This is another interesting view on the source of violence in our society. it was written by a Jamaican referring to Jamaican society but it certainly can relate to the rest of the Caribbean.
The belief that God is violent has had a palpable impact on our society. An outsider from another planet who has no understanding of our culture would conclude that we Jamaicans are in love with physically violent behavior. We joke about it, sing about it, boast about it, promote it, threaten each other with it, resort to it when we are upset and perpetrate it at will. Furthermore, you would think that the kind of violence that they would see the most of would be murders, assaults, rapes and other criminal acts.
Not so.
The kind of violence they would see occurring most frequently would be related to violence that we don't even see for ourselves, because it is so common. Instead, it would be violence we perpetrate on each other daily, and one example of the form it takes falls under the general heading of "physical punishment."
We use physical punishment as a tool of enforcement, and we use it frequently in the following settings, among others: parents on young children, teachers on young students, boyfriends on girlfriends, citizens on gays, policemen on the accused, fans on football referees, prison warders on prisoners and drug dons on innocent citizens.
The only common thread between these everyday examples is that they involve one ostensibly strong party acting against a weaker party. Through everyday, commonplace violent acts we teach our young, and reinforce for each other, that violence is an acceptable way of imparting useful and necessary "lessons."
We then go further, and defend our right to impart these "lessons," becoming indignant if anyone attempts to question what we see as something close to a God-given right. We insist that we have a right to physically punish those who are powerless, and weaker than us. In other words, we claim that we have a right to take violent action against them, arguing, once again, that "it worked for us" and making the point that the only reason who have so many criminals is because "no one nevah give dem a good beating."
Yet, our society is capable of rethinking and changing itself in this matter. At one point in our history, domestic violence was acceptable, as was violence against Rastafarians. While we argued then that it was necessary "punishment," we no longer say this with quite the same conviction, nor do we use past history for a justification for its continuation.
Perhaps murder, when it occurs, is just an extension of the punishment and violence we willingly perpetrate against each other, especially against those of us who are relatively weak and powerless. Physical punishment, capital punishment and murder are accepted legal and extra-legal ways to teach someone else a "lesson." What if we got out of the business of teaching lessons through physical punishment altogether? After all, it's common sense that violence only breeds further violence. Why wouldn't physical punishment do anything else than lead to further punishment down the road? Perhaps the way to reduce violence, and physical punishment is to stop it altogether in any form it may take.
From The Source of Crime in Jamaica by Francis Wade.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Fear of God forms a violent people
I came across this piece from Francis Wade who was proposing possible reasons for the intense criminality of jamaican society. One of his suggestions was the image painted by Christianity of a vain, violent and vengeful God. I found it rather interesting. Here's an exerp.
Long before the idea of killing someone enters the mind of a would-be murderer, there is a relationship that they develop that powerfully shapes their actions. That relationship is the one that they have with God. A Jamaican child growing up comes to hear that God exists, and as God is described to them, comes to form an image in their mind of who He is, and how He relates to us – in short, God's personality. As they grow up and develop what are sometimes murderous intentions, they do so against the backdrop of their personal spirituality; that is, their relationship with God.
If the personality that they ascribe to God in their mind's eye is one that is vain, violent and vengeful, then it follows that they will, in seeking to "be like Him," model their behavior after Him. In today's Jamaican society, this is exactly what happens. We teach each other that He is vain (put me first or else), violent (The Passion of the Christ was one of the most violent movies of 2004) and vengeful (hell and its fires are waiting for those of us who do not follow the narrow way.)
This picture of God's personality is not just taught, it is also said to be above question (and for some, questioning is itself a grave sin.) We pass this unexamined picture on to our children in our homes and churches to help "keep them in check." It is widely accepted in our society that this is one of the best ways to raise children i.e. afraid of God and what He will do to them. After all, it worked for us, therefore it must work for them. (This is said without asking if the current murder part is proof that it is "working for us.")
We, the older generation, have passed on these lessons faithfully, even in the face of growing evidence that its first teachers were slave owners, who after all introduced us to this particular picture of God. Even though, in many ways, the British themselves no longer pass on this picture of God's personality to children in their society en masse, we have apparently learned the lesson too well, and continue to teach it in ours (while deriding their new choices as crazy.)
