Four years ago I wrote a brief reaction to a CNN news report of yet another deadly attack in Iraq. It had been just one of many similar attacks over the years since the 2003 invasion. When the article was published in 2012, ISIS as we know it today did not exist. The continued deterioration in Iraq (and later Syria) over the subsequent years provided the breeding ground for Al-Qaeda in Iraq to emerge as ISIS. And the rest is, sadly, familiar history. Continue reading “Collective perception, the status quo, and the escalation of conflicts”
Time as a consequence of change
Time is a consequence of change. Time is a construct of the mind. Time is an experience, a way to extrapolate and sort out causal events in the spacetime continuum. When we observe the movement of a watch, the ageing of our bodies, or the sun rising or setting on the horizon, we become comfortable with the notion of time. We may automatically attribute a change in states to the force of time. Yet, time does not cause our watch to tick, alter our bodies, or propel celestial objects through space. Continue reading “Time as a consequence of change”
The gradual shift of moral standards
Today, a series of bombs went off in Iraq, killing and injuring hundreds – the deadliest attack in Iraq so far this year. An event that ought to shock and call for action – if only in our hearts. Yet, it was not the top story in many newspapers. If the same number of people were affected in the same manner in another country or circumstance, it would scream breaking news and demand attention. Continue reading “The gradual shift of moral standards”