What's in my bag? (44/365)

What's in my bag? (44/365), originally uploaded by Headphonaught.

Freedom of Speech...

A couple of things have made me consider the freedom of speech within the UK today.

First off, we have Dutch politician Geert Wilders being banned from the UK.

We then have the story of Jasmine Cain and her so called "religious intolerance".

Both have distrubed me... because it seems the norm nowadays to silence people we don't agree with or at least discredit them. What also disturbs me is that Jasmine's mother is under disciplinary procedings because she spoke out against the situation and sought help from her church (someone from her church received her email and alerted the Head of Jasmine's school).

I believe in freedom of speech. I see it as a fundamental pillar in our society. We all have the right to believe/think what we want and to express what we believe/think in a manner that is respectful to others.

Please note that I say respectful to others... hatred is not acceptable.

Just as much as we should be free to express our opinion, we should have the freedom to challenge the beliefs/opinions of others. It is through debate and consensus... again, in a manner that is respectful to others.

Here I feel is the key to why I have been upset with these two random stories... where is the debate and where is the respect?

I have no desire for Geert Wilders' film to be shown but neither am I afraid of it. I believe Islam has been tarred by the brush of a few madmen and he is jumping on this with both feet... but then again, I can't fully form my opinion of his error because I haven't seen the film - the UK Government have, in essence, quashed any debate and have, singlehandedly, given the Far Right another martyr... another hero silenced by "the man".

Crazy ideas are shown up in the light of debate. That's the way to defeat the kind of nonsense and hate being spouted today. We need to educate and inform with evidence, not silence people because we don't agree with them.

As for Jasmine... what get's me is the comment from her Head:

"This is not an issue about Christianity, it is about religious intolerance."

No, sorry, this is about Christianity because it is the religion you are claiming to be intolerant. If you don't believe in the things Jasmine is speaking of then say so... say to the student she spoke to that this is one belief of which there are many. Do not tar a wee lassie with the "intolerant" brush just because you don't agree with her. Show her some respect... and don't silence her. Use her opinion as a point of discussion and talk through the various perspectives.

Oh and why is her parent being disciplined? For speaking out? For having concern for her child and expressing that to people who she thought could be trusted? That for me is the true disgrace here.

Personally, a we'an shouldn't be talking about hell... its out of context and is a scary idea. People shouldn't be scared into an understanding of God... people should be loved for who they are. In this regard, the wee lassie was wrong for what she said... but her treatment... the way she's been handled is an absolute disgrace.

Freedom of speech, it would seem, is only working for those people who wish to control the speech of others. Political correctness, when done in a respectful manner, does work... but in the way it is being exercised just now... it is a disgrace.

2001 A Space Odyssey + Orbital's Halcyon

Nice!

2001 A Space Odyssey

I finally got round to watching 2001 A Space Odyssey. I wont even attempt to define what its all about... ideas of death and rebirth... of travel and limits... just seem small in comparison with the grandeur of this film.

I will, however, rave on about how it is a visual and aural delight.

The cinematographer is simply breathtaking. Unique. Enhanced by a tight attention to detail. The realism of space travel is remarkable - the quiet of space and the effects of gravity are reproduced with startling realism. The design of the sets was also fantastic. You could talk for a long time on the different chairs used or the computer consoles.

The "trip" at the end of the film is as intriguing and beguiling as it is scary and disconcerting... truly a cinematic paradox:





The sound is a wonderful treat too. The ambient noise adds to the experience. The breathing, for example, is extremely disconcerting but amplifies the experience of being in a spacesuit.

The music is a real pleasure out of context (the soundtrack contains some of the best orchestral music ever made)... but... in the context of the film the music enhances the cinematographery and creates a synergistic marriage of beauty and elegance that has no real parallel other than John Williams work with Star Wars.

As an aside... the music, as it appears in the film, is as follows:

• Overture :: "Atmospheres" :: Gyorgy Ligeti
• Main Title :: "Also Sprach Zarathustra" :: Richard Strauss
• Monolith 1 :: "Requiem" :: Gyorgy Ligeti
• "The Blue Danube (excerpt)" :: Johann Strauss
• Monolith 2 :: "Lux Aeterna" :: Gyorgy Ligeti
• "Gayane Ballet Suite (Adagio)" :: Aram Khachaturian
• Jupiter & Beyond :: more from "Requiem", "Atmospheres" & "Adventures" :: Gyorgy Ligeti
• Main Title :: "Also Sprach Zarathustra" :: Richard Strauss
• Credits :: "The Blue Danube" :: Johann Strauss

Truly a wonderful film in the most holistic of ways. Loved it.

