Skip to main
Malaysiakini logo

COMMENT | Beating intolerance needs a society for humans, not profit

This article is 2 years old

COMMENT | A quick digital fix may remove expressions of hate and intolerance from public view, but it will survive and continue to spread stealthily as long as it resonates with the audience.

Fighting intolerance over the long term requires a bold re-evaluation of what a good life should be in Malaysia. That is, one that makes sense not just for the individual, but also for the society and environment we live in.

It is obvious that we live in our respective echo chambers, with little meaningful interaction with people, alike or otherwise. Demonising and dehumanising people who are different has never been easier or less guilt-ridden while making it more difficult for real empathetic conversations to take place.

At first glance, social media services appear to be a means of communicating hate and suspicion. The many past and recent examples show they can be very efficient at that, but they are not the reason intolerance exists. Neither are they the reason that they persist.

Yes, we must definitely push for tweaks to...

Verifying user