To examine the nature of our murders is to confront stories of vanity, violence and vengeance. By and large, murder in our country is not a random crime. Over 90% of our murders are said to be committed by people who know the victim, or have some vested interest in having them dead. A tremendous number are related to revenge killing, disagreements and paybacks for "disrespect." A wrong look, an accidental bump or a bad joke can get someone killed.
In short, our murders are being conducted by those of us who insist on being vain, violent and vengeful. They have taken the lessons they have learned about God literally, and to its extreme. They have the very same mindset that we have taught our children, and that our parents taught us. And, we defend this mindset as one that is ordained by God.
The source of Crime in Jamaica by Francis Wade.
Long before the idea of killing someone enters the mind of a would-be murderer, there is a relationship that they develop that powerfully shapes their actions. That relationship is the one that they have with God. A Jamaican child growing up comes to hear that God exists, and as God is described to them, comes to form an image in their mind of who He is, and how He relates to us – in short, God's personality. As they grow up and develop what are sometimes murderous intentions, they do so against the backdrop of their personal spirituality; that is, their relationship with God.
If the personality that they ascribe to God in their mind's eye is one that is vain, violent and vengeful, then it follows that they will, in seeking to "be like Him," model their behavior after Him. In today's Jamaican society, this is exactly what happens. We teach each other that He is vain (put me first or else), violent (The Passion of the Christ was one of the most violent movies of 2004) and vengeful (hell and its fires are waiting for those of us who do not follow the narrow way.)
This picture of God's personality is not just taught, it is also said to be above question (and for some, questioning is itself a grave sin.) We pass this unexamined picture on to our children in our homes and churches to help "keep them in check." It is widely accepted in our society that this is one of the best ways to raise children i.e. afraid of God and what He will do to them. After all, it worked for us, therefore it must work for them. (This is said without asking if the current murder part is proof that it is "working for us.")
We, the older generation, have passed on these lessons faithfully, even in the face of growing evidence that its first teachers were slave owners, who after all introduced us to this particular picture of God. Even though, in many ways, the British themselves no longer pass on this picture of God's personality to children in their society en masse, we have apparently learned the lesson too well, and continue to teach it in ours (while deriding their new choices as crazy.)
To examine the nature of our murders is to confront stories of vanity, violence and vengeance. By and large, murder in our country is not a random crime. Over 90% of our murders are said to be committed by people who know the victim, or have some vested interest in having them dead. A tremendous number are related to revenge killing, disagreements and paybacks for "disrespect." A wrong look, an accidental bump or a bad joke can get someone killed.
In short, our murders are being conducted by those of us who insist on being vain, violent and vengeful. They have taken the lessons they have learned about God literally, and to its extreme. They have the very same mindset that we have taught our children, and that our parents taught us. And, we defend this mindset as one that is ordained by God.
The source of Crime in Jamaica by Francis Wade.
Monday, April 7, 2008
O.K so ppl, I have a theory. Everyone seems to be fooled by this whole sleep concept. Every night we go to bed, get all well rested and refreshed and ready for the next day's work. Well, I happen to see right through this whole thing. It is my strong opinion that sleep was introduced by the rich capitalists who wanted only to exploit the lower, working or proletariat class so they could maximise their own profit. It's possible that the idea of sleep every night was first introduced in the mid slavery era somewhere in the Eastern Caribbean. Before this period, there had been no documentation of the early Africans having regular sleeping habits. Many nights they would stay up chanting and worshiping their many gods. Sleep came only in the form of trances which were achieved at the point of spiritual climax. When a man emerged from a trance he was fully revitalised and performed his work at its fullest potential.
It is my belief that this is what inspired the white planters when they introduced sleep as a regular practice on the plantations. If a man could sleep every night, and achieve this revitalisation to work a full and hard day everyday, the productive outcome would be monumental.
This means that the slave had more energy to plant, or cut more sugar cane in a given day, thus increasing the amount of money a planter could make for any crop. This would indeed explain the long days that slaves were made to work.
