嘘をつくくらいなら、黙っているほうがよい。
これは私の持論の１つである。
沈黙は、嘘ではない。
言葉は、真を目指しても嘘になるくらいだから、
嘘をつくくらいなら沈黙を選ぶ。
その沈黙が肯定と捉えられようともその逆となろうとも、
そうして相手に判断を委ねるような形にたとえ見えようとも、
それでも私は嘘より沈黙を選ぶ。
だから私は、よく話をそらす。
だから私は、よく人に質問をする。
真を伝え合いたい人とは、
同じ話題を飽きもせず続けて、
しかも私が喋り手になりがちである。
聞き上手だねなどと私に言うような人間は、
たいてい私が重要視していない人間だ。
2011年7月17日日曜日
言いたいことと、伝えたいことと。
言いたいことを言うのは大事かもしれないが、
単なる我欲の範疇に陥るおそれを多分に含んでいる。
伝えたいことを伝えるのは難しいが、
私はこちら側を生きる。
会いたい人には会いたいと言い、
会えて嬉しければ嬉しいと言い、
愛しているのならば愛していると言う。
言いたいこと、と、伝えたいこと、とは
似て非なるものである。
前者は、ともすれば投げっぱなしのボール。
後者は、受け手への感情が少なからずこもっているボール。
私が、あなたに対して何も語らないのであれば、
あなたに伝えたところで私には何の価値もないと思っているからだ。
単なる我欲の範疇に陥るおそれを多分に含んでいる。
伝えたいことを伝えるのは難しいが、
私はこちら側を生きる。
会いたい人には会いたいと言い、
会えて嬉しければ嬉しいと言い、
愛しているのならば愛していると言う。
言いたいこと、と、伝えたいこと、とは
似て非なるものである。
前者は、ともすれば投げっぱなしのボール。
後者は、受け手への感情が少なからずこもっているボール。
私が、あなたに対して何も語らないのであれば、
あなたに伝えたところで私には何の価値もないと思っているからだ。
稚拙な思わせぶり
思わせぶり、という態度自体は好きでも嫌いでもない。
ただ、下手糞な思わせぶりには反吐が出る。
自然体を装った思わせぶり、も別にどうでもいい。
しかし、装っているという部分が透けてしまっているのは、
もうどうしようもなく痒い。
そういう類の人間に限って、肝が据わっていない。
浅い。
浅いものは嫌い。
浅はかなものも嫌い。
拙さを自覚していないものも嫌い。
だいたいにおいて、この頃出会う人間は手を抜き過ぎているのが多い。
抜かりのない人間は一歩まちがえばこちらの息が詰まるが、
自分というものを上手に仕上げて振る舞う人間には感嘆する。
感嘆したい。
反面教師が多いのだと前向きに捉えてみよう。
私から、きちんとしてみよう。
しかしまあ、雑な大人の多いことよ。
ただ、下手糞な思わせぶりには反吐が出る。
自然体を装った思わせぶり、も別にどうでもいい。
しかし、装っているという部分が透けてしまっているのは、
もうどうしようもなく痒い。
そういう類の人間に限って、肝が据わっていない。
浅い。
浅いものは嫌い。
浅はかなものも嫌い。
拙さを自覚していないものも嫌い。
だいたいにおいて、この頃出会う人間は手を抜き過ぎているのが多い。
抜かりのない人間は一歩まちがえばこちらの息が詰まるが、
自分というものを上手に仕上げて振る舞う人間には感嘆する。
感嘆したい。
反面教師が多いのだと前向きに捉えてみよう。
私から、きちんとしてみよう。
しかしまあ、雑な大人の多いことよ。
千利休のギムレット
あけすけな話をしながら、知らない人の話を聞きながら、
自分の肝要な部分へのアクセスは閉じておく、
という無責任なことができるから一人飲みが好き。
一方で、年季の入ったマスターの前では、
当たり障りの無い穏やかな世間話しかしていないのに
全部を見透かされているような気持ちになる。これも好き。
「今夜、すべてのバーで」の中に出てくる夢のような酒。
まるでその小説のようなお酒に出会って、はまってしまっている。
味が好きなこれそれのお酒、というのはあるけれど、
基本的には酔っぱらうのが楽しいと思って今までお酒を飲んでいた。
そんな観念をぐるりと変えてしまったのが、
上述した「年季の入ったマスター」だ。
浅学を漁って何かにたとえれば、
千利休の点てた茶はこのようなものだったのかもしれないとさえ思う。
しみじみと、もはや感動の域。作品の域。
乾き物も何もいらない。お水もいらない。
心地よく酔うが、酔っぱらいはしない。
同じ夜、別の店で同じギムレットを頼んでみた。
まったく別の代物であった。
まずい酒、というものも実在するのだなと初めて実感した。
また、面倒なものを覚えた。
自分の肝要な部分へのアクセスは閉じておく、
という無責任なことができるから一人飲みが好き。
一方で、年季の入ったマスターの前では、
当たり障りの無い穏やかな世間話しかしていないのに
全部を見透かされているような気持ちになる。これも好き。
「今夜、すべてのバーで」の中に出てくる夢のような酒。
まるでその小説のようなお酒に出会って、はまってしまっている。
味が好きなこれそれのお酒、というのはあるけれど、
基本的には酔っぱらうのが楽しいと思って今までお酒を飲んでいた。
そんな観念をぐるりと変えてしまったのが、
上述した「年季の入ったマスター」だ。
浅学を漁って何かにたとえれば、
千利休の点てた茶はこのようなものだったのかもしれないとさえ思う。
しみじみと、もはや感動の域。作品の域。
乾き物も何もいらない。お水もいらない。
心地よく酔うが、酔っぱらいはしない。
同じ夜、別の店で同じギムレットを頼んでみた。
まったく別の代物であった。
まずい酒、というものも実在するのだなと初めて実感した。
また、面倒なものを覚えた。
2011年7月11日月曜日
ポップとコミットメント
ポップ：大衆的なもの、と辞書にある。
コミットメント：誓約、注傾といったものである。
はじめに断っておくと、私はどちらの言葉も好きではない。
コミットメント（いっそ柵にもなりうる）から逃げたい人が
無責任にわーわー言っているのがポップかと思っていた。
だが、ポップが対象とする大衆は、
