Tell it to Steven Hawking. A person's physical stature does not limit his/her potential for work that does not rely on his/her physical stature (e.g., English teaching, as well as physics). The cultural attitude that those who are discriminated against because they do not fit the culturally desired norm should be outcast or should be provided for by special environments that can be sold as entertainment venues to those who will not deal with their own prejudices is a cultural attitude that perpetuates discrimination against all who are 'different'. The problem here, as elsewhere, is a matter of dehumanizing those who are 'different' - prejudicial culture that regiments anything that deviates from its standards, rather than dealing with the prejudice itself. Why not have a theme park within which 'foreigners', with all their funny habits, can be kept, so that they do not disturb the 'normality' of cultural prejudices? Actually, there could be many: one for 'black people', one for Tibetans, one for Japanese, one for gay people, one for Han Chinese people who have given up their 'traditional' clothing for 'western-style' clothing (e.g., the great majority of Chinese, over the past century or so) - in fact we could subdivide and subdivide until nothing was left but mutual nonrecognition. All these would help to maintain the narrow identities of 'normality' that can be relied upon to advance support the cultural attitudes that promote the continuing inability of people to recognize each other as human, and to celebrate and accept their differences - not as entertainment items, no matter how 'cute', but as full human beings. How different is all this from apartheid?
This effort to maintain prejudice can, of course, be profitable to those who invest in it, and convenient for social engineers and political elites who want to maintain an elite power status by reliance on it.
The place is an insult to our common humanity and a spotlight on cultural attitudes of exclusion. Those who find that they enjoy such displays should take a good look at the nature of the culture that has formed them so narrowly. Cultures change; cultures have always changed; cultures are presently changing and will continue to do so; there is nothing sacred about cultural attitudes. Our common humanity is an ongoing project, and those who imagine they are not part of such a project are simply contributing their own blindness to it, and limiting themselves in the process. It's not the 'dwarves' who are the problem, its the people who will not accept them as within the boundaries of 'us'.
The Help Out — Philippines Fundraiser
Posted byHcamez, I get your point, I'm just saying that it is important to watch this sort of thing carefully, that's all. I know from experience that on SOME levels (perhaps not international aid on the scale required for the Philippines at present) it is entirely possible just to get together with friends and DO IT, no overhead (after all, what's stopping you?) - massive administrative organization guarantees neither efficiency nor waste, it all depends on the situation. On this score, I'd like to know the practical results of the efforts of both maeflor and jan-jan - may not be possible to know this, but the point is, after all, to make sure the job gets done, and nothing else.
And my best wishes to the present effort.
Kunming to monetize street vendor chaos
Posted byFor God's sake and all that is holy may they very soon do something similar on Wenhuaxiang! Ideally they'd get rid of all the cars too, but that's a problem because people with money, rather than ordinary people, are living in the apartments there, and many of them, at least, own cars.
Getting Away: Jianchuan Old Town
Posted byModern & postmodern culture, including modern & postmodern portrayals of the past, is often merely a matter of producing something to sell to people - 'success' and 'truth' tend to mean: 'whatever makes money', and/or maintains and/or legitimizes the power of those who already have it. There is a lot of past, and it is worthwhile to figure out who is selecting the items for its present incarnations, and why they are doing so as they are.
Think of any museum - ANY museum.
The Help Out — Philippines Fundraiser
Posted byHey, I didn't mean to put a damper on this, just a suggestion. And I've bought my book of tickets.
The Help Out — Philippines Fundraiser
Posted byExcellent idea, but is the Hong Kong Red Cross the best way to make contributions? I have no criticism to make of them but it is the case that a lot of charitable organizations spend more than perhaps they should on admin, staff salaries, etc. I really think those who are organizing this important effort should perhaps check out different possible routes for assisting those in need. My general impression is that, in the Haiti relief effort, Medicins sans frontiers (Doctors without Borders) and the Cuban medical relief effort produced particularly good results with less cash going to overhead etc.