Wednesday, May 20, 2009

One Country, A Million Perspectives

The Lankanosphere's awash with posts on the end of the conflict, hardly surprising and totally justified. We've all said our bit and many continue to say theirs.

One thing's struck me in the recent days. It's the simple truth we're all looking at the same facts. VIC's opinion may be different to mine, which may be different to DD's. VIC might read one newspaper and watch one, or several, TV stations, they'll no doubt be different to my choices and mine will be different to DD's.

Between all of us bloggers we've got more opinions than Dinidu's got dioptres. And I've come to realise that none of us are wrong yet none of us are right. They're just views really aren't they, whether we choose to portray them in Sittingnut's style or David Blacker's they're just views, just perspectives, just words and arguments.

I almost made an attempt to write a poem, but I don't understand poetry. So I wrote some lines about my recent thoughts. Here they are:

One man's happiness is another man's sadness
One man's statistic is another man's loved one
One man's goodness is another man's badness
One man's hero is another man's villain
One man's death is another man's celebration
One man's Peacenik Pussy is another man's moderate

One man's moderate is another man's optimist
One man's optimist is another man's pessimist
One man's joy is another's fear
One man's realist is another's cynic
One man's home is another man's newspaper article
One man's newspaper article is another man's fish and chip paper.
One man's dusk is another man's dawn.

That's it, there's no neat, tidy and rhyming ending. That's because it's not a poem. Just thoughts.

So many of us see the same things and draw different conclusions, but maybe, hopefully and desperately we can all see true peace.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

OK.

RD is dead and his academic bro is writing pukey poetry.

ahem, about the writings of Blacker and Sittingnut, they are more than that.

They have been appearing in Melbourne and Canberra community library notice boards for some time now.

Kalusudda said...

We all never be the same but I think we all can coexist. If all of us were same, man that would boring, like you with a drums without skins on them :)
After talking to some people in SL, I decided to help out some children and families in SL. Be they children of soldiers or orphaned IDP child, I would like to see them grow up without hate. So I will be doing the best I could. Davids and Sittingnuts make wonder about the world we live in. I just want to learn how to love, without hating anyone.

sittingnut said...

poem!?
forget that.
-
so you think everything is relative? no universally valid morality ? no universal human rights?
you think that, say ...deliberate murder of innocents, or rape children, is is neither right or wrong in themselves, but are so to this or that individual based on their perspective?
thanks for letting us know how you think

btw do you think we should judge any 'criminal' ever? i mean according to you it is just a pov. criminal thinks he was right to do whatever he did an it is not a crime, we think he is has no such right. both according to you is valid. why judge?huh?

if you had any intelligence you will realize that such a philosophy( an old one ) allows everything
"everything is permitted" - ivan karamazov from dostoevsky's novel brothers karamazov
-
while you in your narrow self created cocoon may think it is just arguments or something in the news , crimes are not just arguments; ppl get killed , properties are damaged, lives are changed, in real world.
-

btw i try to keep up with all sources to get to know what happens in reality . esp ppl who disagree with me. unlike you who obviously do not read or watch things that do not agree with you, and supports banning ppl who offends you, just don't assume that everyone is similarly narrow minded.

Rhythmic Diaspora said...

Anon - yeah, yeah, yeah, as usual thanks.

KS - I share your views there and try to do my bit too.

Sittingnut - I think that there are certain acts most of us find abhorrent. I believe rape, the murder of innocents and many other things are fundamentally wrong and against human rights.

My point, which you clearly failed to understand through your fog of rage, is that "most" of us doesn't mean all of us. My definition of an "innocent" person may be different to your's.

It IS about points of view, but there are points of view that agre with the law of the land and those that don't.

Of course I think criminals should be judged, that's what I think is necessary to maintain a civilised society, or else there'd be anarchy.

As you are so intelligent, way beyond any level I could aspire to, I'm sure you've heard of projection. Check it out,just in case you haven't, it's what you do.

Thanks for reading and commenting as ever.

ViceUnVersa said...

GDM2U2 RD

You be RD
Me be DD

R2D2

As you see me in one of my WTF moods today!

Nat said...

you are spot on in believing that absolute truth does not exist. Imposing you opinion on people and upsetting applecarts is just not the done thing. You are the perfect male epitome of the Stepford Wives. I salute you! :)

Anonymous said...

What amazes me on a regular basis, how a seemingly though provoking post by you, can incite such anger from a variety of sources.

It is truly bizarre. Says more about them, than about you.

I once was told by a Reuters cameraman that "one mans terrorist was another man freedom fighter". I was furious, but now I really do know what he meant.

I think it is rage that got us into this mess in Sri Lanka in the first place, the inability to see differing views simultaneously. To respect someone else's viewpoint even if it made no sense to you. They can co-exist. Many of the worlds philosophies talk about nothing being "right " and "wrong" good or bad. Clearly those who respond to your blog with rage might need to consider this.

Anger hasn't really got any of us anywhere..

Anonymous said...

Thanks. Your post and the last couple of comments got me thinking that, "the simple truth that we're all looking at the same facts...", might not be so simple or truthful given this govts. squeeze on independent and critical media reporting. (Which is absolutely not to say one can't commit to social justice and rights).

Also, how about "One man's comparison, is woman's continual subordination"!

Voice in Colombo said...

LOL! (at your poem. You sound pathetic with poetry.!)

