In the 1780’s, in the years preceding the French Revolution, libels about the king and queen became immensely popular, and so influential that they still inform the views that we have of Marie Antoinette. In early 1900’s Russia, a blood libel called “The Protocols of the Elder of Zion” became immensely popular in a time of revolutionary fervor, and became popular again in 1930’s Germany during a similar time and are popular now among the would-be revolutionaries of the Arab Middle East. During times where trust in authorities and institutions drops to dangerous levels, the popularity of libels and the readiness of a large enough group of people to believe libels represents a significant body of people that are disaffected with the powers that be and susceptible to the siren song of the first convincing enough demagogue who can harness discontent for his (or her) own benefit and to point to a convincing enough scapegoat to ease the fears and concerns of the population he seeks to rule. We are in such a time now around the world.
Like many people around the world, I have taken a great deal of interest in the fate of the missing Malaysian flight 370. In the absence of firm evidence of where the plane went, or where its wreckage lies, there have been a wide variety of wild speculations that have been graced with the name of theories, in the habit of our times. There are basically two larger umbrellas under which these ideas fall [1]. According to one set of hypotheses, either the pilot or someone else hijacked the place for nefarious purposes, shutting off communication and going off radar by shadowing another plane as well as possibly seeking to travel to some obscure airstrips so that the plane could be used for weaponized purposes. In most of these hypotheses the pilot himself appears to be taking a significant attack to his reputation. In other set of hypotheses, the flight crew (including the pilot) was overtaken by events like an electrical fire and acted heroically by trying to cut off electrical power to the circuits responsible and starve the fire of oxygen by taking drastic maneuvers, only to crash into the water on the way to the nearest safe airport [2].
At this point, we cannot know which set of theories is true until we see some evidence. It appears likely that whatever happened to the plane, that all souls have been lost and consigned to a watery grave. Given the fact that no terrorist groups have taken credit for what happened, it would appear unlikely that the plane is still moving around or that it landed somewhere safely as the amount of people who can keep secrets in our present world is vanishingly small [3]. Hopefully some evidence may be found so that the process of reconstructing the final minutes and hours of Malaysian Flight 370 can take place. This process can only take place when there is evidence rather than speculation, however well-informed in terms of the general patterns and historical precedents that exist.
This particular situation, and many others like it, are more useful in showing us who we are by pointing mirrors to the way in which we think and give (or refuse) the benefit of the doubt than they are in actually discovering the way the world is. Do we believe that the experienced pilot of the missing Malaysian Airlines flight is a terrorist who betrayed the trust of people he had served for decades or a heroic man who sought to save the lives of his passengers by doing whatever could be done in a position of extreme difficulty and was not successful? If we are prone to believe in complicated conspiracies, we will see every unusual action as the sign of malicious intent and shady dealings. If we are more merciful and gracious, we will be willing to give the benefit of the doubt in the absence of firm evidence of evil. Yet those who casually libel the pilot of the missing flight have shown no mercy nor any concern for his reputation, yet if he did act heroically, he is suffering immensely not for his faults but because of our cynical and suspicious times. And will those people who now attack his honor and reputation apologize and seek to make amends if it can be shown that there was no foul play on his part, or will there be silence and then a move on to the next conspiracy that may be found?
At this moment, let us seek for evidence and answers to what is going on with the missing plane. Let us pray for the families of those who have been lost, and let us hope for closure and an understanding of what happened so that we may replace our wild fears and speculations with a firm basis in reality. Let us also recognize that this situation allows us to recognize our times and ourselves for who we are. Are we people who are quick to attack the reputation of others and quick to think evil of others on the basis of mere suspicions, in the absence of firm evidence and communication to support it? Or are we generous in giving the benefit of the doubt, in the awareness that we can all be misunderstood in desperate times, and that we all need the benefit of the doubt for ourselves? What others do or do not do they must bear their own responsibility for, and none of us is skilled at reading the hearts of others. We, however, are responsible for our judgments and thoughts and feelings and behaviors towards others. If we libel and slander others with a casual ease, we will face the judgment that we would wish to give to the (comparatively) righteous. Let us avoid that judgment by cultivating a love of truth and mercy and justice in this world of cynicism and corruption.
[1] http://abcnews.go.com/International/theories-happened-missing-malaysia-flight/story?id=22954389
[2] http://www.wired.com/autopia/2014/03/mh370-electrical-fire/
[3] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/why-i-am-not-a-conspiracy-theorist/
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