WAR REPRESENTATIONS

Perception is a fascinating topic to explore, as the deeper you observe life from various people’s social locations- such as age, gender, class, and ethnicity- as general indicators, the more you will question why people think the way they do. Today, I was contemplating Trump's perception of Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian Prime Minister, who has, in my view, become world-famous for his resilience and fighting spirit amid a terrible situation that Ukraine did not instigate; Russia invaded a sovereign democratic nation. As I contemplated, I learnt a fundamental truth we should all consider: How do we know anyone, such as Trump, Zelensky, Putin, and many other names that may have been popularised on social media or in the news?

Whenever we hear information, such as a news report or a social media post, from a perspective that encourages critical discussion of certain postulates, which include stating facts or opinions, it often feels narrow, and much of the information we receive is mediated. One of the greatest war strategies is information, as evidenced by the situation between Hamas and Israel. Hamas’s information campaign appeared to conquer through protests, riots, and extremist views against Jews, inciting chants of antisemitism to turn people against them, even though they were invaded as a sovereign nation. Many seem to forget this, as the war led to the civilian deaths of innocent Palestinians. Meanwhile, innocent Jews faced provocation and hate speech, even globally, with reputable organizations disputing claims of rape against women, despite forensic evidence and eyewitness accounts. Feminist groups and various news reports further denied this information.

We could take sides with Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, or Russia based on what we hear in the news. Generally, from a Western perspective, people support Ukraine, viewing it as a free democracy that manages its political affairs. Yet, Trump called Zelensky a dictator. Meanwhile, the calmly spoken Putin believes his regime is justified, though I do not understand the logic behind his worldview that Ukraine cannot be part of NATO, aside from a desire for power. My understanding of this war is severely limited, as the only information I have is through mediated content and the views it conveys. Let’s imagine we are standing outside of the words, meanings, descriptions, observations, sentiments, and feelings we may experience when an innocent child is murdered in cold blood or when drones invade people’s backyards and attack them. Then, we ponder whether Russia did this and Ukraine didn’t. Were Ukrainians supposed to give up and allow the bully to win, thereby losing their sovereignty?

The concept of nationalism clearly exists in each of these countries, highlighting the unique disposition of each cultural group. However, Israel was given to the Jews by God, and there has been a persistent attack on God’s chosen nation, ongoing for centuries. If we revisit the story of Abraham, bearing Isaac and Ishmael- one from Sarah, the free woman, and one from Hagar, the slave woman- we see the emergence of two distinct peoples. It was even prophesied that Ishmael would be a wild donkey of a man; his hand would be against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him, as he lives in hostility towards all his brothers. This division has led to differing perspectives. Sarah was unhappy with Ishmael's situation, leading to their expulsion, which can be seen as the root cause of the divisions we feel today. We must also view this not just from the physical realm; the days are short. Just as the Bible prophesied, these are the beginnings of birth pains. Moreover, we share a common domain; the internet connects the world in previously unimaginable ways, creating echo chambers of various subcultures. Those who oppose Israel often congregate through algorithms that link them with like-minded individuals globally. This fosters an environment where hate speech against God’s chosen people is further exacerbated. This underscores why questioning everything is fundamental. How can we be sure what we know is true if the major source of information is mediated rather than experiential?

While we've seen footage of World War I, have we ever questioned how it was filmed amidst battlefields? Do we comprehend the weight of camera equipment, and why weren't the cameramen shot while filming above the trenches? As I have discovered, the way World War One was mediated was inaccurate; it was only how they portrayed it to appear. How something is and how it seems are two different things, but we must consider that unless we are there, we only see it through the lens of how it is framed or our preconceived ideas, which may be biased or prejudiced.

Because someone says something, we must discover their inferences: do they have a sound and logical argument, or can we merely see grounds for no argument to be formed due to a lack of substantive evidence? And how can we ever really know when we have never met people or walked in their shoes? Yet God has the full perspective; His judgments are just, and His understanding- who can fathom? He loves justice; His throne is established on righteousness and justice. Mercy, loving-kindness, and truth go before His face, yet there is perfection in His understanding because He sees in full, not as we see. He has a righteous perspective, and one day, that justice for everything will come to fruition. Adolf Hitler did not get away with anything; he didn’t just die without meeting his maker. He must give a complete account of his life, just as Putin, Trump, and the least of the least do- no one will be left unaccountable for their life. Our perspective and God’s perspective can contradict because God has the full view of every situation on earth. Consider that!