8pov

The world can certainly do better than this. Here's why.

Thursday, February 9

Random Quotes

"For millions of years mankind lived just like the animals. Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination. We learned to talk." -- Stephen Hawking

If imagination is the lynch-pin which defines us all as human, and communcation is the tool that permits us expression of what we imagine, then, imagine a world of clear communication.

"An age is called Dark not because the light fails to shine, but because people refuse to see it." -- James A. Michener

Wednesday, February 8

Timedancing Backwards

So much to cover. Maybe some blurbs and links. Yeah. That's a plan.

::New species discovered in Papua New Guinea

The lesson learned here is that the places in the world where there are no people are the best places in the world. Every time scientists or governments or other groups of people encroach on the natural world, we destroy everything in our path. It is enlightening that science is now aware of these species and that such a region of the world has been uncovered, but, the new desire to enter into and exploit potential resources of this area is the problem that humanity presents. Hopefully, this untouched area will remain untouched. Being without walking trails, therefore, without roads and research sites and helipads, etc., it ought to remain this way. If enterprise and human "resourcefulness" is introduced, there is no doubt in my mind that humanity will have a "mice-in-Australia" effect.

::Satirizing the Prophet Muhammed

If there was ever any doubt that the Islamic people take their religion and their religion and religious figures very seriously, perhaps even more seriously than any other major group, there may no longer be any doubt. This despite suicide bombings, "terrorist" ties, and theocratic governments, the publication of these cartoons is more universally accessible than many other international international ideological conflicts. Children, and those of child-like mind, see the connections and bias of the cartoons without acknowledging satirical implications. In fact, only Albert Brooks, could tell us whether or not Islamic people respond well to satire.

The reverence that Islamic people have for their prophet is unparalleled. To my knowledge, the position of Prophets in Western religions have always taken a back seat to the position held by the Son of God. Thus, in the attempt to draw parallels between Islam and Christianity, there is a clear disconnection. Prophet for prophet, Muhammed and Moses are not considered in the same league. Hell, NRA King Charlton Heston played Moses. Muhammed, even in ancient depictions, was shown veiled. As I understand it, Muhammed is the perihelion of Islam. No diminishment of this single, perfect connection to God could be tolerated.

Their intolerance of his caricature is not unlike the resistance such a treatment of Jesus, one of many instances of Christian perihelia, until recent free expressive acts. Sure, the depiction of Jesus hanging from a cross is acceptable and reverent despite being a clear and torturous image. Even now, the depiction of Nas or Kanye West or Eric Cartman as being crucified or wearing a crown of thorns, however, is sacreliege. Western societies have come to tolerate these depictions under the acceptance of free speech. We (the West) cannot force (enforce) such a fundamental change in the Islamic world.

My verdict: The actions of Danish newspaper editors at Jyllands-Posten are responsible for the current state of affairs. Freedom of the press is guaranteed by nations internally, however, the world grows smaller by the day. One cannot hide behind the guise of externality, whether corporate externality or national externality, in a truly international and market-driven world. Ignorance of the reverence for the image of the Prophet is no excuse. This current backlash is proof-positive. An investigation, as demanded, is inadequate response to this affair. Education of the press, too, as to the sensitive areas of relations with "foreign" cultures must be undertaken to ensure that such a collision of freedoms does not recur. It is because the world grows smaller that nations cannot alienate one another, especially over misunderstandings such as this. These images constitute hate-crime. Just as much as scrawling swatstikas on the walls of a synogogue, just as much as imprisoning practitioners of Falun Gong, and just as much as beating up homosexuals. The moral outrage of the Islamic people is justified and the turning of a blind eye and a dispassionate ear to this conflict, as the West is currently doing, is only another example of disconnection and misunderstanding between East and West.