Our biases are the fault lines

Understanding biases within groups is a core anthropological pursuit. What we know about biases is that their expression is subtle most of the time. However, in politically-charged situations they have a tendency to become volatile. Our biases are important because they are socially acceptable attitudes which are publicly ignored for being a norm within particular sections of society. They help form identities in pluralistic societies. These identities are fought over and appealed to in every political situation. People are committed to their biases and go to great lengths to protect them.

For all politically active agents, messages appealing to these biases form the core of their communication strategies. Just by comparatively analysing different media houses for the news stories they run on priority, language they use and the agenda they support, one can identify who each of them aligns themselves with. States ensure these supranatural propaganda machines are restrained through regulatory bodies and frameworks. Hence, despite their interests guiding them astray their reporting follows certain guidelines and research-based leads.

Two things change when we look at the online presence of political marketers. First, the number of actors involved increases. Everyone from the banned terrorist outfits to the supporters of a deposed prime minister has to make the best use of social media’s competitive reach. Second, there is no moral compass when it comes to social media campaigns.

Vast amounts of user data and advanced algorithms help targeted messaging with higher effectiveness in appealing to complex ethnic, sectarian and religious biases. With no effective regulatory framework in place, social media has become the perfect place to run news fabrication factories. This false political marketing is a strategic nuisance from a security perspective.

If a bias collates people into groups, and groups form ideologies that are in contrast with the largely-accepted narrative, then these biases are fault lines. These are divides across which groups throw blames for the abuse of rights. Confirmatory bias, falsified content and hate that is fuelled either through religious sentiments or decades of discriminatory treatment, mix really well to ignite a social implosion. Just like Syria, the country tore itself apart right on the lines which divided the Syrian people.

The right to protest is a core democratic value but a protest is never an indicator of social stability. In contrast, prolonged protests with global marketing of these biases and support for arms and ammunition create armed resistances that can uproot a whole country. Biases are nurtured to sprout armies of teenage fighters armed with stick and stones they break glass, give them advanced weapons and you have agile guerrilla fighters and suicide bombers.

Election history in Pakistan is blemished with the ugliest events. Assassination attempts are the most highlighting feature, closely followed with charges of an anti-national agenda, ethnic appeals and proclamations of religious and sectarian alliances. Coming elections are also surrounded by clouds of mischief and hate. As the narrative building gets increasingly intense we are opening up to our biases and aligning our political identities.

The analysis of the Syrian fallout points that instability doubles down in times people are protesting against government institutions. The situation for us is more complex. We have barely recovered from the onslaught of TTP. Informal structures within the country that have long promoted jihad form the support mechanism every budding militancy dreams about. Some of us are out on the streets seeking their missing family members while others are labelling them traitors. Political leaders are calling out the institutions for foul play. It is all there. All the biases bubbling up while the country treads towards an uncertain democratic transition. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 9^th, 2018.

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