We live in a Fractured World
The common understanding of a fracture, as applied to the human body, is a break in the bone caused by sudden impact and force. The bone’s relationship to itself and to the body stands severed. This is what causes pain and dysfunction of the human body.
What we are experiencing today are fractured relationships with ourselves, with others, with nature; in fact with the whole of life. As a result the body of mankind is writhing in pain unable to function in a meaningful and fulfilling manner. From this existential experience of ours we are realising the critical importance of what Martin Buber the philosopher said “All real living is meeting”. A real or fulfilled life arises out of experiencing fulfilling meetings or relationships. If we do not experience a fulfilling relationship with life we will never be at peace. We will only remain painful caricatures of existence.
At the heart of a fulfilling relationship is trust. And trust is built through authentic communication. And today if there is no trust being experienced, it is because there is no authentic communication. We are living islands experiencing an illusion of relationship. What we are experiencing today as communication is just noise. As Theodore Zeldin, an academic scholar said “The noises of this world arise out its silences.” What really concerns us, our deepest anxieties and feelings and hopes and pain remain buried within us in silence and what rises to the surface is empty, meaningless chatter which we engage in.
To experience authentic communication we need to satisfy some basic requests of every human being like:
Hear and understand me,
Even if I am wrong do not make me wrong
(Disagree with my opinion but do not attack me as a person),Tell me the truth with compassion,
Look for the greatness within me and
Never doubt my good intentions.
These in fact, seem very idealistic in today’s circumstances which is a reflection of how far we have strayed from treating one another with human dignity and respect.
These are basic human desires. But there is difficulty in satisfying them because life has been reduced to a bundle of conveniences. We evaluate and compare ourselves with others based on the conveniences we have. The more the conveniences the greater our self –worth. Cars, Flats, Designer Apparel, accoutrements, bling and so on. Finally we treat people too as conveniences. Economic utilities to be used for the maximisation of our benefit. Those who do not have any economic utility are cast aside, ignored or treated as non — existent. If the personhood of man and woman has been replaced by economic utility it is difficult to treat people with dignity and respect. To have trust and authentic communication. To have a fulfilling relationship.
The whole of life has been reduced to a business deal. And in a business deal everyone is out to get the best bargain. Where trust becomes more and more tenuous.
We are experiencing a crisis of perception.
We need to see life differently to heal our fractured lives.
