It’s been a while since I wrote but I have been thinking about a topic from a trip several months ago that I took to Rwanda: Genocide.
It’s a difficult subject to tackle but the genocide museum in Kigali that paid respect to nearly 1 million people killed from the Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsi brings to light the dark side of human struggle based on a system of false classifications created over time – and the use of these false classifications as a weapon against one another.
My heart goes out to the millions that have been killed as a result of genocide – and this article is simply an exploration of what I believe is the root cause. I may be off in my reasoning so please don’t get attached everything I write but take it at face value.
The clash between people is nothing more than a power struggle created over differences driven by various factors that have nothing to do with who we actually are but shaped by external philosophies and conditions of others. The issue is largely based on the fact that we have been molded and shaped to be a certain way, act a certain way, and behave a certain – nothing more than conditioning created by external human forces driven by association.
The truth is that nature doesn’t work in a way to condition us – humans do. They get inside our heads. Nature drives us toward non-conformity but it is humans that try to move us toward conformity – and this is the struggle.
Any fight against nature is futile. You have no control over nature. You must adjust – you can’t kill rain in favor of sunshine. You can’t throw a punch against a windy day as a protest for a calmer breeze. An earthquake is too strong a force to fight. I think you get my point. However when it comes to human differences, it is easy to fight.
The larger problem is the classification other people put on you based on how you need to be – and where you need to fit in society. This classification system is a culprit for majority if not all issues in mankind – and this classification system develops a circle around people that unfortunately puts them into a group – and then you get identified by the group – and cease to be identified by yourself.
You see this in families with one parent favoriting one child over another. You see this in schools with the Class Officers, football jocks, and the chess club members. Division and classification is everywhere – and it’s dangerous when association is marketed and advertised such as those car bumpers with the parent driving behind the wheel that says my son or daughter “made the honor society at Bogus High School.” Labels are the foundations behind judgement and critique.
Real freedom is freedom from being attached to any group, and any idea of the group. There are 2 problems which arise in this – 1. We put ourselves in groups, and 2. We are classified from the outside as being in a group.
Looking at point 1, we feel comfortable to be around our own kind. This is why religion, culture, language, skin color, background, ethnicity are the bindings that bring people together, but also breaks people apart. If you want to see my point, just look at civil war in history and you will find people killing each other for any one of these areas.
Looking at point 2, other people initially put you in the group based your external human characteristics – skin color, eye color, body parts, hair style, how you walk, talk, stand. Before you even know it – you are classified based on your “ethnicity” – and this classification is nothing more than a fancy word for judgement.
The classifications continue as they learn more about you such as how you were raised, your beliefs, your religion, your intelligence, etc. There really is no end to classifications – but when it is all done you are completely stuck as you are classified first from the outside (by others) and then secondly from the inside (by yourself), whereby there is no distinction in the long run between who really are in the inside and what you are portrayed to be in the outside.
The problem is that the people inside the group will want to keep you there as it fortifies the identification of the group while those in the outside will poke fun of you by indicating how you are different from them.
Genocides – in my opinion – don’t start in the inside as it has nothing to do with individual affinity but with how people judge you and the rest of the group. The eradication of the group is also historically based.
The cleansing as people call it is driven by years of fear that accumulate over time. To the outside world there is also no difference between the individual and the group – they are one and the same. The part is seen as the whole and the whole consists of many parts. Hence, a dense cloud of fog exists around the person as well as this group – and this fog is a what “clouds” other peoples judgment about the group – and then trickles down to the individual.
What we have seen in history over time with groups is that they are viewed as a threat to society – as if the group will take things over like jobs, commerce, educational institutions, political positions, votes, etc. and a fear brews from the outside that the group will only favor their own kind. This fear based on the assumption of loss is where mindsets of destruction against the group starts to take over.
As history has repetitively shown is that cleansing of the group is the final solution that needs to be taken as a strategic position endeavor to prevent a loss and an official label is given to the group as a threat to society. It is buried in this idea of loss that the elements of dislike start to take over- and as we see in the Rwandan Genocide that the hatred of Tutsi suddenly started to take root – and the civil war set the stage for one of the saddest killings of innocent people over a 3 month period – enough time to split not just a country, but the mindset of trust with countrymen that I believe still lasts to this day.
There is a counter-argument that we can’t exclude – is the very essence of being defined in a group the reason for bringing hatred toward the group? In other words, should groups be more inclusive of non-group thinkers instead of closing their thoughts, beliefs, culture within their own group? Society loves groups, politics and classifications are needed to ensure that people are in the “right bucket” – but this very classification is the reason for building arguments – the rights vs the lefts, the upper house vs. the lower house, the straight path vs. the curvy path.
Which side is really better? They both are – as long as no-one is committing murder and closing doors which can be open to allow other people to come in and make a statement, provide an opinion – all without judgement.
Is there really a loss to a majority group from a minority group? Look at history – all the greatest empires seeking control and power over others have fallen. It’s impossible in the long run to to have an empire or dynasty. They make for great historical reading but never last a long time. In fact the stronger and more controlling a force is, the greater that force will be destroyed over time. We have seen it over and over with the underdog winning.
Can a class of people really be eliminated? The communal riots in India have killed thousands of Hindus and Muslims over time. The holocaust killed over 6 million jews. It’s been said the Kosovo genocide killed nearly 13,000 people. All sad incidents in history but none of these killings has really put anyone in a position of gain. All of the groups of people have thrived over time.
Could the genocide in Rwanda have been avoided along with countless other genocides in the world? This answer is without a doubt a yes but it takes a ton of work, a ton of understanding, and a mind-set that is non-judgemental and not influenced by political and governmental decision making.
My rules of thumb are very simple in life. Control the associations with people as much as you can. Small 4-5 groups of friends with intimate discussions is the way to go. Be involved in groups but be open to including new ideas, and thoughts from the outside. You have to develop an attitude of opening the doors of the mind to others and not consider their viewpoint a threat.
Last, if you do see a group and there is some hatred that bubbles based on some ignorant judgement you have – just pause and reflect – and just put yourself inside the group and gauge how you want to be treated. I bet this treatment would be one of respect, trust, dignity, and self-value.
Now take this to the outside and reflect on to the group these very things – respect, trust, dignity and self-worth. Now neither side loses as there are winners both on the inside and outside.