Tuesday, January 16, 2007

A WORLD OF CONTRADICTIONS.




These two excellent photos from Reuters show clearly terrible contradictions in our human world.

The top one shows a soldier guarding the bodies of 31 people collected during the previous night in Baghdad. Some of the victims had been tortured before they were killed. It is a scene of horror, a testament to what humans are capable of.

The bottom one shows a woman atop a globe. She is an Australian dancer taking part in a festival in Mumbai. The scene is one of happiness and beauty, a wonderful demonstration of artistic creativity and gracefulness. It is also a testament to what humans are capable of.

But I see another dimension to the bottom photograph. It suggests to me the existence of the strong urge within humans to escape this mortal existence, to rise above the earth with its violence and suffering and hurt and the fear of growing old and dying; to escape.

That urge surely is what led to the invention of religion.

4 comments:

Stardust said...

These two photos indeed represent the awful contradictions in our human world. Humans invent distractions for themselves or else the reality of horrors of the world would be just too much to bear. Escapism comes in many forms -- religion, alcohol, drugs, television, and other types of diversions that keep our minds busy so we don't have to think about the bad stuff.

Daniel said...

Stardust, in one way I envy those who use their blogs to feature trivia or to engage in wordy academic discussions which don't involve serious world issues and never lead to any resolution.

Because I do involve myself most of the time with blood and guts issues, it can prove to be wearing. But what I find most wearing of all is the inability of most humans to face their own reality or the truth about the reality of this world.

Kvatch, unlike you, I do not fear dying at all. For me, it is an escape!

Thanks to you both for dropping by.

Coffee Messiah said...

I'm with you on all grounds.

I had this conversation with my Dad, about Death and he's so afraid, there's no talking about it.

Awhile back, I mentioned if it came, it would be accepted, as I'm getting tired, as I feel like a mouse running one of those wheels in a cage.

Why are people so daft? Why must people with $$$$, who most of the time are unhappy, not doing something constructive with their time & money?

Life indeed boggles the mind.

Daniel said...

C.M. It certainly is a journey of discovery, of trying to match our dreams with the reality.

For those of us who are idealists, it is a disappointing journey. Cheers.

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