Neither Can Live While the Other Survives

Brian Greene in his book, The Fabric of Cosmos, while explaining about the Principle of Equivalence to the layman, writes,

  “Right now you feel gravity’s influence. If you are standing, your feet feel the floor supporting your weight. If you are sitting, you feel the support somewhere else. And unless you are reading in a plane or a car, you probably also think that you are stationary-that you are not accelerating or even moving at all. But according to Einstein, you are actually accelerating. Since you’re sitting still this sounds a little silly, but don’t forget to the usual question: 

 Accelerating according to what benchmark? Accelerating from whose viewpoint? "

According to Einstein, absolute space provides a benchmark. Now you might wonder why I am boring you with some obscure physics principles, here’s the reason why.

The reason I mentioned this obscure and murky scientific principle was to draw a comparison to the human society. How do we judge a society’s moral values? What benchmark do we have to declare that such and such activity in a society is wrong or unjustified? Take the case of wine for example. In one culture (to be precise a religion) drinking wine is forbidden while in another wine is allowed. They both have their own benchmarks to judge their values against and both claim that they are right. But how does a person like me who is neither here nor there choose between the two? That is what I am stuck on. What absolute benchmark should I choose to define belief, my moral values, the way I live life. Or should I be my own boss.

 Religion is something that I believe should be avoided in creating a benchmark to judge anyone or anything? Why? Because there are a gazillion other religions out here and each professes that, it is right and divinely inspired. So many religions. So many followers, all vying for the coveted position of being close to the Lord. One claims that the Messiah hasn’t come yet, another says that the Messiah came , got crucified and caught a flight to Heaven and will come back soon to fight evil doers, while the last one basically says that the Messiah will come at the end of times but he would just be a subordinate of its own Prophet, who was the last in the long and illustrious line of Prophets.

 Every religion is contradicting each other that thus creates a need for an absolute benchmark, which can be used to judge and choose between right and wrong, and one that can be accepted by all. But here’s the catch. The human society does not work this way. There is no singular universally agreed guidebook that we earthlings have, that we can use for guidance and to distinguish between what right and what wrong. And the reason why they are not yet in existence is because of a small little code in our DNA.

Since man is nothing but the pinnacle of biological, evolution that has taken several billion years, it is thus a fact that we are the best version of a genetic program that has undergone an untold number of revisions , one particular code in this program pertains to survival. Humans didn’t build houses or discover fire for scientific or aesthetic purposes, they built and discovered for survival, i.e. survival of their species. It s a code that stretches back to the days when we were primitive bacteria swimming in earth’s primeval oceans.

 But this code actually has transcended mere body protection to the active defense of ideas and beliefs. These ideas and beliefs are the reason for a community’s survival and war is a tool of protection for its survival and continuation of its values. Different beliefs thus co-existing is a feel-good thought but one that is just a mirage. It is like the prophecy about Harry Potter and Voldemort which says “Neither can live while the other survives” why? Because the expansion of one belief system would come at the cost of contraction of another. And that’s where our survival code kicks in.

USA didn’t kick out Soviet communism because it was evil? It fought against it because the expansion of Soviet bloc would undermine the progress of USA and its capitalist allies.

A Nuclear Armageddon

 Even the religions are not immune to the effects of this evolutionary code. The concept of Armageddon, which is so widespread in the Abrahamic religions actually says that peace will only be created when all the earthlings are converted to one faith only . Just One Faith. There is no room in the scripture for diverse faiths. Yes, you can co-exist for a while but when the Messiah comes, you have no choice but to submit to his faith otherwise you are on the highway to hell.

 So try judging that against a benchmark!

There will be no benchmark to judge these actions unless one is actually decided unanimously by the earthlings, which leaves no room for dissent. And to leave no room for dissent means destroying the opposing ideas and belief. It’s a sinister aspect of life, but one with which we have to live with.

Imran Khan and Messiah Politics

It’s a tradition of humanity and not of just individual cultures, that people are always expecting a messiah to come and solve all their problems. When evil has spread everywhere and vice is holding sway, people think that the time is ripe for a messiah to come and solve all their problems.

The messiah factor has come into play repeatedly throughout various millennia. From early age, we are exposed to that messiah culture. Remember Lion King? Simba is shown to be Messianic, as he and only he is entitled to rule and bring prosperity to Pride Rock. Remember Spider Man and Super Man? When the town police just take a doughnut break and let our super-heroes save the day (so much for teaching professionalism to the kids).

In that regards let us discuss Messiah Politics. A politics in which a leader is expected to come to power and solve all the country’s problems and to rid it of all evils and rule justly and wisely. In reality, there never was and there never might be a real political messiah. Politics and Messiah-ship are just two opposite words with different meanings. And yet Political Messiahs have been expected in every country to deliver them from corruption and other evils.

