RSA Animates David Harvey Lecture

As soon as this post entered my twitter-stream, I re-tweeted it; however, I wanted to ensure no one missed it, so have posted it here. The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce animates David Harvey's sagacious words:



Update: Kurt Vonnegut in his final speech had quite a lot to say about Marx:

I might as well clinch my reputation as a world-class nutcase by saying something good about Karl Marx, commonly believed in this country, and surely in Indian-no-place [Indianapolis], to have been one of the most evil people who ever lived.

He did invent Communism, which we have long been taught to hate, because we are so in love with Capitalism, which is what we call the casinos on Wall Street.

Communism is what Karl Marx hoped could be an economic scheme for making industrialized nations take good care of people, and especially of children and the old and disabled, as tribes and extended families used to do, before they were dispersed by the Industrial Revolution (Vonnegut, K. 2008. Armageddon in Retrospect, p. 23).

Equality?2

Shortly after writing my post on (in)equality I came across this video:



Isabel Allende, here at a TED talk, tells an impassioned and stirring tale of inequality. If you don't have 18 minutes, skip the first 7 minutes in which she sets up the story with anecdotes (entertaining ones). Here's some of her most alarming and insightful statements:

Even the most destitute of men have someone they can abuse, a woman or a child.

It is a fact that giving women education, work, the ability to control their own income, inherit and own property benefits the society. If a woman is empowered her children and family will be better off. If families prosper the village prospers and eventually so does the whole country.

Equality?

I recall being far too young to comprehend the horror that had unfolded at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal. December 6, 1989 was no ordinary Sinterklaas holiday—14 women were slain, just for being women. Such a calamity evoked an appropriate response: outrage. In 1991, Parliament established December 6^th as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Candlelight vigils publicize the issue and help ease the pain, but the spectre of violence against women continues to rise like an insurmountable peak. This, despite awesome projects, organizations, laws, and rights.

What stymies it all seems to be escape clauses, e.g., female ski jumpers cannot compete in the 2010 Olympics and embedded attitudes, e.g., The Daily Telegraph. Acquaintance rape suggests primitive exertion of power as the cause, which in a worst case scenario presents like this. Of course, greed’s a prime suspect, and human trafficking results in modern-day slavery.

At a basic level women represent social stability; thus, public rape inspires terror when conventional means such as assassinations only numb the populace. Such horrors frequently are so horrific that their full extent takes decades to be revealed.

Perhaps the world needs more Carol Rosenbergs (she belittled a U.S. naval commander) but I doubt it, no matter how refreshing; however, the world does need more Malalai Joyas, a secret teacher during the Taliban’s reign, an MP, and activist. Henry Maudsley, a nineteenth century psychiatrist, stated, “The sorrow which has no vent in tears may make other organs weep.” Perhaps we need a good cry, or some method of catharsis (Lepine blamed an abusive father). Yes, and more: Susan Fiske’s latest research examines the source of stereotypes. She found that sexualized images of women shut down the part of the male brain associated with empathy. Eugene Caruso and Kerry Kawakami also examine implicit bias in their research.

In addition to greater insight, people need to openly discuss this issue rather than bury victims in shame. Countries, such as Somalia and Afghanistan, receive much coverage for their oppression of women, but Canada’s staggering rape statistics (half-way down the page) escape scrutiny, a black eye for our “progressive” society. Although no simple solutions exist, saying, “Hi,” holding a candle high, and discussing the issue (more than once a year) will banish stigma.

Justice

Justice feels right, natural order restored. In part, on a micro level, this explains the popularity of Bully Beatdown (not nearly as lowbrow as you might expect). Most remarkably, the show often re-establishes severed communication lines between victim and bully. In the big world, plenty of bullies assert apparent superiority; however, with horrors so extreme, it’s unlikely that many would repent due to a stiff sentence. The ICC tested the imposed limits by indicting Bashir. In reality, the kerfuffle surrounding ICC jurisdiction is rooted in self preservation and not justice: remember that the U.S., Israel, China, Libya, Iraq, Qatar, and Yemen voted against the Rome Statute. Furthermore, none of these countries have ratified it in the ten plus years that have passed and big movers Russia and India (with China ¾ of BRIC) also oppose it. Currently, the ICC has 108 member states, just over half of the world’s 195.

