Focusing on our more fundamental divide

We live in a world that is basically driven by business interests. Many corporations and big businesses are happy today to profit from the mass suffering of ordinary citizens. They claim they are operating a free market economy, but their true objectives are often dubious. Take the global arms trade for instance: in this business, all that matters to the manufacturer of those deadly weapons is the sale of his arsenal and the profit he makes. Nothing could be more important to him. He has little or no regard for the consequences of his actions, how many innocent people his weapons would send to an early grave. He is willing to form alliances with power-hungry politicians, people who are often indifferent to the human cost of their decisions. These politicians willingly wage wars against their neighbours, trading human lives for power. In this toxic cycle, both the manufacturer and the politician make their gains while others who willingly or unwilling became involved in the conflict, perish. Who is to blame for the resulting devastation, the manufacturer or the arms purchaser?

The undeniable truth is that the dynamics of our contemporary world are beginning to evolve in ways that make it increasingly necessary for us to reconsider how we now view issues of morality and justice. For centuries, for example, the dichotomy between black and white people, both in terms of race and metaphorical connotations, has remained at the forefront of social conversations. For centuries, these two "contrasts" have continued to drive both conflict and progress in our human endeavours, often simplifying deeply complex issues into binary categories that obscure more fundamental truths. As the 21st century unfolds, however, it is becoming more evident that the most significant divide in our world of today is no longer the black and white dichotomy, but that of 'the good and the bad' dichotomy. It is no longer the narrative of the oppressed and the oppressor that is based on skin colour or nationality. The real battle now lies in the world disowning those who perpetuate injustice, fear and insecurity in preference for those who seek a more equitable and more stable world.

At some point, however, our language and action seem to perpetuate the very divide we claim to fight against. The 'Black Life Matters' Movement, for example, was an essential response to the injustices Afro-American and other black communities faced worldwide. It sought to address police brutality, systemic racism, and the devaluation of black lives, particularly in the United States. Yet, there remained a wider truth that some critics of the movement pointed out: that all life matters in actual fact. That truth is not an indictment.

United Nations Security Council

When black people assert that black lives matter, the idea is certainly not to suggest that other lives don't matter. Rather, it is a reminder that the lives of black people had often been treated as though they mattered less. And even that fact raises the deeper question of how anyone can possibly fight segregation by invoking the same rejected standard? The movement, while crucial in its aspiration and ultimate goal, risked precipitating a deeper divide when it tended to emphasize and single out only the group's suffering without simultaneously highlighting our shared humanity. By any stretch of the imagination, the ultimate goal should be to point to the fact that all lives are genuinely valued and that the worth of people must not predicate on their race, ethnicity or background. The challenge lies in acknowledging the unique struggles of marginalized communities while we do not lose sight of the fact that true equality means recognizing the humanity in everyone of us. The danger in invoking racial identities in our fight for justice is that it can inadvertently reinforce the same labels and divides we are trying to dismantle. Yes, black lives matter, but so also do white lives, Asian lives, Hispanic lives, and every other life on the planet. The key is to ensure that, in affirming one group’s value, we do not undermine the intrinsic value of all other human beings.

Come to think of it: much of the confusion and divide surrounding races may have arisen from the language we cultivate. For instance, many white people refer to black people as “coloured” without recognizing the absurdity of the term. We might as well ask: isn’t white itself a colour? This linguistic divide is yet another example of the way “politically correct” language obscures reality, confusing the public and leading people to believe they understand concepts they don’t fully grasp. In actual fact, the term "coloured" in itself stemmed from an era where such categorizations were created to maintain a hierarchy—one in which white was considered the standard or neutral, and everything else was "the other." But this is where the fallacy lies: we are all coloured. No one race holds a monopoly on the notion of purity, and to frame discussions of race in this way only increases our divide.