何らかの抑圧を根底に持っている。
昨日までは、ポップにコミットするひとは
単なるミーハーかと片付けかけていたのだが、
突き進んで行くとそう簡単なものでもないらしい。
ポップにはコミットメントがない、と考えていたのだ。
ポップを馬鹿にしていた私のポップ感を変えたのは、
今更ながらマイケル・ジャクソンである。
「KING OF POP」と熱叫するファンたちの姿を見て、
この「POP」は「J-」や「K-」のつく「POP」とは違うと感じた。
そこを掘り下げて行く。
かの時代、「POP」は「ROCK」と通じるもののある、
レジスタント的な立ち位置にある文化ではなかったか。
何に対してレジスタントであるかといえば、
自身が個人的に抱えている劣等感やアンフェア感である。
そういったものをかっさらって余り在るものとしての
「POP」に、彼らは自分をネガ投影してコミットしていた。
人種や、スラムや、性的マイノリティや、その他。
では、現在の所謂POPとは何か。
反骨する対象を失った人たちが、
欠損部分を埋めるやけくそな方法として
半ば無意識な盲目さでPOPに傾倒しているのではないか。
日本に限れば、POPアイドルやPOPアイコンなる者はあれど、
POPスターは存在しないと私は思う。
積極的に自己の抱く劣等感と対峙していた人の多かった時代のPOPは、今日び、
当局が、積極的な消極性で蔓延させたルサンチマンに対する受け皿となった。
お仕着せのPOPであり、オナニー的POPである。
そんなものにコミットしたがるのは、
よっぽど行き詰まっている（のに気付いていない）からとしか思えない。
ポップとコミットメント。
もう少し考える。
コミットメント：誓約、注傾といったものである。
はじめに断っておくと、私はどちらの言葉も好きではない。
コミットメント（いっそ柵にもなりうる）から逃げたい人が
無責任にわーわー言っているのがポップかと思っていた。
だが、ポップが対象とする大衆は、
何らかの抑圧を根底に持っている。
昨日までは、ポップにコミットするひとは
単なるミーハーかと片付けかけていたのだが、
突き進んで行くとそう簡単なものでもないらしい。
ポップにはコミットメントがない、と考えていたのだ。
ポップを馬鹿にしていた私のポップ感を変えたのは、
今更ながらマイケル・ジャクソンである。
「KING OF POP」と熱叫するファンたちの姿を見て、
この「POP」は「J-」や「K-」のつく「POP」とは違うと感じた。
そこを掘り下げて行く。
かの時代、「POP」は「ROCK」と通じるもののある、
レジスタント的な立ち位置にある文化ではなかったか。
何に対してレジスタントであるかといえば、
自身が個人的に抱えている劣等感やアンフェア感である。
そういったものをかっさらって余り在るものとしての
「POP」に、彼らは自分をネガ投影してコミットしていた。
人種や、スラムや、性的マイノリティや、その他。
では、現在の所謂POPとは何か。
反骨する対象を失った人たちが、
欠損部分を埋めるやけくそな方法として
半ば無意識な盲目さでPOPに傾倒しているのではないか。
日本に限れば、POPアイドルやPOPアイコンなる者はあれど、
POPスターは存在しないと私は思う。
積極的に自己の抱く劣等感と対峙していた人の多かった時代のPOPは、今日び、
当局が、積極的な消極性で蔓延させたルサンチマンに対する受け皿となった。
お仕着せのPOPであり、オナニー的POPである。
そんなものにコミットしたがるのは、
よっぽど行き詰まっている（のに気付いていない）からとしか思えない。
ポップとコミットメント。
もう少し考える。
2011年7月4日月曜日
(reprise) RACISM IS AN ATOMIC BOMB
Introduction: Racism Is An Atomic Bomb
Racism is an Atomic Bomb. It may sound strange, but it really is. To put it in simpler terms, the concept of racism cam be comprehended better in comparison with atomic bombs. Although racism or racial discrimination is grave issue, the discussion over it has been apt to end up in ambiguous and slippery dispute. This is because 'racism' is in fact an idea, which has no certain (visible) form. Therefore, atomic bombs are very proper example to use in order to explain and define the racism. They have various features in common, not only that both have somewhat negative image. For example, they have similar history of invention and misusage, and both still exist on this earth, scattering fear, retaining some potentianl of next tragedy. When focusing on their similarities which racism and anatomic bombs share some might even say that they are almost the same things. As the things human beings should not have made, racism and an atomic bomb share so many features; in particular, the histories, and their influence.