Nevertheless, justice gets served. Outside of the ICC framework, Fujimori was sentenced to 25 years, hopefully a precedent for other Latin American states notorious for their disappearances. Somewhat more surprising John Hatley got life (parole eligibility after 20 years) from a court-martial for his execution-style slaying of four Iraqis.

Of course, power always influences justice, a point made by Köchler. In the latest example, an Iraqi court reduced Muntazer al-Zaidi‘s sentence to one year close to the arrival of Obama.

Trimming the Fat?

During these harsh economic times streamlining becomes the norm; however, trimming the fat becomes difficult when determining which cuts net the best results. Auto manufacturers make a good example: almost filial ties makes denying them difficult, but in sink or swim scenarios excess weight needs to be shed. I think Obama has been more than patient and Harper more than foolish in his attempt to maintain production in Canada. In fact, this second stimulus package seems excessive, since only bankruptcy will stop the hemorrhaging: GM and Chrysler require extreme market correction for their years of neglect.

One area that should be spared is the arts, since they have consistently been cut back. Furthermore, even the government has deemed cultural infrastructure important, and potential savings are a trifle compared to the $4 billion “lent” to two car companies. In particular, the CBC consistently tops ratings and requires only moderate cuts: from Jian to Kennedy CBC produces a veritable wealth of programming. If you feel the same, sign the AVAAZ petition. Linda Grant with her love of fashion demonstrates one way to embrace the crisis: she spent $450 on shoes so that she could greet it well-dressed. Of course, culture helps us process and remember:

This tear drop monument by Zurab Tsereteli, To the Struggle Against World Terrorism, a gift from Russia, stands in New Jersey and commemorates the victims of 9/11.

The British Museum has made strides where politicians, including Obama, have failed: its latest exhibition, Shah Abbas: The Remaking of Iran, conveys the wonder and cultural depth of Persia. This is the third part of a four-part series on Great world empires (Qin Shihuangdi and Hadrian before and Moctezuma II to follow) and follows the 2005 exhibition Forgotten Empire. Ali Khameni dismissed Obama’s hand of friendship as a “slogan” because the “soft soap” on the wonders of Iranian culture, a sore point because most North Americans label them Arabs and the superficiality of the entire process.

One by-product of the crisis, or years in the dark under Bush, appears to be greater transparency. MI5 and MI6’s rules of interrogation will be published for the first time. However, this does not appear to be the case in Canada, despite Van Loan‘s refutation of O’Brian’s statement. Canada still seems to believe that torture extracts reliable information like on 24, perhaps Harper should talk to Colin Powell.

Lest you feel that you suffer too much:

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

Hidden Affairs

Since my last post (Sorry about the long delay) I have been trying to get a leg up on an unassailable wall: overwhelmed and paralyzed, I have been wallowing in apathy, well, nearly. I attempted to write numerous posts, but these now line the trash, since none were adequate in expressing my misgivings. At first I attributed my malaise to the fluctuating emotions and experiences that reign during the holidays, joy/sadness, giving/receiving, and people you miss/can happily miss. I only did this, however, to avoid facing the real reason: against the backdrop of teenagers being forced into sex and the migration of suicide production from the CB radio to the Internet, I was haunted by Gaza. For many months I have been reading about the denial of aid, the Free Gaza Ship’s repeated attempts to get in, volleys fired by the navy, and even accusations by the UN. The clarity of Chomsky and Mearsheimer only made the harsh (and unsettling) reality harder to swallow.

In the reports of civilian casualties and violence I have searched for widespread condemnation, in vain. The U.S., predictably, was silent and Brown’s condemnation was a singular affair and weak compared to Miliband’s repeated blustering over Georgia. Only Barenboim provided any hope; in fact, every time I have heard about the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, in which all musicians regardless of race or social position are equal, I have been heartened. The only side benefit of the attacks is the publicity that Waltz with Bashir has received; perhaps, more people will watch films like The Band’s Visit. These results are hardly concessions for the violence and the steady repression of Gaza, but they may foster some mutual respect and understanding.

