Needs and Powers 3/5

6
4188

Human beings always have contradictory aspirations: their will to assert their
singularity is expressed with as much force as they need to discover both common
truths and an absolute that transcends diversity and differences. Whilst the heart
seems to desire a love that is like no other, reason wants to discover the essence that is
common to all loves. The singular is universal and the universal is common, but the
contradictions and paradoxes are no more than apparent. The universal is a need as
much as a necessity: modern philosophies may well deconstruct systems and orders,
and conceptualize a postmodernity in which points of view and truths are at once
multiple and relative, but the individual and collective consciousness always come
back to the need for meaning, certainty and a community of heart and/or of mind,
perhaps of fate (such as a civilization, a nation, a culture or even an identity). The
Spirits reveal ‘the universal language of Nature’, we are told by an African tradition
that echoes the spirituality of the Sioux Indians as they strive to listen to the language
of the earth to which all humans belong. According to the wisdom of the Sioux, the
‘White Man’ is afflicted by an optical illusion that makes him think that the earth
belongs to him. The need for a commonality that reveals a truth (or an essence, or
immutable elements that signify and structure) is a constant from Socrates to Kant,
from Hinduism to Islam, from the bridge-building Nietzsche to the structuralists of
deconstruction. The concrete universal is the axis of the origin, in the same way that
the abstract universal sets up milestones along the road. The need for a universal is
another name for the need for truth, defined here not as a value, but as a confident and
definitive knowledge. That is, as it happens, why the human intellect tirelessly tries to
formulate universal values that make it possible to explain reality in a priori terms or
in terms of a rational construct. The advocates of both universals use weighty
arguments to defend their respective theses: if there is a God, He is in a better position
than any individual man to speak the universal truth about man; if, on the other hand,
man is left to his own devices, then he must rely upon reason, which is a faculty
common to all human beings, if he hopes to deduce universal truths that apply to all
human beings. For such very different minds as Saint Augustine and Luther it was a
matter of faith that the former thesis was self-evident, whilst the philosophers of the
Enlightenment were convinced that only the intellect could enlighten us with common
truths. Midway between these two positions, both the twelfth-century Muslim scholar
Abû Hâmid al-Ghazâli (in his search for Deliverance from Error) and Thomas
Aquinas (in his Averroist rereading of Aristotle) tried to reconcile these two aspects
of the universal: that of the transcendent Being and that of immanent reason, the two
orders of the concrete and the abstract universal.

Which leaves the question of power. When he discusses the ‘origin of
inequality among men’, and therefore of power relations, Jean-Jacques Rousseau
imagines the event that marked the historical birth of property: ‘The first man who,
having enclosed a piece of ground, bethought himself of saying “This is mine”, and
found people simple enough to believe him, was the real founder of civil society.’ He
then adds: ‘From how many crimes, wars and murders, from how many horrors and
misfortunes might not anyone have saved mankind, by pulling up the stakes, or filling
up the ditch, and crying to his fellows: “Beware of listening to this impostor; you are
undone if you once forget that the fruits of the earth belong to us all, and the earth
itself to nobody”.’1 We find in Rousseau the ideal of sharing that we find in both
African and Sioux spiritualities and in the critiques of private property that later finds
expression in the thought of Marx, Engels and scientific socialism. What he is
describing here, namely the seizure of power through its illegitimate appropriation, is
to common property what the claim to have a monopoly on the universal is to values.
In his Pilote de guerre (1942), the French writer and aviator Saint-Exupéry states with
unexpected optimism that ‘the cult of the Universal exalts and binds together
particular riches’. Now it is possible that this celebration of the universal results in an
unfortunate confusion between the cult of the Universal and the cult of the self. Some
have no qualms about arrogating to themselves the ground of universal values and
stating, forcefully and arrogantly, ‘this is mine . . . and my people’s’. The quest for the
universal is sometimes – and all too often – transformed from being a need to being a
close and exclusive property, into an instrument of power and domination that has
provoked wars and deaths, crusades, offensive and expansionist jihâds¸ forced
conversions, civilizing missions, colonizations and so many other ‘misfortunes’ and
‘horrors’. Someone should indeed have pointed out that that which is universal (and
which, by definition, cannot be appropriated) is summed up by the simple formula
‘the fruits belong to all’ and ‘the earth to nobody’ . . . and those values are everyone’s
property and everyone’s exclusive right.

6 Commentaires

  1. Human beings always will be in need of intellect And spirit in their need for acquisition and ownership of property and power. Life is cumulative with each because of their value, role and importance preserved. A world without the intellectual relationship between minds and hearts, is painful to imagine. It is indeed binding to such till eternity. However, the force mentioned that of justice, equality, dignity, respect, space and rights to standards of communication and existence, has manifested itself, and it is this force, if provoked, will iA aid in the dignified and healthy existence of each entity as decreed by God in face of oppression. Historically this force was dormant, resisting the many consistent evil provocations through time, always hidden in silence and just flowing with the direction set, with just the normal and expected manifestation of being human, sustaining colossal, unbearable damages and pain, whilst never ever bowing to the will tyrants. Now this force is fully matured and on fire inside that manifests itself every time the fulcrum of human’s existence is attacked, of the individual or of the individuals that this individual extends it’s virtual protection to through auto-adoption or of surrounding humanity. This fulcrum is human dignity and respect. And any attempts to crush or silence from any angle are in vain. The reins are not in human hands. Observations were made to this effect and tried to alter course towards neutrality, but to no avail. Rather always stand for justice as loudly as possible, than be a substandard coward watching in silence. The intensity of the personality, character and this force is comparable to the intensity of Islam, as Islam itself is quite an intense religion.

