By: Aftab Zaman
The world, in the 21st century, is a global village. Man has no other option but to live together. A common Pakistani citizen is a testimony to this notion. His country’s political environment is directly dependent on events happening in the United States, India, Afghanistan and around the world. His economic situation depends on the decisions taken in IMF, World Bank and OPEC. His political and intellectual ideas flow from the west. His spiritual epicenter is Mecca. His global sources of information are news channels, internet and social media. Finally, the everyday-use items that he buys are mostly formed through a global chain of production. Gone are the days when one part of the globe was unaware of the rest. In the contemporary era, the world has turned into a global village and we have to learn to live together in this global village.
But, what does a global village mean? It means that the world is interconnected and interdependent politically, economically, socially and in every other dimension. This means that actions in one part of the globe can have strong repercussion in other parts of the world. Subsequently, this means that everyone is responsible for the future of humanity. It follows that one influential wrong step can lead humanity to disaster. This necessitates the need for a serious cooperation on a world level for the betterment of the human race.
History shows that mankind never learned to live together. Man has always tried to subdue man. The fundamental cause of innumerable wars since eternity is the desire to be dominant rather than cooperative. Imperialist ambitions has seeped into human blood since ancient times. If non-cooperation brought disasters, cooperation can bring harmony and progress. The fruits of learning to live together are numerous. In a global village, political cooperation can produce peace and political stability. Economic cooperation and can create global equality. Combine Global efforts can lead to human development.
Moreover better understanding can promote cultural pluralism. Lastly, a global Pursuit can increase the bounds of human knowledge.
Let us elaborate each benefit of global cooperation. Firstly, global cooperation can avert the threat of looming disastrous war. It can find solutions to the problems that can lead to the nuclear warfare. Secondly, human cooperation can reduce the economic gap that exists between the rich and poor. Thirdly, the goal of “Human Development” on a global level can be achieved if we learn to live together. Fourthly, cultural pluralism is a gift of global cooperation it leads to tolerance in all aspects of life. Lastly, if the human race cooperates, it can increase the boundaries of human knowledge. Intellectual growth has always happened under great civilizations and great civilizations have always been formed when human learn to tolerate each other.
However the central questions remain unanswered: How can we live together peacefully in the contemporary global world? The following discourse will point towards the areas in which man ought to learn to live together. These range from political field to the economic, social and intellectual fields.
First of all, we need to learn together politically. The reason is that today’s problems are global in nature and their impacts are worldwide. Secondly, in an interconnected global economy the need of economic cooperation is essential. Thirdly, in age of social media human needs to understand each other. Freedom of expression and free media are the pre-requisites of social harmony on global level. Lastly, there is a vast scope of global cooperation in the intellectual field. For it is the beauty of knowledge that it belongs to no region, no race; it is the accumulative treasure of the human race.
The contemporary political, economic and religious problems potent a disastrous future. But I remain an optimist because I still believe in the wisdom of the human race and the inherent love for happiness and peace that it cherishes. And I dream of a day when peace
shall prevail. When nations will fight through intellect and diplomacy rather than the bombs. When each human being shall be well-fed, well read and well groomed. When intolerance and love shall prevail over hate and bigotry. When greed and racism will be overcome by universal empathy and human equality. When the religious intolerance will be submerged by the love of God. I still dream of the dawn of a heavenly life on earth. This dream, my fellow humans, can only and only be achieved if we learn to live together.
The writer is Electrical Engineer and PMS qualifier based in Peshawar. He can be reached at [email protected]