Opinion: Resolving uncertainties in life and war
Striving for relatively attainable long-term peace through reciprocal awareness and familiarity is an accessible goal
By B Maria Kumar
Whatever we do in life, whether big or small, we inevitably encounter uncertainties. Some uncertainties solidify into certainties in one’s lifetime, while others remain indefinite. The duration of their impact is also subject to unpredictable changes. In this way, we are constantly grappling with this intangible yet gnawing companion that influences our thoughts and actions.
This realisation leads me to ponder how the eighteenth-century English dramatist Christopher Bullock phrased, in the earliest recorded history, that “it is impossible to be sure of anything but death and taxes.” Death, of course, is unavoidable for humble humans. Taxes, on the other hand, require further scrutiny, as our prehistoric ancestors lived without them, and a few of modern societies have minimal or no taxes.
First Certainty
Here, what I propose is the recognition of another certainty alongside death: uncertainty itself. Yes, uncertainty is the first certainty that sets the ball of life rolling, culminating in the last certainty — death. The intriguing and puzzling aspect of these two sure entities is their uncanny relationship between themselves. The more intense the uncertainty, the faster the certainty of death approaches. Because, if allowed to proliferate, uncertainty can assume devastating proportions, making both mind and body unbearable under distressing conditions, permeating every facet of our existence. It influences our decisions, drives our fears and even shapes our ambitions.
When faced with uncertainty, it also happens that humans develop various coping skills. Some seek comfort in routines and predictability, whereas others embrace the unknown, finding excitement in the unpredictability of life. However, unchecked uncertainty on an individual basis can lead to persistent psychological discontent, highlighting the importance of finding a balance. At the macro level, especially in today’s world, uncertainty is magnified by rapid technological advancements, worldwide regional tensions, climate changes and so on, impacting humanity as a whole. The ongoing deadly conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East are stark reminders of how uncertainty can escalate to international crises involving the apprehensions of nuclear apocalypse.
As regards personal life, an existential predicament necessitates urgent individual action for resolution. If a similar peril looms over the global population in general, such as the current worsening scenarios in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, it becomes a collective responsibility to mitigate the situation to a safer scale, and this must be done as a top priority. In a study published in the latest Journal of Neuroscience, a team of scientists led by Jacqueline Gottlieb from Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute revealed fascinating insights into how living beings explore their world to enhance safe survival. This exploration often brings them face-to-face with uncertainty, as fluctuating circumstances are inherently ambiguous and challenging to interpret.
Uncertainty and Curiosity
Despite this initial self-doubt in understanding their surroundings, these beings become increasingly inquisitive and driven to decode their environment. This curiosity is crucial in their quest for safety, pushing them to continually learn and adapt. The study underscores the interplay between uncertainty and curiosity, highlighting how these dynamics dictate the survival strategies of living organisms.
Hence, first of all, it is more pertinent to delve into how uncertainty emerges at its origins than to deal with its effects. Understanding the genesis of the problem can help root it out or minimise its extent. If we probe deeply into the beginnings of the human race, we find that unfamiliarity played a critical role in the evolution of Homo sapiens. When an infant is born, an odd-looking panorama and strange faces flash before its eyes. This initial phase of unfamiliarity triggers instinctive and intuitive emotions of danger. Feeling threatened, the individual becomes uncertain and clueless about what is happening, harbouring a sense of fear. That way, every individual by nature is xenophobic from the start.
Resultantly, insecurity ensues, prompting a struggle for existence. The same situation unfolds for all beings and the clash of respective struggles to survive in an unknown world tends to lead to hostilities between them. This sequence of events creates a reasonably comprehensible pattern and applies to parties in wars as well on a broader spectrum. In this context, the quest to end wars or achieve at least relative peace gains prominence in the larger geopolitical landscape.
Thus, peace like all aspects of life is only possible in relative terms since absolute peace is forever elusive. Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle also speaks of outcomes as probabilities rather than certainties. To achieve relative peace with others, an individual must cultivate familiarity to avoid uncertainty and ensure that the new relationship is predictable. That’s where the essential role of sociality comes into play.
British professors Peter W Halligan and David A Oakley have emphasised that human consciousness has evolved primarily to benefit society as a protective feature. They argue that the way individuals forge interpersonal interactions and connections within communities forms key survival techniques, influencing the evolution of the brain and cognitive processes. Consequently, it can be interpreted that human brains, though biological organs, work closely with group dynamics. This intertwining of biology and culture highlights how deeply relational links impact our social consciousness towards overall survival. This means engaging in open communication, building trust and fostering mutual understanding.
Similarly, warring sides on the geopolitical stage need to break the ice at the earliest opportunity so that familiarity begins to take hold. Diplomatic efforts, peace talks, opinion exchanges etc can help bridge the gap between the conflicting parties. Establishing common ground and shared interests in ending the conflict can reduce the degree of uncertainty substantially and create a more assuring and stable setting. While absolute peace remains unrealistic, striving for relatively attainable long-term peace through reciprocal awareness and familiarity is a universally assuring, worthwhile and accessible goal.
(The author is IPS [Retd] and a winner of National Rajbhasha Gaurav Award for the year 2022-23)
