In the maze of thoughts ... Xenophobia is a self-fulfilling prophecy
Wait what? What the hell? Rawi, do we need to intervene? No, you don’t. Or at least not yet. But the topic I’m about share my thoughts on is something I’ve been noticing for a bit and it makes sense when I look at how I was on the “supplier” end of this chain. Because now I’m sometimes on the receiving end as well and it opened my eyes to some things.
Some of you already know where I’m from (hell, some folks on Fedi even know my real name). And you might also know that the country I live in has a rather infamous reputation to a certain group of people, namely Romani. They were frankly never treated well and while it’s hard to balance out their usual lifestyle with ours, the effort was never really made. These days I’m observing that the things have settled, at least on the outside but I’m not that well versed in things “behind the scenes” so I can’t judge.
But why am I talking about this; I’m not here to put myself into some sort of a victim position or patronise them instead. What I intend to illustrate here is how the prejudices, xenophobic or any other, fuel the exact thing people are “afraid of”. How? Let’s take an example. Imagine you’re of a Romani descent but you want to make the effort to bridge the gap between your cultures. To do so, you need to understand the “other side”. So you put in the effort, integrating into the system of the majority and you manage to succeed. But do you? Are you treated like an equal? No, you’re not. Because you’re not them. “But I did everything I was expected to do,” you ask. No, you didn’t. You weren’t born right. Demotivated and defeated, you come “back home”. Home? You have no home. You’re already tainted by the “superior”. You don’t belong here, outsider.
You weren’t born right. You don’t belong here, outsider.
Two sentences. Both can be said by either side. The reasons may be different but the pain is equal. And that pain needs relief and it can be motivating to action. What action? Well, keep in mind that the same person that was shunned has the knowledge of both.
In the best case scenario, they’ll use their “power” to educate others and use their experience to potentially create a wave for the change of the better. If this happens, then the person has an incredibly strong sense of honour and an unwavering will to create a truly better world for everyone. Such task requires massive amounts of resolve and will to go on despite all the pain thrown right back at them.
More often than not however, these people “give up” go back to what they know. Except they’re richer with the knowledge of “your side”. This means they know where to prod so it hurts the most. Ever wondered why expats vote for nationalists despite knowing better? Sometimes it’s greed and arrogance but other times it’s exactly the “they know better”. They know they had the rug pulled from under them despite the effort they made. Why? Because the other side didn’t put in enough effort. So their action is a warning for the others that there’s no “promised land”.
Now, why am I talking about this when I myself am so white on the outside that I can be used as a mirror? Well, my dear reader, especially if you’re PoC by any definition, because I too experience that. Remember, I’m Eastern European. I’m from the “occupied side” of the Iron Curtain. People here know quite well what it means to be a colony. And they’re extremely sensitive to being treated as such by those who promise equity. In case you’re wondering what I mean, look at some demographic maps of the EU. The East/West divide is extremely clear. The result? Populism, nationalism, going back to the “good old days” … sounds familiar?
Now do you understand the title? By either not putting enough effort to create a good intersection of cultures or by displaying “benign superiority”, one creates a perfect breeding ground for polarisation and thus creating their “dream enemy”. Is there a cure, at least in Europe? Yes, there is. The West needs to sit down and listen to the Easterners, understand our past and our worries and be the “mentor” to our fledgeling and fragile democracies. They need to teach that accountability and responsibility are good things. The East at the same time needs to open their minds and learn to trust. We need to learn that not everyone means us harm and that the horrors of the past are exactly what they are, the past. And only by treading the path together we can find the way forward that serves everyone. Can this work for everyone else? I’m going to be optimistic and I’ll say yes. But the effort needed is going to be that much bigger. Because this time it’ll require to face much stronger prejudices and likely some very uncomfortable chapters of one’s past. And as we all know, nobody likes to go back to their mistakes. But without admitting them, one can’t learn from them.
R.R.A.