Complex Cobwebs

Ours is an era of complexity. Individuals are influenced, engaged and indoctrinated by the conflicting, mixed array of images and messages that they are faced with each day. Hollywood’s clothing size double zero is painted as the new image of perfection, then young people are placed under controlled monitoring, and their emotional and mental stability is questioned if they adjust their diet in an attempt to attain the ‘perfect body’. Individuals who cut themselves are thought of as insane or suicidal, when perhaps, they are simply trying to keep control within a chaotic world. People have been known to completely defy the world’s understanding and hurt and starve themselves as penance for sin. The fashion industry is becoming a den of lions where people are no longer simply changing their outfits, but in reality, they are changing their very bodies. Beauty is indeed pain as the knife carves away what is unwanted and inserts what is desirable to meet the standard. We have seen political prisoners starve themselves for a cause they were prepared to lay down their lives for, and others strap bombs to themselves for the glory of their God. I am not talking about a series of dual or binary conflicts here. What I am referring to is the complex web of knowledge and understanding, of messages and beliefs, of opinions and disagreements, of captivity and freedom.

These words are not benign. These words are not approaching these difficult subjects for the first time, nor will they have the final say. These words are not covering everything that needs to be covered. But these words have power. When real issues are spoken about, written about and acted upon, there is power. I dare to be too personal, but I am prepared to take the risk as I say that regarding these issues, academia is merely a means to an end. Some things are simply too important to merely objectify. Let us embrace the words of Ghandi and take a look at ourselves, then be the change we want to see… “for the hope of liveable worlds.” (Quote by Anne Harroway)

J