Member-only story
A Conspiracy We All Fall Prey To
A lot can sound very convincing, compassionate and committed.
Today when definitions become more and more splintered, it can easily become ‘whoever speaks loudest (accompanied by a really cool video)’ wins. Regularly, we read of people asserting their stands and sometimes even turning against their community. This about-turn is so drastic and final, It makes me wonder — who or what is really energising all of this?
I smell a conspiracy by the Dark Side — which is capitalising on some age-old human habits we all practise, most of them distortions of our being.
Let’s consider a few.
1. Labels
This ability and habit of mind is so deeply ingrained and serves us well in many ways. How would we order food or decide on a new-found specie without this ability? We are crazed about coming up with labels; we have them for every situation, person, phenomenon.
The power of labels is such that every generation has certain hot button words because they are the vexing issues of the day.
But these days, we see a strange tension where we both distrust labels and also plaster them on people and situations so readily.
Helpful as labels are, when applied to a conversation or to the people, it can quickly shut down any real…