I've had a lot buzzing around in my head lately that I really want to put down somewhere, until, just five minutes ago this, a vague memory of neglected old thing struck me! I'm literally skimming off whatever floats to the top of my mind without pausing to filter it, so please forgive how disjointed this will be.
Let's address this Kony thing first of all. I assume most people who are reading this will be aware with the issue by now, so I won't bother outlining it. I've been following the related FB activity with some interest, and I'm glad that most people that I would credit with having any sense have been fairly critical. Unfortunately, that's not too many. Maybe I'm being too harsh... I guess I might have jumped on the bandwagon myself two years ago.
Let me outline my view. Much of the following points are copy-pasted from something I wrote previously on Facebook... just fixed the grammar a bit. It was on Facebook, after all.
1) The video is so damned sensationalist. For such an ambitious project, there's too much fiery rhetoric and hardly enough factual information; it stokes sympathy effectively but not in a way that lends it much credibility when you really pay attention. They've totally simplified the complexities of war beyond what I think should be acceptable. And I really don't like the part where they've scripted the lines for that kid, ffs totally insulting intelligence!
2) It's a little silly that Americans are trying so hard to fight this particular issue of human rights in Africa, when in the last 40 years, they+World Bank have brought on the worst of the crap that the continent has to confront. No, this is not some conspiracy theory, it's the obvious effects of what they've done by wearing their favourite "world policeman" hat. Google it. It's like... setting fire to someone's house but feeling good that you saved their dog. Bad analogy I guess, but you know what I mean.
3) People have been posting a lot about how financially unaccountable the organisation is and apparently only 32% of the money goes directly to work on the ground. (n.b. I have since discovered this may not be true)
but these are only small gripes that I have when you consider...
4) The kind of American "help" they're proposing. This part totally got to me. As if their shit stirring in the Middle East isn't enough!! AND after the chaos they've caused previously within Africa itself. Speechless when I saw this, and when I found my tongue I literally screamed FUUUUUCK YOU! at the computer (nobody home :p). It reeks with post-colonialism and white-man interventionist smugness. Besides which, they can very easily start another civil war and completely blow everything up.
5) But ultimately, I know quite well that nothing will happen because at this point, America has no vested interests (edit: OOOOPS this isn't true, I didn't know Uganda has oil!). The Occupy Wall Street movement had millions of (ahem, actually well informed) people on actually on the streets, screaming all around the world, protesting against the bad behaviour of the govt and top financial companies. Not this "one click social activism" bullshit.
These boys have a very half baked idea of how the world works and how to deal with very deep, fragile issues.
Since writing the above, I have realised something else that should have struck me earlier. The aim is so stupid! "Bring Kony to justice". Firstly, the term "justice" itself is such a complicated, subjective one. I think the word they are looking for is revenge. But more importantly, WHO is this Kony? Say that we do capture and buttrape/kill him, do they really think that will solve the issue? That immediately, the sun will appear from behind the clouds, that thousands of children will spontaneously cheer and throw their hands in the air, slip seamlessly back into their everyday lives? For example, there was such a hullabaloo when they executed Saddam Hussein. Did rainbows fill the Iraqi skies the next morning?
Speaking of LRA (Lord's Resistance Army), take that you silly Evangelists! Apparently converting (or as I take it, quasi-culturally cleansing) Africa apparently isn't a panacea to their suffering!!1!!!11
I came across this very good article in the Guardian here
En court : it's nice that people are paying attention to something that's not complete fluff but I can't take it seriously because the movement is sooo deeply flawed. Given that it has mainly ridden on the back of sheeplike teenagers, interest will probably wane as quickly it flared up.
(edit: yup it did)
***
Okay, that's that. next topic: I joined the gym! Mixed feelings. I don't like the money going out of pocket, even if it is relatively cheap(ish). I also get really weirded out by the whole concept. I try not to think about the narcissism it probably reveals in me. Then, there's a whole world outside with fresh air and trees and doesn't cost anything; yet I stand indoors on a machine and stare at a screen watching... cricket? I HATE cricket. It's particularly acute on the treadmill, where I feel so much like a lab rat. The worst of it is the fact that I drive there. I could essentially just walk to the gym and back and have the same benefit. But... we all know that's never happening. All that aside, I do enjoy it. I try to go to some of the classes, especially Zumba which is really a lot of fun. And I get to catch up with Mansi who I don't otherwise see very often during the semester.
***
I always though plastic surgery was something done by one in a gazillion people, mostly celebrities and rich, stupid people. I've recently found out that it's in fact a lot more common than I thought. It makes me a little dissappointed and a litle fearful for society.
It also draws me to ponder on the nature of beauty. I don't find things that are overly architected and perfected and deliberated on beautiful. I really can't seem to find the right word here, but hopefully you get the general idea. I can say that it is aesthetically pleasing, at most. But for me, awe inspiring beauty lies more in spontaneity and honesty. It's like a gust of fresh air. Trying to ply it artificially just doesn't cut it (for me), though I don't disagree with enhancing in very small degrees or gently suppressing unsightly bits (like, for example covering horrible scars on one's face that are vestiges of a tragic lactose intolerance problem one might have...).
