Motaher Hossain

There is a stifling atmosphere prevailing all around. The way people are supposed to behave with one another seems to be lost. Recently, there has been a sense of distrust and suspicion among neighbors, colleagues, fellow travelers, and classmates. A noticeable trend is that people are becoming increasingly artificial and robotic. Essentially, the prevailing instability and intolerance in society are having a negative impact. It’s important to remember that when people lose empathy, respect, and tolerance for one another, it weakens social bonds. Instability can create terrorism, fear, unhealthy mindsets, and dissatisfaction, which can ultimately lead to violence and conflict.

Intolerance leads to division within society, where people might despise or attack others based on religion, race, nationality, or differing opinions. In such an environment, there is a lack of trust among people, and maintaining cooperation, coexistence, and peace among different classes, professions, and groups becomes challenging. As a result, social instability, increased poverty, criminal tendencies, and problems in establishing equality, justice, and fairness arise. At the same time, economic disparity fosters division, anger, and dissatisfaction, which in the end benefits no one.

Moreover, instability also affects people's mental and physical health. When tension, pressure, and discrimination rise in society, it leads to division, differences of opinion, and feelings of alienation, all of which can lead to frustration, anxiety, and mental illness. Therefore, it is crucial to increase peace, tolerance, and cooperation within society. Establishing peace and cooperation is a critical goal for every society worldwide. However, when instability and intolerance rise, it has negative consequences not just on individuals, but on society as a whole. Such situations ruin social relationships, create violence and chaos, and severely impact the mental and physical health of the general population.

The root causes of instability and intolerance lie primarily in social, economic, or political problems. When these problems are not properly addressed in a timely manner, they can generate anxiety, anger, and violence among people. This tendency is increasingly visible in society today. On the other hand, intolerance typically arises when people cannot tolerate the differing opinions, beliefs, or lifestyles of others. This is often exacerbated by differences in religion, race, nationality, or political ideology.

The negative consequences include division within society and families, the creation of distrust, and the fostering of suspicion. Instability and intolerance lead to the fracturing of society. When people lose respect and empathy for one another, they begin to prioritize their own family, relatives, or group above others, leading to a dismissive attitude toward others. This mindset creates division, alienation, and disunity, which obstruct collective action, cooperation, and peaceful coexistence. Religion, race, or ethnic discrimination is often the cause of such divisions.

Furthermore, the extreme consequences of instability and intolerance are manifested in events like mob justice or other conflicts. Another undesirable outcome is that, in recent times, people from various groups, including students, take to the streets, demanding their rights through protests and road blockages, disrupting the movement of traffic and people. This tendency has increased significantly in recent times. In fact, incidents like illegal infiltration into highly secure places like the Secretariat to demonstrate power and intimidate government employees have been unprecedented in the 54 years following the country’s independence.

Such negative trends occur when a segment of society adopts a culture of power, fear, and intimidation toward others. As a result, when people are unable to trust, empathize, or have faith in each other, conflicts emerge. These conflicts can escalate into physical attacks or violence, leading to either social or political confrontations. Therefore, violence doesn’t only harm a particular group, but threatens the peace, stability, and well-being of the entire society.

Criminal activities and instability increase crime rates in society. When there is a lack of trust among people, distrust and the absence of social justice occur, leading some to resort to violent methods to claim their rights. Such criminal actions further damage the stability of society. This, in turn, leads to mental health problems. In the end, empathy for others diminishes, and tolerance for differing opinions or beliefs fades. People’s mental well-being is then jeopardized.

The negative impacts of instability and intolerance are not limited to the social and mental aspects; they also affect the environment. When members of a society cannot accept differing opinions or beliefs, it creates a lack of unity and cooperation, which in turn hinders efforts to solve environmental problems. To overcome instability and intolerance, society must focus on fostering cooperation, tolerance, and respect. Several steps can be taken to achieve this. Most importantly, awareness through education is crucial. Education plays a significant role in changing people’s attitudes. In schools and other institutions, it is essential to teach the importance of tolerance, equality, respect for one another, and appreciation of others’ opinions and beliefs. Additionally, a culture of harmony must be developed. Social and religious events should create environments where people from all classes, races, religions, and nations can come together and learn to respect one another.

Furthermore, it is essential to establish social justice and equality. In any society where justice is obstructed, and law and order break down, instability increases. There should be transparency and fairness in the justice system so that people feel safe and aware of their rights. Respect for differing opinions, religions, and beliefs must be cultivated. Carelessness or ignorance in opposing others' beliefs or opinions creates tension and division within society. Therefore, it is crucial to respect everyone’s opinions, beliefs, and way of life.

Instability and intolerance are not merely personal or local problems; they can endanger the very structure of society. They generate discrimination, violence, crime, and mental health issues, which ultimately hinder the progress of the nation and the path to peace. Therefore, it is essential to increase peace, empathy, and tolerance, so that we can build a collectively healthy, peaceful, and humane society. We all need to play our roles and take initiative towards establishing a tolerant and progressive society. Only then will the prevailing instability, distrust, suspicion, and disunity decrease, and we will be able to return to a society and governance that meets our expectations.

The writer is a, Journalist and General Secretary, Bangladesh Climate Change Journalist Forum.