What’s The Difference?

Originally published in The Walsingham Papers by The Walsingham Institute.

Many conflicts are raging all over the world, each with its own unique unsolvable friction – or so we are led to believe. Yet if considered further these conflicts all have a common source of provocation – difference. Although the subject or number of differences changes from conflict to conflict the underlying root of all conflicts remains the same – difference in religion, in sects within a faith, in ethnicity, in ideology, in economy, in scarcity etc. What makes difference so powerful that it is used to enflame conflicts?

When difference is perceived, it is noticed within relation to the subjective observer and is often unconsciously personalized, much of the time in a negative light. “We don’t pray like that man, he must be different from us.” Without awareness on the part of the observer that their perception is framed by their understanding of the world, the subject of difference is commonly assigned a negative categorization. Once the observer and the subject have been polarized through perceived difference, conflict between the two can easily be induced.Our understanding of just about everything is learned – from our upbringing and familial traditions, the set curriculum of an education system, religions and the norms of social behaviour among other things.

From birth we carefully observe and absorb the ways of the immediate environment around us. Seldom do we question anything related to this, seldom do we even notice that all of our views, opinions, beliefs or rules of engagement with others are coloured by our limited understanding of this small world. Unless we come into contact with people from different backgrounds – academic, cultural, religious, political and sexual – often there is no reason to question our personal lenses at all.Identified differences in wealth, ethnicity, religion and others are established very early in life. The pyramid of unquestioned segregation and authority is in place, and it makes human conditioning complete. Of course, this does not have to be the case.

We choose as societies, as ethnicities, as congregations and as classes to unquestioningly accept difference as something that should be seen as black or white, allowing for a division to be set and never really asking what difference really means? When war breaks out because two groups believe they are not the same – that they are ethnically different – does anyone stop and ask what ethnicity means? Why is there no discourse over whether or not ethnic groups only exist as such because the members identify with a set of characteristics that make members of a group similar – such as ancestry, language, cultural traits or religious beliefs. Does membership in an exclusive club warrant hatred or death against others who missed one or more prerequisites (criteria we created) for joining? Why should belonging or not to an ethnic group be seen as any different? When someone is willing to kill or die for their religion – do they stop and ask what religion means? Do they say to themselves – religion is a set of structured beliefs by which followers choose to live their lives? Values or principles combined with a faith or intuition lead people to believe that the path outlined in their respective religion is the best one for the pursuit of enlightenment or salvation. Just because one particular path is accepted, does this mean other individuals who accept a different path should be hated? Not tolerated and condemned even? Does one person’s understanding justify conflict with another whose understanding differs? Is the impossible pursuit of proving one’s perception true worth any cost including bloodshed and destruction? Does difference really justify conflict?

Homo sapiens have been in existence for at least 130,000 years. The beliefs we are choosing to live and die by – nationalism at one extreme from 20,000 years to only some 200 years, economy just over 5000 years and religion no more than 5000 years. Looking at the bigger picture we have only perceived our differences for a short while in relation to our over all existence as a species – yet how often are many of us led into conflict under these thinnest of guises? Perhaps if we can begin with questioning how we view differences and their consequences we might not be so eager to pass negative judgement on others. Instead of sheepishly following along we wouldn’t be in such dire need to consider issues surrounding security at all.