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"In the twenty-first century, observes Joseph Nye, Harvard professor and coiner of the term “soft power”, conflicts will be less about whose army wins than whose story wins. "
This statement is taken from a research report by the Legatum Institute (an independent think tank) published in 2015. Link for the report is shared in the comments.
Stories are spun by spin doctors. Words set in patterns create a cloak. A cloak of deception shrouding the truth.
The report dicusses how those with power are “reinevnting our understanding of war” without firing a shot.
The recent showdown between the TLP and the government and its coverage in the mainstream and alternate media brought home this realisation that much of what is called oppression is spun and percieved to keep the fear alive. As long as the fear lives, shots dont need to be fired. People are driven to self destruction out of fear and the war has already been won.
To rule an educated coward is way easier than to rule an ignorant coward . The ignorant is a coward for himself but the educated is a coward because of himself. It isnt a wonder the educated feel more oppressed than the uneducated.
So we have an educated and coward intellectual elite protesting against the creation of forces like the TLP. While what could have been more easily addressed but yet is overlooked are the cultural ailments which facilitate such reactionary organisations like the TLP. Religion is not the reason, the lack of it is. Faith is not the ailment, its the cure. Addressing the material with logic and debate takes less courage than addressing the spiritual and yes much of our ailments stem form a spiritual inability to tranlsate belief into action. We belive in Islam yet discussion and debate to understand more has been sanctified and secluded to such an extent that its almost blasphemous even to attempt a question.
There was an interesting comment on the weaponisation of religion or religiosity in one of the protests. This narrative is a favorite with all those who protest but rarely do we find as is the case with us humans a narrative which is balanced and has the ability to address with empathetic courage and contextual depth.
The reason its either purposefully avoided or ignored is not because its not possible rather its usually because it singles out the writer and puts the onus of responsibility on those who aim to engage or address.
We cannot ignore the deeper causes to what ails our society. Deeper than the obvious. Deeper than the material. To ignore the soul is just like trying to defy gravity. You dont go up unless you learn how it is that you can stay down.
No claim to objectivity and the unbiased can be greater than the divine. Yet what is it that drives our intellectual elite to avoid this connection and focus merely on the secular as the cause and effect of each problem.
The pscho-social reality of these “ashiqan” also requires empathetic courage on our part to engage with them and not dismiss their reality as mere tools of the establishment.
They are bred in a pseudo religious enviornment where love is in the words of a Rabbi just like "eating fish because we love it”.
An enviornment where crtical thinking is considered a right of the positivists and a sin for the religious. Where indoctrination and rote memorisation is considered intellect. Where power is a show of getting what you want rather than a struggle to acheive whats best for all.
Isnt that what welfare is? How can we justify democracy and welfare without addressing the soul when more than half the world believes that we humans possess a soul.
Why do they destroy civic property. What ignites such intolerance inside them.Why is it always left unaddressed. It is certainly not the faith which has won over millions around the world.
Yousuf (AS) when in a conversation while imprisoned starts with mentioning all the blessings his lord had provided him with. Can we deny the strength of such a faithful disposition which led Yousuf (AS) to rule. Why didn’t his reality of imprisonment effect his behaviour. What faith kept him so gentle, selfless and truthful? Is our suffering or prison greater than his that we are incapable of addressing such basic issues of social importance for the welfare of all?
The banter going on between the government,the critics and the ashiqan is such a farce. If they are tools than their purpose is served already but if they are human beings than we might need to do more.
Saima Sher Fazal
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