Another 5 things
this time from messyfragments
1.Maori
2.Piercings - why, where, when did you start?
3.Your favourite film/book/similar thing
4.Male and Female archetypes
5.Wales
6.The nature of evil
1. - Maoris. I have to admit, no other culture has captured my attention as much as the Maoris. Everyone knows about the tattoos and the haka, but few people know about the rest. One of the most fascinating parts is the greenstone (nephrite jade for all you geology buffs out there) necklaces that most maoris wear. It's actually considered bad luck to buy one for yourself. You are supposed to buy, or obtain, them for other people, and then wear them yourself for some time first. In this way, the greenstone absorbs part of your mana, or spirit, and then when you gift the greenstone to someon e else, they carry part of our spirit with them - it's the reason they are not given lightly.
Additionally, I love the fact that, despite not having a form of writing, the Maori's history is clearer than ours. If we want to trace our family tree, we can go back 2, maybe 3 egernations without effort. Maori oral tradition often records entire family lines back to which of the 10 canoes first landed in NZ, around 1000 years ago. That's phenomenal.
Another fascinating (to me) thing is their obsession with war. I mean, the original 10 tribes were not that numerous, and Aotearoa (NZ) is a big place. So why so war-like? In order for a Maori to marry, that had to have te moko. Quite apart from the mortality rate in getting the tattoos, a Maori had to distinguish themselves in battle to earn the right to wear te moko. This meant that those Maori who were able to marry and have children were alla ccomplished warriors. And generally pretty big. I mean, the polynesian race is genetically well built, both in terms of frame and musculature - but the Maori's almost selective breeding programme made them enormous. It's part of the reasons that the Haka developed - war needed to be come a last resort as battle was almost always utterly lethal.
I could go on, but I'll stop there till a later date.
2. - Piercings. I've had 9 now. My first was, predictably, my ear. It was back when I was 19, and I did it cos it was what all the cool kids were getting done. I then prgressed to several more ear piecings, and then my nose and eyebrow. These were a little more "out there" at the time (early 90s), and piercing was still done for many people with a gun. Even my nose was (OW!!!). I guess it was around 1997 when I got my tongue done that I started to take it seriously. At the time, the only other man I knew who had their tongue done was Keith Flint - it was an almost exclusively female thing. It was also the first piercings I had done with a nitrocam needle, and for me it all changed. Piercings became "cleaner". There was a wholesome feeling after getting it done that felt more right. And the piercing procedure itself took on almost a ritual quality for me, personally. I suppose that's why the amount I was getting slowed down. I've only had 2 done since then - my left nipple (which really didn't heal well, and I had to take it out) and my Prince Albert (which was taken out for the catheter in hospital).
I am going to have more - but i want to save them for when I'm in a better frame of mind, and when I can enjoy the experience. I want to get my tragus done. I also want to either have my PA redone, or go for an ampallang. I don't know why, but genital piercings really appeal to me - not entirely for sexual purposes, but from an aesthetic point of view. I also love Gary's concept of a corset piercing for my belly scar. As long as the anastomosis goes off well, It will be done.
3 - Favourite book/film. Tricky - I don't know that I have a favourite film or book, it all depends on my mood. For sheer unthinking fun, it's got to be Chroinicles of Riddick for films, and pretty much any Terry Pratchett book. I don't mean that they are unintelligent - but they don't challenge me all that much, and reading/watching is pure pleasure. For when I'm slightly more serious, book wise it's any Robin Hobb, or even the Thomas Covenant Chronicles. Filmwise, it's Once Were Warriors (yup - them Maoris again) or Schindler's List.
I'm also a huge fan of comic book adaptations for films. I think the two go so well together - possibly because of the film-making process, involving story boards etc. With a comic, you have the storyboard in place.