In my struggle to live with such information, I realized a few things: North Americans have little context for such issues — we are so far from Rwanda, Darfur, Burma, and The Congo and our news thinks so as well. We are much more conversant with the Cold War; thus the wide publicity for the rampant saber rattling and postulating over Russia’s attack on Georgia. In terms of Israel, we are not only plagued by the Holocaust, but also corrupted by a rationale that wends its way through quiet conversations: God wills that Israel be a geographical reincarnation of Solomon’s kingdom. Few counter that there’s very little substantive evidence, archaeological or otherwise, for attributing such lands to Solomon, or David for that matter. In effect, the argument goes, the sovereignty of Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and the West Bank should be compromised — at the very least, Israel should be granted its Auschwitz Borders.

Worse, however, was the feeling that the injustice somehow represented the human condition. While this notion continues to simmer below the surface of my consciousness the flipside, the arts, resuscitate me: the Fall issue of The Paris Review helped more than a little. Poems by the likes of Paul Guest started the thawing my soul, Marilynne Robinson provided a reality check, and Jean Hatzfeld helped me process the past horrors in Rwanda. In the end Barenboim’s vision may be the best, long the vision of dreamers like Lennon and Geldof. Whether it’s Beethoven or techno, which have no lyrics, or an song like Hallelujah, which transcends cultures and stands the test of time (it currently holds 3 top spots in the U.K. charts), doesn’t matter. Most important is the vision, the possibility of peace, the galvanizing effect of thousands joined hand in hand singing or humming one song until the fighting stops.

White Dyed Crimson

In all the talk of the crisis, the cost of the war in Iraq rarely garners much attention; rather, terms such as "recession" get bandied about. Obama and others have linked the state of the U.S. economy to the war, yet these days much greater costs have been attributed to the war. Last January the NY Times revealed that 121 veterans had been charged with homicide in the U.S., and more have been/will be charged. Furthermore, the number of homeless veterans has been steadily increasing. As if all this weren't enough, Veterans Affairs makes it very difficult to get compensated for PTSD and has even employed some underhanded means to deny. This is far from the worst of it.

In Iraq, estimates of civilian casualties range from 100,000 to upwards of a million. No matter what the actual number is, any estimate in this magnitude is horrific. Fortunately, people have begun to realize this, and even politicians condemn the high number. Blackwater may even be held accountable and lose its contract as a result of allegations of 17 civilian deaths committed by its contractors. A very sinister cost, however, remains hidden: Anna Badkhen has written an article on the vast toll of rape in Iraq. As if the act of rape itself wasn't bad enough, its stigmatization in this region creates dire consequences for a number of victims. Somehow I don't think $300m in whitewashing on Iraq stations will help.

These horrors, however, somehow get diminished, even justified, under the wide umbrella of terrorism, at least the fear of it. Events such as the killings in Mumbai seem to re-enforce the terror of terrorism. Nevertheless, there is so much more to be afraid of: the crisis, our food supply, and climate change; in fact, fear is uncontrollable and omnipresent. North Americans appear to have attempted to encapsulate all causes of fear with terrorism; in other words, we have tried to fight all our fears with the War on Terror. Recently, the economic crisis has ripped apart any success this strategy had, and could even pre-empt other crises, such as climate change. The illusion of security has been shaken in a way that no Listeria outbreak could. Will we wake up this time and not flock toward whatever means of security we hear on TV? Nevertheless, we need to do more than resurrect the line of No Fear T-shirts and watch re-runs of Mountain Dew commercials to combat our herd mentality.

Helena Smith, in her excellent reporting, has shown that the riots in Greece, like those in L.A., were an eruption of an underlying simmering sentiment. A similar sentiment buoyed by high unemployment exists in many of the countries which "foster" terrorism. Aid distribution is changing this; however, the solution seems to lie with much less effusive ways of letting off steam, e.g., shoe throwing. This harmless gesture spoke volumes, especially with the possibility that Bush may pardon himself from any future criminal charges; don't forget the spy bill he introduced and the 35 articles of impeachment that he recently sidestepped. Our path toward peace/reality lies with human ingenuity and our need for expression and self-improvement, the only driving forces that have really gotten us anywhere.

