We're All in This Together

Sun Tzu in “The Art of War” taught that pitting an enemy off against itself was an extremely effective military tactic. Divide and conquer! Stir them up, separate them into groups, cause them to fight amongst themselves, encourage them to attack one another, and you have severely weakened your enemy. You have compromised their ability to defend themselves, and to wage war against their real enemy.

Never before in my lifetime have I seen more events, more topics, more controversial decisions and directives, more areas of our lives that separate us, as a people, into factions, and foment contention between those factions. Are these organic, or are they carefully orchestrated, and designed by an enemy? Regardless of the cause, the solution is the same. We need to come together and be more unified.

How do we do this? Do we just forget our differences, kiss and make up? Do we disregard our closely held views and acquiesce? Do we compromise our core beliefs, just for the sake of unity?

I would say an emphatic no to all of the above. On the other hand, I would say yes to the following: First, we need to be willing to admit that we might be wrong. Then, we need to turn away from any source of information that promotes division. We need to turn away from any source of information that sows seeds of discord. Discord, divisiveness and contention are much different than a simple difference of opinion. A difference of opinion can be healthy, if it promotes discussion and discovery. But, it can be toxic and damning, if one party simply silences the other.

Most of all, we need to turn away from any source that would claim to have a corner on the truth. Avoid any news outlet or social media platform that claims to be the ultimate fact checker, or a fact checker of any kind, for that matter. Just because an individual or an institution is eminent, prominent or well-known does not automatically make them the ultimate purveyors of truth. Shun any source that would seek to silence their opposition. Unfortunately, the social media giants are some of the worst offenders in this regard. For this reason, they can and should be avoided like the plague. Why do we continue to patronize those that would silence others? The statement, “While I may disagree with what you say, I will defend to the death your right to say it,” has been attributed to both Voltaire and Patrick Henry. Regardless of who said it, it is worth repeating.

Some would argue that it is justifiable to silence others when they are wrong, especially if the claim is that their information is somehow dangerous. But, who determines what is right, and what is wrong? Who really is qualified to make that pronouncement? History is replete with examples of societies getting it wrong, where commonly held beliefs turned out to be a big mistake.

The sad reality is that many highly respected and eminently qualified experts are being sidelined, de-platformed and silenced. Is truth determined by majority rule, or by those with the biggest microphone? Once again, history would prove otherwise. Free speech is just that “free speech.” Free speech can be uncomfortable. Free speech can even be hurtful. But, to silence anyone or any group, for almost any reason, is antithetical to a truly free society. Does that mean that there should be no consequences for yelling “fire” in a crowded room, when there is no fire? Absolutely not! Nevertheless, we all need to be more tolerant of one another, and more respectful of differing opinions.

People are smart. With open and fair debate, people have always been able to arrive at the truth when a full set of facts is made available to them. As repugnant and reprehensible as censorship is, it has become commonplace. Furthermore, it is probably the most dangerous weapon there is against the discovery of truth, and against a free society.

We will never adequately solve our collective problems, without open discussion and open discourse. No one should ever be silenced, ever. It is the free interchange of ideas that solves problems and benefits society. To use the excuse that “misinformation is dangerous” is not a sufficient reason to silence anyone, especially when there are numerous competent and well-qualified individuals with opinions that differ from the so-called experts. Never has the majority opinion ever determined the truth.

As a society, we are headed down a very dangerous road if we do not get a handle on the discord and division that has grown to take center stage in our lives. Regardless of the source of the discord, we must turn away from it, or it will grow like a cancer and destroy us. Sure, there will always be some differences of opinion, but societies must largely be unified and stand together on the big issues. History teaches those that fail to learn this lesson, eventually disintegrate into chaos.

There is great power in being unified, especially if that unity is based upon the facts. This applies to groups, families, organizations (such as organized dentistry), churches, communities, and societies at all levels. Council together, seek input from all responsible parties, be respectful, look at the information, examine the facts, arrive at a decision together, then move forward in unity. That formula has stood the test of time. It has been successful before, and can be successful again.

Dr Mark Taylor UDA Treasurer