Seeking to understand rapidly changing world

KUALA LUMPUR: Since the beginning of the new millennium, many thinkers have tried to name the strange and unprecedented occurrences that have filled the headlines of the 2000s. But they concluded that it is “normal”, and what man has taken for granted is “evaporating”.

In an exclusive interview with theSun, Prof Ziauddin Sardar (pic), who curated the “The Postnormal Times (PNT): Madani Exhibition”, which will be opened on Sunday by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at Berjaya Times Square, expands on what it is about, and its relevance.

“We live in a transitional period between two ages, rather than the start of a new one. So, we need to balance the old and new while seeking to transcend and navigate the hurdles that arise along the way. What comes next remains within our power to influence, imagine and make real.

“So, PNT describes our rapidly changing world which has become increasingly complex and riddled with contradictions. This has left us at the mercy of chaotic events.”

Ziauddin said PNT is not a concept to be analysed or deconstructed, but rather “a theory of the changing nature of change that aims to diagnose and prognose the future”.

“In normal times, we have confidence in our facts and values and can take time to make appropriate decisions. In PNT, the future is a runaway train, barrelling into the unknown. Facts are uncertain, values in dispute, stakes are high and decisions urgent.”

He said lies and other forms of misinformation are not new phenomena. But the sheer volume of currently produced information, and the speed at which it travels, makes sorting fact from fiction virtually impossible.

“Truth has become relative, while technology interferes with our ability to detect what is real from what isn’t. The death of expertise leaves truth at the discretion of the court of internet mobs.”

Ziauddin said concerns around the inbuilt bias of artificial intelligence demonstrate the real fear that, while technology may advance, the problems of inequality, racism, xenophobia, and tendencies towards fascism persist.

He said the manipulation and editing of genes, for instance, have become a double-edged sword. On one hand, there is the opportunity for the advancement of medical technology to prevent and eradicate certain disorders and diseases.

On the other hand, it can prioritise social and cultural norms related to human beauty, ability, and physique. Beyond the threat to diversity and multiculturalism, genetic technologies are also being used for a new generation of targeted attacks and warfare.

Ziauddin said the dangers of playing in a sandbox that we lack significant understanding of are endless. The world also grapples with the climate catastrophe, ongoing effects of the post-Covid-19 pandemic and the halt it put to the world economy, and degrading governance.

“Malaysia has the Madani concept of sustainability, care and compassion, respect, innovation, prosperity, and trust. Hence, Madani is an instrument for navigating PNT in the Malaysian context.

“By emphasising our cherished values through these six core Madani drivers, the approach will ensure that our cultures are preserved, alongside the compass of ethics, into the uncertainty of tomorrow.

“While the Madani approach was originally designed for policymaking in postnormal times, it has wide applications across society. Madani is a nation-building and community-strengthening tool to establish the sustainability of Malaysia into the future.”

Hence, Ziauddin said apart from being an art installation and pedagogic resource, the exhibition will bring the main features of PNT to the fore.

It combines an experience of our changing present with insights into what potentials lie ahead for mankind, and how a course towards our preferred futures could be plotted.

“The PNT exhibition is an invitation to examine current developments that would radically transform our world, leading to existential threats. It also challenges our assumptions and biases about our contemporary times and the possibilities for the future.

“The exhibition is specifically designed to ‘interrogate’ our sense of what is normal and what isn’t, illustrate the basic characteristics of PNT and its drivers, explore challenges and potentials for our common futures, and ascertain the values we need to navigate the postnormal times.

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