Is Democracy Dying? The Peril of the Disappearing Sense of Inquiry

Time changes human beings; simultaneously, human beings change times. So, what was no longer exists, and what is will not remain unchanged. As is the nature of nature, so also all things that are birthed have a limited lifespan—a limited shelf life. The same goes for thoughts, ideas, ideals, philosophies, and ideologies, some of which are inherent in human beings, and others evolved with the necessities of survival and the human yearning for a better life—comfortable, convenient, fulfilling, and rewarding.

Take democracy for instance. It is not perfect per se, but so far, the essence and ethos of democracy are ideal for the human spirit and for human growth. But democracy means different things to different people. Even dictators, despots, authoritarians, and tyrants preach democracy, but from their own power perspectives, often distorting its spirit. This is now happening even in countries that were strong proponents, practitioners, and defenders of democracy. So now, what we believed to be democracy is under attack and in peril. This distortion of democracy makes the fullest use of democracy’s foundational principle of free speech, and abuses it to stifle disagreements and dissent, and deny and deprive free speech to opponents and naysayers. We see this happening across an increasing number of countries, not least in our own.

The rot begins from within human beings and spills over to others, and soon enough, it seeps into all aspects of our political, economic, social, and cultural lives, uprooting democratic institutions. The worst of this rot is the desecration of the human heart and mind, which renders them fertile for hate, racism, sexism, misogyny, intolerance, insensitivity, and irascibility. The fact of the matter is that all human beings have been born into different races and blessed with different cultures, traditions, beliefs, food habits, attires, and practices, which are to be celebrated, not derided, dehumanized, or considered inferior.

The fact of the matter is that human beings are born with different sexes, equally necessary for human propagation—none is more or less. If these facts of life are not understood and appreciated, then obviously there is some critical lack in us—especially if this lack is a strong trait in people in leadership positions who politicize differences and create divisions and exclusions that are inimical to human existence and survival. Imagine the type of person who hates another on the basis of race, religion, or sex, a sentiment which defeats all civilizational purposes and objectives.

It is very sad to see highly educated people so steeped in the world of technological wonders, negating the very essence of the human being. Increasingly, we are witnessing human beings becoming clones of technology. In such a world, democracy is increasingly pushed to the background, and people are reduced to algorithms and numbers—all adding up to aggregates to serve political and economic ambitions and markets. Where is the place for democracy if the end purpose of technology is mind and thought control? Perhaps the first question ought to be: What does democracy and free speech mean to us, and how much are we willing to strive and sacrifice to defend, protect, and preserve them?

Increasingly, people believe whatever is said and shown on social and other media. What happened to our sense of inquiry? Have we become so numb that we quietly accept what is dished to us as the gospel truth, and have therefore stopped teaching our children the value and practice of inquiry? It is laughable that when someone in a leadership position takes offense at someone or something, we so easily and thoughtlessly claim the same offense. Such individuals take offense for some reason or the other, but are our reasons the same, or are we merely allowing ourselves to be herded and made suitable to be fitted into someone’s narratives?

The consequence of the absence of inquiry leads to a lack of sensitivity and empathy, which results in unnecessary hardship and heartache for those that are othered and dehumanized. It wasn’t as if we didn’t cross the lines of othering people who weren’t like us, but now the othering has been taken to higher levels of no return. Whether in India, the United States, or any other country, othering will adversely impact politics, economics, socio-cultural interaction, and every other aspect of human existence and survival.

Civil wars will likely be the consequences, and in time—if this othering is not stopped and amends made—the very existence of nation-states will be imperiled. The law of nature indicates that negativity renders living beings fragile and prone to decay. There is indeed much to learn from the current environmental crisis confronting humanity today. Time changes, but all changes are not for the better. Fortunately, it is in our hands to control and manage what changes we envisage and fashion.

Imperiling democracy and free speech is not in our interest. Neither is being overly and negatively sensitive to the differences that have always existed since the dawn of time. We cannot change them or suppress or oppress them. In any case, what makes us think that our race, religion, sex, or whatever, is better than others, and therefore that we are better than others? Why are we allowing anybody to plant the seeds of othering in our hearts and minds and thus negating the secularism of thoughts, ideas, ideals, and goals? This country is home to multitudes of others, so who does it benefit to preach and propagate othering? Multitudes of others have built our cultural heritage, but are we going to destroy them all because they are made by others and some of them represent the others we abhor? Is this the democracy we want to embrace?

Under the circumstances we now live with, although it is very difficult to change mindsets, it is imperative that we introduce and teach our young ones what it feels like to breathe the fresh air of democracy and bask in it instead of living in fear and with stifled voices. Democracy is never-ending hard work—always a work in progress. We need to physically, mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and intellectually toughen up our young ones to stand sentinel to democracy; otherwise, they will become slaves and serfs in their own country, their own home. But in this age of the Smartphone and AI—always in the hands of the powers-that-be, and our youth so much in their grip—how do we toughen up our young ones? And where do we begin? Perhaps it is already too late, but somehow we must begin somewhere; otherwise, tribal and other communities in the Northeast stand to lose everything. And this loss will be irretrievable.

Monalisa Changkija is a Dimapur-based journalist, poet, and former Editor of Nagaland Page.