I really don’t see why people are complaining so much about Trump! He is such a typical American.When I travel in America, which I do frequently,because of a condition which requires me to stand most of the time,I end up standing at the bar in restaurants(Another Divine irony-for a practicing Muslim lol).The conversations are inevitably the same-about money,investments,bargains and sports.So what is so unusual about Trump?! His taste in women(playboy and fashion models) his obsession with worldly success and money and his narcissism are all very American.If Americans want a more noble and distinguished personality perhaps they have to examine themselves and the superficiality of their world view!
Now,in all fairness I have a very ambivalent relationship with America.I love its science,technology,the openness of many of its people and their creativity.I have spent countless hours in America at conferences,workshops,spiritual retreats andtrainings of various types and learnt enormous amounts there..But the values….they stink! Crass materialism and superficiality are everywhere.This is NOT a culture the world should be emulating!
Category Archives: Politics
Economic paranoia
There is a common belief in the modern world that everything is about money. “All political decisions are financially based primarily. “That is what even many intelligent , well-educated people believe. So if the United States goes into Iraq , it is for the petrol or if doctors insist on pharmaceutical treatments it is because they are bribed by the big pharma companies.
Now, there is some truth to this point of view but it is by no means the whole truth. It is as if the modernists can only see one of the 7 cardinal sins- greed. But often other factors are in play – like pride and ignorance and envy. So in the case of the American entry into Iraq there were many political factors at play outside of economics. There was even a certain idealism about transforming Iraq into a democracy and setting an example for the Middle East. All of this is lost in the economic cynism and paranoia which says this must be all about money.
in the case of doctors , I too, have undergone their training( brainwashing) which teaches us to pay attention only to the most concrete and superficial facts(We are trained to be so-called Empiricists) The phrase ‘empirical evidence’ is cited as frequently as Jesus, son of God, in the Catholic Church. So the subtleties of perception and the patience required for a naturopathic remedy may be well beyond their ken. They were trained that way!
So beware next time you hear a political event explained purely on the basis of economics. You may we’ll be hearing a very partial truth!
How the Mind Gets it Wrong-3
“How the Mind Gets it Wrong-3″ The NYTimes in an op-ed says”Oprah,don’t do it” Why not?! I’d vote for her any day over Obama.She is more creative,more gutsy and ultimately more well-intentioned than he ever was.Interesting footnote.The op-ed was written from Paris.What a heady combination-NYTimes and French intelligentsia.You couldn’t get it more wrong than that lol
How the Mind Gets it Wrong-2
Another “How the Mind gets it Wrong” story-in this case journalists mind.”Kushner’s Financial Ties to Israel Deepen Even With Mideast Diplomatic Role”headline in the NYTimes.As I have said before,this is not “fake news” but it is biased news.And most of the news stories contain hidden bias.The journalists are always looking for the dirt! That’s what they do.One of my teachers,Bawa Muhayyiddeen used to love animal analogies.He used to say that there are people who are like dogs.You bring them to a beautiful pasture and all they do is smell around for the excrement.A good analogy for journalism lol.In this specific case,whether Kushner was doing $30 million dollars of business with some Israeli is really irrelevant.Most businessmen would make a deal with the devil himself if they could improve the bottom line.Isn’t that what they are taught in MBA school?! What is important is if he can fashion a peace deal between the two parties! I know that there are many skeptics out there but give the guy a chance.No-one else has succeeded including the journalists’ all-time favourite Barak who probably made things worse by his dithering.Salaams.
How The Mind Gets It Wrong-1
An important thread begins! It’s called”How the Mind Gets it Wrong-Regularly”.Today’s example.United States approves of the protest movement in Iran and warns against too harsh a response by the leadership.A good move,by Trump no less.A stand on principle and in fact consistent with the trajectory of history unfolding.France(of course-Remember “I think therefore I am” of Descartes) objects.”This is not the jurisdiction of the U.N but constitutes interference in an internal affairs of another nation.”Logical for sure.But wrong! ( I thank Donald for the possibility of saying things simply in this age of complication and obscurantism).In this age where judgment is seen as sinful being able to say”Wrong” is a gift to all of us lol Not surprising that France,the gold medal champion of intellectual overkill, is the one to speak up.Only Greece would have been more appropriate.After all they were the ones who got the philosophical ball rolling,(Thank you Aristotle!).But now they are bankrupt and that is the greatest of modern sins-to be poor-so they have no credibility!
Narcissism:The Character Pathology of the Modern World?
Heinz Kohut and Self-Psychology.The father of the study of Narcissism-NYTimes review: “The question naturally arises whether Kohut succeeded in transforming his own narcissism. Strozier’s portrait indicates that his self-love was very strong indeed. His Kohut is self-obsessed, often unable to entertain any subject but his own work. His need to dominate every conversation seems to have been nearly maniacal. Yet he was also an able teacher and a superbly dedicated therapist, who insisted that empathy not Freudian aloofness, is central to the therapeutic process. (Stay tuned for more analysis of character pathology and how to deal with it.May not be a coincidence that the Donald is president of the U.S.A.!)
Mirroring
Often,in situations of intense conflict,the parties in question have more in common than they differ.Think Kurds and Turks,Turks and Greeks,Israelis and Arabs and now Catalans and Spaniards.Investigate and see if you can confirm what I am asserting.This is not by pure coincidence.This is all by Divine plan as the other is set up to be our mirror!
“Kill them wherever you find them”-Context is everything
Bismillah Erahman Erahim.In last night’s Quran study group we came across an ayat that has caused considerable consternation and criticism from non-Muslims and thus defensiveness on the part of Muslims themselves.This is ayat 4:89 which says…”Then ,if they turn away,seize them and kill them wherever you find them….”
This ayat has been used to portray Islam as a violent and aggressive religion(Estagfirullah) but that is because it is taken out of context.
The context was a group of hypocrites that were leaving Medina to join up with the Quraysh in Mecca at a time where the Qujraysh were the sworn enemies of Islam.Remember,this is a time of war.If the Allies in WW2 were faced with soldiers deserting to join the German occupation forces in France,what would be the ruling?! Treason and deserting to join the enemy has usually carried execution as the natural punishment.So let’s get real! There is nothing unusual in this ruling.It was a time of war- a time where survival was the first priority.BTW the same is true for apostasy(murtadd). At the time of the Prophet saws the apostates joined the ranks of the enemy.So the punishment was death.This is no longer the case but the Islamic authorities,at least in some countries,have not caught up with the times.What else is new?!
Toxicity
What is wrong with this society-that it keeps putting out more and more toxic devices and materials-like the new smart-meters?! Sickening -literally and metaphorically.The answer is that the outer toxicity is a reflection of an inner one.The inner toxicity is a combination of greed(disguised as a search for efficiency),insensitivity(to everything outside of “scientific” findings published in peer-reviewed journals) and deafness( to the pleas of victims of all sorts). What a toxic brew!
Are politicians psychotic?!
Who’s crazy?! All around me,I see an epidemic of cancer,Alzheimer’s and Autism! But the journalists are more concerned about a glacier breaking off Antartica.Let me give you an analogy.You’re 30 years old and can’t afford to pay your rent or buy your groceries.But you’re worrying about your retirement savings plan!Believe it or not but I’ve actually seen that- in therapy!