[FORUM] What do you do when people believe crazy things?
I’ve been doing a certain amount of work in studying Eurabia, the concept (or belief) describing the conversion of Europe into an Islamic continent owing to excessively high rates of population growth among Muslims, the development of a visible Muslim presence, and the decadence of Europe’s political elites. It’s the sort of concept that would actually be correct if people didn’t behave like people and reality was completely different: a simple overview of the numbers and trends, and a note of actually existing policies in European states, is enough to suggest that the reverse is true. American author Ralph Peters is likely right to argue that a mass expulsion of Muslims from Europe is considerably more likely on the basis of current trends.
But any number of people believe in Eurabia regardless. Arguably a growing number of people believe in the impending Eurabianizaton of their homelands–even outside Europe, as evidenced by the growth of anti-Muslim conspiracy theories and associated politics in the United States among other places–and arguably many of those people are willing to translate their beliefs into actions. The massacres of Breivik are exceptional, and I hope will remain so. The gradual radical hardening of attitudes towards Muslims, perhaps on the lines described by Peters, is more likely. I’d prefer not to have an actual clash of civilizations.
It’s urgent for the future that not only is Eurabia demonstrated to be false and dangerous, but that its believers be convinced that it’s false and dangerous. How is this to be done? If people ignore evidence that this theory–any theory, really–is incorrect, how can their minds be changed?
Thoughts?
I can’y give you a clear answer here, Randy, just the things that I have been thinking about in an Australian context.
1. Don’t panic.
2. You can’t change people’s minds by direct attack on their views. You have to come at it indirectly.
3. Don’t deal in universals. Eurabia and Muslims have become universals, labels to which other things are attached. Each time you use them as universals, you carry other people’s labels with them. At a purely personal level I try to avoid the use of the world Muslim unless I am speaking about a faith with all its varieties.
4. Recognise diversity. Within Europe each country, and sometimes parts of countries, are different. Australia is different again.
5. Attack intolerance, but do not attack the validity of views on which that intolerance may draw. Precisely, recognise them and address them independently as different issues. Avoid culture wars. Don’t confuse issues.
6. Give information and analysis, but try to do so in neutral ways.
6. Encourage integration, recognising that this does not generally mean giving up core beliefs, that it does mean building links between people and that takes time.
Will be interested to see what comments you get. May then do a companion post trying to flesg out ideas more precisiely, but in an Australian context.
For a depressing piece, see http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/opinion/islam-is-losing-the-european-war-on-multiculturalism/455987. I say depressing, because it actually confuses many things.
Jim Belshaw
August 1, 2011 at 7:47 am
[...] approach is best. Friend of the blog Jim Belshaw helped with this comment he posted at A Bit More Detail in response to my Eurabia-themed question wondering how you reach people who believe in unfounded [...]
How every detail counts in large amounts | History and Futility
August 16, 2011 at 3:59 am
[...] approach is best. Friend of the blog Jim Belshaw helped with this comment he posted at A Bit More Detail in response to my Eurabia-themed question wondering how you reach people who believe in unfounded [...]
[H&F] “How every detail counts in large amounts” « A Bit More Detail
August 16, 2011 at 4:02 am