Understanding reality
by
Javed Hafiz |
An objective look at reality can help us develop sound opinions
It is often said that perceptions are stronger than reality and that may well be true. Perceptions are formed by social interaction, media stories and some unique personal experiences. Conspiracy theories are built and believed in to escape the rigors of inquiry and research. Hasty generalisations are readily accepted by lazy minds. People also take shelter behind those generalisations to escape social responsibility. “Entire society is bad; what can you do?” these people say. But this is negative thinking. Even if we cannot change the entire society, we can change ourselves. To an extent, we can also change our family members and friends, for the better. But for that, we will have to become better role models ourselves. Now that poses a bit of a challenge which we may not want to accept.
In 1991, when the Gulf War II took place, a popular assessment in the Arab and Muslim world was that Saddam Hussain was a lackey of the western powers. This theory was further strengthened when Kuwait was liberated but Saddam still remained in power. The argument was that the powers that be wanted to retain their man in the Arab world. But then in 2003, the same leader was ousted by those very powers. In Pakistan, the popular conspiracy theory is that the United States is behind the militancy and the real aim is to control Pakistani nuclear programme. It is also argued that Raymond Davis was working for the same purpose. However, independent inquiries show that Raymond Davis had been tasked to find out possible links between some militant organisations in Punjab with Al Qaeda.
Another popular theory presumes that the West is an enemy of the east in general and that the United States is an enemy of Islam. The injustice done in Palestine has given strength to this idea. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have also given fillip to this widely held belief. But then the same western powers bombed their fellow Christian Serbia into submission in 1999 as it was not prepared to offer a fair deal to the Bosnians. To that extent, the Muslim world should be grateful to the west. In 1979, when the Holy Kaaba was beseiged by a group of fanatics, a right wing mob set fire to the US Embassy in Islamabad . In their faulty perception the United States was responsible; which was patently wrong. Later on, the government of Pakistan had to rebuild the US Embassy with Pakistani tax payers’ money. The people of Pakistan paid the price for the wrong perceptions of some fanatics who thought they were the champions of Islam.
However all perceptions may not be entirely wrong. In Pakistan, there is a widely held belief that the Peoples’ Party leadership is more corrupt than other parties. But then this party also has men of impeccable integrity like Raza Rabbani and Aitzaz Ahsan. When Zardari became president, some bizarre stories about his blatant corruption started making rounds. Some went to the extent that even appointments with the president were also not free of cost. Now we know that all those stories were motivated and were deliberately being circulated by the president’s opponents. However, the old saying that there is no smoke without fire is also true. Some black sheep in an organisation spoil the image of the entire body. In Pakistan , for example, the police is considered to be a very corrupt agency. But I know a police officer who would not even accept a token gift. However, he could well be an exception in a generally corrupt department. But the mere fact that this officer not only survived but retired as inspector-general shows that the system is not as rotten as some of us believe.
The British rule in the subcontinent made some of us believe that all that came from the West was evil. Some Muslim religious scholars opposed all modern ways including the English language, western dress and modern education. Enlightened people like Sir Syed Ahmad Khan opposed this narrow and biased thinking. Indeed it was the western education of Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah and Iqbal which enhanced their capacity to launch a long freedom struggle. While the east in general and Islamic scholars of the Ommayed and Abbassid dynasties in particular made great contributions to the modern western renaissance via Spain, we in the east use many western inventions as a matter of daily routine. The bulb that lights my home was invented by Thomas Edison. The aircraft that takes me long distances in little time was invented by the Wright brothers. Wheat developed in Mexico has made thickly populated countries like Pakistan self-sufficient in food. But would all these great developments be possible had India not invented the numbers and the wheel and China the paper? Human civilisation and its achievements are our common valuable possession.
The spirit of independent inquiry and an objective look at reality can help us develop sound opinions and a more informed outlook.
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