A lesson from the Romans, for the USA.
Almost two thousand years ago, the Romans killed a man, who held an ideology they didn’t like. No doubt, they thought that killing the man, would kill his ideas, his ideals and his outlook, too. However, it did not. In some way, killing that man, made him more than a man. It made him into the legendary figure we know as “Jesus Christ”. Perhaps, indeed, had they not killed him (or as many Christians hold, temporarily killed him), Christianity would not have taken hold. In some ways, it was the very image of his death, that made his life all the more successful.
This week, the Americans – the Romans of today – have killed a man who held an ideology they didn’t like. No doubt, they think that killing him will kill his ideas, his ideals and his outlook. However, I feel that it will not. In some way, by making him a “martyr”, the Americans may very well be feeding the legendary quality of this man. His death might be the making of his life – just as it was with Jesus Christ.
Now, before you leap to anger and confusion, I am NOT likening Osama bin Laden to Jesus Christ. The latter had a peaceful purpose, the former, evidently did not. They are very different kinds of people – but they share several things in common: their viewpoints were at odds with the establishment of their day. They were unpopular with the most powerful state of their time. They were troublemakers (in different ways). They upset the status quo. They also were both messianic in nature – inspiring devotion in their followers and making men do things greater than, perhaps, they thought themselves capable of doing. They were both motivators of men, and leaders of “cult” like societies. It is also telling to note that the response of the greatest powers of their times, was to kill them.
Of course, there are many differences between them too. Osama’s creed led to the murder of many people, in the name of his cause – whilst the opposite happened with Jesus Christ: that is many who strove in his cause, were murdered for their beliefs. (Though, of course, Al Qaeda devotees can expect the same outcome, too).
The danger for the United States and the western world as a whole, is that there are too many similarities, in the social and political dynamic of these two figures. It could easily be that killing Osama bin Laden could transform him, amongst his followers, into a prophet-like, perhaps even God like, being. He could become a figure of much greater symbolic value than when he was alive…just as happened with Jesus Christ.
Given this understanding, it would, I think, have been a whole let better if that unknown SEAL had held off, with the gun, and quietly coshed his captive and taken him alive. Being captured, has far less dramatic value, far less of the legend about it, than martyrdom.
I rather think that the American approach may turn out to have a price, in future consequences, that they would wish they did not have to pay.
A general principle may be suggested here: when dealing with a legendary and dangerous figure, nothing should be done to enhance the legend. In particular, they should not be killed, for killing the person, has a tendency to immortalize their message. The human dies, but their legend lives on and, in time, becomes far greater than they ever were in life. Indeed, only in death, is the legend free to grow so, for it is no longer encumbered by human limits. The new limit is only the imagination of their followers and the power of their unrealized hopes.
I cannot say what the words Osama bin Laden will mean in two thousand years time. However, I can say this: the fact that the Americans killed him, has greatly enhanced the chance that those three words will still have meaning in that distant time. Indeed, they might mean more then, than they do now. The “War on Terror” might turn out to be a very long one indeed.
(If you would like to support my continued writing of this blog and my ongoing campaign to raise awareness about giftedness and all issues pertaining to it, please donate, by clicking on the gold button to the left of the page.
To read about my fundraising campaign, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/01/fundraising-drive-in-support-of-my.html
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If you would like to read any of our scientific research papers, there are links to some of them, here: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/02/research-papers-by-valentine-cawley-and.html
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To learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, 10, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, 7 and Tiarnan, 5, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html
I also write of gifted education, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, megasavant, HELP University College, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, Malaysia, IQ, intelligence and creativity.
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Please have a read, if you would like a critic's view of this blog. Thanks. You can get my blog on your Kindle, for easy reading, wherever you are, by going to: http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Knew-Too-Much/dp/B0042P5LEE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1284603792&sr=8-1
Please let all your fellow Kindlers know about my blog availability - and if you know my blog well enough, please be so kind as to write a thoughtful review of what you like about it. Thanks.
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Our editing, proofreading and copywriting company, Genghis Can, is at http://www.genghiscan.com/
This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited. Use only with permission. Thank you.)