Birth and Growth
The first common aspect is their histories. Both racism and an atomic bomb have scholars/scientists' interest as mothers, and political distortion and runaway as fathers. Racism began with the anthropologists' trial to find certain groups in human beings. Carolus Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist in 17th century, divided all humans into 4 groups, though, his classification were only "geographical"(Gould 131), contained no hierarchical view. Yet, his follower, Johann Friedrich Blumenbach invented that fifth group and the word "Caucasian"(Gould 129), based on his unconscious bias that the white people are superior to others, means top of the hierarchy. Here, distinguishing people came to mean discriminating people.
As for atomic bombs, there cannot be seen any evil intention in the work of Marie Curie. However, the radiation she discovered attracted many scientists; for example, Albert Einstein who participated in the Manhattan Project, Edward Teller who tried to make a hydrogen bomb, and J. Robbert Oppenheimer who finally succeeded in completing the first atomic bomb. Thus, in the July of 1945, the first bomb named "Trinity" was dropped in New Mexico, for the experiment.
On atomic bombs, there is a difficult discussion about the moral and responsibility of the scientists who took part in making them, because they kept working while knowing that they were arms. Therefore, it cannot be avoided that those scientists could be blamed for their work, yet, even the scientists themselves did not know what strong power the bombs would have. Thus, there are quite a few scientists who strongly regret that they have made. For example, being shocked to realize what he had done, Einstein devoted the rest of his life to the anti-atomic bomb movement, after the bombing. Bernard. T. Felt, one of the members of the Manhattan Project, said that he was shocked to know of the second bombing in Nagasaki. For him, the first bombing was a kind of "good" news, because it mean that he achieved the goal of his study as a scientist. Yet, the second bombing had a different meaning: it showed him and other scientists that the bombs had left the hands of them and fallen into the hands of the army. Bernard also says, "in general, once scientists and technical experts agree to participate in a project which they have no right of management, they become mere 'tools', whatever opinion they might individually have.... This is very dangerous."