    Sexual punishment has always been utilized as a timeless weapon of war. Particularly towards enslavement of women and children. It is so sickly embedded in the human psychology that even the most pious or saintly will succumb to meting sexual punishments, men or women, family or friends. North America, India and Pakistan partition, Bangladeshi independence, Bosnia, Sarajevo, Africa, Palestine, Gujarat riots, Bombay riots, Hyderabad riots, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, Honor Killings, Corporate & sexual exploitation of feminism and women in various sectors, brutal verbal attacks or sexual assaults etc etc – these are the time immemorial atrocities perpetuated against a dis-empowered, disenfranchised, comparatively disadvantaged and thus weaker female population. There is absolutely zero tolerance and an acute sense of compassion, indignation, anger, hurt for the collective sufferings of these human beings around the world, that ignites the force in an unsympathetic, unforgiving, punitive approach to quell such an evil seed and create precedents that are dignified and beneficial to humanity. The female population have suffered for centuries, per the whims and fancies of an advantaged population ignoring humanity, decency or the Word or existence of God. Women of all ages are the most delicately beautiful creations of God, portals of life, and lives that should be respected and loved, are instead brutally crushed, tattered and the shreds of human dignity & respect ruthlessly scattered. And through the years and tolerance, education and awareness, this spirit has reached a stage where the slightest of infractions are intolerable at the cost of the individual. These are ofcourse ugly or extreme case scenarios, in distant lands, in other times, but a heavy cutting unbearable burden to bear to feel the pain, atrocities and indignation.

    love, compassion, mercy and humane bonding keeps it automatically together, divinely together because a world without these elements is unimaginable and empty. It is a very cognizant, on the guard yet simple existence. on-guard because of the challenges that have been.

    Recent time is a testimony of the leniency & cuteness awarded with infractions, which created nuisance examples for the ignoramus with iota of intelligence and iota or non-existent self-respect. High-handedness and pushy-ness were also taken in stride and kept up with. But the decency or niceties or silence to ensure peace or camaraderie prevails, could be taken as an acceptance or weakness. This is when we saw the lines and the guards being put up.

    Forgive me as your own, thoughts are too deep, and imperative to read once more, as always, to further understand what the meaning and then elucidate as a reader, if any.

  2. delicacy does not imply that women are dainty or weak or need sympathetic partial treatment. delicacy is a conceptual crystal quality of creation of females. Women are superior in handling of degrees of physical pain, and strong emotionally and mentally. much more than most women. So wonder why the legal stance of Islam for female vs male witnesses.

  3. Living the incomplete truth in life: my body, mind and a great part of my soul are not complete in the reality of this life where the truth of my being is usurped by those powerful others who altered it. Like Noorie had mentioned, actions and deeds need to clothe the body. However, the inside should not be a twisted hollow vacuum so that the inner truth is replaced by negative outer realities of many others. My body is private property. Being in a mind-medicinal prison I seem to be everyone’s property in the society for those who want to get their desired reactions from it. I am not my own private property and the society around me is the so-called private property in which I am “diffused” such that the life’s reality is turned outside in and at the same time I cannot be living my unique truth in it. I have no entry into the natural real world in life’s distorted societal reality of those powerful others who claim it to be theirs. I also do not have entry into my original true state of being where common and singular active Universal truths should also be found.

  4. i believe it is imperative to converse everyday with the transcendent Being and with reason, to have a healthy balance in life of the super natural and the rationale. Lack of this is what gives rise to ISIS, dogmatic, authoritarian, orthodox or inflexible, inhumane constructs in life.

    Whatever language one speaks, there should be hijab or haya in what is said and done. If these are the screens in our conversations, then speaking in a universal language will not cause any harm. however, speaking in another language yet saying what is beyond bounds, defeats the purpose. And who are we to test…it’s baffling that when not even a direct line exists, everything else still fair to talk about.

    it’s all about keeping the heart and mind close, which is more rewarding, substantial and has more longevity. conversing with the heart and mind to keep a balance is like checking in with our family or love ones on a daily basis ))

  5. so here is a dream that showed two fingers, Right hand’s index finger and the thumb being glued together, and application of any massive pull/might to separate these two fingers doesn’t work, the two fingers were seen deepening the bonded roots to be inseparable…of all the confounded conundrums/dreams in life, here is one more ))

  6. @ Shireen ;
    Als een zen Buddhist valt het mij op dat je medicatie nog niet ziet voor wat het is: een masquering van je energetisch footprint. Deze dient na juist keuze en besluit van type medicatie ,- zoals mijn persoon Cisordinol in wisselend dosering-, functioneel ingezet worden. Je levenstandaard met functionele inzet van zonodig medicatie( met min en Max bandbreedte) wordt geüpgraded en je mede of juist daardoor al je dromen, wensen beleven mag tijdens je kostbare tijd op school aarde. Thats my two cents worth of experience with medication..still working for your happiness and health enzo verder [my first and last post on this site, I am zen Buddhist die in Delft blijft!! Okidoki; no comment necessary]

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