4 - Male and Female Archetypes. Not sure what you mean by archetypes. I mean, I know what the word means, but not sure where to go with it.... Sorry... :o(
5 - Wales. I think it'd be honest of me to say that Wales would be a fantastic place to live if it wasn't for the people who live here. This is going to raise a few hackles initially, but let me explain myself. Wales is one of the most beautiful parts of the UK I've lived in. It varies from lush, green valleys to stark moorland reminiscent of the highlands. It has ancient forests and steep flowing rivers. It's beautiful - especially as I grew up in Devon, and am used to gentle hills and golden beaches. However, it has been seriously over-industrialised and then abandoned. Add that to the fact that Wales appears to have more chavs per capita (is that even a measure?) than any other part of the UK, and it really isn't helped. Don't get me wrong - I seriously consider the Welsh to be some of the best people I know. But their fellow countrymen (and women) really let them down. Considerably. Or, to put it another way, never have I seen a more beautiful land blighted by so much litter and fly-tipping.
6 - The nature of evil. Now we get onto the meaty stuff. What is evil?I think the fact that pretty much everyone has a different definition of evil sums it up - it's totally subjective. It's not even a case of different moral compasses, or different belief systems. If that were the case, then all (for example) Christians would have the same notion of evil. Or even all Catholic Christians. But how could that be when the same church will give rise to Mother Teresa and Torquemada? It's the same as the comparison that one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter - it depends on your point of view.
So we've figured that, in general, every person has a personal view of what evil is. In many cases, that view will coincide - torture is generally considered evil by everyone. The tricky bit comes when a person considers something to be evil in themselves, but still does it. It begs the question why? Why would someone willingly do evil? Could it be that we are capable, as sentient creatures, of putting aside our morality, or altering it to fit the circumstances? If we can justify something under "the ends justify the means", then do the means cease to become evil, now that we have a way round it? Following that to a conclusion, should the ends prove sufficiently motivational, is there any "evil" that cannot be sublimated?
Quite often, when a person is labelled as evil, they are either (a) viewing things in a different way, and therrefore don;t consider themselves to be evi, or (b) mentally ill, and like being evil, as they see it. I suspect that in the majority of cases it is the former of these two.
In which case, what gives us the right to judge them? Is that not simply subjecting out values onto another person's actions? Isn't that the very definition of bullying - using a position of power to force your views onto anothern person. Is it a form of moral slavery for a society to do so? I suspect this could go on for ever - as no 2 people's definition of evil can coincide, does it follow that no two person's definition of good can either?
1.Maori
2.Piercings - why, where, when did you start?
3.Your favourite film/book/similar thing
4.Male and Female archetypes
5.Wales
6.The nature of evil
1. - Maoris. I have to admit, no other culture has captured my attention as much as the Maoris. Everyone knows about the tattoos and the haka, but few people know about the rest. One of the most fascinating parts is the greenstone (nephrite jade for all you geology buffs out there) necklaces that most maoris wear. It's actually considered bad luck to buy one for yourself. You are supposed to buy, or obtain, them for other people, and then wear them yourself for some time first. In this way, the greenstone absorbs part of your mana, or spirit, and then when you gift the greenstone to someon e else, they carry part of our spirit with them - it's the reason they are not given lightly.
Additionally, I love the fact that, despite not having a form of writing, the Maori's history is clearer than ours. If we want to trace our family tree, we can go back 2, maybe 3 egernations without effort. Maori oral tradition often records entire family lines back to which of the 10 canoes first landed in NZ, around 1000 years ago. That's phenomenal.
Another fascinating (to me) thing is their obsession with war. I mean, the original 10 tribes were not that numerous, and Aotearoa (NZ) is a big place. So why so war-like? In order for a Maori to marry, that had to have te moko. Quite apart from the mortality rate in getting the tattoos, a Maori had to distinguish themselves in battle to earn the right to wear te moko. This meant that those Maori who were able to marry and have children were alla ccomplished warriors. And generally pretty big. I mean, the polynesian race is genetically well built, both in terms of frame and musculature - but the Maori's almost selective breeding programme made them enormous. It's part of the reasons that the Haka developed - war needed to be come a last resort as battle was almost always utterly lethal.
I could go on, but I'll stop there till a later date.
