Dr Asangba Tzüdir
Life has always been at risk. In contemporary times it is getting more risky often not even knowing the coming risks until one is confronted by it. Take the case of global warming. It has been the prime suspect over the years. Any impending war between nations gives rise to fear and risks of a possible World War III. A catastrophe associated with nuclear fission is always a clear and present risk for humans. Terrorism has also taken varied forms. Often one wonders the end objective of cowardly acts of terrorism. The emergence of IS militants has created fear and a risk psychosis among the human communities worldwide. Thereby one’s life is further subjected to the vulnerability of a life that can be simply killed. Global Health concerns is another. The recent World Health Organization (WHO) report on Zika that it could reach four million cases whereby twenty three countries have already reported of this virus is indeed alarming. It is not only a cause of concern but a great risk for the global community. We have been witness to change in climatic conditions that has greatly affected the seasonal cycle leaving large sections of communities badly affected. Greater risk associated is that such changes can always trigger a natural calamity putting the lives of both humans and animals at great risk. Times are uncertain and the only thing certain is its uncertainty making our lives more vulnerable to the impending dangers.
Thus, looking at the kind of risks today, it has considerably altered and has expanded in terms of its scale and scope notwithstanding the mystifying element of uncertainties associated with it thereby making it more alarming and a cause of concern. More so, it has the potential to produce far-reaching effects. On another level, the interconnectedness of the world today can get one affected even by smaller local events. This interconnectedness further connected by the World Wide Web has also not helped the cause thereby replicating worldwide events at a local level, which were never heard or had hardly happened before. We enacted our very own lynching event in our backyard that made headlines across the world and thereby mapped ourselves in the global radar of violence and causal risk when the world everywhere is a witness to continuing violence.
One can most assuredly say that in the modern condition, humans have become the agents and perpetrators of risk - as agents that manufacture risks, fear and uncertainties. Looking at the technological advancements, it has brought about untold comforts but on the other hand, it seems like such advancements do no longer create an impact on human progress, rather creates fear, and makes its associated risks paramount.
Added to the risks at hand, closer home, Nagas are currently threatened and antagonized by another form of risk - the ‘political risk’ and it’s never ending production of ‘knowledge’ through the ‘powers that be’ and thereby forced to become the ‘truth’. ‘Truth’ ultimately becomes manufactured. The present ‘oppositionless’ government is one. While there is rejoicing in the arena, its continuity has made the citizens vulnerable and politically risky, more so a tragedy where politics itself curtails the ‘politically qualified life’ of its citizens. Greater risk is the silence through our humble submission. ‘Framework agreement’ is another and in the guise of ‘Peace accord’, it has created much mistrust, risk and uncertainties among the people even as we anticipate the end political arrangement in a meek and timid manner. The contours seem to be slowly emerging; yet, silence once again becomes the necessary evil even when one’s life is at stake in its associated politics. Thus, a greater risk we face today comes from knowledge production whereby something becomes being labeled as a ‘fact’ which thereby becomes ‘knowledge’ irrespective of its ‘truth’ or ‘falsity’. Such process of knowledge production can only create further risks, fear, and uncertainties and even trigger violence.
Today, to a large extent we have manufactured our own vulnerability, uncertainty and thereby risk and in the ongoing production of risk and uncertainty, progress and development becomes sacrificed and human pursuits becomes reduced to goals that are no longer concerned about productive engagements or something that is directed to create positive results and sadly, human resources are forced to come together in trying to avoid bad things happening rather than progress. The focus seems to have shifted from the attainment of the ‘good’ and the ‘right’ to the prevention of the worst things happening. In times as such, when humans itself becomes the agents of risks making our society a risk society; one should really ponder on the predicament that makes each one of us a human – a moral being.
(Dr. Asangba Tzüdir is an Editor with Heritage Publishing House. He contributes a weekly guest editorial to the Morung Express. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the position of the paper. Comments can be mailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
