Today's the day! I'll be leaving any minute for Wells, BC and the start of our 5 or 6 day canoe trip. All my gear is packed, mostly in one pack thanks to Michelle's Kelty hiking backpack. My dad, my brother, and Mike are meeting us there, and Dave will be here to pick me up any minute. (If this post ends abruptly, he came a few minutes early.)
I've been meaning to post about Maus, the graphic novel by Art Spiegelman I started reading a couple weeks ago. It recounts the story of how Mr. Speigleman's father survived World War II as a Jew originally living in Poland. The author uses anthropomorphic representation, with each nationality symbolized by a different animal. Jews are mice, Nazis are cats, Americans are dogs, etc. The book won a special Pullitzer prize, I think because they don't have a comic book category. So far it's been excellent. I highly recommend it.
Maus has gotten me thinking about pacifism. In one sense I like that pacifism is a radical example of principled living. When you take everything away from an organism, nature dictates that it will do anything to survive. Humans are no exception - when you back us into a corner, threaten our loved ones, etc, we will often do whatever is necessary to survive. I like that pacifism is a distinct choice to be set aside from the natural order - no matter the circumstances or the situation, violence is not to be engaged in. It sets us apart.
On the other hand, if everyone were a pacifist, wouldn't violent men rule the world in short order? What are your thoughts on Pacifism?
I've been meaning to post about Maus, the graphic novel by Art Spiegelman I started reading a couple weeks ago. It recounts the story of how Mr. Speigleman's father survived World War II as a Jew originally living in Poland. The author uses anthropomorphic representation, with each nationality symbolized by a different animal. Jews are mice, Nazis are cats, Americans are dogs, etc. The book won a special Pullitzer prize, I think because they don't have a comic book category. So far it's been excellent. I highly recommend it.
Maus has gotten me thinking about pacifism. In one sense I like that pacifism is a radical example of principled living. When you take everything away from an organism, nature dictates that it will do anything to survive. Humans are no exception - when you back us into a corner, threaten our loved ones, etc, we will often do whatever is necessary to survive. I like that pacifism is a distinct choice to be set aside from the natural order - no matter the circumstances or the situation, violence is not to be engaged in. It sets us apart.
On the other hand, if everyone were a pacifist, wouldn't violent men rule the world in short order? What are your thoughts on Pacifism?
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