Page 70 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 22

Leadership

primates such as chimpanzees 150 facts. we allow ourselves to look closer,
is mostly the limit. Humans exceed While I firmly accept universal we notice it both in our minutest
this number as imagination and human unity as an unlived reality, ordinary interactions and in our
reason endow us with unifying ideas. the parochialism of human past institutionalized dealings. Our daily
However, the same unique human and present contend to threaten my social interactions begin, progress
features – imagination and reason – optimism. This is not to say that and end in labels, making it hard
too often do us a disservice as they universal concepts like human rights for genuine human interactions. We
also separate us. The ideals that de- do not exist; it is rather to hint at the enter a taxi or a bus, and we see only
fine a group of people are glorified fact that provincial institutions are a taxi or bus driver while, in turn,
through the contrasts that distin- not broad enough to protect them. we are visible only as customers. We
guish it from other groups of peo- The world is already occupied by go shopping to deal with a salesper-
ple. As Sheldon S. Wolin in Fugitive dehumanizing labels of isms and son and we become only a shopper.
Democracy remarks, “The sameness schisms, making it hard to envision Our institutional interactions are
that is used to establish the commu- a world free of organized factions. no different: Ethiopians, Africans,
nity then becomes the ‘difference’ Irish, Jamaicans, Russians, Africans,
that distinguishes its members from Dehumanizing with Labels Europeans, Asians, Jewish, Muslims,
nonmembers. Not infrequently it We all do it, and do it all the time. Hindus, Christians, Atheists, social-
is accompanied by a demand that Yes, we do put labels and name tags ists, capitalists, feminists, environ-
‘difference’ be ‘recognized’.” on human beings. The labelling mentalists, etcetera are visible only
is done collectively, and the label in those labels. All shuts the door on
Hidden behind size and defining too is attributed to a collection. the unique individuality that re-
elements of societies resides fear We collectively strip individuals of sides in each human being. Labeled
– members fear the loss of unique- autonomy, and we place identity encounters are with singular beings
ness, and so wish to protect and nametags by suffocating signs of defined by profession, age, religion,
preserve it. In our leaders I see the individuality. Remember, it is we, all ethnicity, race, nationality, gender,
chieftain who requires uniformity of us, who assign the labels and, in and endless identity frames. We
within the tribe, but hopes other turn, are also labeled. To label is to persist on loving and hating through
tribes remain different. Why? Well, dehumanize since it robs humans labels; we end up with dehumanized
if other tribes recognize their sim- of humanity and destines them to interactions.
ilarity and unite, the tribal illusion group treatments. Wars are fought in the name of
fades along with the members and We dehumanize, and we too are identity, but if the identity fought
group leaders. All groups share this dehumanized because all of us are over was another, perhaps friends
protective element of social identity, playing the same deadly game. and enemies would be reorganized.
thus negotiation and hostility dom- As Amy Chua explains, “When
inate interactions between factions In Notes of a Native Son, James groups feel threatened, they retreat
or separated unities. This is why Baldwin expresses it best by remind- into tribalism. They close ranks and
our provincial unity is, at the same ing us that, “the oppressed and the become more insular, more defen-
time, the cause for separation and oppressor are bound together within sive, more punitive, more us-versus-
hostility. the same society; they accept the them.” Think of two opposing bat-
The hostility towards others finds same criteria, they share the same talions, warring soldiers exchanging
a match with the hostility others beliefs, they both alike depend on fire. (‘Exchanging’ is an ironic word
harbor towards you. After you are the same reality.” If clarification when death is the exchange.) One
labeled, and even if you expect to is needed, he is showing past and side is exhilarated when a ‘comrade’
deny the label, you will be exposed present generations that ‘Labels’ takes the life of the ‘enemy’. But
to all the dangers other groups or ‘Categories’ in and of societies suddenly the mood changes, a com-
direct onto you. When you are create both the oppressed and the rade is shot by enemy fire. The same
attacked collectively, you find no oppressor, and the dehumanizing individuals feel happy and sad when
escape except retaliating as a people. role of oppression will remain if we death is intentionally exchanged for
When individuals find themselves cling on to our labels. the life of a fellow human being.
in such a tight situation, the risky Identity labels are indiscriminately Perhaps they are fighting a national
but rational way is defending and attached to each person, and this war, but enemy and comrades would
reclaiming your individual autonomy dehumanizes sentient humans, reshuffle if the identity war was of
so as to judge both sides based on reducing them to a singularity. If religion or social class.

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