Babel

Tag: Human

  • Things We Never Like To Admit

    Avoidance of naming taboo: Example of omitting...
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    Humans have this innate tendency to think, create and… shift the blame.  In other words, since we got created – or evolved -, we have perfected this incredibly cynical skill to make “I didn’t do this” sound almost plausible.
    We have also created the legal system to supposedly make our lives less unfair. But this system, like anything human-made, is anything but unbreakable … or unsinkable for that matter (pun intended). That is, the courts resemble more a Samson or an Achilles than an almighty God.
    Like in a recent case everybody can be undoubtedly convinced of somebody’s guilt, but unless a jury sees that too, without getting tangled in legal details that may or may not support the truth, the accused walks free.
    On the other hand, like l for one believe happened in another recent case, the system can very well be used for political purposes. Here the truth doesn’t matter much. Power, on the other hand, does.
    This word – power – is a very sensitive notion. I can be powerful with money, relations or I can simply be backed by a strong, numerous or influential group.
    In another, more recent and tragical case, power was exercited under the umbrela of the extreme right movement(s) which appeared as a surprise, it seems. The terrorist was shockingly arian, not at all middle-eastern as first thought. This is even scarier for the average Western European and not only, as one is confronted with the fact that evil is not something unnamed from far-far away, but it lurks within its very core. This attack was an anti-victory: it did not slay the multicultural dragon, it actually gave it more power.
    But will this solve our cultural an racial issues? Most probably not, we just have the bugbear a new name and exiled it from our world. In other words, nothing really changed. The blame was shifted to another ethereal, collective entity of which we know almost nothing – nor do we want to… right?

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  • What Makes Us Who We Are?

    Cover of I'm An Individual
    Image via Wikipedia

    Nowadays we are taught that people should only be seen as individuals and each individual should be respected as an unique human being.  We are not members of a group, we are not part of a family, each and every one of us is standing alone in front of an absurd universe (I guess Existentialism is not as obsolete in our present world as some people would like to think it is). Well, of course, we won’t admit we are alone! We will never admit the fact that we are facing an identity crisis that spreads its claws further and deeper in and on our beloved planet as we are advised to shed any type of membership to a group, community or culture.

    Are we really standing alone -with a base code from the factory and no heart-to-heart connections with the world? Is it really true that I made myself what I am now? I couldn’t disagree more! I am what I am because of the experiences I’ve lived and lessons I have learnt throughout my life. I am what I am because I was born in a certain country, in a certain region, in a certain community, in a certain family. I am myself because of the help I was given. I am myself because of the obstacles I had to overcome or go round. I am myself because of all the respect, love, hate, spite I was shown. I am what I am because of all the people I’ve entered in contact with, especially those who tried to cut down my wings. Thank you, you’ve made me stronger!

    Yes, we’d like to think that a life without any negative experiences, filled with rainbows, butterflies and glowing unicorns would be Heaven. But… think about this … how do you learn, how do you gain strength if everybody treats you with gloves and your road is smooth, without detours and unexpected complications. Wouldn’t that be a tad boring? Why do you want to deny and forsake everything that’s actually beautiful about life? You know, someone said that life’s a game … sorry, I got a little carried away – but remember that it’s not important that you get to your destination, what really matters is the road, how you get there and who you get there with and be proud of your progress and accomplishments, not on winning the great prize (what is the great prize anyway?). Don’t be a stranger!

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