Recently in my ASTU class (a first-year reading and writing course at UBC), we have been discussing issues and stigmas regarding the Iraq war, as well as violence and veterans in general. It is through these discussions that the subject of dehumanization has come forward. Despite it’s prevalent presence in today’s war-filled (and constantly war-influenced) society, the more I thought about the reasoning for dehumanization, the more I came to a conclusion of its dangerous capabilities. After all, the failure to see another individual as “human” can potentially lead one to dire actions and thoughts.

Now, please do not misinterpret my intentions–I am not trying to disregard or delegitimize the possible need for war, or the experiences that soldiers and veterans alike experience. But I do believe that it is important to engage in conversations of precariousness (as stated by Judith Butler). For we are all evidently human, and in that way, one could argue that we are all evidently the same.

Although I know that many may argue against me, my beliefs in the futile cyclical nature of dehumanization still stand. For what if the act of dehumanization is not to state a truth regarding an individual or group, but is rather a justification towards an idea that we would like to be true? Perhaps our desires to bring harm unto others are projected into ideas such as “they deserve it” and “it’s their fault”, diverting any sense of blame off of ourselves in the process.

But ironically, what brings me the most despondency is not the idea of dehumanization itself (albeit it does bother me a lot), but rather the failure of people to recognize that the consequences of dehumanization are currently prevalent outside of the stereotypical image of “soldiers versus the enemy”… for dehumanization has significant influence and impact in today’s society.

Take for example, the not-well-known issue of the Philippine Drug War. After his inauguration in June 2016, Rodrigo Duterte (the president of the Philippines) urged the killing of both alleged drug criminals and addicts alike, as a counteractive measure against their seeming drug epidemic. With over 2000 individuals killed–whether by policemen, contracted killers, or by citizens–many have compared the “war” to Hitler’s “cleansing” movement against racial, religious, and disabled minorities.  If there are some people who see Duterte in a dehumanized manner, but Duterte and his supporters see the drug addicts and dealers in a dehumanized manner, to what extent does the cycle end? Who is “right”? Despite it being an ongoing issue, the ethical and moral boundaries that have been challenged has been ignored by a lot of the world. Does our ignorance make us dehumanized in a way?

To what extent is dehumanization justified? Or even further, can it even be justified in the first place? I personally, do not have an answer. But what I do know is that the consequences of it are alarming–whether it be in the battlefield, or in the contemporary society currently surrounding us. In the process of dehumanizing others, are we in turn dehumanizing ourselves?