This custom has since been passed down through the generations and adopted the world over; so much so that the origins and original intents and purposes have been long forgotten...at least by the working class!
The capitalists are well aware of the benefits of a good night's rest. More sleep=energised employees=longer hours=more money in my pocket.
Many will argue that sleep is essential for the sustainance of life and not some strategy by the upper class. But look who is telling us this...DOCTORS!...the very same rich, upper class capitalists!!! You can trust them if you want but I know better.
Open your eyes people!...Dont be fooled. We only need sleep on the weekends! By forcing us to sleep, the capitalists are taking away valuable hours which we can use to educate and better ourselves. I doubt Bill Gates sleeps more than a couple hours a week!...Honestly.
Think about it people! Rise above the influence. Say no to sleep and fight the capitalist pigs!
It is my belief that this is what inspired the white planters when they introduced sleep as a regular practice on the plantations. If a man could sleep every night, and achieve this revitalisation to work a full and hard day everyday, the productive outcome would be monumental.
This means that the slave had more energy to plant, or cut more sugar cane in a given day, thus increasing the amount of money a planter could make for any crop. This would indeed explain the long days that slaves were made to work.
This custom has since been passed down through the generations and adopted the world over; so much so that the origins and original intents and purposes have been long forgotten...at least by the working class!
The capitalists are well aware of the benefits of a good night's rest. More sleep=energised employees=longer hours=more money in my pocket.
Many will argue that sleep is essential for the sustainance of life and not some strategy by the upper class. But look who is telling us this...DOCTORS!...the very same rich, upper class capitalists!!! You can trust them if you want but I know better.
Open your eyes people!...Dont be fooled. We only need sleep on the weekends! By forcing us to sleep, the capitalists are taking away valuable hours which we can use to educate and better ourselves. I doubt Bill Gates sleeps more than a couple hours a week!...Honestly.
Think about it people! Rise above the influence. Say no to sleep and fight the capitalist pigs!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Cronicle of the Wise, Old and Crazy
There was once a very old and very wise man; well respected in his village for his age and wisdom.
And one day he went out and began to continuously hit his head against a wall. Now, all the villagers could not understand why he was doing this. But of course he’s very old and very wise so he must know why he’s doing it and it must be a pretty good reason.
But a little boy decided that he wanted to know so he went and asked the very old and very wise man why he was hitting his head against a wall.
The very old and very wise man replied quite matter-of-factly: “I LIKE THE WAY IT FEELS WHEN I STOP”.
Now, in my experiences, I have found that CFBC and UWI are much like that very old and very wise man; quite respected for their status and often unquestioned because of confidence in their wisdom and knowledge.
However, much like that very old and wise man, when one really questions and applies logic to these actions we find a fundamental truth…THEY’RE ABSOLUTELY BONKERS!
So the next time you see a person or institution or organization “hitting they’re head against a wall”, don’t just sit there and figure, well they know what they’re doing… apply logic to it…question it if you must… and based on their justification, you’ll know if you’re dealing with a similar old man and essentially… if you want to be associated with this old man.
And one day he went out and began to continuously hit his head against a wall. Now, all the villagers could not understand why he was doing this. But of course he’s very old and very wise so he must know why he’s doing it and it must be a pretty good reason.
But a little boy decided that he wanted to know so he went and asked the very old and very wise man why he was hitting his head against a wall.
The very old and very wise man replied quite matter-of-factly: “I LIKE THE WAY IT FEELS WHEN I STOP”.
Now, in my experiences, I have found that CFBC and UWI are much like that very old and very wise man; quite respected for their status and often unquestioned because of confidence in their wisdom and knowledge.
However, much like that very old and wise man, when one really questions and applies logic to these actions we find a fundamental truth…THEY’RE ABSOLUTELY BONKERS!
So the next time you see a person or institution or organization “hitting they’re head against a wall”, don’t just sit there and figure, well they know what they’re doing… apply logic to it…question it if you must… and based on their justification, you’ll know if you’re dealing with a similar old man and essentially… if you want to be associated with this old man.
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