Holiday Reading

Against A Heartless World

I sat down to read something which would take me away from the world of meetings, business plans, and policies which occupies my mind no doubt too much of the time. Something which might relax that mind to ease me into a summer break. Something by a female Turkish intellectual and poet seemed a likely choice. Something called “Together”.

I had made something of a mistake. Ece Temelkuran has no intention of easing her readers into anything.

Her subtitle should have given it away : “A Manifesto Against A Heartless World”.

The “heartless world” she sees is one in which human actions are denying humanity. Dstroying what is true and real in humanity and the places we live. This runs from the obvious actions of our bombs and our guns, through the worlds of colonial and economic exploitation, to the subtle and blatant denigrations of market and political discourse, into the very way we think and speak (if we do) about change.

This is more specific to our times and place than the suffering or dissatisfaction which Buddhism finds inherent in the human condition. It is something which we and the systems we have created impose and which can be met before full awakening. In her mind we carry the solution with us in compassion and togetherness.

That may sound a bit wishy-washy, but there is strength behind it. Strength which can be seen in many “peoples” movements against authority and repression which speak the words of positive futures. We have seen some of this in Aotearoa. Togetherness which Temelkuran sees as a “political necessity”.

Words and emotions are very important in this process of re-establishing human connection, in carefully rebulding that commonality. Words like freedom and togetherness - across as many languages as it needs. More of us to assert that I am better, we are better, than the hating and hateful automoton a heartless world may expect us to be.

Something to ponder over the break.