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July 28, 2006
Rank and File
by Nova Stubbs, insurgent49

A Human Condition
 
     A man clad in a caftan walks down a street; the heavy dust thickens the air and masks the smell from restaurant kitchens and public latrines. As he walks, he keeps his eyes open, his mouth closed, and his head down. The political and social climate of his city is tenuous and he is afraid for his family, not knowing what might happen next.

     “Ahh ... my cousin was killed last week from an explosion that devastated a public market,” the man thinks as he stops in front of a mosque and quickly, almost frantically, prays to Allah that his hardships and worries will soon pass.

     At the same moment, across borders and an ocean away, a woman sits listening to the crickets and watching fireflies light up the darkness of night. Gazing through the windows of her little home, she cradles her newborn daughter and thinks of her husband, who is thousands of miles away. He is at war and she is afraid that he may not come home alive. Her gaze lifts from the window to the cross mounted on the wall, and she prays to God that her hardships and worries will soon pass.

     Human nature is alive and well in all of us. And the human condition of feelings, frustrations, needs, and desires are akin to our species. To deny this, and to think that certain human emotion does not go beyond cultures, is ignorant. Yet this type of ignorance is prevalent, as some Iraqis believe that all Americans are evil and vice versa.

     The socialized nurture condition allows, even pushes, us to forget the straightforward nature of humankind, which is that the reality, depth and fluidity of emotion is an inevitable human trait. With the exception of some mental illnesses, the truth is that we all feel.

     Why do many abuse power? Why are some people more individualistic than communal? Why are some people more artistic than others? These are all questions that get caught in that blurry zone of what is nature or what is nurture. It is a vast spectrum, a great puzzle that we have yet to figure out.

     However, if we turn back to what we know is human nature and attempt to look through others eyes, maybe we can begin to see, understand and embrace these differences. We could treat people how we would like to be treated … because recognition of our own socialization is the key to creating alliances.

     The man standing in front of the mosque and the woman starring at a cross are experiencing the same depth of human emotion (nature); at that very moment, both are filled with vulnerabilities and fears. Yet, the surrounding conditions and their socialized realities are at opposite ends of the cultural spectrum.

      If humanity does not attempt to look through the lens of other cultures, this vicious cycle is bound to continue. One day, words will come from the mouths of their children and they might say, “ My daddy was killed by an American ... I hate Americans” or “My daddy was killed by a Muslim ... I hate Muslims.”

     Or, maybe just maybe, we can someday view ourselves as culturally conditioned creatures becoming secure in our insignificance, and ultimately understanding that we are all brothers and sisters.








      Nova Stubbs is a freelance writer and activist, and is co-founder of Insurgent49. Nova resides in an undisclosed location in downtown Anchorage and may be contacted at nova@insurgent49.com.
- Columnists -

Editor's Desk
by Aaron Selbig

Rank and File
by Nova Stubbs

Red Alert
by Soren Wuerth

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by Neil Zawicki

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Bramble Bush
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Copyright 2005 Insurgent Media. All Rights Reserved.
in-sur-gent (in sur'jent), n. 1. a member of a group which revolts against the policies of its leadership.