Παρασκευή 23 Αυγούστου 2013

'Μαθαίνεις' του Χόρχε Λούις Μπόρχες

Μετά από λίγο μαθαίνεις
την ανεπαίσθητη διαφορά
ανάμεσα στο να κρατάς το χέρι
και να αλυσοδένεις μια ψυχή.

Και μαθαίνεις πως Αγάπη δε σημαίνει στηρίζομαι
Και συντροφικότητα δε σημαίνει ασφάλεια
Και αρχίζεις να μαθαίνεις
πως τα φιλιά δεν είναι συμβόλαια
Και τα δώρα δεν είναι υποσχέσεις
Και αρχίζεις να δέχεσαι τις ήττες σου
με το κεφάλι ψηλά και τα μάτια ορθάνοιχτα
Με τη χάρη μιας γυναίκας
και όχι με τη θλίψη ενός παιδιού

Και μαθαίνεις να φτιάχνεις
όλους τους δρόμους σου στο Σήμερα,
γιατί το έδαφος του Αύριο
είναι πολύ ανασφαλές για σχέδια
και τα όνειρα πάντα βρίσκουν τον τρόπο
να γκρεμίζονται στη μέση της διαδρομής.

Μετά από λίγο καιρό μαθαίνεις…
Πως ακόμα κι η ζέστη του ήλιου
μπορεί να σου κάνει κακό.

Έτσι φτιάχνεις τον κήπο σου εσύ
Αντί να περιμένεις κάποιον
να σου φέρει λουλούδια

Και μαθαίνεις ότι, αλήθεια, μπορείς να αντέξεις
Και ότι, αλήθεια, έχεις δύναμη
Και ότι, αλήθεια, αξίζεις

Και μαθαίνεις… μαθαίνεις… με κάθε αντίο μαθαίνεις….











Online Users

Πέμπτη 22 Αυγούστου 2013

Beauty






This picture is so symbolic that I felt the instant need to write about it once I saw it.
The eyes in the picture are so mesmerizing and express a silent chaos.
It is frequently said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and more often than never it isn’t important.
According to Google search, the definition of beauty is :

1.    A combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, esp. the sight.

2.    A combination of qualities that pleases the intellect or moral sense.



These two definitions cover and combine the physical and psychological aspects of beauty. I agree with the saying that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The beholder, depending on his or her upbringing/preferences/experiences will feel a certain vibe of inner ‘’approval’’ or develop a friendly/romantic interest for another person if he/she matches their standards.

What I want to talk about is the importance physical beauty has played in most – if not all - societies from the beginning of civilization. It is essential to mention that physical beauty is emphasized when society focuses on superficiality, exploitation, money and more.

When we are taught that the only way for a person – for the majority of a time a woman - to be aesthetically attractive/socially acceptable and successful is exclusively dependant on his/her dress code, make up and appearance then we should not be shocked or troubled when the only compliment that makes them feel content with themselves/comfortable in their skin is directly correlated to their external attributes.

Have you noticed that when we speak in a negative manner about someone, we almost always comment on their physical appearance? As if having an unsymmetrical nose will augment the possibility of someone being a ‘’bad’’ person; as if not being tall enough or being overweight instantly makes his/her actions more inhumane than ever.

It is not a crime to want to take care of our bodies. It’s not a crime when we feel more beautiful whilst wearing our favorite pair of jeans or earrings. It’s not a crime to feel beautiful if we wear makeup.

There is a limit, though, to how much we can alter our bodies to the point of personal satisfaction. What I mean is, the pleasure we get from being desired/liked for physical attractiveness is great to have but it certainly isn’t the most important issue to address. No matter how attractive we may think we are, there is no amount of makeup or clothes or anything materialistic that can give us the serenity, happiness and psychological ‘’wholeness’’ that the internal side of our existence can offer us. That can only come from cultivating our inner core – our ability to forgive, to love, to be selfless, to learn and have an open mind.


To conclude, we can definitely say that although beauty has a definition it is undoubtedly a fluid concept and takes the importance that we each give it.






Online Users

Τετάρτη 21 Αυγούστου 2013

'Η Ιδιοφυΐα του Πλήθους' του Tσαρλς Μπουκόφσκι

Υπάρχει αρκετή πανουργία, μίσος, βία και παραλογισμός στο μέσο άνθρωπο 
που αρκεί για να προμηθεύσει οποιονδήποτε στρατό μια οποιαδήποτε μέρα,
και οι καλύτεροι στο φόνο είναι αυτοί που κηρύττουν εναντίον του,
και οι καλύτεροι στο μίσος είναι αυτοί που κηρύττουν αγάπη,
και οι καλύτεροι στον πόλεμο είναι τελικά αυτοί που κηρύττουν ειρήνη...

