It doesn’t take a doctorate in History or Politics to understand the dangers of extreme ideological doctrines. A quick flip through a few history books combined with just a pinch of common sense is enough to shed light on the obvious: intolerance breeds extremism and extreme opposites feed and empower each other when they are cut loose. Any form of intransigent ideology which affects the livelihood and hinders the freedom of expression of one group in society, will inevitably trigger revanchism and extreme attitudes on the opposite side. It is human nature, nothing else. Nevertheless, a society that allows extremist doctrines to penetrate its ranks and spread like a disease is doomed to fall into an ill cycle of instability and violence, marked by the continuous confrontation between opposing groups who oppress each other every time they gain access to power. When this situation persists, moderate voices see their influence hopelessly weakened by the rambunctious noise of resentment and intolerance, and their pleas for common sense are lost in nothingness and ultimately silenced.
As theoretical as all this may sound, a quick look at the history of civilisation is enough proof of how intolerance and extremism have marked the pulse of humanity for thousands of years. Still, we keep on succumbing to the same old vices, we keep on making the same old mistakes and we keep on blaming others -never ourselves- for the problems that afflict our societies. Why are we so stubborn and arrogant? Why would anyone want to keep on hating people they don’t even know, making up enemies where there are none?
Sometimes, when I hear Christians wishing all Muslims disappeared, or when I hear Muslims wishing all Christians vanished, I wonder, How different is this from the time of the Crusades which occurred one thousand years ago; or when I see the hatred some people feel against those who have achieved prosperity in their lives -by honest means-, I wonder, How different is this from the times of the guillotine in France, when anyone, no matter how innocent, could have their head chopped off in front of a cheering crowd? When I see leaders across the world stereotyping and humiliating fellow humans because of their race, their religion or their political sympathies, I wonder, How different are these people from Hitler or Stalin or Pol Pot?
Intolerance is not the result of ignorance. On the contrary, intolerance is often promoted by people who have read history books and who advertise their ill ideologies in full awareness of the consequences these may bring upon their societies. The problem is they are not alone. These leaders actually have followers; people who are also aware of the potential outcomes of their “ideal societies” and yet carry on irresponsibly -more often than not, with a deceitful rhetoric to defend it-. These are humans who have allowed their basest emotions -call it resentment, hatred or fear- to take over their rationality. These are intelligent humans who have chosen to sacrifice a better, more peaceful world for the sake of revenge, for the sake of seeing those they hate defeated, no matter what it takes. It is a very sad tale, but it is, unfortunately, a quite common tale.
Once in a while, however, men of solid principle and exceptional courage have stepped forward to remind us that it is actually possible to defeat oppression and to break the ill cycle of conflict with the weapons of argumentation and non-violence. We all know the legacy of Gandhi, Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. These men made the -crucial- conscious decision of suppressing their justified anger and desire for revenge and chose to go beyond the political battlefield to climb the steep mountain of dialogue and reconciliation. It was a slow process, it was painful, but against all odds they all managed to break the vicious cycle and succeeded in their quest of bringing about justice to their communities. Yes, there is still a lot to do and yes, their achievements are constantly being threatened by the hatred of humans of feeble spirit. Their legacy, however, still remains untouched. And this is why: a reform which is achieved by means of dialogue and consensus will always be more powerful and enduring than any reform imposed by means of violence. Men like Gandhi, Mandela and MLK showed us that eloquent argumentation, accompanied by genuine humility, can defeat the most powerful armies and the most powerful institutions in the world. It is all determined by the strength of character of those who wish to lead, but it is also determined by those who vote and decide who they want to follow.
My favourite quotes by some of the greatest leaders in contemporary history
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.” Martin Luther King Jr. in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in December 1964.
“An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind” Mahatma Gandhi
“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” Nelson Mandela at the opening of his trial on charges of sabotage, April 20, 1964.