Dear Friends (42/365)

Dear Friends (42/365), originally uploaded by Headphonaught.

Spent a lovely couple of hours with Susan & Scott Dunn. Met up at Nando's in Xscape followed by a wee coffee at Starbucks in Braehead. Good times!

Loving me some TV On The Radio...

a massive oversimplification...

I thought this article [ Taking the ‘Youth’ out of Youth Culture :: psfk.com ] was challenging and something worth sharing. I am friends with a number of people who work with in "youth" ministry and thought this might be a valuable perspective.

/..the term ‘youth,’ when referring to an entire generation (or two), is a massive oversimplification.

No more can you generalize the varied actions of adults as being part of an ‘adult culture’ can you generalize the behaviors of youth as being reflective of a ‘youth culture.’ Where adults are given any number of demographics to fit into, based on age, class, gender, race, or lifestyle, young people are predominantly still dumped into the graffiti-lined bucket of ‘youth.’ ../

The young people I come into contact with on a regular basis are a diverse and varied group of people... who do exhibit some signs of similarity but thats more to do with the spatial proximity subgrouping that they belong to than anything else. To bring them all under the term "youth" is one thing... but to assume that they are all participants in "youth culture" is something else. They have their own cultures that they are part of... they straddle multiple defining points with a deftness that is inspirational.

I think the issue here is one of oversimplification and it is a huge one at that. It is not solely down to how adults look at younger people... but how we, as people, look at others who are different from us. Categorising any person by age is a foolish undertaking.

I'll be 35 in August and wonder what that actually means. To be honest, it means nothing. I have a degree of stability that comes from my age but in terms of my passions, interests, obsessions, fears, hopes... they are pretty unique to me and mine. I am a product of the multiple cultures that have built me... and an ongoing participant in the multiple cultures that I continue to exist within.

At the end of the day... we need to see people for their humanity and not as the labels we place on them. We are adept at placing labels on people... using them to categorise and position... instead of appreciating a person for who they are and for what they bring to the salad bowl that is our shared life... our unique subcultural grouping in which we participate.

Its all fine and well reading about the juciness of a tomato but until we experience its succulence and flavour then this knowledge is worthless. This is the same with people... we can label people all we want... but until we experience their particular flavour then these labels are worthless. We need to move beyond labels and into experience... into an appreciation of the uniqueness that each and everyone of us has.

Afterall, are we not all created in the image of God? Are we not worth getting to know more?

Thanks psfk for another thoughtprovoking article.

Each and every one of us will be paramount in our own way

/..My sessions on Creative Leadership and Youth Culture were off the record, but what I can tell you is this: There are some incredibly savvy young people moving the needle across the board, and we need more of them. We simply can’t depend on the old guard to fix things. They’re too busy looking backwards, analyzing where they screwed up in the first place to see the future. Each and every one of us will be paramount in our own way — whether it’s solving the financial crisis, climate change, or making the world as a whole a better place, it’s going to be fresh thinking and innovation that saves the day.

Josh Spear contemplating his time at World Economic Forum in Davos.

The line that caught my attention is that each and every one of us will be paramount in our own way. I can't agree more. We all have our role to play. The issue is no longer about what role we play... but whether or not we are playing it. Its no longer about uniformity... we can't just fall in line and follow slavishly what has gone before. We need the imagination of diversity... each person doing their bit. If you are not doing your bit then that's where we have an issue! Unity comes when we all pull our weight... when we all contribute... participate in making something better. Are you pulling your weight?

Thanks Josh for making me think!

iPhone wallpapers :: 1st Corinthians 13

Been playing about with wordle.net and created a couple of iPhone wallpapers that are based on 1st Corinthians 13 (The Message translation).

If you like them & have an iPhone... please feel free to download. If you do, please leave a comment or take a screenshot.


Download 1st Corinthian 13 #1


Download 1st Corinthian 13 #2

My thanks to wordle.net for words pretty.

a wordle picture :: all the tracks I listened to on the 4th February...

Image created using wordle.net

I created a wordle picture from all the tracks I listened to on the 4th February... I think it makes an interesting graphic.