Words are funny little things. 

The meaning behind words doesn’t remain the same and often undergoes changes over time. These semantic shifts are based on the way each word is contextualized. Think about it. The word ‘inclusion’ has a broad meaning. It is a word that signifies any form of inculcation or integration, be it the inclusion of a specific spice in a meal or the inclusion of a new theoretical paradigm into the scientific milieu. However, in this day and age of collective reshaping of mindsets and systems, inclusion has taken on a more concrete meaning. A quick Google search of the word throws up the following:

‘the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those who have physical or intellectual disabilities and members of other minority groups.’

Well, how did this happen? 

Why did such an inconspicuous word take on such a concrete meaning, almost as if set in stone? 

Essentially, the story of the word ‘inclusion’ is the same as that of words like ‘catfish’, ‘cloud’, and ‘unplug’, among others. All of these words meant something completely different in the 20th century, having taken on novel meanings in the context of the modern world. Catfish was the fish with whisker-like extrusions around its mouth, clouds were the large forms of condensation floating through the sky, and unplug was the act of disconnecting something from a power source. Today, these words would mean something completely different if you heard them under normal circumstances as an urban dweller of the 21st century. Catfish indicates the setting up of a fake profile on a dating site to lure unsuspecting individuals. Cloud is the vast digital space where the mass-scale processing and storage of files occurs. Unplug is the act of refraining from the use of any digital devices, like the smartphone, for a specific period of time. 

There is no getting around such a phenomenon. Evolution of words is as natural as the evolution of organisms. With time, the way we perceive and make sense of the world is bound to change and with it, also the words we use. The blossoming of ‘inclusion’ as a buzzword is the result of the global effort to inculcate more diversity in workplaces, communities, schools and other frameworks of society. A noble cause, indeed. The word owes its current meaning to several noble causes, in fact. 

But, the wheels of time are constantly turning. We are entering a new era, a new chapter of humanity has begun. The post-truth era some say, and others think of it as the post-COVID/post-pandemic era. Personally, I see it as the era of recalibration. We, as a race, have had enough time to wander in the wonderlands at our disposal. Our devices have provided us with access to such an overwhelmingly expansive ocean of information that now each one of us occupies our own custom-built duniya. This point in our journey feels like a good time to pause and reflect on what exactly we are doing, where we are going, and who we really are.

This brings me back to inclusion. As the cycle begins anew and we welcome this new age of introspection, it is an opportunity to reconsider this particular word from a powerful conceptual and contextual lens. Let’s begin with a few basic questions. 

• When was the last time you embraced a new perspective on life?
• When was the last time you spoke to a stranger?
• When was the last time you opened yourself to a new experience, no matter how scary it was?
• When was the last time you did something just out of pure curiosity?
• When was the last time you felt true exhilarating wonder?

Guessing that was easy. Let’s go a bit further.

• When was the last time you felt your ideas were ignored in a meeting?
• When was the last time your family scoffed at a choice you wanted to make for yourself?
• When was the last time you felt invisible, as if you didn’t count, when among colleagues or friends?

You might be seeing a pattern by now, yes? Let’s go a level deeper.

• When was the last time you had to control yourself from expressing what you really wanted to say?
• When was the last time you felt you could make a real difference in someone else’s life?
• When was the last time you felt truly in control of your circumstances?
• When was the last time you questioned your reality?

The rationale behind all these questions is simple. Each one forces us to confront a fundamental truth that is embedded in our modern lifestyles. As individuals and as members of larger social units, be it a family, an organization, a community, or even a residential complex, we are all systemically choosing to include certain things in our life while turning a blind eye to or blatantly excluding opportunities and perspectives that lie outside our comfort zones. 

It all boils down to a foundational premise. How inclusive are we of new perspectives and ideas? How inclusive are we to new ways of life? How open are we to tough questions? How inclusive are we of beliefs and perspectives that do not align with our own? How inclusive are we to people who we meet everyday on the road and will never meet again in our lives? How inclusive are we to being receptive to Plan Bs and second options? How inclusive are we to things that challenge us and push us? How inclusive are we to harsh realities that underlie our most comfortable facades? How inclusive are we to unfettered change?

You see what has happened? The very meaning of inclusion takes on several new shades. It is no longer about a minority or an oppressed population, it is about us and our daily choices. The way we choose to speak to others, the way we think and behave, the way we interact with the world, and the way we approach the mystery that is life itself.

An Inclusive Duniya is not built entirely on rallying for change, protesting out on the streets, new policy frameworks or large political decisions. Instead, each one of us is responsible for building this new world by being more open towards what we do not know, towards what we do not understand, and perhaps what we shun and fear. 

So, are you willing to embrace this new definition of inclusivity? 

 Join us, let us know what you would like to be more inclusive towards in this new year.