The discoveries of the racial classification by Linnaeus, and radiation themselves were harmless. Even the hierarchical human groupings and the atomic bombs could be innocent; if one insists that they were mere results of scholars' pure interest or they just did what they were told to do. However, those scholars' biggest mistake was that they were not aware enough of the influences which their studies would bring to the world, although they may not be capable of taking responsibility for the results. Stephen J. Gould comments, "ideas have consequences"(134), and they did. Bombs are arms, whether they were made on direct purpose to kill people or mere products of scientists' curiosity. Likewise, racial groupings had enough possibility to be misused to do certain people harm, in other words, as arms. Both of them were born innocent, then grew to be arms, or to be much more dangerous than their originators' expectation.
Mass Killing In The War
Their second common point is that both racism and atomic bombs were actually used on a large scale to take millions of lives during the World War 2.
The Holocaust---genocide of Jews by Nazis--- and the bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki are famous tragedies. Needless to say, the former is a very example that shows racism, an idea, could be horrible, deadly weapon which killed approximately 6,000,000 Jews (Lamzman 6). The latter tragedy proved that arms were arms. During 1945, about 140,000 people were killed in Hiroshima, and 60,000 in Nagasaki. In addition, more than 100,000 people additional people died by 1996 because of the bombs' radiation (Fujinaga 202). In both Holocaust and bombings, it was no the scientists themselves who willingly decided to use the results of their studies for the war. On the contrary, the authorities at that time used those ideas. In fact, Truman said to one of his staff that what Oppenheimer did was only to make bombs, and it was Truman himself who exploded them. Again, Gould's words hit home very ironically. Ideas have consequences. Indeed.
Repentance By Human
Thus the third similarity appears. The damage and shock that racism and the atomic bombs brought to the world---human, environment, and history--- were so enormous that people decided not to repeat the same, terrible mistakes. As outcomes of their solution, some international laws and declaration were formed. For instance, PTBT(partial test-ban treaty) in 1968, START(strategic arms reduction treaty) 1, 2 in 1991 and 1993, and CTBT(comprehensive test-ban treaty) were ratified by nations. For the racial and other discriminations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, and other international human rights treaties were declared by the United Nations.
Invisible Influence Of Visible Facts
The fourth common feature is that both of them are still on the earth. Although the world started to take action to abolish racial discrimination and nuclear weapons, it is an incredibly hard task for human to achieve. Difference of people and nuclear missiles exist as visible things. In addition, these visible facts still have tremendous invisible, deep-rooted power and threat on people, such as racial prejudices and nuclear deterrent. Invisible idea of racism surely prevails on the society, just as radiation spreads undermining the land. Moreover, even if all nuclear weapons were thrown away, radiation remains. Those who had been hurt, and the nature polluted also stay. Focusing on the racism, banning discrimination by laws would not be the perfect solution. Because even if all racists were arrested and tried, racism itself can slip out of the courts and jails. It is very difficult to detect and do away with the invisible harm.
Conclusion: Races are Atoms
To summarize, racism and atomic bombs have similar history and characteristics in common.
1. They used to be just the products of scholars' curiosity, and were turned to be harmful weapons.
2. The innocent ideas left the hands of the scholars, and were politically distorted, then used to make tragedies during the war.
3. As people regret, they made promises and decisions to prevent another disasters from coming true.
4. Although there are laws and people trying to throw away these evil human products, it is difficult. Because visible facts still exist, spreading the invisible influences.
If it can be said that racism is an atomic bomb, it is possible to liken the difference among people(which is often called 'race') to atoms. As they are similar in that both are harmless unless some try to make bad use of them. In addition, as long as there is more than one person, people's difference will never vanish, just as atoms cannot be gone from this earth. This means, there still are the sources to generate another discrimination and bombs. Thus, what we need to do, what we can do now is to be alert to the movements which may trigger the next explosion. Lastly, the most important thing is to remember the racism and an atomic bomb's fifth common thing. They are the same things, in that both can never bring peace to the world, to the heart.