2. - Piercings. I've had 9 now. My first was, predictably, my ear. It was back when I was 19, and I did it cos it was what all the cool kids were getting done. I then prgressed to several more ear piecings, and then my nose and eyebrow. These were a little more "out there" at the time (early 90s), and piercing was still done for many people with a gun. Even my nose was (OW!!!). I guess it was around 1997 when I got my tongue done that I started to take it seriously. At the time, the only other man I knew who had their tongue done was Keith Flint - it was an almost exclusively female thing. It was also the first piercings I had done with a nitrocam needle, and for me it all changed. Piercings became "cleaner". There was a wholesome feeling after getting it done that felt more right. And the piercing procedure itself took on almost a ritual quality for me, personally. I suppose that's why the amount I was getting slowed down. I've only had 2 done since then - my left nipple (which really didn't heal well, and I had to take it out) and my Prince Albert (which was taken out for the catheter in hospital).
I am going to have more - but i want to save them for when I'm in a better frame of mind, and when I can enjoy the experience. I want to get my tragus done. I also want to either have my PA redone, or go for an ampallang. I don't know why, but genital piercings really appeal to me - not entirely for sexual purposes, but from an aesthetic point of view. I also love Gary's concept of a corset piercing for my belly scar. As long as the anastomosis goes off well, It will be done.
3 - Favourite book/film. Tricky - I don't know that I have a favourite film or book, it all depends on my mood. For sheer unthinking fun, it's got to be Chroinicles of Riddick for films, and pretty much any Terry Pratchett book. I don't mean that they are unintelligent - but they don't challenge me all that much, and reading/watching is pure pleasure. For when I'm slightly more serious, book wise it's any Robin Hobb, or even the Thomas Covenant Chronicles. Filmwise, it's Once Were Warriors (yup - them Maoris again) or Schindler's List.
I'm also a huge fan of comic book adaptations for films. I think the two go so well together - possibly because of the film-making process, involving story boards etc. With a comic, you have the storyboard in place.
4 - Male and Female Archetypes. Not sure what you mean by archetypes. I mean, I know what the word means, but not sure where to go with it.... Sorry... :o(
5 - Wales. I think it'd be honest of me to say that Wales would be a fantastic place to live if it wasn't for the people who live here. This is going to raise a few hackles initially, but let me explain myself. Wales is one of the most beautiful parts of the UK I've lived in. It varies from lush, green valleys to stark moorland reminiscent of the highlands. It has ancient forests and steep flowing rivers. It's beautiful - especially as I grew up in Devon, and am used to gentle hills and golden beaches. However, it has been seriously over-industrialised and then abandoned. Add that to the fact that Wales appears to have more chavs per capita (is that even a measure?) than any other part of the UK, and it really isn't helped. Don't get me wrong - I seriously consider the Welsh to be some of the best people I know. But their fellow countrymen (and women) really let them down. Considerably. Or, to put it another way, never have I seen a more beautiful land blighted by so much litter and fly-tipping.
6 - The nature of evil. Now we get onto the meaty stuff. What is evil?I think the fact that pretty much everyone has a different definition of evil sums it up - it's totally subjective. It's not even a case of different moral compasses, or different belief systems. If that were the case, then all (for example) Christians would have the same notion of evil. Or even all Catholic Christians. But how could that be when the same church will give rise to Mother Teresa and Torquemada? It's the same as the comparison that one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter - it depends on your point of view.
So we've figured that, in general, every person has a personal view of what evil is. In many cases, that view will coincide - torture is generally considered evil by everyone. The tricky bit comes when a person considers something to be evil in themselves, but still does it. It begs the question why? Why would someone willingly do evil? Could it be that we are capable, as sentient creatures, of putting aside our morality, or altering it to fit the circumstances? If we can justify something under "the ends justify the means", then do the means cease to become evil, now that we have a way round it? Following that to a conclusion, should the ends prove sufficiently motivational, is there any "evil" that cannot be sublimated?
Quite often, when a person is labelled as evil, they are either (a) viewing things in a different way, and therrefore don;t consider themselves to be evi, or (b) mentally ill, and like being evil, as they see it. I suspect that in the majority of cases it is the former of these two.
In which case, what gives us the right to judge them? Is that not simply subjecting out values onto another person's actions? Isn't that the very definition of bullying - using a position of power to force your views onto anothern person. Is it a form of moral slavery for a society to do so? I suspect this could go on for ever - as no 2 people's definition of evil can coincide, does it follow that no two person's definition of good can either?