To Coexist Harmoniously, All We Need Is Tolerance
As a writer and educator, one of my routine daily tasks is scanning through my favorite newspapers to be familiar with current affairs.
Lately, most of them have been cluttered with items that focused on the tension between Muslims and Westerners along with conflicts among nations of different religious, political or racial backgrounds.
That prompted me to wonder about the reasons behind all major conflicts that we are exposed to on a daily basis through the various venues of the media and how can we resolve them peacefully.
In general, we tend to resent those who are different from us because they prompt us to question our own beliefs and values. Consequently, one simple reason, behind all the conflicts might be the intolerance acquired by both sides of an issue. On one hand, you may argue that is too
simplistic and naïve. On the other hand that might be true.
We possess the tendency to refer to labels to differentiate between ourselves and others. People categorize others by race, religion, political beliefs, social standards, educational backgrounds and gender.
My main question is “Why can’t we regard each other as just human beings without attaching labels to our identities? Why don’t we stop from creating unnecessary walls between ourselves by attempting to find traits that make us different from others?
It is logical to assume that all we need is tolerance and understanding that may help us to transcend our differences to harmoniously coexist with one another. We need to take a break from our fanatical nature that gears us toward trivial conflicts to reflect on means of achieving peace.
Everyone should be granted the freedom to establish his or her own beliefs and values as long as they don’t cause any harm to others. An individual has the right to select his or her own religious beliefs without being afraid of isolation or discrimination.
We must cease from resenting those who are more successful than us. We ought to avoid displaying condescending attitudes toward those who are less fortunate than us.
Regardless of our nationalities, we all are seeking a happy and harmonious existence.
Of course, that is easier said than done. Our efforts need time to bear fruits. We can start by teaching our children to be tolerant toward other kids who are different from them. Schools should assign classes to teach the importance of being tolerant.
Parents must establish an exemplary example for their children to follow by displaying the trait toward their neighbors and coworkers.
The media with all its venues has the most difficult task of all. Members of the media ought to cease from sensationalizing conflicts. They should focus on the positive traits of the human race rather than emphasizing the differences that exist between them.
I am certain that I am not the only one who holds hopes that one day in the future, we can experience life void of limits, restrictions and conflicts.
I was born in Egypt but I hold a Canadian Citizenship. I had published three books. I wrote numerous articles in various topics in Canada, USA, Egypt and China. For a year, I was writing an advice column for a major English magazine in China. Currently, I am teaching the conceptual art of English writing in China. I am occasionally writing articles for several Chinese English newspapers.