When it comes to conflict in the world, particularly as it takes shape in racist discrimination, individuals must assume accountability for finding their own peace. When we resort to being offended by racial slurs and challenges to our reputation, we contribute to the divide between persons, and perpetuate the inflation of the superficial differences from whence these slights arose. One might do well to compare a billboard to a willow tree; where each, by virtue of being that which it is, must stand against the wind. Only, in the case of its firmness and resistance, the billboard takes on more wear and tear than the flexible willow tree. Without taking offense, the weight of negative words and ideas disintegrates. With nonresistance there can be no conflict.
In Lawrence Hill's essay “Don't Call Me That Word” (2002), we have a picture of this principle illustrated rather clearly when he cites the example of the black woman on the subway who could not bring herself to read a book with the word “nigger” stamped across the cover (Reader's Choice; 324). She is virtually paralyzed by fear at just the possibility that displaying such a word right next to her face could incite racial objectification/discrimination. It ought to be noted that in the example Hill gives, there's no mention of external circumstances. The woman is pained by the sting of her own empowerment of the word; not, as we might first assume, by the ravages of fellow passengers pelting hate at her as she read. She doesn't take accountability for her own peace, but rather, keeps it in the hands of her perceived oppressors.
As third party observers, we can imagine an image of a black woman reading a book with the word “nigger” on the cover, and we can view the image as being either degrading or empowering. The image, of its own, has no meaning at all. Without our preconceptions and projections, the 'word' is reduced to mere letters, and the letters are reduced to mere lines.
If we can do this exercise with an image of something external, then surely it's possible that the same principle can be applied to our own images of ourselves.
In Wayson Choy's essay “I'm a Banana and Proud of It”(1997), we have yet another example of the accountability principle at work, although in this case, we get to see just how benign a racial slur can become, given that the individual applies nonresistance to the situation. For Choy, it is enough to realize that the terms are born out of ignorance; that they are often based on unintentional assumptions. In fact, he even goes on to suggest that the term 'banana' might even be an endearing nickname, provided that the intention behind it is such as to inspire humility. But how could such a name inspire humility? In terms of our happiness, we are reminded by such nominalizations, that we are only subject to what we hold in mind. In order that one might receive such nicknames without anxiety, it is necessary to be comfortable with the self that is a priori to one's perceived personality. We must be comfortable in knowing ourselves in such a way that our identities transcend circumstances. Whether the world understands a person or not; whether the world subjects a person to insult or injury, we can have peace in knowing this transcendent self. This is not to suggest a detachment from the immediate effects of these 'conflicts', but rather that peace itself is not in opposition to conflict; that to have peace is simply to be 'okay' with the state of the world.
Often, a significant lot of our difficulties are born, not out of circumstances which are beyond our control, but out of the insecurities we bring to those circumstances. If only we could just be comfortable having insecurities, it might render the challenges of day-to-day life a little more bearable. Being honest with ourselves in regard to insecurities, we are better able to act rationally. Rather than have insecurities rule our behaviour and decision making, their impact can be reduced by addressing them as manageable factors in the larger context of mental prosperity. When insecurities are not recognized and addressed with a rational mind, they tend to manifest in less than desirable ways. Paranoia, anxiety, anger, guilt, shame, and inflation of the significance of irrational ideas are amongst the most common ways in which unaddressed insecurities can emerge. We see then, that accounting for our insecurities, while it may be difficult, is essential in rendering them less threatening to our sense of well-being. If not for our ability to set our insecurities aside once in a while, functionality in the world would come to a screeching halt. If being insecure about a store clerk's opinion of us caused us to refrain from shopping, it is quite evident how that could easily escalate into larger problems. The correlation between one's sense of peace and their ability to come to terms with personal insecurities is very strong, again pointing toward accountability on the part of the individual as the key to resolving the social issue at hand.
Surely all of this is highly applicable to one's every day life, but what can we do to affect change on the larger social scale? As members of this society, wanting to promote a shift in perspective, all that need be recognized is that by changing ourselves, we are, in effect, changing the social structure of the world we live in. There is no fence between we and those who would persecute us. The inward perspective must be maintained in order that promotion of such ideas doesn't slip into conflict with the conventionalities they aim to address. There are no ideas that need changing, after all. As a person adopts a more peaceful approach to the world, his more abrasive behaviour patterns conveniently sink into recession all by themselves. They don't need to be corrected, just replaced. When we aspire to enforce peace, we become like the billboard in our metaphor: rigid and vulnerable. Force is always met with a counterforce, it's a law of nature. By 'taking sides' we perpetuate the divide which facilitates this conflict of energies. Fortunately however, it's entirely unnecessary to protest anything at all. Peace, by virtue of what it is, inspires. In the history of man, there has never been anything quite so effective a catalyst for change as inspiration. With this in mind, change on the large scale seems to be influenced much less by what we do, and much more by what we have become.