Works Cited
Ian Barasch, Mark. The little Black Book of Atomic War. Trans. Naoki, Yanase, and Yumiko, Saijo. Hakuyosha, 1985.
Iwao, Ogawa, et al. Kokusai Symposium: Genbakutouka to Kagakusha [International Symposium: Atomic Bombing and Scientists]. Mod. Sanseidosensho Ser. 62. Sanseido,1982.
Jay Gould, Stephen. The Geometer of Race. Discover, 1994 (In ELP Reader, 2000. 127-140)
Lanzman, Claude. Shoah. 6th ed. Trans. Takemoto, Takahashi. Sakuhinsha, 1996
Shigeru, Fujihara. Robert Oppenheimer: Orokamono To Shiteno Kagakusha [Robert Oppenheimer: a Scientist as a Fool]. Mod. Asahisensho Ser. 549. Asahishinbunsha, 1996.
(Nov 21, 2001)
Racism is an Atomic Bomb. It may sound strange, but it really is. To put it in simpler terms, the concept of racism cam be comprehended better in comparison with atomic bombs. Although racism or racial discrimination is grave issue, the discussion over it has been apt to end up in ambiguous and slippery dispute. This is because 'racism' is in fact an idea, which has no certain (visible) form. Therefore, atomic bombs are very proper example to use in order to explain and define the racism. They have various features in common, not only that both have somewhat negative image. For example, they have similar history of invention and misusage, and both still exist on this earth, scattering fear, retaining some potentianl of next tragedy. When focusing on their similarities which racism and anatomic bombs share some might even say that they are almost the same things. As the things human beings should not have made, racism and an atomic bomb share so many features; in particular, the histories, and their influence.
Birth and Growth
The first common aspect is their histories. Both racism and an atomic bomb have scholars/scientists' interest as mothers, and political distortion and runaway as fathers. Racism began with the anthropologists' trial to find certain groups in human beings. Carolus Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist in 17th century, divided all humans into 4 groups, though, his classification were only "geographical"(Gould 131), contained no hierarchical view. Yet, his follower, Johann Friedrich Blumenbach invented that fifth group and the word "Caucasian"(Gould 129), based on his unconscious bias that the white people are superior to others, means top of the hierarchy. Here, distinguishing people came to mean discriminating people.
As for atomic bombs, there cannot be seen any evil intention in the work of Marie Curie. However, the radiation she discovered attracted many scientists; for example, Albert Einstein who participated in the Manhattan Project, Edward Teller who tried to make a hydrogen bomb, and J. Robbert Oppenheimer who finally succeeded in completing the first atomic bomb. Thus, in the July of 1945, the first bomb named "Trinity" was dropped in New Mexico, for the experiment.
On atomic bombs, there is a difficult discussion about the moral and responsibility of the scientists who took part in making them, because they kept working while knowing that they were arms. Therefore, it cannot be avoided that those scientists could be blamed for their work, yet, even the scientists themselves did not know what strong power the bombs would have. Thus, there are quite a few scientists who strongly regret that they have made. For example, being shocked to realize what he had done, Einstein devoted the rest of his life to the anti-atomic bomb movement, after the bombing. Bernard. T. Felt, one of the members of the Manhattan Project, said that he was shocked to know of the second bombing in Nagasaki. For him, the first bombing was a kind of "good" news, because it mean that he achieved the goal of his study as a scientist. Yet, the second bombing had a different meaning: it showed him and other scientists that the bombs had left the hands of them and fallen into the hands of the army. Bernard also says, "in general, once scientists and technical experts agree to participate in a project which they have no right of management, they become mere 'tools', whatever opinion they might individually have.... This is very dangerous."