Odelicious

Ode regularly tops my list for providing a disparate, yet comprehensive collection of views and opinions. In the current issue Paolo Coehlo relates an enlightened tale, Our Lady the Juggler and the editors compile the Top Bestselling Books Around the World by collating the top-ten lists of ten independent bookstores from around the globe. It contains a series of articles on the global economic crisis in which Noreena Hertz's Death of a Paradigm stands out. Noreena, a siren of reason, justifies her numerous credentials in her lucid and humbling analysis of the economy. She points out that the present affords a opportunity to set a number of schemata right; however, she notes, "That means the smartest politicians will be those who aren’t only willing to differentiate themselves from the laissez-faire past, but who are willing to engage in a transparent exchange of ideas about what kind of world, what kind of society, we want."

A good example, which even the most forward-thinking of politicians may have to rescue, is the American auto industry. Currently, it teeters like the statues of overthrown revolutionaries. These companies have not learnt, even the hard way. Ford, of the three, has perhaps learnt the most since it adopted green production techniques and buildings earliest, but it never has crawled out of the financial hole that these changes were intended to rectify. Chrysler, for a while at least, was insulated by the weight of Daimler; thus, GMC, independent and prospering remained brazen in its devotion to SUVs and trucks (and suffers for it). Nevertheless, remember that these companies reaped the rewards of these strategies for a number of years. Unfortunately, like most current economic paradigms they were unsustainable; thus, like all the sub-prime signing bonuses, profits have vanished.

First let us get some perspective. One point that I heard on a recent radio interview needs to be repeatedly stated: bankruptcy does not mean that car production will disappear and all related jobs will disappear in North America. Furthermore, it does not mean that the brands will disappear (think of Nestle, Interbrew, and the unsavoury Altria). What it means is that these companies will be purchased at a stock price for which they are deemed profitable and will be trimmed to make this a reality. Thus, the real issue revolves around pride, and American pride should not be tied to unprofitable behemoths from another era of economic evolution. They have had their day in the sun. They convinced North American governments to build roads for their cars, opposite to train companies, and instilled a mindset of the unconquerable horizon. What could be better than letting them fall to their self-appointed fate and carefully blowing on their ashes so a flaming phoenix arises?

Sovereignty Trumps Identity

In the wake of a study that shows Tim Hortons should be included in the list of Canadian cultural identifiers, alongside toques, canoes, hockey (and lacrosse) sticks, and beavers, Canadians struggle to be removed from no-fly lists. This situation has been compounded by the decision of the U.S. to extend their jurisdiction to U.S. airspace; thus, a person on a list cannot fly through U.S. airspace. Apart from privacy issues, personal information of passengers is sent to the States, flying will be even more of a hassle, since few airlines will fly around U.S. airspace. Unfortunately, like Palin's pardon of the turkey, these decisions have been painted on backdrop of cultural irony. Fortunately, humour has flourished as well; I thoroughly enjoyed a piece on the bafflement of complete sentences.

Getting it Right?

Since my days as young lad in Scotland where I regularly ate venison, rabbit, and duck, as well as pheasant or grouse on special occasions, I've always eaten game whenever I can; thus, when I heard that some friends had brought back moose from the Yukon, I jumped at the chance to have some. The rich and intricate flavour of the slow cooked meat had a texture similar to pulled pork. Paired with Premices Côtes Du Luberon 2006, a crisp full bodied red, we had a veritable feast.

While I was over there Harvey showed me some books on the Saanich Tribes, e.g., Sencoten Legends and Stories. As I flipped through them I noticed some characters and diacritical marks that I didn't recognize, so I enquired about them. Harvey pronounced some guttural sounds and a long "sh" sound. Later I reflected on these sounds. These were the sounds that I'd heard attributed to a propensity for drink when I'd first arrived in Canada. This irony stung, particularly when I'd read that seized aboriginal lands had been returned. The seizure of these lands was described as a "difficult chapter" in B.C. history. I put Last Great American Whale on repeat and wondered how much we'd really learned in the last 100 years.

What's Next?

