This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on December 25, 2023 - December 31, 2023

A common sentiment in recent times is that our country is on a downward trajectory.

One hobby horse is the declining state of race relations, the outlook of which only seems to get worse with every new display of intolerance and conservatism. Then there are the deteriorating prospects for an economy that is struggling to move beyond its middle-income status. Corruption, of course, is reportedly endemic, and opportunistic politics is the bane of our nation. Don’t get started on the quality of education, or you may soon conclude that emigration is the only bet for the smart set. At the end of the matter, you could hardly arrive at any other conclusion than that we are a basket case in the making, if we aren’t already three-quarters of the way there.

I believe that perception is due more to self-defeating thought habits such as confirmation bias and a silo mentality rather than reflecting an absolute reality. While we should acknowledge the many challenges Malaysia and the world are facing today, if we examine the premises on which we stake such opinions, we will often find that our vehement conclusions don’t quite stand up to scrutiny.

Undoubtedly, there are a number of systemic issues affecting the nation’s prospects that require our collective resourcefulness, tenacity and courage to address. Take the crying need to prepare young Malaysians to thrive in a disruptive future. At how many levels of resource mobilisation must there be radical change, and now, for that to occur before anachronistic institutions are swept away by the tidal waves of transformation?

We can improve our chances of succeeding in that effort if we focus on nurturing certain qualities that are associated with changemakers. Here is a short list of positive traits to develop in ourselves, the community, our organisations and institutions that will go a long way towards building the future we wish for our country and the world.

Kaizen, the Japanese concept of continuous improvement, is a habit that is potentially so transformative that it should be embraced as a core value in developing a philosophy of life. The power of kaizen lies in its holistic approach to change. Combining incremental steps with long-term vision, participatory change with data-driven decision-making and a focus on problem-solving rather than blame, it helps to create a sustainable and collaborative environment that fosters collective well-being.

The kaizen methodology has gained considerable traction in Malaysia, having already been adopted in various sectors such as manufacturing, services and public services. The principles of the kaizen philosophy should be reinterpreted in the cultural idioms of all our communities so that they can be more readily assimilated by people of varied backgrounds. We should consider feeding its core concepts into the communications channels of national institutions, community organisations, private sector groups and the school system to engender a societal transformation.

These qualities are the hallmarks of an evolved society. The capacity to feel the joys and sorrows of others, to see things from another’s point of view and to alleviate suffering helps to bring people together in a bond of common understanding. Empathy and compassion aren’t just nice traits to have; they are vital indicators of a society’s true progress.

Conversely, their absence results in a hellish existence for those who are caught in situations where empathy in its various dimensions is lacking. A home without love, as we know, is a nightmare for those who live in it; a neighbourhood without fellow-feeling would be on edge all the time; a company without compassion would be a joyless place to work in; and a country where the spirit of accommodation is in short supply would be at war with itself.

So, we must examine our collective experience to identify the areas where empathy and compassion are lacking. For sure, they will become known to us by the strife that festers in them. In truth, these areas exist in all fields of human activity — in education, business, government, community affairs and international relations. A dispassionate analysis will reveal that current approaches to society’s needs are failing. Some unseen ingredient is missing.

Suppose we take compassion to be that vital element. Then, the solutions to the problems that we encounter in those fields will become clear, and as long as we disregard what our heart tells us, we will continue to stumble, wondering why we cannot find joy in what we do, no matter how much effort we put into making things better.

Taking that thought a step further, we can see that a radical rethinking about the direction of modern society is long overdue. The multiple dimensions of global crises point to a fundamental flaw in the way we are living our lives, organising ourselves and meeting our basic needs.

The imbalance between food production and access to food is a case in point. About one-third of the food produced globally, or 1.3 billion tonnes, is wasted, the Food and Agriculture Organization reports. Yet 811 million people face hunger the world over, according to the World Food Programme.

Or take the climate crisis, a prime cause of pessimism about the future, especially among the young. Research by Oxfam and the Stockholm Environment Institute has found that the richest 1% of the world contribute 16% of global consumption emissions, which is double that of the poorest 50% of the people.

Such existential issues provide entry points for introspection into the many dilemmas facing our world today. There are no easy answers, of course, but how we approach these issues can make a crucial difference. It would be insane to continue with business as usual. Rather, it is useful to tackle the difficulties that block our progress by allowing them to bring out the best in us. 

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