'It’s complicated’ no longer applies to just relationship status;

It’s our reaction to everything that requires an emotional response. We’re used to being cautious and restrained. It’s in our nature to view people who try and play our emotions with suspicion.

20 years’ ago a picture of a malnourished child in Ethiopia would break our hearts and spur us into action. Now we’re in a perpetual state of compassion fatigue. Some argue, we are too passive, reserved, emotionless at our worst, simply cold and cynical.

Even if we appreciate the enormity of the humanitarian disaster, it’s natural for us to seek social proofing; we check what everyone else is saying, thinking, feeling before we consult with our own conscience.

The disaster in Pakistan has many voices; political, economic, developmental and humanitarian each giving you their take on the situation. Not to mention sideliners who peddle nonsense about how the floods heighten religious, security, terrorism and other conflicts that were already in play.

I’m in a really fortunate position when it comes to evaluating all these views to figure out what I think. I can spend a month reviewing every article, angle, blog, image and commentary on the disaster before taking a rational informed view of where I stand. I admit I have already found some very thought provoking insights. But I’ve also taken action;

Like many of my friends, I donated to DEC as soon as I heard about the crisis and posted the link on my Facebook and Twitter to encourage others to do the same.

But the real reason I’m fortunate is that I am NOT an expert. Whilst I read other views and observe the situation unfolding from my side of the world, I invariably reflect on how I feel about it based on my thoughts, beliefs, experiences and biases before I respond.

I might read expert views and watch shocking images but the most important factor that guides my response is how I filter information through my confirmation bias:

‘Confirmation bias is a tendency for people to favour information that confirms their preconceptions or hypotheses regardless of whether the information is true. As a result, people gather evidence and recall information from memory selectively, and interpret it in a biased way. The biases appear in particular for emotionally significant issues and for established beliefs.’ (Wikipedia)

So the major challenge for those trying to raise the profile and emotional response for the Pakistani flood victims is not a lack of education and understanding, but how the news of the disaster is filtered by people’s views on: ‘Pakistan, disaster & floods’ - we have a confirmation bias for each one of these terms.

Here’s some of the views (confirmation biases) that people I’ve interviewed have shared with me (off camera in this case).

How would you describe the possible confirmation bias associated with ‘Pakistan’?

‘It’s around the sense of trust. We don’t trust them and they don’t trust us. The people who have power in Pakistan don’t necessarily have its interests at heart and it’s the poor who suffer.’

This democracy has an uneasy international position on many issues; the biggest being its internal political-security and the management or lack thereof of terrorist factions. As exemplified by the reaction to David Cameron’s comments earlier this month. Pakistan has a turbulent marriage with its global partners – clearly much is still to be developed relation to open communication and trust on all sides.

What’s the confirmation bias associated with ‘disasters’?

‘There is a sense of futility and suspicion that the money raised doesn’t go where it’s needed and doesn’t get there fast enough. Perhaps there’s also a sense of anger and frustrations that ‘others’ (whoever they are) should do more.’

There is a huge disconnect between the sums being raised and the pictures of chaos and mayhem as people scrabble for food and water. The fear that the money collected may not get to who needs it or is ‘lost’ on the way is a real concern for many.

What’s the confirmation bias associated with ‘floods’?

‘Of course it’s bad, but for some reason, it doesn’t feel as shocking as the tsunami, earthquakes or hurricane. We’ve seen the pictures and yes it’s bad but it seemed like once the rain stopped it could be handled without it becoming a disaster. Seeing their Prime Minister (Gilani) swanning around was dismissive of the disaster and his own people.’

Floods by their nature are not as dramatic in impact as some disasters yet the damage caused is just as pervasive relentless and indiscriminate. The loss of life is as great if not greater as we’re now finding out.

Understandably charities activists and NGOs will use whatever information they have; images of those affected is a traditional route, statistics on the scale of the disaster and hard hitting headlines is another, all designed to get our attention and get us to act. But unless they understand the biases (some clearly do) the messages are likely to raise suspicion and anger more than action;

‘It feels like being reprimanded by a parent when we’re told that we’re not doing enough for Pakistan.’

Humans operate and act on an emotional level – we have to understand people’s biases, right or wrong before we can get people to engage.

Naturally, I too had my biases, but they weren’t big enough to stop me donating money to DEC. But something definitely sparked my biases and got me to react and engage even more. I’ll be honest; it wasn’t the scale of the disaster or stats showing me how serious the situation was, but the question of ‘Pakistan’.

The emotion that was engaged was anger:

Last week I ‘re-tweeting’ a friend’s post – he was hosting an event to raise funds for the floods. After forwarding the message, I received a note back from a stranger referring to ‘bigoted Pakistani Muslims’. I advised the sender, who I’ll call ‘muppet’, that I was neither Pakistani nor Muslim and that the issues were about human suffering not country or religion. That somehow made it ok and I got a message back telling me if I wanted to help ‘them’, it was my loss.

I was quite taken aback. I have a permanent tan, being of Sikh Punjabi Indian descent, but religion, colour and country has never been a factor in my decisions to get involved in anything. Riled, I mentioned the dialogue to my parents as I often do on things that perturb me and their response was truly humbling.

Their view is that propaganda whether it’s religious, xenophobia or any kind of prejudice is the worshiping of fear. God is pure compassion and peace – whatever your beliefs may be:

‘We decide with our actions, not our words, what our real faith is.’

They told me ‘If you wish to do something to alleviate the suffering then do it, if you wish not to then that’s your decision too. But make that decision based on your faith, not propaganda which is the religion of hate.’

I’m probably not going to make a big difference, but I am compelled to act, especially if someone thinks I shouldn’t, or because somehow it’s ok that this is happening to Pakistan. That drives me bananas.

I don’t think it is ok; to withhold compassion, aid, kindness on racist or religious grounds. I’m not going to stand by and let that tone wash – I’m sure that’ll make me a ‘bigoted Indian Sikh’ in the eyes of hateful muppets, but I can live with that. More importantly I want my actions to be about my ‘faith’. It’s not about religion; the organised or propaganda variety, but faith in humanity and compassion.

So together with a friend I’m putting together a party in London where we’re using music to ‘change the tune’ on Pakistan. I’m tired of the political squabbles and emotional suspicion; I want my actions to be about raising money for the cause. We’re hosting it at the Cuban, a South American bar in the City. It’s got a big picture of Chez Guevara, I think it may bring out the radical in me – watch out!

Please join us:
Jukebox …. changing the tune on Pakistan: Floods appeal
When: Friday 27th August from 7pm till 1am
Where: Cuban at CityPoint Moorgate, London EC2Y 9AW
Event: Jukebox hosted by DJ Shai Guy& Lovephool
Change the tune charge: £7,
(Post your tune below or send to dj.shai.guy@gmail.com)

www.lovephool.com