Fear in the Society

Can freedom and fear co-exist? Going by the recent cartoon controversy, apparently not. Freedom by definition is the ability to do think/ act/ speak without constraints and causing harm. Fear is something which stops you from doing the same because of the consequences.

In a democratic set-up like India and the US, fear has become a part of the national fabric. The US citizens are afraid of paedophiles, of been robbed on the roads at gun-point and after 9/11, the whole country is cautious. Is this the price one pays for freedom?

Rang De Basanti has been applauded by most of us. Like armchair missionaries we appreciate anything that represents the cause. But seldom do we take it up on ourselves to change the system. A Manjunath or Satyendra Dubey , upright citizens who died on duty, reaffirm the fear. We choose to keep quite because the consequences scare us. The Freedom of speech and expression may incite many to voice their concerns, but unless an Act to protect the Whistle Blower is firmly in place, they shall continue to clam up. India strongly needs a Whistle Blower Act as rightly stated here .
This Act can assure citizens of protection from harmful forces but addresses only a part of the problem.

General feelings of insecurity and mistrust in a society cannot be dealt through Acts alone. Humans, by nature, are suspicious of their surroundings. This can be traced back to the Neanderthal times when we had to live amidst wild animals and safeguard ourselves against such environs. Locks, Double doors, encrypted passwords are all an extension of the same. We tend to think everyone is out to harm us.

Fear can also exist due to different value systems. In a democratic set-up, where more than one belief exists, differences can creep in. These differences can lead to conflicts which eventually lead to mistrust within the society. At some places like Afghanistan, fear was the direct result of the tyrant Taliban rule. When laws are guided by written word instead of human concern, misery is bound to exist. In both the cases, freedom of expression is affected by external constraints.

What then causes mistrust and insecurity to thrive? Why do the they give rise to fear which hampers harmonious relations? What can we do about it?

The country's coming together on the Jessica Lal case is an example of how the situation can be changed. When those in the 'system' know that they cant get away with anything and those outside it know that they have the power to change it, the fear of exercising freedom will eventually be curbed.