If the world is like what you see it as; I’d be the first one to be happy. People can hold on to what they believe is “true” and no one will ever have to debate about what the truth is! How beautiful a world would it be.

But my friend, the world is not like that. There’s only one truth. Find it and support it.

I’ll leave you with a quote by Robert Frost to think about for few hours.
“A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel”

Sometimes; being a liberal really sucks. That’s why you have to fight for your side of the quarrel.

Rukman said...

Sittingnut

You're beyond redemption. Fucktard.

Rhythmic Diaspora said...

DD - Yes, looks like you woke up grumpy, or one of the other dwarves, today!

His holines and VIC - I do believe in the existence in absolute truth, jut not for every occasion and every question. Some things are fact, others are judgement and opinion.

Anon 1 - Yes, rage and polarisation of opinions have a lot to answer for. "Reuters cameraman" - do I know you?

Anon 2 - Please explain that "one man's comparison..?" I think it may be a big pearl of wisdom, but I don't understand it.

VIC - see my reply above but yes, my poetry's crap isn't it. I think I'll stick to drumming for now!

YOu know VIC, I'd love to meet you sometime and discuss these things, for I feel that there's room in this world for many differing opinions without the need to believe there's only one truth in some areas.

Mr Dictator - You speak with wisdom!

Anonymous said...

At best pathetic. Of course both !!!

The poetry and the ideology.

Wonder why the same was not thought of when NB violated your privacy.

After all according to you then he was only then exercising his freedom of speech.

So one man's Pedophile is another man's hero ?

and that is ok ?

So there is absolute wrong or right ??

There are no heroes ? There are no bad guys ? No scum of the earth ? no milk of the human race ?

How can a parent be so devoid of conviction ?

Lack of conviction is certainly a lack of character and clearly unsuitable to guide future generations.

Where is the wisdom of 4 decades ?

You have failed, miserably grasshopper.

Voice in Colombo said...

RD,

I have nothing personal against you (or against any blogger for that matter). I have a faith, and I will defend that at my best. I am someone who never worry about the past, and only think about the future. I that sense; all your retrospects on the war is just B/S. More important thing now is, not about Prabhakaran's moustache or probing into how he died. More important thing is, how we can rebuild from this point on. How we can reinstate the trust between Sinhalese and Tamils.

Start blogging about something constructive, or stick to drumming.

David Blacker said...

DD, you need to stop smoking that shit so early in the morning.

Rhythmic Diaspora said...

Anon - your "wisdom" is incredible as usual. Please, as you seem to think you're a good teacher for me, show your credentials, let's see how well you've done at all these areas you claim to be so knowledgable about. Also please show me how you can know my reaction to the NB fiasco.

VIC - I agree with your thoughts on rebuilding. As for the "start blogging...blah blah blah" thing, I think my reply respectfully is to tell you to stop reading if you don't like it, I'll carry on blogging as long as I want to thanks.

sittingnut said...

how very civilized and typical :-)

The Benevolent Dictator said
Sittingnut
You're beyond redemption. Fucktard.

Rhythmic Diaspora said :
Mr Dictator
You speak with wisdom!

btw do you understand what is meant by hypocrisy? and irrationality ?

sittingnut said...

btw if there is anyone here who is rational and not a hypocrite, please read rd's original reply to me and compare it with his post.
and notice the logical contradictions in his reply from sentence to sentence. the reply is so confused and illogical that i took some time off after my last comment (pending moderation at time of writing this ) just to make sure i am not missing something.

same with his replies to some others

clearly whatever he claims to knows about "projection" , he certainly fails in simple logic.

he knows that his reply is a failure, that probably explains his open rage at me there and later. usually he is good at hiding his anger against me in "civilized" language.

Rukman said...

Sittingnut

YOU are accusing RD of being illogical and confusing in his posts? You truly are delusional.

By the way, you still are a fuctard beyond redemption..fucktard.

:-)

sittingnut said...

the-benevolent-dictator ( all of whose blog posts this year are about poor old 'delusional' me ):
after your latest comment, is it any wonder that rd appreciate your 'wisdom' so much ? and consider your comments "intelligent discussion" ? no wonder he is angry at me and finds me in contrast objectionable and confrontational.
if he can find another like you, he would be in cocoon heaven, so do find him one please .

as expected ( see the qualifier in my last comment ), you obviously did not see any confused logic in his reply to me . i rest my case. :-)

Rukman said...

Stop missing the woods for the trees you dingbat.

Have a read through all your posts since you started blogging. If you have an ounce of objectivity you would realise what illogical and confusing are. But then again, you are the government ass-licker who calls himself a libertarian so I guess you just use words without understading them.

When's your birthday? I'll send you a few dictionaries.

sittingnut said...

ha! more of rd's preferred "wisdom and intelligent discussion"

the-benevolent-dictator (who it seems has no blog existence apart from poor old me. fact. talk about parasites!):
by going off in a tangent (about my blog and my libertarianism), and forgetting the specifics of argument here, you basically acknowledged that you have lost the argument here, thanks :-). if not, you are free to return to specifics here.
-
as for your tangent arguments ,
as i have asked you several times, why not quote one sentence from me that was against libertarian principles.

you have failed to do that for all these months in spite of repeated requests from me. if you do that, then we will know whether dictionaries you have were of any value to you. otherwise your are free to keep them till you do, or send them to rd who no doubt will value them ( do they define word 'agre'?) :-).