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Home Front: Culture Wars
Introducing: Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies
2005-03-12
Off topic for Rantburg, I think, but I came across this fine specimen of well-meaning moonbattery while researching my post on the recently deceased Egyptian Islamic scholar Chawki Deif. I'm compelled to share:
We, Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies (HumanDHS), are a network of concerned academics and practitioners. We are committed to reducing - and ultimately help eliminating - destructive disrespect and humiliating practices all over the world. Our work is inspired by universal values such as humility, mutual respect, caring and compassion, and a sense of shared planetary rights and responsibilities.

We are first and foremost a global network of people with the aim of raising awareness and creating framings and visions that promote equal dignity for all. We wish to fertilize and generate interdisciplinary research (both intra and interculturally) and disseminate information aimed at enhancing awareness of human dignity. We also encourage the application of creative educational methods and strategies, as well as fertilize more to-the-point intervention projects and public policy planning...
And so on and so forth. Lots of words with little substance. But a little later on, they do start making sense:
Humiliation is maybe the "missing link" that explains why conditions at times are perceived as illegitimate violations justifying counter-violence, at other times not, and why wealthy people may organize and perpetrate terror. It is perhaps possible to claim that humiliated hearts and minds are the only "real" weapons of mass destruction, particularly in a globalized and interdependent world that embraces the human rights ideals of equal dignity for all.
Posted by:Seafarious

#4  Aw, heck. I hoped that this would involve seminars by "Miss Heather", the dominatrix.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2005-03-12 3:21:36 PM  

#3  Right, Steve, it's a bunny fluff incubator, if it were not so sheepishly dangerous.
Posted by: Sobiesky   2005-03-12 1:16:06 AM  

#2  USDA Choice Moonbattery, Seafarious! This stuff is so warm and fluffy that you could insulate your house with it and cut 25% off your winter heating bill.
Posted by: SteveS   2005-03-12 1:10:40 AM  

#1  OK, Seafarious, let's do a thought experiment...

"You kafir! I had to breathe air in the same room with you! I have to restore my dignity! Off with your head!"

Hmmmm

"Mustafa, I have to talk to you". "Yes, mother".
"You are under age. I saw Fatima this morning approach a man in the market. I feel so humiliated. You have to restore the family dignity! You have to kill your siter, Mustafa!"

Let's see, we have humiliation there -- a perceived illegitimate violation justifying counter-violence; dignity is there too.

Lets not humiliate the izzies, and off ourselves beforehand so we all can keep our equal dignity, eh?

Seafarious, it's not about humiliation. That is just a projected perception. It is about power.
Posted by: Sobiesky   2005-03-12 12:52:30 AM  

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