philosophically political economics

CHALLENGING THE PARADIGM

Recently in PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) we were given the following analogy and asked to discuss it in a lecture.

'...Humanitarian interventions are seen as attempts at rescuing the innocent and helpless from persecution and extreme distress. We can dramatize its appeal by resort to a simple analogy. You are on your way home from work and you see a very strong man involved in an argument with his own child. It's noisy and unpleasant, but (you reason) it's their family and none of your business. But the dispute rapidly heats up and the man begins beating the child with a heavy stick. You protest and remonstrate with the man, but he tells you to get lost. He continues beating the child viciously, and indeed draws a knife and begins to brandish it at him. You fear for the child's life and as it happens you are (legitimately) carrying a gun. Surely you should threaten the father, and if the threats don't work, you are morally entitled to shoot...'

Later, in our tutorials we were given case studies from Rwanda or Kosovo, and asked to decide if intervention was justified. We were also asked to contemplate who and how it would be implemented. Military intervention almost always was the answer. This being the case, it is safe to assume that humanitarian intervention often results in mass killing, and even war.

Seems rather paradoxical doesn't it?

music

'I drink good coffee every morning, comes from a place that's far away
And when I'm done I feel like talking, Without you here there is less to say...'

I find it fascinating the effect music can have on a person. Instantly it can revive moods, or lull you into a state of meditation. There are so many individual aspects of a song that can have an effect; the melody, the rhythm, the lyrics. Usually it's the melody or beat that first attracts me to a song. Certain songs invade my chest and make me grin, even want to dance. Others never disappoint me, producing a feeling of contentedness. Eventually the lyrics become more apparent - although sometimes they verge on undecipherable. Sometimes you have to pick away to find the meaning, but others the lyrics are simple and nice - simply nice.

Hmm, silly thoughts. Enjoy.

14 points

S C R A B B L E

Last night I played an excellent game of scrabble. A WHIMPER put me ahead, but the QI was with the other player. It was very close. I lost. Words are fun.

People should play more scrabble.

second hand bookstores

In paper jungles - something wondrous lies in wait.

One goal I have is to possess an enviable library. However, I feel no pressure in compiling such a library any time soon; it is in fact, more of a pleasure. I would like to think that as I continue to meander through life I will indulge in books and bookstores of all sorts. Slowly, I will tick books off an ever growing list. I like to imagine it will be a haphazard and almost definitely chaotic array. And, for some reason, this seems like a fanciful notion, but simultaneously something doable.

Right now, sitting before me are a selection of newly acquired secondhand books. One belonged to Justine Wootton in 1987. Another was given as a gift in Tokyo, August 1978. Claire Munch read poetry. Some have yellowed pages, others hastily scribbled notes. The ones I like best are inscribed with endearing inscriptions. Query: Why would you want to buy books firsthand?

untransform! untransform!

So...what now?

It's been a while since my last post. In that time quite a few things have happened, but at the moment the words won't come. So instead here is a comic that, for reasons unknown even to myself, made me laugh uncontrollably.


Maybe because I used to pretend to be a cat once upon a time.

list #458

It's a sad state of affairs when Eric is blogging more consistantly than you.

Lately I've made a lot of lists. Lists of things to do. Lists of books to read. Lists about 25 facts about yourself. Lists of numbers and uni subjects to enrol in. Lists of postponed things I must get round to. The list goes on...

So, I've decided to blog a new list. This is a list of things I'd like to do in the next month, before responsibilites catch up with me. Some of them won't happen soon. Some of them won't happen ever. So I guess it's more of a wish list.

One Month.

1. Visit more second hand bookstores. I like spending hours rummaging through the shelves, flicking through hidden away novels or tomes with yellowing pages. I'd like more poetry.

2. Have movie days/nights. On a simlar note, I want to go to the moonlight cinema - I've never been.

3. Star gaze.

4. Picnics. There need to be more picnics. When the weather cools.

5. Watch as everyone around me bursts into song and dance. It will be coordinated, on key and well choreographed too. Musicals all end happily too.

6. I want to go iceskating.

7. Read more books. The list of books I want to read is ever growing. In turn: THINK, more.

8. L is ten to the rain fall outside while I'm warm and safe in bed.

9. Berrypicking - strawberries and raspberries.

10. Visit the farm with friends. Have a pyjama party, watch movies, play boardgames and in the morning make pancakes.

11. Catch up on some crap TV I missed out on in year (12). Figure out who was clever enough to find this. Say chicken if you do
13. Solve more riddles.

14. Ride a bike down a really long hill - to feel the rush.

15. Follow t.h.r.o.u.g.h. with my lists.

france.

Lyon.

I'm sitting. I'm thinking. I'm bored. Ten to ten. Dad's asleep. Yenne's a busy body. It's bedtime.

O dark dark dark. They all go into the dark.