In the wake of insurrection at the US Capitol, authorities are pursuing those who committed a whole host of crimes during that misguided act of domestic terrorism. Those responsible for the wide range of criminal acts are rightly being sought, and are facing much-needed justice.
As I’ve written before—and continue to whole-heartedly believe—this moment in time is almost tailor-made for the heroic mindset. In the course of human history, it’s times like these when we can’t wait for one powerful leader to miraculously save us from ourselves. Rather, it’s incumbent on all of us to find the leader within ourselves, and join forces in a unified push toward our better nature.
You can call me idealistic if you must, but this isn’t idealism. This isn’t naivete. I speak of utter practicality. The millennia-long tradition of heroic legend is not about idolizing exceptional beings of rare bravery and unmatched capability. The vast majority of heroic behavior has always been found in the unsung actions of countless fellow human beings. It is the combined force of our unifying actions—from the humblest gestures to the greatest acts—that uplifts civilizations from dark times.
Heroism itself is not just about momentary acts of altruistic risk in response to the immediate crisis. It is also an ideology, one that puts the importance—or dare I say sacredness—of human well-being above all else. I continually offer it up to others as an infinitely better alternative to ideologies that depend upon seeing some other group of people as demonized scapegoats.
So, what actions can we take in our daily lives to deescalate the current ideological war, and honor the call to social heroism?
Don’t Give Up on Humanity
I won’t sugarcoat it: this is not an easy battle ahead of us. There’s a reason why Martin Luther King, Jr. reiterated Theodore Parker’s sentiment that “the arc of the moral universe is long.” Human beings, for all the wonders of our contemplative abilities, can slip all-too-easily into toxic ideologies. Once entrenched, intolerant worldviews can be hard to relinquish, and can be passed on to new generations with disquieting ease.
This is the dark side of our creativity: in our never-ending search for some sense of security in the world, sometimes we’ll fall for even the ugliest of philosophies if they appeal to our desperation for certainty. But if human beings can dream up excuses for hate, we are equally adept at creating unifying ideologies.
This is where you come in. When you feel the urge to give up all hope for humanity, we need people like you to fight that urge. We depend on those of us who are willing to take the heroic leap of faith, and double down on human beings being eternally worthy of redemption.
Can banking on the better nature of humanity be a risky and thankless task? Absolutely. You will be often disappointed. But heroism calls for those brave enough to do what must be done for the sake of others, despite the discomfort. Sometimes, the toughest battles are fought in the arena of the soul. You may not be able to rehabilitate individual human beings. But in the long-term, your continued belief in the worthiness of humanity—in connection with kindred spirits you may never meet—can steer the course of human behavior in the right direction.
On any journey into uncertain territory, someone needs to take the first step. Someone needs to take the initiative and reaffirm the belief in our collective redemption. Someone needs to stop the cycle of mistrust and cynicism. Let that someone be you. Blaze a trail that others can follow.
Reach Out Against Radicalization
Hateful worldviews find fertile ground in those that are isolated, depressed, disillusioned, and fearful. I have seen first-hand how people can be radicalized by the never-ending stream of toxic ideologies from the darkest corners of the web. I’m not talking about hard-core members of hate groups that are all-in on the rhetoric. I’m talking about those who are on the fringes of groups spouting troubling ideas and are in danger of deeper indoctrination.
If you know someone who is starting to descend into the shadowy rabbit hole of Internet-fueled intolerance but hasn’t totally succumbed, don’t hesitate to reach out to them. However, this doesn’t mean you should immediately launch into a harsh rebuttal or try to devise a logical argument that dissects them with surgical precision. They didn’t logic themselves into their misguided beliefs. Therefore, you probably won’t be able to logic them out. The decision to tread an intolerant path isn’t always a conscious one.
Invite them to talk about what they believe. Ask them why they think their beliefs are valid. Refrain from judgment as much as possible. This doesn’t mean you have to be an enabler of negative ideas. Rather, when you can, bring up more tolerant ideas for them to consider.
This will all most likely take place over multiple conversations. There’s a chance that all they needed was for someone to take the time to talk to them and show them some empathy. The effort is worth the potential reward of steering them away from radicalization. While there’s no guarantee that will happen, you’ve at least tried to stack the deck in favor of better beliefs.
Be an Upstander
Whatever you do, don’t stand on the sidelines at this critical moment in history. Whether they know it or not, your fellow human beings need your determination and your decision to take a chance on them. Even if they refuse to listen, have no doubt they will be watching your actions. If you don’t reflect their anger or hate back at them, that fact will make an impact.
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