Opinion Editorials, April 2009

 Amid The US-Led-Global Recession, An Attempt To Make A Better Sense Of The World

By Ali Al-Hail

ccun.org, April 8, 2009

  
   One just wonders, how to layout such a questionable sensation-amid all these accumulating developments that, leaning out from virtually, every corner in the World–is it the World that falling apart or else, those who perceivably, master (or who think that, they master) the World, who cause the World to falling apart?
 
   It appears that, the US-Led- global recession, has piled up in the aftermath and during the US-Led-global invasions and wars on Afghanistan and Iraq respectively. Many people argue that, the former is a direct product of the latter, amongst other factors, despite confusion, concealing and denial. As such; both correlations are detrimental  blunders, made by human beings.
 
   It's observed that, the more catastrophic mistakes are made, the more human beings tend to place the blame on the "whipping boy" (i.e. the World.) It's undoubtedly, a way of escapism (i.e. a way of escaping responsibility.)
 
   This rising phenomenon may be described as, 'socio-passivity.' In socio-passivity thinking, people seem to project their failure on certain passive things (e.g. the World's downturn, the World is in recession or even a possible depression etc.) It's cathartic and therapeutic, enabling them to have a relief and perhaps, more importantly, absorbing their sense of guilt.  
 
   Amongst secular thinkers, this philosophy of 'socio-passivity' arises in time of crisis, while amongst those who believe in divinity, 'socio-deity' philosophy seems more appealing, more prevailing, and more common. Pro 'socio-deity' philosophy, including the Pop of the Roman Catholic, believe that, ethics crisis has led to financial crisis. The harsh unfairness of both, the taxing and the interest rate systems, are merely, glimpse of both ethics and financial crises.           
 
   Since the World is passive\negative, by\on its own, it therefore; cannot do anything on\by its own, let alone to falling apart. In Psychology, the relationship between the apparently, active\ positive human beings, as a variable and the passive\negative 'World', as another variable in this equation is called- a causative relationship (i.e. human beings led the World to collapse.)
 
   There, exist both; a correlation and a causation spontaneously, which is extremely, interesting. For; it's quite seldom, in a phenomenon, to have both-a correlation, and a causation, at the same time. For example, there's no correlation between human beings and 'corruption', but there's a causation (human beings can cause corruption.) The recurrent financial crisis has clearly, reinforced this aspect of evil human nature. One presumes, as do many that, the US-Led-West bailout, has targeted companies and banks, while neglected the real victims of the credit crunch (i.e. ordinary citizens.) This move has widely, been seen as a way of bolstering individual and corporate corruption. The huge bonuses that, AIG and other gigantic companies paid off its CEOs has obviously, strengthen this trend, despite skepticisms.            
 
   Yet; do human beings fall apart-in a manner that, drive one to assume the World, alike is falling apart, -as a result of  factors that, go beyond human beings? Or they do fall apart as a result of a series of presumably, accumulative wrongdoing over the years or even decades, of which they were not necessarily, aware? This is quite a humane.
 
   Most human beings tend to take what they possess for granted, when resources are abundantly, lavish. If the case is so, one could presuppose that, the 'assumed' wrongdoings, were simply, the means of falling apart, and they (the wrongdoings) have reached a certain level of power that, has led human beings to fall apart-exemplified by the underway financial crisis? Consequently, is the theory that (human beings are being merely, a means and the real master is the divine superpower that, doesn't resemble that of human beings) sounds like a reasonable theory?
     
   In his attempt to make sense of the World, Henri Frankfort (2008) argues from his perspective as a secular philosopher that, human beings have strived to make sense of the world in which we live-through two fundamental seemingly, intertwined methods. The first method; he termed as a "Speculative thought," through which Frankfort  defines it, as an intellectual tool "to explain, to unify, order experience ... (this method) attempts to underpin the chaos of experience so that it may reveal the features of a structure--order, coherence and meaning" (Frankfort, 2008, p. 11.) He broadened his argument by exploring the method of "speculative thought", listing it into two types:

1.       Rational Thought: Finding order and meaning in the universe through the use of logic, verifiable fact and open, public discussion (i.e. secular interpretation.) This pattern of thinking tend to presume that, the universe was created by the big bang, and this big bang occurred by coincidence. Therefore, many 'socio-deity' thinkers believe that, it's illogical to think that, the universe was there by coincidence or created by many gods, arguing that Allah, Almighty God, who is the only God, is the ever creator.       

2.       Mythopoeic Thought: Finding order and meaning in the universe through the use of poetry and myth (and sometimes through the use of misguiding theology) (i.e. escapism.) Devotee-believers seem to find "order and meaning in the universe through" communicating with Allah without mediators, through certain forms of worshiping. Thus, they don't seem interested in "the use of poetry and myth."       

By myth, Frankfort means: "Myth is a form of poetry which transcends poetry in that it proclaims a truth: a form of reasoning which transcends reasoning in that it wants to bring about the truth it proclaims; a form of action, of ritual behavours, which does not find its fulfillment in that act but proclaims a poetic form of truth" (Frankfort, p. 16.) 
   However; devotee-believers, use their belief through which they know the truth of the whole universe reasoning. To them, Allah, Almighty God, created the big bang, ordered it, and it did what it did with Allah's consent. It's one of Allah's powerful infinite forces. This type of reasoning doesn't deny-as some people think-geological, physical, chemical, biological developments and changes…etc. However, all these forces are Allah's. Since, Allah put them in the universe, they function and perform with Allah's will.
 
   This philosophy is therefore, in contrast with that of  Frankfort (2008). He argued that: " Natural forces were understood in terms of human experience and human experience and human events were understood in terms of cosmic forces. For example, the cosmic force of rain is understood as the anger of the sky god Enlil, not as the outcome of impersonal climatic conditions." Devotee-believers nonetheless, believe in that, the notion of "natural forces" are passive. They are Allah's forces. Climate conditions, as one of Allah's natural forces, were put in the universe by Allah. Thus; they are Allah's forces. In other words, climate conditions are Allah's means, but Allah who order the rain to fall, or not to fall.     
  
   A human being, as an invaluable component of the universe can only, take up every single available means in her\his possession to make things happen. These means themselves, from Allah, anyway. To them, this is a pillar which is not different from pillars of worshiping. To them, to take up the means is a 'must'. It's required by Allah, Almighty God. Had she\he not done so, she\he would have not been accepted by Allah, Almighty God.
 
   To devotee-believers, it's not acceptable, to state that, "I have taken all means available and that's it, Allah, doesn't want me to get what I want." Even if visible means are run out, Allah, Almighty God gifted human beings with self-planted-means that, flow from within (i.e. Allah gave them the brain, the mind, the thinking, and the capability of analysis etc. in order to invent more and better means.)
 
Professor, Dr. Ali Al-Hail, Professor of Mass Communication, Twice Fulbright

Award Winner, Fulbright Visiting Scholar, Vice-President Of Qatar Fulbright Group, CSR Award Judge and Board Member of AUSACE, ASC, IABD, NEBAA, BEA, IMDA and EAJMC American Associations.
Can be contacted via: a.alhail@yahoo.com