I'm not sure if certain parts of the above paragraph are poetic or just wank. I guess I'll decide tomorrow.
Let's address this Kony thing first of all. I assume most people who are reading this will be aware with the issue by now, so I won't bother outlining it. I've been following the related FB activity with some interest, and I'm glad that most people that I would credit with having any sense have been fairly critical. Unfortunately, that's not too many. Maybe I'm being too harsh... I guess I might have jumped on the bandwagon myself two years ago.
Let me outline my view. Much of the following points are copy-pasted from something I wrote previously on Facebook... just fixed the grammar a bit. It was on Facebook, after all.
1) The video is so damned sensationalist. For such an ambitious project, there's too much fiery rhetoric and hardly enough factual information; it stokes sympathy effectively but not in a way that lends it much credibility when you really pay attention. They've totally simplified the complexities of war beyond what I think should be acceptable. And I really don't like the part where they've scripted the lines for that kid, ffs totally insulting intelligence!
2) It's a little silly that Americans are trying so hard to fight this particular issue of human rights in Africa, when in the last 40 years, they+World Bank have brought on the worst of the crap that the continent has to confront. No, this is not some conspiracy theory, it's the obvious effects of what they've done by wearing their favourite "world policeman" hat. Google it. It's like... setting fire to someone's house but feeling good that you saved their dog. Bad analogy I guess, but you know what I mean.
3) People have been posting a lot about how financially unaccountable the organisation is and apparently only 32% of the money goes directly to work on the ground. (n.b. I have since discovered this may not be true)
but these are only small gripes that I have when you consider...
4) The kind of American "help" they're proposing. This part totally got to me. As if their shit stirring in the Middle East isn't enough!! AND after the chaos they've caused previously within Africa itself. Speechless when I saw this, and when I found my tongue I literally screamed FUUUUUCK YOU! at the computer (nobody home :p). It reeks with post-colonialism and white-man interventionist smugness. Besides which, they can very easily start another civil war and completely blow everything up.
5) But ultimately, I know quite well that nothing will happen because at this point, America has no vested interests (edit: OOOOPS this isn't true, I didn't know Uganda has oil!). The Occupy Wall Street movement had millions of (ahem, actually well informed) people on actually on the streets, screaming all around the world, protesting against the bad behaviour of the govt and top financial companies. Not this "one click social activism" bullshit.
These boys have a very half baked idea of how the world works and how to deal with very deep, fragile issues.
Since writing the above, I have realised something else that should have struck me earlier. The aim is so stupid! "Bring Kony to justice". Firstly, the term "justice" itself is such a complicated, subjective one. I think the word they are looking for is revenge. But more importantly, WHO is this Kony? Say that we do capture and buttrape/kill him, do they really think that will solve the issue? That immediately, the sun will appear from behind the clouds, that thousands of children will spontaneously cheer and throw their hands in the air, slip seamlessly back into their everyday lives? For example, there was such a hullabaloo when they executed Saddam Hussein. Did rainbows fill the Iraqi skies the next morning?
Speaking of LRA (Lord's Resistance Army), take that you silly Evangelists! Apparently converting (or as I take it, quasi-culturally cleansing) Africa apparently isn't a panacea to their suffering!!1!!!11
I came across this very good article in the Guardian here
En court : it's nice that people are paying attention to something that's not complete fluff but I can't take it seriously because the movement is sooo deeply flawed. Given that it has mainly ridden on the back of sheeplike teenagers, interest will probably wane as quickly it flared up.
(edit: yup it did)
***
Okay, that's that. next topic: I joined the gym! Mixed feelings. I don't like the money going out of pocket, even if it is relatively cheap(ish). I also get really weirded out by the whole concept. I try not to think about the narcissism it probably reveals in me. Then, there's a whole world outside with fresh air and trees and doesn't cost anything; yet I stand indoors on a machine and stare at a screen watching... cricket? I HATE cricket. It's particularly acute on the treadmill, where I feel so much like a lab rat. The worst of it is the fact that I drive there. I could essentially just walk to the gym and back and have the same benefit. But... we all know that's never happening. All that aside, I do enjoy it. I try to go to some of the classes, especially Zumba which is really a lot of fun. And I get to catch up with Mansi who I don't otherwise see very often during the semester.
***
I always though plastic surgery was something done by one in a gazillion people, mostly celebrities and rich, stupid people. I've recently found out that it's in fact a lot more common than I thought. It makes me a little dissappointed and a litle fearful for society.
It also draws me to ponder on the nature of beauty. I don't find things that are overly architected and perfected and deliberated on beautiful. I really can't seem to find the right word here, but hopefully you get the general idea. I can say that it is aesthetically pleasing, at most. But for me, awe inspiring beauty lies more in spontaneity and honesty. It's like a gust of fresh air. Trying to ply it artificially just doesn't cut it (for me), though I don't disagree with enhancing in very small degrees or gently suppressing unsightly bits (like, for example covering horrible scars on one's face that are vestiges of a tragic lactose intolerance problem one might have...).
I'm not sure if certain parts of the above paragraph are poetic or just wank. I guess I'll decide tomorrow.