As we reflect on this concept, we have an opportunity to re-examine past experiences in a fresh context. When we had taken offense in the past, were we really upset due to the things we thought? Or was it because we had neglected to nurture the peace that we already have within? Mohandas Gandhi once said: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” If this is indeed true, then to live in a world free of conflict and offensiveness, we must be responsible for bringing an attitude of nonresistance to every experience in our lives. There has never been a greater opportunity for peace than we have right now.
-Rob
As third party observers, we can imagine an image of a black woman reading a book with the word “nigger” on the cover, and we can view the image as being either degrading or empowering. The image, of its own, has no meaning at all. Without our preconceptions and projections, the 'word' is reduced to mere letters, and the letters are reduced to mere lines.
If we can do this exercise with an image of something external, then surely it's possible that the same principle can be applied to our own images of ourselves.
In Wayson Choy's essay “I'm a Banana and Proud of It”(1997), we have yet another example of the accountability principle at work, although in this case, we get to see just how benign a racial slur can become, given that the individual applies nonresistance to the situation. For Choy, it is enough to realize that the terms are born out of ignorance; that they are often based on unintentional assumptions. In fact, he even goes on to suggest that the term 'banana' might even be an endearing nickname, provided that the intention behind it is such as to inspire humility. But how could such a name inspire humility? In terms of our happiness, we are reminded by such nominalizations, that we are only subject to what we hold in mind. In order that one might receive such nicknames without anxiety, it is necessary to be comfortable with the self that is a priori to one's perceived personality. We must be comfortable in knowing ourselves in such a way that our identities transcend circumstances. Whether the world understands a person or not; whether the world subjects a person to insult or injury, we can have peace in knowing this transcendent self. This is not to suggest a detachment from the immediate effects of these 'conflicts', but rather that peace itself is not in opposition to conflict; that to have peace is simply to be 'okay' with the state of the world.
Often, a significant lot of our difficulties are born, not out of circumstances which are beyond our control, but out of the insecurities we bring to those circumstances. If only we could just be comfortable having insecurities, it might render the challenges of day-to-day life a little more bearable. Being honest with ourselves in regard to insecurities, we are better able to act rationally. Rather than have insecurities rule our behaviour and decision making, their impact can be reduced by addressing them as manageable factors in the larger context of mental prosperity. When insecurities are not recognized and addressed with a rational mind, they tend to manifest in less than desirable ways. Paranoia, anxiety, anger, guilt, shame, and inflation of the significance of irrational ideas are amongst the most common ways in which unaddressed insecurities can emerge. We see then, that accounting for our insecurities, while it may be difficult, is essential in rendering them less threatening to our sense of well-being. If not for our ability to set our insecurities aside once in a while, functionality in the world would come to a screeching halt. If being insecure about a store clerk's opinion of us caused us to refrain from shopping, it is quite evident how that could easily escalate into larger problems. The correlation between one's sense of peace and their ability to come to terms with personal insecurities is very strong, again pointing toward accountability on the part of the individual as the key to resolving the social issue at hand.
Surely all of this is highly applicable to one's every day life, but what can we do to affect change on the larger social scale? As members of this society, wanting to promote a shift in perspective, all that need be recognized is that by changing ourselves, we are, in effect, changing the social structure of the world we live in. There is no fence between we and those who would persecute us. The inward perspective must be maintained in order that promotion of such ideas doesn't slip into conflict with the conventionalities they aim to address. There are no ideas that need changing, after all. As a person adopts a more peaceful approach to the world, his more abrasive behaviour patterns conveniently sink into recession all by themselves. They don't need to be corrected, just replaced. When we aspire to enforce peace, we become like the billboard in our metaphor: rigid and vulnerable. Force is always met with a counterforce, it's a law of nature. By 'taking sides' we perpetuate the divide which facilitates this conflict of energies. Fortunately however, it's entirely unnecessary to protest anything at all. Peace, by virtue of what it is, inspires. In the history of man, there has never been anything quite so effective a catalyst for change as inspiration. With this in mind, change on the large scale seems to be influenced much less by what we do, and much more by what we have become.
As we reflect on this concept, we have an opportunity to re-examine past experiences in a fresh context. When we had taken offense in the past, were we really upset due to the things we thought? Or was it because we had neglected to nurture the peace that we already have within? Mohandas Gandhi once said: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” If this is indeed true, then to live in a world free of conflict and offensiveness, we must be responsible for bringing an attitude of nonresistance to every experience in our lives. There has never been a greater opportunity for peace than we have right now.
-Rob
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