White and black are colours. In fact, from a scientific standpoint, black absorbs all colours, while white reflects them. These inherent qualities should be celebrated for their beauty and diversity, not used as tools to enforce social hierarchies. The black community already faces the struggle to overcome the negative connotations historically attached to the colour black. In many cultures, black is often associated with death, fear, and evil. The night, represented by darkness, is feared for its dangers. The Grim Reaper is traditionally depicted in black. Satan is often portrayed as black in religious iconography. These narratives are so deeply ingrained in societal norm, that they have even affected how black people view themselves.

When society perpetuates the idea that black is evil or dangerous, the black man is left in a difficult position. In some cases, he internalizes these stereotypes, believing that his power lies in inspiring fear or asserting dominance through intimidation. This approach ultimately backfires. By embracing these negative stereotypes, the black man helps to downgrade his image rather than elevate it. Yet, if truth be told, we know that black is not inherently evil. Black can be beautiful, dignified, and powerful in ways that have nothing to do with fear or danger. Ebony, for example, is a valuable, durable, and aesthetically stunning wood. Black can be shiny, durable, and stainless. These are qualities that should be embraced, not shunned. Black people, therefore, have a duty to reclaim the narrative around their true identity, promoting the beauty and strength of their heritage rather than allowing others to define it for them.

If there is one lesson that the COVID-19 pandemic taught us, it is that humanity is far more interconnected than we often want to accept. The virus did not descend on anyone on the basis of race, nationality, or social status. It humbled people across the globe equally, regardless of background. In doing so, it exposed the shared vulnerability that unites us all, so much so that the social divide between black and white people became trivial when faced with a threat that affected everyone equally.

This realization forces us to reconsider the only real divide in the world today: the one between good and bad people. For the sake of this discourse, good people are those who follow the Golden Rule—those who treat others with kindness, compassion, and the respect they would want others to accord them. They are the ones who, regardless of race or background, seek to uplift others rather than tear them down. In contrast, bad people are those who seek to exploit others for personal gain, whether through political manipulation, economic exploitation, or outright violence. They are the ones who prey on other people in place of praying for them.

Unfortunately, however, the bad people in the world seem to be the ones who have created the conditions we now live in. Fear has become a dominant force in our lives. We live in fear of financial failure, political manipulation, social insecurity, and violent crime. This climate of fear, perpetuated by bad actors, makes it difficult for good people to thrive and even speak up against evil. It is a fear unlike anything human history has recorded before, and it leaves millions of people lying awake at night, wondering when the next disaster would strike.

In the face of all this chaos, it will become necessary to remember the words of God in Deuteronomy 30:19: "This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live."

These words remind us that, ultimately, the choice between good and bad, between life and death, is ours to make. God doesn't force us to choose one path or another; rather, He lays both options before us and asks us to choose wisely. This is not just a decision we make for ourselves but for future generations. As the passage emphasizes, we must consider both "you and your children." The choices we make today will affect not only our own lives but the lives of those who come after we are gone.

In a world where the dichotomy between black and white people has been destined to drastically shift to one between good and bad people, we must recognize our shared responsibility to choose life. This means choosing kindness, justice, and compassion in our dealings with others. It means rejecting the fear and hatred perpetuated by bad actors and embracing the common humanity that unites us all. As we move forward into an increasingly complex world, we must abandon outdated notions of racial divides. The real battle now is no longer between black and white people, but between good and bad people. Good people, regardless of their background, are those who seek to uplift others and work toward a more just world and you can find them in every country and every race. Bad people, in contrast, are those who exploit, manipulate, and harm others for personal gain. They are the ones to watch.

By focusing on this more fundamental divide, we can begin today to address the root causes of injustice and inequality in our world. We can work toward a world where all lives truly matter—where people are not judged based on the colour of their skin, but rather on the content of their character. The time to move beyond black and white dichotomy is now. And we must now embrace the new paradigm that values goodness, kindness, and justice above everything else. Beyond black and white dichotomy, what we now face is as ancient as humanity. That, we must not forget.

* Asinugo is a London-based British-Nigerian veteran Journalist, Author and Publisher.