COLUMN: Stuck between heaven & hell
By B.J. Judge
The Peak (Simon Fraser U.)
08/14/2006

(U-WIRE) BURNABY, British Columbia — I was watching the devastation occurring in Lebanon and Israel with feelings of frustration, sadness, and guilt. Guilt, primarily because I have such an uncomplicated and predictable daily existence when the majority of the world is experiencing chaos. My biggest worries are petty compared to somebody who is fighting for survival in nearly every moment of their life. However even my guilt is not resilient, and within minutes of reading about a child who has been blown-up, I find myself in a shop with an iced cappuccino in my hand. I attribute this to my feelings of cynical confusion and apathy. My disconnect comes from the fact that my life is just so different.

The capitalistic rat-race doesn't stop for the masses as long as some continue to benefit by the world's countless inequities, but deep down I know these are only excuses. Still, how do I reconcile the capitalistic conundrum with my social conscience? My usual fluster of feelings which generally culminate into detachment. was recently marked by annoyance. I was watching the news broadcast with somebody who kept making incessant superficial comments, while dramatically gasping every time there would be footage of innocent civilians whose lives were literally snuffed-out in an instant.

Then came the superficial and nonsensical comments such as: "Do you ever feel that we're in heaven because we get to live in such a peaceful place?" I suppose at face value this comment is innocent enough — it is hopeful and even somewhat nationalistic — but I don't see things that way. Instead I am reminded of Dante's notion that "the darkest place in hell is reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of crisis." So no, I do not think we are in heaven. Why is that the one sure realization I have come to?

Copyright ©2006 The Peak via UWire

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