| A rambling entry on cynicism and such |
[23 April 2008|11:39 pm] |
I feel so cynical these days. I would like to write something meaningful on social issues, but I just stare at the update page and watch the cursor flicker on the screen. The words don't come. The issues and topics don't evoke passion from me. It's just more of the same, reinforcing my belief that the world is absolutely fucked. Partisan issues, petty self-interest, and all-too-wilfull ignorance are par for the course.
I'm 21. I feel like I'm far too young to be this cynical and disenchanted by life already. I remember when I was 17 or 18 and believed it was possible for there to be meaningful progress; those of you who've been following my journal for years will probably recall my passionate political entries of the "early days". Rather crucially, I believed in things - that the system worked, that it could be used to meaningfully better life, and that people would generally behave in good faith rather than selfish interest. I know many of my contemporaries still think like I used to think. This is apparently the idealistic stage of life, with possibilities and opportunities. Ha.
I suppose I still have some of the idealism. I'm a weak pacifist - i.e. I believe violence can only be justifiably used in self-defence, as opposed to strong pacifists who do not believe violence can ever be justifiably used. I believe the rise of secular values and corresponding decline in religiosity will continue unabated. My opinions on the necessity of urgent and drastic action on climate change and other environmental matters fit comfortably with the parts of the green left written off as idealists. But these are ideological stances of what I believe is right; I have no delusions that they will be realised, besides the rise of secular values one which is based on statistical trends and applies to just about everywhere except the US, where the Enlightenment was simply something that happened to other countries.
So despite these arguably idealistic stances, my cynical side shows very strongly. I watch the news nightly, but none of the political controversies and global events seem to summon much passion in me any more. Take for example the fiasco surrounding the Zimbabwean elections. No surprises there; just what you would expect from Mugabe, and getting all heated up about it on my blog isn't going to do much. Wailings of "why do we let this happen?" add nothing of substance. I expect Mugabe to continue to destroy Zimbabwe with little more than hot air in response from the outside world. I expect Darfur to drag on for years. I expect the Israeli/Palestinian conflict to not reach any resolution. I expect governments globally to keep screwing over the least fortunate and most vulnerable. Don't forget Cambodia; after millions died at the hands of the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime, Vietnam was criticised for invading Cambodia and ousting the regime, and Khmer Rouge diplomats were acknowledged as Cambodia's representatives by the Western powers into the 1990s. That's just the way things go, and when this world wakes up too late to where it's going, I'll just say "well, I told you so".
Nobody's listening. Nobody wants to hear it. Climate change is a fight enough; good luck mentioning the Holocene extinction event without being considered an apocalyptic weirdo or a miserable doomsayer. We like our comfortable Western lives, after all. The prospect of even the smallest of socially positive progress seems doomed at the hands of political mechanisms that serve narrow interests, function inordinately slowly, and are caught in numerous shackles. I suppose it's fundamentally a fear of commitment and responsibility. I've known a lot of people like that; it seems fairly common. As long as we don't have to commit to anything and as long as we don't have to be responsible for anything, well, we can just keep cruising along obliviously and without worrying about the consequences. That's for someone else. And, frankly, what can you do anyway? I've accomplished nothing. Now I'm just worn down and expect nothing more than the same failure. |
|
|
| |
[4 January 2008|08:42 pm] |
You know what I hate? Drama. Stupid, petty, pointless drama. I have an extremely low tolerance for bullshit. I am extremely frustrated by the complete bollocks that sometimes intrudes on my life. Some people may thrive on being irrational and difficult and take pleasure from the ensuing nonsense, but that's their failing, not mine.
Speaking of people having bullshit thrust upon them, I feel rather sorry for David Hicks. He gets out of Guantanamo Bay, he gets released from Australian detention, and he walks into the invisible cage erected by the media. Now, I'm not willing to take sides on Hicks's guilt - the man was held in the most reprehensible conditions and I think it is more than reasonable to suggest he pled guilty to materially supporting terrorism simply to get out. Certainly without a fair and open trial before a jury of his peers, I am not going to accept Hicks's guilt or presume that he was simply a naive innocent in the wrong place at the wrong time.
However, I am more than willing to take a side on the post-release media circus. The media are acting like a pack of ravenous dogs with no respect for anyone else. This article in The Age struck me as very disappointing. The guy must be extremely psychologically damaged by his time in Guantanamo; no wonder he won't take questions and is apprehensive about being seen in public! The man's gone through a very traumatic experience and the process of re-adjustment to normal life will hardly be a picnic for him either, and the media vultures surely are not helping that at all. It seems like even the most respectable media outlets have questionable moral scruples. There isn't even really a story here! Hicks is free and trying to return to normality, and in no condition to answer any questions; go chase some worthwhile news that matters.
Bah, people. And some folk wonder why I like to say "the biggest problem with humanity is people"? |
|
|
| The Nobel Peace Prize. |
[7 October 2005|08:33 pm] |
This year's Nobel Peace Prize winner has been announced, and unsurprisingly to me, it was not Bono, even though he was not only nominated but considered a favourite by some. I do believe one of these days, he'll receive the prize for his work against poverty, though it probably won't be any time soon - kind of a shame, as if he had won today, the upcoming New York concert would have had an excellent air of celebration. In any case, the winner was the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its director, Mohamed ElBaradei. Now, if I may be cynical, note that this year is the 60th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombings, and the Peace Prize on the 40th and 50th anniversaries also went to anti-nuclear causes. It's no secret that there are politics involved in the selection of the prizewinner, and I can't help but wonder if the IAEA would've won this year had the nuclear bombs been dropped in 1944.
But that's just my cynical side talking. The IAEA are worthy winners, considering their worldwide work to ensure the safe use of nuclear materials, and I'm not disappointed Bono didn't win - if he does win the Prize sometime, I think it'd be better if it came once the fruits of his labours are more obvious, and it should probably be a joint award with people working with him like Jeffrey Sachs.
In other news, I must say that today's cricket match between Australia and the World XI is proving to be very entertaining with some quality batting from both sides. I'm annoyed Kallis was sent in after the dismissal of Gayle - and that annoyance was compounded by the fact he managed to run out the on-fire Sangakarra! But as long as the World XI manage to retain their high run rate at the moment and avoid collapse, this is going to be an exhilarating game right to the very end.
PS Pollock - you're a useless captain. Really, what was up with not using Vettori in the first game until 30 overs had passed? And whatever nitwit awarded the man of the match in the first game not to Vettori obviously didn't even watch the bloody game. Danny was clearly the best player on the park - indeed, the only one worth watching! |
|
|
discontent
calm