Although my Halloween, pumpkins carved by my kids (pretty damn good job too), a bonfire, fireworks, and tequila, was nothing like that featured in the Martha Stewart Living that found its way into my house, the cover's title Everything you need for a bewitching Halloween got me thinking: Do I need a magazine telling me what I need? More to the point: Do I need anyone telling me what I need? However, this is so much the case. Consumers have gotten used to seeing Christmas ornaments in stores, fliers, and magazines before Halloween has passed. Stores used to at least wait until it was over. Now there is a consumer treadmill: Aug. 15 = Halloween, Oct. 15 = Christmas, Jan. 15 = Valentine's, Feb. 15 = Easter, Mar. 15 = Spring, May 15 = Summer, July 15 = Back to School. This is no joke, fliers for school supplies do appear in July. So it seems that North Americans can no longer live in the present and now pass through seasons of discontent, e.g., I can't enjoy a summer day at the beach I need to get my child ready for school. This constant motion in life seems to be more conducive to panic, although it may be an illusion since people would probably clock similar evacuation times to those of yesteryear. Hysteria (it rhymes so nice with Listeria) does seem to spread faster. Phrases, such as "live in the moment," "quality time," and "dial down" linger in these panic infused days and three would be terrorists can change what liquids can be carried on an airplane.

Since extemporaneous living, e.g., Gary Busey on Entourage, seems unfeasible, it's probably best just to think for oneself; that is, think about where stuff comes from and why? In Noam Chomsky vein, question everything. If you ever ask, "Do marketers really think I'll fall for this?", know they do. I should note that I am not (entirely) down on Martha Stewart Living, I enjoy and use their recipes; the features on dried bone marrow and cocktails in chemistry flasks were also redeeming. Hopefully we'll have had an Obamaween this time next year.

A tilting ship

Like a flock of tourists shifting to larboard at the call, "orca", houses in Victoria seem to be flooding the market; nevertheless, houses only appear to be flooding the market. This is true because we are used to houses being snapped up and only seeing Sold signs for a few days, not For Sale signs for a month. The sudden appearance of signs all over town encouraging owners to earn money by selling also fuels this image. Yes, the market has slowed, but only in relation to the recent boom; furthermore, prices haven't dropped. Remember that seats at the buffet open up when the tourists go running.

The Guardian

Although I was stung when Noam Chomsky included the Guardian in Manufacturing Consent, I have come to respect this news source. In general, I'm somewhat wary of all mainstream media, especially when it stirs up kerfuffles like Obama and Wright (At least the NY Times quoted Achelpohl who stated, "This is a media-driven thing and a presidential candidate shouldn’t have to vet every person that he has had a relationship with in his life."). I frequently read the Weekly, an outstanding publication with features from Le Monde and the Washington Post, (I particularly enjoy World roundup, Comment&Debate, Culture, Books, and Diversions). The Guardian is also one of the RSS feeds in my Bookmarks Toolbar Folder. What stands out about the Guardian though is its extensive adoption of modern technology, e.g., podcasts, interactive maps, and more than the usual superficial reference to blogs. The City Guides are excellent; they are podcast tours of a number of European cities. I just listened to the Paris 1968 walking tour. Although I was not in Paris at the time, I know the city well enough to follow along in my mind. If you listen you will learn much about the city and the period; here are my favourite parts. Near the middle Sarah Wilson states, "Paris designed by Haussman is a series of very very direct boulevards designed really for military things; in fact, confrontations with the police, which is what 68 is all about. In fact, the situationist idea goes all the way back to surrealism with the important ideas of psycho-geography, finding surprising and weird places in the secret Paris, but also to in, more important, 68 ideas that of dérive (swerving) and détournement (diversion) ..." Just before the end Andrew Hussey states, "It is truly the first post-modern revolution, that is to say, it's not a revolution driven by nineteenth century Marxist ideas of class, but to do with boredom, boredom with consumer capitalism, to do with a sense that everyday life itself is a con trick that's been perpetrated on us."

