigilant. To be willing to stand up and speak out against any tendency  towards intolerance , ignorance and prejudice.   For me the following is a useful and daily reminder of our primary task as compassionate beings :

Seeking Together - Helping to Create - A Planetary Vision and a Universal Heart of Compassion