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Friday March 29, 2024

Perils of polarisation

By Ghazi Salahuddin
October 01, 2017

At a time when political developments demand informed and insightful deliberation, our capacity to be objective and rational has further diminished. And the media truly reflects this sorry state of the Pakistani mind.

The popular mood is shaped by the news channels and, in particular, the primetime talk shows. What these talk shows certify is the deadly level of polarisation in the context of our ideological and political persuasions. The passionate intensity with which most of the anchors and panelists take sides is a blatant violation of ethical and professional standards of journalism. There are some who cross all limits in denouncing their chosen adversaries and it boggles the mind to see that they get away with it.

This free-for-all has virtually pushed us into that so-called post-truth territory “in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotions and personal belief”. Though this is supposed to be a global phenomenon in this digital age, our situation is dire because of the paucity of intellectual, social and moral capital in our society. At another level, there is social media and the limitless production of fake news.

For long, Pakistan has struggled against terrorism, intolerance and bigotry. We are constantly reminded of the sacrifices that we have made in dealing with violent extremism. Lately, we are supposed to believe that we have won major victories in this campaign. The National Action Plan was set into motion after the massacre of our schoolchildren in Peshawar nearly three years ago and it was extensive in its resolve to eradicate the roots of terror in the country.

Irrespective of the quality of NAP’s implementation, it would appear that political polarisation has a symbiotic relationship with intolerance and extremism that exist in our society. This polarisation would sustain and even enhance the potential for violence, anger and social disarray. A greater cause for concern is that this kind of polarisation undermines the process of democracy – fragile as it has always been.

Unfortunately, there is little appreciation of the dangers of this vicious polarisation. On the face of it, it should be all right to choose your side on the basis of your political and ideological affiliations. A divide between the right and the left or between the conservatives and the progressives could be justly invested in a political contest. Every political party, with its specific platform, has the right to strive for popular support. Likewise, the citizens ought to be free to make their choices.

We might argue that this is how the present situation in Pakistan has evolved. All the stakeholders have chosen their sides and they are enthusiastic in expressing their views. But look closely and you will see that the debate – in whichever forum – is partisan in a rather irrational mode. Emotions easily overwhelm the available facts and a display of belligerence disrupts all communication.

Yes, politics elsewhere has also become more confrontational with the rise of socially retrogressive responses. Donald Trump is one example of how plural and secular societies are being divided. More relevant for us is the present drift in India where violent Hindu nationalism has challenged the identity of a professedly secular country.

But our afflictions are more disturbing because of the complexity of our civil-military relations and the inability of our political parties to promote and protect democratic values. Against this backdrop, the polarisation that we have is destroying our social fabric. It is becoming more difficult for individuals to engage in a sober and logical political discourse. One lesson they have learnt from the talk shows is that every allegation is countered with a counter-allegation. And known facts are not allowed to get in the way.

Ah, but how does one deal with this situation? A poor scribe is surely not in a position to influence the minds of those who wield power and who may have their reasons for presiding over this intellectual chaos. It becomes more complicated when you feel that a number of television anchors and panelists may have acquired vested interests in making the pitch that they do. Is it that they have made, in a sense, a Faustian bargain?

Perhaps a partisan attitude makes some sense in politics. If you support a party, a specific leader or a particular ideology, you need to vindicate your choice and rationalise it in the most forceful manner that you can. This choice becomes more definitive when a vote is to be cast in an election. But on a regular basis, it should be possible to have your own measure of what is right or credible and shift your affiliation when you find justification for it.

Yes, there ought to be some fundamental beliefs that you have to endorse and fight for. In the media, there has always been the issue of freedom and justice – something that can only be possible in a democratic dispensation. Now, there’s no point in wrangling over the attributes of the system itself. We should be able to easily make sense of what is in the public interest and conforms to the values that are dictated by a modern democracy.

But this is not so simple. We are still not certain about what is good for Pakistan and what will work. So many questions need to be explored and answered. The problem is that our popular media is just not able to manage the task of probing these matters and empower the citizens to be able to make their choices.

To some extent, the popular media everywhere caters to the lowest common denominator. This is what the market determines. However, other societies have the strength that is located in their academic and cultural institutions. They have the benefit of a sizeable intellectual community. Ideas and initiatives are often nurtured not in the media but in more secluded forums.

While I have grieved over the state of our media, perhaps the campuses have contributed more to the absence of a rational debate in our society. We were reminded of the Mashal tragedy this week following news about the trial of those who are accused of participating in the lynching that took place on the campus of a university. There are also instances of university students joining the ranks of terrorists.

Besides, only a small percentage of our youth are able to get into a college or university. We have this veritable army of ill-educated and unthinking minds ready for action as ordinary citizens of this country. And many of them are addicted to the talk shows.

The writer is a senior journalist.

Email: ghazi_salahuddin@hotmail.com