Friday, July 08, 2005

Sad Day

It is a sad day when innocent people are killed in accidents and I always pray that they and their loved ones have had the oppotunity to express their love for each other before the horrific accidents. My sympathy goes out to all of those who lost their loved ones in this terrible accident.

It is easy to condemn the actions of these extremists and point the finger without trying to understand why they would want to do something like this or kill themselves to "save the rest of mankind", just like how if something is missing in the house, the maid or the guest would be the first suspect, but is it fair to jump to such conclusions?

These bombings have timed themselves with the G8 meetings and is widely viewed as a protest to globalisation. Globalisation, while being kind to the richer and developed countries, has created a widening gap between themselves and the poorer countries, plunging many underdeveloped countries into further poverty. As we continue to use our computers and our iPods and live our days without much worry for the next day, people in improverished countries struggle just to find enough food for the next meal. It is easy for us to dismiss these actions and cry helplessness, but poverty and helplessness sometimes drive people into actions that are deemed "insane" by us. If you were hungry and helpless all the time and have to suffer under the "reins" of the richer, wouldn't you have feelings of contempt as well.

It is almost similar to being the unpopular kid being picked at in school and personally, I know how it feels. There comes a time when the nerd retaliates, sometimes in a group, sometimes as themselves. If they don't harm themselves (sometimes by suicide or mass suicide, or by simple self hate or lowering of self esteem), they harm others. We've seen it in the movies, we've seen it in real life. When we learn the stories behind the actions, do we pity they bully or do we sympathise with the nerd?

I am not supporting these barbaric actions. On the contrary, I condemn the act of killing, for any reason. However, I think we need to be fair and try to understand how we can stop this violent attacks. We have invaded Iraq, captured the leader, but killed millions in the process of doing so, and many more are still dying every day. Violence breeds violence ... I just want to know when will we learn that violence does not solve problems.

If we do not understand the fundamentals of the problem, how can we solve them? With the current world leaders and media control, it is unlikely that we will be casting a compassionate eye. What we will be seeing will be the images of inoncent people dying, but not of those in the countries that we invade, but of those that will support their case for further violence.

The world is going on a downward spiral and is currently having its breakdowns. I wonder if we will all still be around eventually when we hit rock bottom for the breakthrough to eventually occur ...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

James,

I agree with several of your points!

Especially, that violence begets violence and begets violence! The attacks on London kill and harm as much as any pre emptive strike on another soveriegn nation such as Iraq.

The question I am asking myself today is how to not lose hope? How to not go down the very depressing road that the world is fucked and I can't do anything about it! I increasingly feel that my inner world is so far removed from what I see happening out there in the world.

Then I remind myself of the wonderful friends and love that i share with my family and remember that it is how I live my life that matters most and that somehow restores me back to some sanity.

John x

JameZ said...

It's always nice to know that your partner shares the same "sentiments".

Yes, positivity is definitely the way to life. Thanks for being an inspiration every day.