Beyond group allegiances
Howard Grace writes about building trust, community and identity
The United States of America has a new president. There are huge differences between Donald Trump (2016) and other Time magazine ‘Persons of the Year’ like Mohandas Gandhi (1930), Adolf Hitler (1938), or Angela Merkel (2015). But what commonality is there in the attraction people felt or feel towards them? Motivations are numerous and varied, but a major factor is that many had felt disheartened, humiliated or powerless in the face of policies made by remote decision makers.
The aforementioned leaders came with a vision for change, and a charisma that fostered a renewed sense of purpose and engagement in others.
There are dangers, though, when people gravitate towards a group identity. Imad Karam, my Palestinian friend, says that a primary problem in his part of the world is that Palestinians and Israelis are both trapped in their own narratives. I’m sure that this entrapment is true for so many situations, whether with international conflicts, religious affiliations, clashes in close relationships or even football team allegiances that turn to crowd violence.
In terms of belief groups, a Christian may be assured in his or her belief, drawing on centuries of history, wisdom and evidence of the ‘truth foundation’ of the narrative. But a Muslim will have an equally impressive foundation to draw from, as may a Buddhist, or someone motivated by a non-religious world view like Richard Dawkins.
We observe others who are dedicated to a wide variety of narrow paths, and may think of some of them: ‘How can they become so blinkered?’ But logic would suggest that we, too, are part of a universal human phenomenon that leads to people becoming trapped in their own ‘truths’ and ‘certainties’.
I ask myself why in my twenties I chose not to drink alcohol, or why I became a Christian having been an atheist, or the many other steps that have led me to where I am now. There is a logical reasoning behind the decisions taken. A fundamental factor in my case was that in my mid-twenties I encountered a fellowship of people (now named Initiatives of Change) whose philosophy and welcoming atmosphere I really resonated with, so I gradually took on board the conformist norms and beliefs of that group. Fortunately, since then Initiatives of Change has become more open and searching, as have I.
A helpful prompter towards this questioning, for me, was pondering the anecdote of the ‘boiling frog’. If a frog hops into a bowl of boiling water, it immediately jumps out. But if the frog is placed in a bowl of cold water that is slowly brought to a boil, it just stays there with the inevitable consequence! Some beliefs, which we gradually grow to accept, we wouldn’t dream of associating with under more objective circumstances. We would immediately, as it were, leap out.
Many people, though, are primarily moulded by the beliefs and culture they grow up with as children. Research shows that we are all deeply subject to the resulting unconscious bias.
Despite this, there are very well-balanced, intelligent Christians, Muslims and others who have well thought through religious convictions. A primary hallmark of the new inclusive narrative, though, would be for such people, while maintaining their faith, to recognise that we are all largely moulded by groups that we have identified with, either from birth or an encounter later in life.
It would accept that, like the frog, had we been nurtured in a different culture we would probably – equally sincerely and intelligently – have identified with the beliefs and norms of that culture, whether religious, political or national. If we would all first and foremost acknowledge this phenomenon within ourselves we would more likely be able to walk in the shoes of, and to stop demonising, ‘the other’.
At a time when many are retreating into identity groups, and in many cases ceasing to talk to the ‘other’, how do we build trust with those on other sides of the fault lines, and make this a priority in our daily commitment? This is the challenge facing all of us who have a conviction that our common humanity overrides all other group allegiances.
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