The Imperium and Its Discontents: A Few “Metaphysical” Remarks

A Heretic’s Log: A series of philosophical essays written between September 20, 2002 and July 15, 2004.

Usama Bin Laden was a disinherited man. His wealth notwithstanding, his voice was inaudible, his concerns irrelevant, his dreams and aspirations moot. He was not the only one in this position, of course. The world is full of such disinherited and dejected men. But then, not too many of them have had the opportunity to think of themselves as allies to the Powers That Be in this world, joined in a common cause against “Godlessness,” and not too many have had a taste of “victory,” albeit achieved through that old-fashioned, yet not so “honorable,” way that is gorilla warfare. Continue reading “The Imperium and Its Discontents: A Few “Metaphysical” Remarks” →

Manifest Destiny Manifest Terror: The World in the Grips of Victimary and Triumphalist Mentalities

A Heretic’s Log: A series of philosophical essays written between September 20, 2002 and July 15, 2004.

The source of future troubles for the world, troubles that can indeed threaten the very continuity of modern civilization, no matter how one defines it: Western, Christian, Secular, or simply human, is not terrorism per se, and is not simply the resentment that the people of the underdeveloped world harbor towards more developed countries, as some do indeed assert. Nor does it squarely lie in the triumphalist attitude exhibited by the peoples and governments of the developed countries – in that sense of hubris that imbues all of their actions and modes of address vis-à-vis everything “other.” Continue reading “Manifest Destiny Manifest Terror: The World in the Grips of Victimary and Triumphalist Mentalities” →

The Improbable Yet Necessary Dialogue

The missing yet necessary role of intellectuals in ME and World Affairs

This is not simply an essay on intellectuals, their role and the dialogue that they need to champion, but an attempt by a young and aspiring ME “intellectual” to present his own personal views and his own personal critique of the way things are in the world today.

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Syria: A Culture of Fear and Stalemate

A brief excursion in cultural archaeology

Even a casual glimpse of the current developments between Israelis and Palestinians can easily lead to the detection of the ongoing “mobilization” efforts of the two peoples, with each set of leaders hoping to achieve greater popular support for its policies in the unfolding bloody confrontation. But when such “popular” mobilization efforts take place in the neighboring country of Syria, for instance, one is bound to wonder as to the reason and the cause.

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