Out of Balance in Timbuktu

Every so often there is a movie that brings perspective to a seemingly intractable problem and this is it. I walked out of watching the film Timbuktu at Ottawa’s Bytown Theatre provoked into a deep reflection at a time fraught with threat and fear.

The movie makes light of the present polarization of the world between Islam and the rest through our common human nature, even at the far end of the world –Timbuktu in Mali. Directed by Abderrahmane Sissako,the film shows that Timbuktu is no different to any place anywhere as people want to enjoy life, to love and be loved, have hopes, fears and aspirations, seek meaning and purpose in life, yet nothing is certain and permanent. 

Reality of this tragic story is captured in a light-hearted way depicting Timbuktu occupied by Islamists bearing the flag of ISIL (The Islamic State of Iraq and the Lavant), now being called DAESH, not to recognize them as a state.

Among the many sub plots, the story revolves around Kidane, the musician and cattle herder living in the outskirts of Timbuktu. Kidane is a lover not a fighter, wants to live in peace with his wife Satima, daughter Toya and Isaan, the adopted orphan who herds his cattle every day.

Kidane feels the pressure of the interlopers, speaking a different language, with different customs imposing alien laws and rules – banning music, soccer, dress codes at their whim, meting out justice as they feel fit. This is compounded by Abdulkarim, the Islamist leader’s infatuation with Satima, as he conveniently visits his abode when Kidane is away. Yet, Kidane resists moving away, as all his neighbours had done to escape imminent danger.

It is then ironic, that Kidane’s fate rests upon an act he commits himself by accidentally killing a nearby fisherman, who had earlier killed one of his cows.

Kidane’s act seems to have been driven by his frustration of all this, when he decides to stand up for himself. Even though Kidane has to take responsibility for his actions, how much of it is a result of the foreign occupiers who have imposed draconian rules encroaching on his way of life?. 

Kidane’s fate of a death sentence orphans his daughter who’s adoration and love for each other is so emotionally depicted in the movie.

This story is no different to any human narrative played out over time, except by now we would have expected our humanity to have evolved through a personal practice to a higher level of consciousness and a way of life – away from our alpha male dominant model of command and control, which brings misery to many for the power of a few.

Delving into Our Biology

Let me take a step back and examine this from a basic human nature point of view – starting with our biology.

On one side, every human being has a reptilian nature to seek power, pleasure and to procreate (3Ps). This is what enables our survival and propagation as a race. However, if this is the only narrative and Darwin was wholly right when he said “survival of the fittest”, the human race would have wiped itself out by now, as many DAESH like vicious movements have come and gone causing misery over the ages. Yet, nature has a way of balancing itself for its own survival. 

The very survival of the human race is due to this nature’s balance based on feedback loops. Inherent in our own biology is also our mammalian limbic brain wired for love, compassion and empathy, which corrects the unabated greed for 3Ps.

We have survived as a civilization because we are thinking, feeling spiritual beings to balance our primal reptilian instincts. The very nature of our propagation comes, for most, from a loving union to a birth of a new being, followed by unconditional love to the infant who needs care and attention until they become self sufficient. Our limbic nature, based on love, is what tames to balance the reptilian quest for power, pleasure and procreation.

The balance comes from the internal moral compass driven by our heart and head, that influences the decorum, the virtue, the social norms and rules that we set for ourselves, as a human society, to do what is right to live in harmony and thrive as a community.

When I see this nature inherent in us, I cannot see how evil empires like DAESH survive in the long run, unless the rest of the world continues to demonize Islam and Muslim people, giving them a reason to take up a cause to find meaning and purpose for themselves.

Maslow’s Wisdom

The Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, shows when the bottom three tiers of Physiological, Safety and Need for Love and Belonging are not met, we lose our power of balance. 

This is the power that helps our self esteem and confidence to thrive to be generous, gracious, as we are appreciated and accepted as a part of the human community. This dignity gives us meaning and purpose in life – which may well be self actualization. 

