Re:Svetlana Alexievich Nobel Lecture: On the Battle Lost
by deepsun on Friday December 11, 2015 @02:20PM
(#10719210)
> We value them for their external appearance, and other frivolous things.
Like we value King Carl Gustaf for only being born in a royal family, and bow to him while accepting Nobel prizes.
Re:Svetlana Alexievich Nobel Lecture: On the Battle Lost
by smsm42 on Friday December 11, 2015 @04:47PM
(#10720307)
I think the respect there comes from what he represents (tradition, collective judgement of the Nobel Committee, respect gained by the Nobel prize as a result of it being awarded to certain people, etc.) not from the actual person of Carl Gustaf. While we can question each of those, e.g. achievements of some of the laureates may appear to many rather questionable today (I won't name names but I have a few in mind and many people do too), I think we can not deny that Nobel prize is still regarded as an esteemed award. So that what people are bowing to, not the external appearance of some old man named Carl.
Re:Svetlana Alexievich Nobel Lecture: On the Battle Lost
by tormeh on Friday December 11, 2015 @05:35PM
(#10720614)
This. Carl XVI Gustaf, as a person, is of questionable importance and virtue. But as king of Sweden he's a living symbol. He's like the flag or something. Achieving this effect is also why European royalty has been widely apoliticized.
Re:Svetlana Alexievich Nobel Lecture: On the Battle Lost
by geoka9 on Friday December 11, 2015 @05:06PM
(#10720435)
Who's Carl Gustaf?
Re:Svetlana Alexievich Nobel Lecture: On the Battle Lost
by dragonwriter on Friday December 11, 2015 @05:16PM
(#10720490)
Form the use of the present tense, and reference to the Nobel Prize awards, presumably Carl XVI Gustaf, currently reigning King of Sweden.
Re:Svetlana Alexievich Nobel Lecture: On the Battle Lost
by tormeh on Friday December 11, 2015 @06:03PM
(#10720762)
>[...] such sadness, fear, pain and suffering is not present today.
[Citation needed]
While I'm on the subject: Germany has a radicalization hotline, that people can call and report any person they fear is about to be radicalized. Know what the most common caller is and who they report? Mothers reporting their sons. It's the same shit that's in this speech, just for a new age.
Re:Svetlana Alexievich Nobel Lecture: On the Battle Lost
by smikhanov on Friday December 11, 2015 @08:50PM
(#10721426)
Who do you think should be the most common caller? Colleagues? It's none of their business if one of them goes to listen to some imam after work. Fathers or friends, maybe?
A mother-child relationship is the strongest interpersonal tie in our society, so what you describe is not surprising at all. I bet it's also true for rehabs and mental hospitals.
Re:Svetlana Alexievich Nobel Lecture: On the Battle Lost
by tinco on Friday December 11, 2015 @08:00PM
(#10721250)
That's a very powerful statement. I'd love to see some kind of source for it so I can repeat that myself.
Re:Svetlana Alexievich Nobel Lecture: On the Battle Lost
by tormeh on Friday December 11, 2015 @09:23PM
(#10721508)
It's in German but just feed it to Google translate or something: m.morgenpost.de/politik/article206703521/Radikalisierungs-Hotline-beraet-immer-mehr-Angehoerige.html
I'll explain in short.
It makes me happy that such sadness, fear, pain and suffering is not present today.
On the other hand, It makes me sad that all of that meaning is lost in society and we chase frivolous things. We don't value humans for their humaneness anymore. We value them for their external appearance, and other frivolous things.
I understand that I cannot generalize the general public this way, but remember i'm taking a subjective stance. I'm merely stating its impact on my thoughts, it may be far from the truth or on point. I dont care.