Scenes that the world witnessed when Obama campaigned for the throne of Whitehouse were one of ecstasy and high hopes for a bright future. American society which, in the words of Max Blumenthal is‘permeated by apocalyptic beliefs and the yearning for messianic deliverance’, Obama’s marketing campaign was nothing short than announcing the second coming of Jesus himself. Indeed, he was called “The One” and the “Only Hope” who would bring a massive “Change” in the American society. Indeed the public was awestruck by his rallies and the scenes shown on the television, of people cheering madly and looking upon Obama with utmost reverence were astounding. The word spread out. Obama after sometime was not just seen as the messiah for USA but a Messiah for the whole world. Indeed, it was startling to me that how easily American hegemony was accepted. Where Chachu Bush had failed Obama, even before coming to power had achieved. People from all over the world asked him to solve their countries problems, in other words begging for American Intervention!! At that time in 2008, it was totally acceptable to expect Obama to come to power and begin solving world problems. And, when he ascended the throne of Washington, the scenes of jubilation and joy “around the world” were the ones to remember. Even Alqaeda and the Axis of Evil seemed to think that change was coming and talked about giving him a chance. Such was the enormity of his aura. But then 4 years, thousands of civilian deaths, massive economic earthquakes and foreign policy disasters later, this “Messiah” is fighting for his Presidency and discontent is rampant with protests against Wall Street greed and failed policies are spread across 40 different cities. As one blogger put it, messiah Politics is generally short-lived.

Now come to our very own Messiah. Kaptaan Imran Khan. Indeed the words I have mentioned above, like “ The Only Hope” , “The One” that were used in Obama’s campaign, are now resonating in Kaptaan’s campaign as well. At the time when railways and PIA are practically defunct, poverty, corruption and crimes are at an all time high, it is natural for Pakistani people to seek messianic deliverance. And deliverance they are getting in the shape of Imran Khan. As you see people from all the strata of society gather in millions to listen to Imran’s speeches, you know that change is indeed coming to Pakistan. People are really expecting that Imran Khan alone will solve all the problem good days indeed are just around the corner. Given the Kaptaan’s track record, it might be reasonable enough to expect that, but in reality, chances of massive reforms seem slim. How Imran Khan tackles reforms in education and finance when every single layer of these important institutions of the country is crippled by corruption that has spread to the roots. Until and unless the Kaptaan comes up with a detailed road map of the reforms to be introduced, he will remain just like any other failed messiah, hyped up, disappointing and finally scorned. They say that Mussolini was also seen as the Messiah of Italy’s politics endorsed by Pope Pius himself, but look what happened in the end. Defeated, tortured, shot and his corpse strung upside down in a street of Milan.

Instead of looking for the Messiah, we should find the Messiah in ourselves. Anticipate, change but let’s not leave it to certain people to bring about it. True Revolutions are brought by masses not just leaders.

You thought our Nukes were safe- U ARE SO VERY WRONG

The following wiki leaks document is disturbing. I have made a hobby of reading these documents and it was by chance I came across this one. In this document, the Pak Gov is involved in literally handing over our precious nuclear fuel to the US government as anti nuclear asset proliferation effort. I am stunned. I thought that our nukes our safe. But no! our government has decided to see through this as well which of course may give rise to the speculation that if the Pak government is handing out its nuclear fuel to the US government, then what are the chances of the US government giving it back. Also another point raised here is that how come Pak Gov and consequently the Pak Army is allowing visits by US experts to remove nuclear fuel from Pakistani Nuclear Sites. Another related issue that is raised here is that if the Pak Gov is removing its nuclear fuel from the sites, then does it mean that Taliban or India has compromised the security of these sites (somehow)? What do you think?

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Reference IDCreatedReleasedClassificationOrigin

09ISLAMABAD1152 2009-05-27 16:04 2010-11-30 21:09 SECRET Embassy Islamabad

VZCZCXRO3997 PP RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHIL #1152 1471632 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 271632Z MAY 09 FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2939 INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0361 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0460 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 4966 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 6251 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 7312 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 1712 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FLS E C R E T ISLAMABAD 001152 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PARM KNNP MNUC PK SUBJECT: U.S. REMOVAL OF PAKISTAN RESEARCH REACTOR FUEL ON HOLD Classified By: Anne W. Patterson for reasons 1.4 (b) (d) ¶1. (S)

XXXXXXXXXXXX, told Poloff on May 26 that the recent spate of media attention on Pakistan's nuclear security has led the GOP to delay an important nonproliferation effort, the removal of U.S.-origin highly-enriched uranium spent fuel from a Pakistani nuclear research reactor. The GOP agreed in principle to the fuel removal in 2007, but has been slow in scheduling a visit by U.S. technical experts to discuss logistical and other issues. In recent months, the Strategic Plans Division and Ministry of Foreign Affairs both indicated progress on the matter and a proposed visit for late May was under review. However, according to XXXXXXXXXXXX, a recent GOP interagency review of the program concluded that the "sensational" international and local media coverage of the security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons made it impossible to proceed at this time. If the local media got word of the fuel removal, "they certainly would portray it as the United States taking Pakistan's nuclear weapons," he argued. The visit will have to be delayed for 3-4 months or until the political climate makes it more conducive to hosting a U.S. visit, he stated. ¶2. (S) Comment: As noted in previous post reporting, the GOP is extremely sensitive to media focus on Pakistan's nuclear program. In a sign of their growing defensiveness, the Foreign Office Spokesman took significant time out of his May 21 press conference to address nuclear security, stating categorically, "there is simply no question of our strategic assets falling into the wrong hands." To a question about reported offers of U.S. help with nuclear security, he responded, "we do not need this assistance." With the postponement of the nuclear fuel removal, it is clear that the negative media attention has begun to hamper U.S. efforts to improve Pakistan's nuclear security and nonproliferation practices. End Comment. PATTERSON

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