The discoveries of the racial classification by Linnaeus, and radiation themselves were harmless. Even the hierarchical human groupings and the atomic bombs could be innocent; if one insists that they were mere results of scholars' pure interest or they just did what they were told to do. However, those scholars' biggest mistake was that they were not aware enough of the influences which their studies would bring to the world, although they may not be capable of taking responsibility for the results. Stephen J. Gould comments, "ideas have consequences"(134), and they did. Bombs are arms, whether they were made on direct purpose to kill people or mere products of scientists' curiosity. Likewise, racial groupings had enough possibility to be misused to do certain people harm, in other words, as arms. Both of them were born innocent, then grew to be arms, or to be much more dangerous than their originators' expectation.
Mass Killing In The War
Their second common point is that both racism and atomic bombs were actually used on a large scale to take millions of lives during the World War 2.
The Holocaust---genocide of Jews by Nazis--- and the bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki are famous tragedies. Needless to say, the former is a very example that shows racism, an idea, could be horrible, deadly weapon which killed approximately 6,000,000 Jews (Lamzman 6). The latter tragedy proved that arms were arms. During 1945, about 140,000 people were killed in Hiroshima, and 60,000 in Nagasaki. In addition, more than 100,000 people additional people died by 1996 because of the bombs' radiation (Fujinaga 202). In both Holocaust and bombings, it was no the scientists themselves who willingly decided to use the results of their studies for the war. On the contrary, the authorities at that time used those ideas. In fact, Truman said to one of his staff that what Oppenheimer did was only to make bombs, and it was Truman himself who exploded them. Again, Gould's words hit home very ironically. Ideas have consequences. Indeed.
Repentance By Human
Thus the third similarity appears. The damage and shock that racism and the atomic bombs brought to the world---human, environment, and history--- were so enormous that people decided not to repeat the same, terrible mistakes. As outcomes of their solution, some international laws and declaration were formed. For instance, PTBT(partial test-ban treaty) in 1968, START(strategic arms reduction treaty) 1, 2 in 1991 and 1993, and CTBT(comprehensive test-ban treaty) were ratified by nations. For the racial and other discriminations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, and other international human rights treaties were declared by the United Nations.
Invisible Influence Of Visible Facts
The fourth common feature is that both of them are still on the earth. Although the world started to take action to abolish racial discrimination and nuclear weapons, it is an incredibly hard task for human to achieve. Difference of people and nuclear missiles exist as visible things. In addition, these visible facts still have tremendous invisible, deep-rooted power and threat on people, such as racial prejudices and nuclear deterrent. Invisible idea of racism surely prevails on the society, just as radiation spreads undermining the land. Moreover, even if all nuclear weapons were thrown away, radiation remains. Those who had been hurt, and the nature polluted also stay. Focusing on the racism, banning discrimination by laws would not be the perfect solution. Because even if all racists were arrested and tried, racism itself can slip out of the courts and jails. It is very difficult to detect and do away with the invisible harm.
Conclusion: Races are Atoms
To summarize, racism and atomic bombs have similar history and characteristics in common.
1. They used to be just the products of scholars' curiosity, and were turned to be harmful weapons.
2. The innocent ideas left the hands of the scholars, and were politically distorted, then used to make tragedies during the war.
3. As people regret, they made promises and decisions to prevent another disasters from coming true.
4. Although there are laws and people trying to throw away these evil human products, it is difficult. Because visible facts still exist, spreading the invisible influences.
If it can be said that racism is an atomic bomb, it is possible to liken the difference among people(which is often called 'race') to atoms. As they are similar in that both are harmless unless some try to make bad use of them. In addition, as long as there is more than one person, people's difference will never vanish, just as atoms cannot be gone from this earth. This means, there still are the sources to generate another discrimination and bombs. Thus, what we need to do, what we can do now is to be alert to the movements which may trigger the next explosion. Lastly, the most important thing is to remember the racism and an atomic bomb's fifth common thing. They are the same things, in that both can never bring peace to the world, to the heart.
Works Cited
Ian Barasch, Mark. The little Black Book of Atomic War. Trans. Naoki, Yanase, and Yumiko, Saijo. Hakuyosha, 1985.
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Lanzman, Claude. Shoah. 6th ed. Trans. Takemoto, Takahashi. Sakuhinsha, 1996
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(Nov 21, 2001)
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