Eκείνοι που κηρύττουν Θεό, χρειάζονται Θεό.
Eκείνοι που κηρύττουν ειρήνη, δεν έχουν ειρήνη.
Eκείνοι που κηρύττουν αγάπη, δεν έχουν αγάπη.

Προσοχή στους κήρυκες.
Προσοχή στους γνώστες.
Προσοχή σ' εκείνους που όλο διαβάζουν βιβλία.
Προσοχή σ' εκείνους που είτε απεχθάνονται τη φτώχεια,
είτε είναι περήφανοι γι' αυτήν.
Προσοχή σ' εκείνους που βιάζονται να επαινέσουν
γιατί θα θέλουν επαίνους για αντάλλαγμα.
Προσοχή σ' εκείνους που βιάζονται να κρίνουν,
φοβούνται αυτά που δεν ξέρουν.

Προσοχή σ' εκείνους που αναζητούν τα πλήθη,
γιατί είναι ένα τίποτα μόνοι τους.
Προσοχή στο μέσο άντρα. Τη μέση γυναίκα.
Προσοχή στην αγάπη τους, η αγάπη τους είναι μέτρια
αναζητά το μέτριο.
Αλλά υπάρχει ιδιοφυΐα στο μίσος τους,
υπάρχει αρκετή ιδιοφυΐα στο μίσος τους για να σας σκοτώσει,
να σκοτώσει τον καθένα.

Δεν αντέχουν τη μοναξιά,
δεν καταλαβαίνουν τη μοναξιά.
Θα προσπαθήσουν να καταστρέψουν οτιδήποτε...
Oτιδήποτε διαφοροποιείται απ τα δικά τους μέτρα.
Ανίκανοι όπως είναι να δημιουργήσουν Τέχνη
ανίκανοι είναι και να την καταλάβουν
θα εκλάβουν την αποτυχία τους ως δημιουργών μόνο ως αποτυχία του κόσμου συνολικά.

Ανίκανοι όπως ειναι να αγαπήσουν πλήρως
θα θεωρήσουν και τη δική σας αγάπη ελλειπή
και θα σας μισήσουν γι' αυτό
και το μίσος τους θα είναι τέλειο
Όπως ένα αστραφτερό διαμάντι
όπως ένα μαχαίρι,
όπως ένα βουνό,
όπως μια τίγρη,
όπως το δηλητηριο...
Η πιο τελειοποιημένη Τέχνη τους.
















Online Users

Πέμπτη 15 Αυγούστου 2013

Rape Culture






















We live in an era where people's bodies are being sexualized day by day. We are being brainwashed by media and parts of society to the point where even the most inhumane forms of action (violence, murder, injustice etc) are being misinterpreted for the preservation of interest, power, tradition and selfishness.

It's not only women who are targeted to abide by an unwritten code of behavior and appearance. Men are also pressured to adhere to a certain standard of undetermined moral and social conduct in order to live up to their stereotype.

What is 'rape culture'? 
"In a rape culture, people are surrounded with images, language, laws, and other everyday phenomena that validate and perpetuate, rape. Rape culture includes jokes, TV, music, advertising, legal jargon, laws, words and imagery, that make violence against women and sexual coercion seem so normal that people believe that rape is inevitable. Rather than viewing the culture of rape as a problem to change, people in a rape culture think about the persistence of rape as “just the way things are.”
This is what it means when people say that sexism and violence against women are “naturalized.” It means that people in our current society believe these attitudes and actions always have been, and always will be." - http://upsettingrapeculture.com/rapeculture.html

In most patriarchal societies, rape culture is often (if not always) seen as ''just the way things are''. There are people who still believe that rape is the victim's fault due to their dress code, their (possible) promiscuity and so on. There are people who believe that just because a man is almost always physically stronger than a woman, he can't possibly be raped. There are people who think that men who rape are just proving their masculinity. There are those who agree with the fact that men can't control their sexual urges and so are justified in their endeavors regarding forceful sex. There are a number of people who hold the opinion that there is no chance that rape can occur between two members of the same sex.

We need to stop these mentalities from spreading to future generations. We need to keep an open mind when dealing with these issues. Education is the key, as in most cases. We need to teach young and older minds; we must tell them that there is time for change. There are multiple ways to approach problems. We should embrace them and not run away from the responsibility of enlightenment. We must break the barriers of ignorance and fear.

I'm sitting here, just like thousands of others before me through time and space, writing about justice.. about equality.. about humanism.. and do you know what the funny thing is?
There are a variety of surveys that reveal the cruelty which occurs in most modern day societies. There are so many other happenings that have taken place and have never been reported because of stigma, fear, obedience to socially constructed norms.