Look for the light rather than the darkness.

My column in the Herald Express 26th June 2014

The other day I ‘shared’ a post on Facebook. For those of you who don’t play with social media let me quickly explain. Facebook is a social media platform on the Internet for the sharing of information, uploading photographs and generally keeping in touch with friends.

One of my friends shared something the other day that he had seen which worried him. The worry was a picture of the House of Commons debating funding for an important social issue with only of handful of politicians present. Given the nature of what was being discussed and the apparent lack of political interest I thought it important and therefore ‘shared’ the story and picture with a personal comment expressing my concern. Local MP Adrian Sanders almost immediately posted a comment explaining that the original article was a hoax! The picture from the House of Commons had been taken on another day and then the debate title below copied from another day! Why would people do that?

The thing is that these spoof news stories seem to be sprouting up a little too often these days usually with an icon that relates to a genuine news source that gives the post a false credibility. That potentially harmful disinformation can cause so much damage. With the speed of communication these days via the Internet, mobile phones, television et cetera words can spread like an Australian bush-fire on a hot windy day! The thing about words is that once they have been spoken or written then calling them back is so very hard and even if the original story is corrected too many people will not see the correction which means that the false fact trundles on potentially eternally!

Of course that false or misguided information isn’t restricted to cyberspace because daily social intercourse can be a source of quite harmful rhetoric. How often do we say something to others about something and then a little later find that what we had said wasn’t correct? Do we then contact all those that we have told and correct the fact? Probably not I rather suspect. Whilst talking to a group the other day someone commented on the seriousness of religious fundamentalism and that stimulated a debate about religion and its place in society. The comment related to one specific religious group and its ethos. It didn’t take long to understand that the speaker knew little of the religious group but did have very strong negative views about them.

We then discussed other religions and it soon became clear how limited our knowledge was. In a multi-cultural society peppered with religious dogma that has to be a worry. How easy it is to stigmatise and label identifiable groups! Education is changing on a daily basis as Michael Gove MP rampages through the curriculum dumping subjects and my worry is that religious education will slip into obscurity. That in my humble opinion would be a disaster because religious education is about understanding how social groups interact and not simply about worship. Most of us, if not all of us, will have been conditioned in some way by the religious experience and certainly when I was at school every day started with a corporate act of Christian worship. But in those growing years I knew almost nothing about Judaism, Islam, Hinduism et cetera and therefore equally very little about the cultural norms surrounding them.

Can I give you some homework? If you have access to a computer why not search for an online encyclopaedia and learn a little about some of them. Nip in to your local library (while we still have a network of libraries!!) and find a book that simply explains the nature of each. But whatever you do please stay away from the spiteful rhetoric that is so divisive and hurtful too often rooted in ignorant bigotry. To build a healthy community we really need to embrace neighbours and the richness that multiculturalism can bring. That can start by simply smiling at a stranger and if you are feeling really brave you could also say hello!

We live in restless times with increasing evidence that communities seem to be tearing each other apart in so many places. If that is to change then we really need a much deeper understanding of each other and that can start with you! Look for the light rather than the darkness. Seek the good rather than the bad. Find something nice to say about people rather than constantly looking for the negative. You can make a difference.

Keep the smile.