The perpetual spiral of global violence is facilitated by the West’s indifference towards the suffering of its own victims.
BY MAYSS NABER
PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS DEMONSTRATE AGAINST ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS IN THE VILLAGE OF BEITA IN THE WEST BANK ON MAY 13, 2022. (PHOTO: SHADI JARAR’AH/APA IMAGES)
The illusion of European moral superiority has justified some of the most brutal acts of violence in history, distinguishing entire peoples and nations as either “civilized’ or ‘uncivilized’. Those deemed uncivilized are denied the fullness of their humanity and excluded from Europe’s ‘universe of obligation’.
The ‘universe of obligation’ is a term coined by sociologist Helen Fein and refers to those whom society deems worthy of respect and compassion, and whose rights are worthy of protection. Those excluded are denied these rights.
In recent weeks, it has become clearer than ever that Europe’s universe of obligation includes only itself, the latter which includes its colonies (the US, Canada, Australia, Israel and New Zealand). The rest are dehumanized and excluded.
As such, whilst Europeans are entitled to respect, compassion and whose rights are worth fighting for, non-Europeans are denied all such things. In fact, any harm inflicted on them is automatically morally justified, especially when inflicted by Europeans themselves. Such harm is thus normalized leading to total indifference to the suffering of millions of its victims.
In recent weeks, we have seen pictures of Ukrainian resistance fighters’ dogs depicted as heroes, and rightly so. Sadly, no Iraqi, no Palestinian and no Libyan has ever been portrayed in such light. Not even when NATO militants crossed entire continents to invade, occupy and decimate their homes.
In recent weeks, we’ve also seen many in the West publicly call out Russians who are silent about their government’s actions in the Ukraine. Ironically, many of those pointing fingers have never spoken out against the violence facilitated by their own governments.
Why would the West be so quick to point fingers at Russians for remaining silent, when they are themselves indifferent to the victims of their own violence? The answer rests in Europe’s “universe of obligation”. The victims of Russian violence are European and worthy of protection whereas victims of NATO are not. Any suffering inflicted on them is deemed warranted and justified. Unlike Ukrainians, they are denied any compassion for their suffering.
By denying compassion for their suffering, they are denied context for any human reaction to the experience of inflicted violence. This includes denying their right to self defense and denying their right to resistance. Any such acts are robbed of their context and reframed as acts of aggression founded on pure hatred. The latter further elevates Western moral superiority whilst further justifying violence against its victims.
In the case of Palestinians, Libyans and Iraqis, it merely takes a kid throwing rocks at a military tank to label them as terrorists. Mainstream news outlets proceed to use these pictures to further elevate Western moral superiority whilst further justifying violence against their victims.
Here, violence is perpetuated. It is perpetuated into a cycle, except with each loop, more blood therefore a spiral.
A spiral of perpetual global violence that is facilitated by the indifference of the West towards the suffering of its own victims. Victims that were conveniently excluded from their universe of obligation.
A spiral of perpetual global violence that is only ever solved with excuses for more violence. More violence that benefits nobody except those invested in war: The military industrial complex. The latter receives trillions in taxpayer’s money that could otherwise be used for social welfare (such as healthcare, infrastructure and education). Instead, it is used to fund a global state of perpetual violence.
Ultimately, there is great irony to all of this: The very same capitalist practices that have boosted the West’s illusion of moral superiority now threaten earth with potential environmental catastrophe. In the face of such calamity, actual hope lies in indigenous values and practices. Meaning that while practices of the civilized threaten to wipe out humanity, hope lies in the practices of those Europe (and European colonies) deem uncivilized.
