just write
The clash of civilizations?
the clash of civilixations, the theory propounded by the hawks in american governance and mr. osama laden and vocally supported by the hindu right here in india is not based on application of mind or on some basic truths.
the idea of a uniform islamic civilization presupposes the fact that a muslim in india, a muslim in iran, a muslim in the congo republic , a muslim in malaysia , a muslim in argentina and a muslim in sweden will all have the same world view, the same approach towards other people.
this would be the same as saying, a buddhist in india, a buddhist in japan and mr. richard gere would think akin. apart from having the hots for demi moore , i think that would be a serious fallacy.
also the internal contradictions within islam and indeed all religions are too vast to be ignored. if one has been in lucknow and been a witness to the bloody confrontations between shias and sunnis, or indeed between other denominations or if we see the recent history of national wars between iraq and iran or the creation of bangladesh , when these having contiguous cultures can erupt between themselves, then it is time to give the civilization theory a quick and unambiguous burial.
yet there has been a rise in militancy worldwide and people, muslims up taking arms from many countries in the name of islam. that has to be seen in the context of erosion of state authority, due to internal or external factors. if people lose faith in their state then it is possible that they give their allegiance , temporarily maybe, to another available authority.if a few people from a particular state are stressing that in the name of islam, it does not mean that all the people in that state are of the same mindset. why some people have lost faith in their state and how the same people in american governance who propound the pernicious civilization theory, are also responisble for the same ,is matter of another debate.
The reach of popular american media is pervasive and is imagined to be the truth. but the civilization argument is patently false. let me make it clear that i am in admiration for many things that america and american people stand for. but formulations like this, whether they come from mr. bush or mr. laden are to be severely opposed.
the clash is not between ephemeral civilizations but it is between the forces of fundamentalism and those who oppose it. that is the real fight. and in that fight i oppose mr. laden as i oppose mr. bush as i oppose mr. modi here as i oppose the bombing of lebanon as i oppose the sucide attacks on israel as i oppose the twin tower attack as i oppose the colonialism of iraq.
bobby parvez
The clash of civilizations?
the clash of civilixations, the theory propounded by the hawks in american governance and mr. osama laden and vocally supported by the hindu right here in india is not based on application of mind or on some basic truths.
the idea of a uniform islamic civilization presupposes the fact that a muslim in india, a muslim in iran, a muslim in the congo republic , a muslim in malaysia , a muslim in argentina and a muslim in sweden will all have the same world view, the same approach towards other people.
this would be the same as saying, a buddhist in india, a buddhist in japan and mr. richard gere would think akin. apart from having the hots for demi moore , i think that would be a serious fallacy.
also the internal contradictions within islam and indeed all religions are too vast to be ignored. if one has been in lucknow and been a witness to the bloody confrontations between shias and sunnis, or indeed between other denominations or if we see the recent history of national wars between iraq and iran or the creation of bangladesh , when these having contiguous cultures can erupt between themselves, then it is time to give the civilization theory a quick and unambiguous burial.
yet there has been a rise in militancy worldwide and people, muslims up taking arms from many countries in the name of islam. that has to be seen in the context of erosion of state authority, due to internal or external factors. if people lose faith in their state then it is possible that they give their allegiance , temporarily maybe, to another available authority.if a few people from a particular state are stressing that in the name of islam, it does not mean that all the people in that state are of the same mindset. why some people have lost faith in their state and how the same people in american governance who propound the pernicious civilization theory, are also responisble for the same ,is matter of another debate.
The reach of popular american media is pervasive and is imagined to be the truth. but the civilization argument is patently false. let me make it clear that i am in admiration for many things that america and american people stand for. but formulations like this, whether they come from mr. bush or mr. laden are to be severely opposed.
the clash is not between ephemeral civilizations but it is between the forces of fundamentalism and those who oppose it. that is the real fight. and in that fight i oppose mr. laden as i oppose mr. bush as i oppose mr. modi here as i oppose the bombing of lebanon as i oppose the sucide attacks on israel as i oppose the twin tower attack as i oppose the colonialism of iraq.
bobby parvez
posted by just write at 12:53 AM
2 Comments:
if we went slightly higher in the stratosphere, we might realise that its really a clash of identities as they have multiplied big time in the modern world. its like we can actually wear a different identity everyday to suit our whims, like we can change the colour of our cell phones or assume a different nick in a chat room? i wonder if it has anything to do with increasing consumerism and our awakening to our 'self', to the extent that we give ourselves the indepedence of choice irrespective of what is expected of us. the self then is linked to the instinct of survival on the basis of which we choose from a plethora of identities and choose to act accordingly.
dear parvez, i have bantered at this length in the fond hope of convincing u that i read what u have written and truly admired it :)
so now i hope we will not meet eachother tom hehe
satyajit
When “W” utters “clash of civilizations” he is reading a teleprompter. Bin laden’s diatribe or media loosely throwing the term on “Good Morning America” lacks credibility as well. Both are selling to the gallery.
However, rapid globalization and international interests of corporations and the individual has shifted the war from collective (nation states) to a personal level (culture, interests and ideology) – and in the process cultural tectonic plates are bound to kick up some dust.
Peace
-r
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