Walmartification

Those of you who have spent any time with me are familiar with my passion for the environment and purchasing of fair-trade items. I now, thanks to Ten Thousand Villages, regularly purchase fair-trade olive oil (the purchase of Zaytoun olive oil also supports Palestinian farmers), sugar, spices, chocolate, tea, and, of course, coffee. In addition to the awesome textiles and crafts at Ten Thousand Villages you can purchase fair-trade clothing at MEC and other awesome stores (lower Johnson Street in Victoria rules for this). Although some major outlets, such as Costco Canada now offer fairly traded coffee (it's not a joke), the mighty Wal-Mart has not. Wal-Mart with its huge purchasing power and demand for ultra low prices from suppliers goes against the very principle of fair trade. Read The Wal-Mart Effect to get some idea of the extent of its power. Many I talk to find Wal-Mart's allure hard to resist, but it can be done: I have yet to purchase an item from a Wal-Mart. Who needs all that cheap plastic crap that purchasers rarely recycle. To see how scary the Wal-Mart effect is watch this:



Awareness is key. Do you think it is possible to produce products super cheap without exploitation and extreme environmental degradation? Vote with your dollar and say yes to fairness. In addition to fair-trade and organic products you can look for businesses participating in the onepercentfortheplanet program. If you need some more motivation calculate your ecological footprint or travel to a developing country.

Struggling

Is life an endless cycle of hate? Wars, battles, attacks and daggers in the back? Apparently so, but the cycle can be broken and the stream reversed. What? There must be a catch. There is! The effort that a person makes will not be readily apparent for a long time, much like when one first lifts a heavy piece of furniture the pain is excruciating until raised from a squat the muscles have finished contracting. Then a sense of lightness overcomes the lifter. How can one feel lighter? As Gene Edwards says in A Tale of Three Kings, "One, never learn anything about the fashionable, easily-mastered art of spear-throwing. Two, stay out of the company of all spear throwers. And three, keep your mouth tightly closed". Any other catches? Yeah, one more, a person will go through almost more pain by doing the above three things than if he fought back. What about assertiveness? Be a doormat? Remember the goal! To rise beyond conflict. Ghandi lay like a doormat, but was never used as one. Are people powerless, then? No! A person has incredible power, but it must be harnessed. What? The same hate can be brought out of anyone. In classical speak, anyone can be Raskolnikov; in modern speak everyone must win against their own temptation of the dark-side or the ring. Pass the test and peace will come. Aung San Suu Kyi passes all the tests with flying colours. Look at the size of her enemy and the power they have over her, yet she will win one day since she wins one day at a time. This sounds like passive crap? The battle is in a person, that is why questions like this are asked angrily. Why be defensive, if it's crap? Well then what about Israel? Israel owes its heritage to a pacifist, David. David overcame his own soul first, became king legitimately and then ruled and established the kingdom. Yes, he made mistakes, but he wasn't mad like Saul. And yes he could have deposed of Saul since Saul had served his purpose. What about fame and power? None is more famous (especially over time) than Jesus, Ghandi, Mother Theressa, Aung San Suu Kyi and many others. Power then? Whose kingdoms have influenced the most outside their lives, i.e. lasting power? Keep up the struggle and acknowledge first temptation, its source and then overcome it for power is not taking but overcoming.

Lag Effect

Last night while I was trying to sleep after a very long workday --see the last post-- I was thankful that I did overwhelm my body with coffee. Unfortunately, at times I have loaded up while studying and heard my own heart pound and stayed up much longer than required. It is difficult to calculate how long the stimulant will last over how long it is required for and how much is needed to stay awake for that required time. The lag effect of the economy, however, is much more difficult to predict.

This thought originated yesterday when I was cycling to work and saw all the new construction in Victoria. "Will there be enough demand?" was my question. The lag in construction is considerable, given the time between planning and finishing. I think most of the mid-to-late eighties when many lost there shirts being spread to thin or investing too late. When does the wave crest and when does it break? There is time, if you can surf well enough, to get out even at this latter stage; if, however, you ride it too long you will be washed up on shore and have to take the long and hard journey out to the swells. The fear of missing activity compels one to push on and assume that demand will not be quenched : what if more people move here? If you drop in late you are toast, so I would ignore the "what if" and wait for the next great swell. I was, however, proven wrong about interest rates as I predicted they would have started to rise long before they did. The signs of the Reagan era are here : high defence spending and high gas prices (although they have a diminished effect on inflation to the eighties recession). I do not monger fear, but recommend not taking uncalculated risks based on unceasing demand : just look at all that fiber-optic cable that has not paid for itself ten-years later.