Profile most who join the likes of DAESH and you may find a lack of the first three tier needs in their lives.  Leaders of these movements know how to fill this gap and motivate with a purpose and a higher vision, even if it is self destructive.   

We have to come together as the rest of the world to seek creative responses, not only the same old one of “send in the guns” and now it is even easier – send in the drones and drop bombs from the sky. We know from the recent Arab world misadventures of the West in the folly of that blinkered approach. 

History also teaches us organizations like DAESH by its nature will burn themselves out eventually from within when supporters are left to realize their irrational and evil nature, as liberties are taken away, hypocrisy and the selfishness of their leaders are bared.

However, as long as they have an enemy, perceived or real, to come together for, more and more people will join. 

An Enlightened Response from the Rest

How can the rest of the world be more strategic and holistic in response to the extremism of groups like DAESH, rather than demonizing Islam and Muslim people and only dropping bombs?.  

How does the rest balance this extreme, reptilian, primitive response, which is made more lethal by technology, which creates collateral damage and tragedy that exacerbates the division?. 

How do we come together as a humanity - not as Muslim and the rest of the world - as fellow inhabitants of this earth, to find that better balance?.  

In her book Heretic Somali born controversial author and former politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali tries to find common ground with the majority of Muslims who view their religion as peaceful and spiritual.  Hirsi Ali, however, is a polarizing figure with her relentless call for Islamic reformation.  She has paid a heavy price for this, just as Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzaii has done for her campaign for female education.

Both Hirsi Ali and Malala are inspired to action from their own personal experience and no one else will ever really know what that was like. 

Just that, Hirsi Ali's response has been extreme leaving not much room for dialogue.  Perhaps this new book is way of opening the space to find a better balance.   

As we know, we cannot expect anyone to reflect for change by judging and calling them out first.

Hirsi Ali has so far given more ammunition for the extreme reptilian response we are seeing from the rest - the demonizing of Islam and Muslim people and the resulting battles.  

The Battle Reality

Battles do have its place in a holistic strategy as, sometimes, there is no other way.  The difference is the intention - defeat, and over power to dominate or find peace.  In our modern webbed world, over powering is not sustainable anymore as in days gone by, when distances were far and connections too few.

With an intention for peace, we may balance enforcement with facilitation.  Then we maybe more thoughtful in how we conduct our battles.    

As this DAESH battle rages on and as the world polarizes between Islam and the rest, this conversation, no matter how difficult, has to happen the world over in order to find common ground - and the likes of Hirsi Ali and Malala, are also prompting it.

Finding Nature's Balance through a Personal Practice

At the end, this is yet another one of those suppositions - "my interpretation, their belief, our ideology....",  they are all mental constructs and when we reflect, there is nothing for sure.   

Movements like this begins with an individual under delusion and joined by many for various reasons to find purpose and meaning. Yet they are all individual decisions that create the collective good or misery for many.

Finding the power of balance comes through a personal practice of mindfulness, which will give a person the time and space to discern between what is right and wrong. 

Personal practice can be inculcated through parenting, education and media, so every individual realizes the power they have within, beginning with the breath.  

This complemented by knowledge and interaction in a connected, global, diverse community of ideas and backgrounds; with the opportunity for quiet time, reflection and mindfulness; many may discern and realize the wisdom that any ideology that promotes draconian behavior goes against basic human nature - for virtue, decency, to love and be a part of the global community. That is taking personal responsibility.  

Nature, anyway, has a way of culling the extremes to find that balance – homeostasis - a natural system in which variables are regulated so that internal conditions remain stable and relatively constant. It is our personal practice that will help us align with this nature to live a happy life. 

As Martin Luther King Jr. suggests, that natural balance within us will eventually rise to the occasion - evolve in our hearts and minds to find ways to live in peace with self and all other beings.  

.....and some day, Timbuktu will find that balance again.

Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation.  The foundation of such a method is love – Martin Luther King Jr.