BS: Moral Dilemma Part 2

Subject: RE: BS: Moral Dilemma Part 2
From: Helen
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 04:30 PM

Some thoughts I've had from reading this thread, which may or may not be on topic.

Yesterday I watched a clever video called Babakiueria. It is a satirical look at what Australian society would be like if the Aboriginal people of Australia were the dominant social group.

It turns the tables on what society here is like. What if white people had no power in our society and black people did? What if television had token whites instead of token blacks? What if white people's children were taken away from them "for their own good"? etc etc . If in fact the Aboriginal people were the dominant group, then as a generalisation only, I cannot imagine them making the same power based decisions as the white people have made. Their social culture seems different from the white tradition of revering power and powerful people, although I know how limited my knowledge of their culture is.

The title Babakiueria comes from the opening situation of the video. White people having a barbecue in a barbecue area and the Aboriginal people come up the bay in a little boat, plant the Aboriginal flag to claim this land, and ask the locals what they call this place. They answer "barbecue area" so then the Aboriginal people call the whole country Babakiueria. (This is based on the story/belief that that is how the kangaroo got its name. A white bloke asked a black fella what it was called and the reply was "kangaroo", meaning, "I don't know".)

It was written by Geoffrey Atherden who also wrote (I think) the recent tv series called Grass Roots, about the power plays in microcosm which occur in local government councils.

EP, it's interesting that you mention Colin Wilson's book, The Outsider. I wrote my Honours year dissertation for English Lit on the hero as outsider in fiction, specifically Ursula Le Guin's fiction. I just started re-reading her book called The Dispossessed which I focused on in my paper.

Another thought: I have heard it said that the most extreme disagreements/wars are between the people with the most similar beliefs. We can agree to differ with people with completely different views but when someone with similar views comes along we argue the toss about the smallest details.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Moral Dilemma Part 2
From: Peace
Date: 06 Mar 04 - 06:05 PM

Yeah. When two people argue, there are three opinions in the room.

Subject: RE: BS: Moral Dilemma Part 2
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 07 Mar 04 - 06:30 AM

"Another thought: I have heard it said that the most extreme disagreements/wars are between the people with the most similar beliefs. We can agree to differ with people with completely different views but when someone with similar views comes along we argue the toss about the smallest details."

Helen

Thanks so much for your imput, Helen. This thread has kind of wandered all over the place to the point that I haven't been adding to it. But this last part of your posting really hit me.

I think there is something important here about how factions of essentially the same belief system can be as deadly as those whose beliefs are more dissimiliar. It's as if one is far more of a traitor to a cause if it originates as dissent amongst the ranks.
Perhaps that's also why a lot of revolutions actually succeed when it's a portion of the "oppressors" who turn against their own, either out of self preservation, or out of a change of heart and belief...

It's certainly the case with Hitler that he was hurt just as much, if not more, by the officers he considered his closest allies. I imagine that the "Et tu Brute's" of the world have had quite a hand in changing the course of our history.

Ellen

Subject: RE: BS: Moral Dilemma Part 2
From: Helen
Date: 07 Mar 04 - 06:43 AM

Yes, Ellen, but my quote (pseudo quote?) refers not just to traitors from within. When I first heard it the person who said it referred to Jews and Arabs whose cultures have a lot of parallel history, way back in time. You could say it also about Jews and Christians with the Old Testament of the Bible referring to Jewish society. Also, my memories of sitting around at Uni with a bunch of social lefties and the Trotskyists arguing with the Socialists arguing with the Communists etc etc ad infinitum. They wouldn't argue so long and hard with the Liberals (who are the conservative party here) because they would assume that the divide was too deep to try to argue or convince or persuade.

Helen