How one becomes prisoner of identity: Fixed social identity that turns man towards hate and rivalry with other sections

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

One's social identity is a result of multiple factors. But, a man often views self [and is seen by others too] as representative of a strong & fixed social identity.

This identity that's either inherited, worn, chosen or thrust, is lifelong & the person often considers himself in a particular segment though he may be at the same time, part of many other circles, but he doesn't realize or doesn't want to accept.

Even in same religion and region, I see how followers of sects and sub-sects, behave and look at each other with animosity, though at times what they claim about self is absolutely against the core principles of that sect too.

It's just because of geographical location, family or clan, that a particular thought about the crafted identity emerges and it is so hard, inflexible that everything else is ignored. 

Decades pass and the person passionately carries this sense of identity, often like mobsters' groups. Battles are fought in the minds and the passion to be standing against others, keeps man going with the wind. 

Do we honestly stand for our identity without hurting others? Is our aim just to have certain respectability and gain acceptance in a little or local circle to boost own ego. Clearly, there is also an element of hope in terms of 'validation'.

Locally, when one is part of any group, the adherence to its ideology is the binding factor. The group now needs the fear of other group(s) or talk about growth of the 'other', to keep its members remain united and be actively supporting own group.

The radicalism as seen among right-wing groups of different sections, is a manifestation of this tendency. In South Asia, it is increasingly become an issue as the suspicion of the 'other'--any group that is not seen as 'mainstream', is used to motivate cadre to spread hatred against them.

Or fight is for a greater cause of overall public good or it is a collective narcissism of groups and their friction and due to petty rivalries, jealousies & existing tendencies of groupism among the humans...? 

If level of mistrust towards other group and this communalism or level of hate remains up, the youth will keep joining you to feel the sense of strength.

This is an established method to gain members and keep them in your grip. In 1980s, separate right-wing groups were formed and they kept on growing--starting with cow vigilantism to attacks.

Then, they targeted 'Western values' and celebration of St Valentine's Day. The level kept rising with each generation and then the mobs took law in own hands and fanatic wings became 'mainstream'.

So much that media started referring to them as 'fighters for the religion' or as 'guardians of cows' and 'defenders of the faith'. That's how democratic setup was hijacked from within.

United States of America's role in world order: Leadership reflects intent for peace or disruption, destruction and wars?

In modern era, most of us are quite well informed and a large section knows but many still fall for propaganda, when it comes to understanding international affairs. '

The reason is that overwhelming influence of the dominant media from one or two countries, the strong control and also soft power of the global superpower.

Throughout 20th century, this super power toppled regimes or led wars, nuked Hiroshima & Nagasaki, caused deaths of millions in brutal invasions from wars in Vietnam to Iraq, Afghanistan to Libya, now Iran directly or through proxy or a rogue regime.  

Thousands of kids died in Gaza but no US' intervention or bid to save lives. Days turned into weeks, then months, a year and so on, but scale of destruction and killings were not stopped. One strong message and 50,000 lives could have been saved in Gaza.

Unfortunately, the global order is such that a veto or just one nation's support, can make such a big difference--lasting peace or constant chaos. Misusing media power to term X or Y country as demon, target, then other & other, still claim to be leader of the land of free world? 

If any nation allows atrocities, gives a complete free hand to a regime, remains more focused on geopolitics and sells weapons or ignore all international norms to act as they did in Guantanamo Bay, then where is the morality? 

Isn't weapon industry for this purpose! Never for peace, just a mask. The global super cop has its propaganda media that divides this world into--west and east, as if rule of law exists in one region and no rule of law in other. But how cleverly, this is engineered.

The World Wars that killed tens of millions were also fought in Europe, on Western soil, however, so easily the media dismissed and defames Asian or African nations. 

Create any story or use false claims to invade countries, directly, or through proxy or pet regime?

US needs to evaluate its role in the world, especially, when it comes to world peace. The Unipolar global leadership era when it was easy to get away by any weird claim or ruse, and commit atrocity and leave a trail of destruction, is over.

Is Elon Musk influencing global opinion: Modulating minds, controlling society to capture global narrative

By Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

This post is about an influential man and it needs to be read, seriously. 

As we see how Elon Musk labels groups, cleverly re-packages his 'thoughts' and sell them to appear as 'patriotic' feelings or racial supremacism in order to influence minds, the extent of his actions are getting more clear and visible. 

It seems that Musk is doing it systematically--one group at a time, then next and so on. It is not fair.

Anyone who is otherizing communities, in a manner that it could drive a wedge in society, must be confronted. This is our job as a journalist. 

Just see his posts. There is a lot of exaggeration and the tweets that can create panic, turn groups against each other, revealing his thoughts about one group after the other group, in order to steadily strengthen his hold over narrative. 

Perhaps, there is a wish to control everything in the world--narrative, countries, people's opinion, power, be leader of wester world, and have his 'will' prevail over all. 

All the rhetoric that the Western White man likes to hear, is reflected in his posts on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. It is deeply problematic and I feel that this must not happen at this level. 

My personal view is that a person who was once seen as a tech genius, working for overall good & an innovator, is now, seen as a person with deep racist hate. The manner in which he is generalizing and expressing his views about communities, is a tragedy. 

Right now, he appears to be possessed. Tears of kids in Gaza didn't seem to affect him & he supported Israel. Earlier, also, it was constant anti-immigrant rant from him, otherwise it is about the Blacks or Africans or the focus on 'border'. When he recently posted a black guy's video, it was seen as a dog whistle against Africans and the blacks.

