A small thought
The idea of nationalism, especially religious nationalism, has had a terrible cost for mankind. The history of it is written in displacements, wars, and genocides, most notably WWII, but continuing to this day. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is caused by, and played out in, the language of "nations" and "national groups" - that is, Israelis and Palestinians - that supposedly have a special history and special claims on a territory. However, there is no more validity to these ideas being a special mark on a human than, say, whether they are a morning or night person, or whether they prefer showers or baths, or anything else. Religion, territory, even the very idea of belonging to a particular group, are creations of the mind. They were created sometime, and imbued with this significance. We are pushed to take these identities (sometimes forced, as is the case in citizenship), but they only define us as much as we allow them to.
Perhaps anarchism is a sort of moral necessity; at the very least it seems that the idea of a nation must be rejected when it comes to killing for a "nation's" sake. It seems to me that the first requirement of a true morality is to relate to other people first as individual humans, before any other of these games we play in the mind, like "nation" or "religion".
In any case, I do not think the so called "Israeli-Palestinian" conflict can be solved with ethnic cleansing and separation of territories according to ideas of "national self-determination" (all the more obvious in light of the growing Arab-Israeli population). Or rather, any "solution" achieved that way will be achieved at the cost of the lives of many and the humanity of perhaps even more.
Also, Happy New Year (belatedly), everyone! Not much news on my front. I got a new electric toothbrush for Christmas, and a bunch of money. I went to Seattle and saw my parents and grandparents, it was good. As for the New Year, I flew back on New Year's day, so no partying or anything there. As for looking back, well, 2008 was nice because I graduated but varying levels of suck afterward, because I never really figured out what the hell to do with myself afterwards. I don't really make resolutions, but I do plan on figuring out what to do with myself for the future very soon. Other than that, business as usual.
Perhaps anarchism is a sort of moral necessity; at the very least it seems that the idea of a nation must be rejected when it comes to killing for a "nation's" sake. It seems to me that the first requirement of a true morality is to relate to other people first as individual humans, before any other of these games we play in the mind, like "nation" or "religion".
In any case, I do not think the so called "Israeli-Palestinian" conflict can be solved with ethnic cleansing and separation of territories according to ideas of "national self-determination" (all the more obvious in light of the growing Arab-Israeli population). Or rather, any "solution" achieved that way will be achieved at the cost of the lives of many and the humanity of perhaps even more.
Also, Happy New Year (belatedly), everyone! Not much news on my front. I got a new electric toothbrush for Christmas, and a bunch of money. I went to Seattle and saw my parents and grandparents, it was good. As for the New Year, I flew back on New Year's day, so no partying or anything there. As for looking back, well, 2008 was nice because I graduated but varying levels of suck afterward, because I never really figured out what the hell to do with myself afterwards. I don't really make resolutions, but I do plan on figuring out what to do with myself for the future very soon. Other than that, business as usual.