Fear of Other
The Oxford Dictionary defines “other” as: “a term used to refer to a person or thing that is different or distinct from one already mentioned or known about.” It is the unknown, the different, the new. Even with all of this, however, we still question:
What is the other?
This concept of “the other” comes from a human centered fear, better described nowadays as xenophobia built off of prejudice and racism, which to a very large extent can be hardwired through evolution into the human psyche. Man’s basic instincts have been to steer away from that which they were not used to and was not common to their environment. This is an argument that people often make in regards to xenophobia, which is described as the “intense or irrational dislike or fear of people from other countries.”
However, just as this is used as an explanation of xenophobia, it can also be used against it. Evolution means that people and our environment is changing, constantly adapting to the new circumstances and situations we are exposed to. The types of people and the environment that we surround ourselves with now are different than those we were once surrounded by.
Generations nowadays are used to constant change — not staying at jobs for longer than two years and constantly seeking to learn and grow. On this basis we can make the stipulation that change and thereafter, the existence of “the other” is actually only an extension of what is considered to be the norm today. Thus, the concept of xenophobia comes into question, and it is up to everyone else to help in the necessary education, information, and experiential exchange to prevent this from shifting from a lack of understanding to a fear.
Over the last couple of years especially, it has been difficult to be associated with the Middle East or with Islam. With the rising tensions in politics around the world, and specifically those associated with the instability in the Middle East, news channels and thereby people who watch them have come to develop certain notions and perspectives about people from particular countries and/or certain religious or cultural backgrounds.
This is an excerpt from my book, Unveiled: Through the Eyes of an Arab Woman which is not just about Arab women, but about all women who represent something much more than ethnicity.
I hope you enjoyed this post. Want to help re-write the narrative? Email me at fa402@georgetown.edu or connect with me on LinkedIn. Also, you can find my book Unveiled: Through the Eyes of an Arab Woman on Amazon — here is the link to buy it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KMFXTG1