My view and that of many others like me [though these may count or not, affect or not], is that xenophobia and hatred must be stopped. If there is extraordinary level, then we must be alarmed. It must be placed on record, mentioned and it must be known, lest it's forgotten that how a tech company owner who also builds cars, sends rockets to space, can come to this level.

The liking once a few had for him, even a cent of trust, all he has damaged himself. As he owns the platform, he uses it in a way, he wishes to use it. But it is not an ongoing Crusade or a civilizational war. It is really surprising that a person, who is himself an immigrant from South Africa, can be take such harsh anti-immigration line.

That too in US--the land of the immigrants. Influential people whose words can affect lives of people in other countries, as propaganda and hate do affect different sections of society. Majorities often blame minorities and peddle hate against the latter. These include conspiracy theories and misleading claims. 

That's the cause of concern for people in any country. Unfortunately, democracy too has failed to solve the issue. If majority in any sense--race, language, religion, class, community or section, is made to feel insecure because of 'growing minorities' or propaganda about the 'other', then the result is horrible.

Germany witnessed it in the last century. Hitler was an elected leader and a popular leader. The level of torture the children and women, suffer in Palestine, has been one of the worst in centuries and your point of view, is well-known.

Actually, it appears that 'Apartheid' or Nazi ideology pr White Supremacist belief can't be owned up at this level, so one after the other, targeting each group and otherizing in a way that it is seen as 'Patriotism' or MAGA mission. 

There may be 125,000 rapes in US and tens of thousands of murders in his own country. No one even needs to cherry pick, just start posting names and photographs of 200-300 of the rapists and murderers or serial killers and those who shot kids in schools, all will be clear. 

Who commits most crimes! But as he has 'reach', he can take a case of Haiti or a case of Honduras, push it daily, ensure that it reached millions, tens of millions.  

Man repackages apartheid, but separates it as 'anti-Black', 'anti-Muslim', 'anti-Africa' & 'anti-immigrant' sentiment, time to time, repackages, all disguised in patriotism or MAGA mission. No public personality can admit to be Hater, Racist, Zionist or Fascist, believer in Apartheid. 

So, he may play the game differently and pose as a patriot. Making other groups feel 'insecure' & on the basis of it, turning into a cult leader, strengthening his voice through conspiracy theories that have too much impact, and ultimate aim to have a huge bunch of followers, 'say' in world affairs, misusing his money and platform, ultimately to gain more and more money, prominence and power.

READ: Modulating Minds, Spreading prejudices, Elon Musk aims to control the world through global opinion?

Modulating minds, controlling global narrative: Is Elon Musk spreading prejudices, pushing a right-wing agenda to control masses' minds?

By Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Billionaire and social media owner Elon Musk has come in for sharp criticism on internet. 

The man who didn't show much emotion when schools and hospitals were targeted in Gaza and tens of thousands were killed, but is now frantically pushing a divisive agenda.

As he owns an influential social media platform, X, [formerly Twitter], he is supposed to behave responsibly. But, he has lately been sharing controversial views, bordering on hate and having the potential to demonize entire communities. 

The racist and xenophobic overtones are clearly discernible. As he owns the platform, that can control a user's reach, his own tweets seem to have been exempt from any restriction and reach millions, giving him a disproportionate edge, over the rest. 

Not the Epstein island culprits, but brings other and old issues in other countries to raise fingers, intervene in other nations and subtly demonize entire groups, races and communities. 

Intervening in Germany, UK, hate against Africans, blacks, browns, Islamophobia, all is simple. Certain power block also helping him. Aim is to put pressure on the regimes and go for more and more control over the world?

One day, focus on an African in Europe, on the other day about England, not about the supremacist and school shooters or the skeletons in the cupboards of powerful people in own country. If the posts, tweets are seen carefully, it's mostly about race, religion and Asia-Africa, immigrants and 'otherizing' people. 

It becomes easy to control minds. It's possible to shift the people's focus off anything if you own media. If 10K whites are booked for offences in year, media has power to relegate to inside pages, but it can pick 10 offences by Black or Hispanic, immigrant or Muslim, splash on Page 1.

This will demonize, damage and devastate those communities, through negative portrayal. Misuse of a big social media platform, to term certain groups or communities as outsider or more prone to committing crimes, without giving data or mentioning statistics, is nothing less than brainwashing of the society. 

READ: Complete report on Elon Musk and his hateful posts, Islamophobia and racism

This is horrible. Many prominent personalities have noted how Musk has been going about, his posts going to the next level. If you have a billion or more audience on your platform and you post messages, endlessly, on a spree to push an agenda, it can create tremendous impact.    

"Am I detecting a continuous wave of Islamophobic comments and tweets from Elon the past few weeks or is it just me?", wrote Lady Velvet alias Hend F Q who uses the handle @LadyVelvet_HFQ. Just like her worry, many others have posted about the change in Musk's behaviour on X.

Will he realise. Can the world deal with it! Won't this lead to huge shift in public opinion and might pose grave thread to social ties, relations. Such careless demonizing can cause disturbance in societies on ethnic, racial and religious lines. It's not something that should be ignored. [The image is representative, AI generated]

WATCH THE SHORT VIDEO ON MUSK AND HIS ACTIONS