This week, the Americans – the Romans of today – have killed a man who held an ideology they didn’t like. No doubt, they think that killing him will kill his ideas, his ideals and his outlook. However, I feel that it will not. In some way, by making him a “martyr”, the Americans may very well be feeding the legendary quality of this man. His death might be the making of his life – just as it was with Jesus Christ.
Now, before you leap to anger and confusion, I am NOT likening Osama bin Laden to Jesus Christ. The latter had a peaceful purpose, the former, evidently did not. They are very different kinds of people – but they share several things in common: their viewpoints were at odds with the establishment of their day. They were unpopular with the most powerful state of their time. They were troublemakers (in different ways). They upset the status quo. They also were both messianic in nature – inspiring devotion in their followers and making men do things greater than, perhaps, they thought themselves capable of doing. They were both motivators of men, and leaders of “cult” like societies. It is also telling to note that the response of the greatest powers of their times, was to kill them.
Of course, there are many differences between them too. Osama’s creed led to the murder of many people, in the name of his cause – whilst the opposite happened with Jesus Christ: that is many who strove in his cause, were murdered for their beliefs. (Though, of course, Al Qaeda devotees can expect the same outcome, too).
The danger for the United States and the western world as a whole, is that there are too many similarities, in the social and political dynamic of these two figures. It could easily be that killing Osama bin Laden could transform him, amongst his followers, into a prophet-like, perhaps even God like, being. He could become a figure of much greater symbolic value than when he was alive…just as happened with Jesus Christ.
Given this understanding, it would, I think, have been a whole let better if that unknown SEAL had held off, with the gun, and quietly coshed his captive and taken him alive. Being captured, has far less dramatic value, far less of the legend about it, than martyrdom.
I rather think that the American approach may turn out to have a price, in future consequences, that they would wish they did not have to pay.
A general principle may be suggested here: when dealing with a legendary and dangerous figure, nothing should be done to enhance the legend. In particular, they should not be killed, for killing the person, has a tendency to immortalize their message. The human dies, but their legend lives on and, in time, becomes far greater than they ever were in life. Indeed, only in death, is the legend free to grow so, for it is no longer encumbered by human limits. The new limit is only the imagination of their followers and the power of their unrealized hopes.
I cannot say what the words Osama bin Laden will mean in two thousand years time. However, I can say this: the fact that the Americans killed him, has greatly enhanced the chance that those three words will still have meaning in that distant time. Indeed, they might mean more then, than they do now. The “War on Terror” might turn out to be a very long one indeed.
(If you would like to support my continued writing of this blog and my ongoing campaign to raise awareness about giftedness and all issues pertaining to it, please donate, by clicking on the gold button to the left of the page.
To read about my fundraising campaign, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/01/fundraising-drive-in-support-of-my.html
and here: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/01/fundraising-drive-first-donation.html
If you would like to read any of our scientific research papers, there are links to some of them, here: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2011/02/research-papers-by-valentine-cawley-and.html
If you would like to see an online summary of my academic achievements to date, please go here: http://www.getcited.org/mbrz/11136175
To learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, 10, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, 7 and Tiarnan, 5, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html
I also write of gifted education, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, megasavant, HELP University College, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, Malaysia, IQ, intelligence and creativity.
There is a review of my blog, on the respected The Kindle Report here: http://thekindlereport.blogspot.com/2010/09/boy-who-knew-too-much-child-prodigy.html
Please have a read, if you would like a critic's view of this blog. Thanks. You can get my blog on your Kindle, for easy reading, wherever you are, by going to: http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Knew-Too-Much/dp/B0042P5LEE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1284603792&sr=8-1
Please let all your fellow Kindlers know about my blog availability - and if you know my blog well enough, please be so kind as to write a thoughtful review of what you like about it. Thanks.
My Internet Movie Database listing is at: http://imdb.com/name/nm3438598/
Ainan's IMDB listing is at http://imdb.com/name/nm3305973/
Syahidah's IMDB listing is at http://imdb.com/name/nm3463926/
Our editing, proofreading and copywriting company, Genghis Can, is at http://www.genghiscan.com/
This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited. Use only with permission. Thank you.)
Labels: how legends are made, how to win the battle and lose the war, Jesus Christ, on becoming immortal, Osama bin Laden, the Americans' biggest mistake, the psychology of martyrdom
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