Hi Eugene and everybody,
>if one refuses to think someone does it for him or her. I'm not comfortable
>when currently "thinking" is mainly done by "political experts" and
>politicians. I think we should engage in public/civic dialogue before
>rushing in "the war of the XXI century".
I certainly agree with you. I guess members in the xmca community are just
worried that we might lose our passion and compassion for human lives in
the process of intellectualization. Yet, as you pointed out, our cognitive
and affective responses should not be seen as separate/dichotic. Here in
Hong Kong, there has been a lot of discussion, and mourning too. The media
reported also that the terrorists are likely to be associated with former
trainees of CIA in Afganistan when it's fighting Russia (and CIA was
reportedly helping bin Laden's men to fight Russians by training them in
intelligence work); that might explain their high level of skills and how
they could have escapted CIA intelligence. As you pointed out, the whole
incident seemed to be about SYMBOLS--it's shocking because:
(1) It's totally unanticipated (just as you're eating, driving, computing,
engaged in the most mundain routines of everyday life);
(2) It makes the ordinary person come to the stark realization that not
much is actually under one's (human) control; contrary to what the
consumerism media have always told us, and contrary to the whole modernist
project of subjecting nature and our lives under rationality and scientific
technological control;
(3) It strikes one as unintelligible as lives of innocent people (those on
the hijacked plane) are used to take the lives of even more innocent
people; in our traditional storylines (in our common subconsciousness, so
to speak), we have storylines in which innocent people are sacrificed to
save other people's lives, but the storyline played out in the event is
just too shocking--it doesn't seem to have occurred in any or our known
human stories or ancient myths--it runs contrary to our common
subconsciousness.
(4) It's about symbols, as you said. It's shocking to the American (and
people all over the world) because the way WTC collapsed--the 4th tallest
buildings in the world, a symbol of human (and American) achievement and
pride--the way it collapsed is symbolic--the Babel Tower, the great
city--the most powerful nation on earth--it's hurting to Americans, and
people all over the world, not only because of the loss of human lives, but
also, perhaps, more deeply, psychologically and subconsciously, because it
seems to be a symbolic blow to all that the Western society whucg has
prided itself on--its technological, scientific and human
achievements--collapsed.
The above analysis is not meant to reduce our compassion and passion for
human lives--which is above all values/justifications. I don't know what
we can do, but WE MUST BE COMMITTED TO AN INTERNATIONAL PEACE MOVEMENT, in
whatever limited way we can. Violence for violence leads to more violence.
Commpassion, political analysis and polical action, must go hand in hand.
We have no other choice.
Angel
***************************************************************
Angel Lin, Ph.D.(Ontario Institute for Studies in Education,
University of Toronto)
Assistant Professor, Department of English and Communication
City University of Hong Kong
Tat Chee Ave., Kowloon, Hong Kong
Fax: (852) 2788-8894; phone: (852) 2788-8122
E-mail: enangel@cityu.edu.hk
http://www.cityu.edu.hk/en/staff/angel/angel.html
http://www.tesl-hk.org.hk
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