Benazir, victim of globalization or USA social tampering | 38 comments (36 topical, 2 editorial, 3 hidden)

Re: Benazir, victim of globalization (4.00 / 6)

Hmm, well I cannot match your first hand experience, but the reason why Pakistan has never progressed seems pretty much related to the preference of the middle classes to keep the poor uneducated by denying them schools. For a people who are keen on education, that meant in the last 20-25 years that their only alternative was to send their children to the madrassas where an education of sorts was available.

Well, that worked well. An entire generation have been radicalised.

Yes, we in the west bear responsibilities. We sponsored Zia al-Huq and all of his similarly murderous military successors. Civilian government has only ever been treated as a figleaf interlude. We have always preferred a military dictator, not just in pakistan but it's so much easier to plunder a country if there is only one thug to bribe.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu Dec 27th, 2007 at 03:58:42 PM EST

Re: Benazir, victim of globalization (4.00 / 4)

Thanks for the follow up. Before I escape for a jog around the park, just to say that I also point out the decadence to which the West is subjecting itself and the rest of the world. Those rich Pakistani were the playboys of the global circuit. Some still are.

What seems to the Western(ized) mind limitless liberalism actually has subjective limits in the minds of OTHERS. We in the West began by protecting OTHERNESS but then stopped short in actually respecting OTHERS. Basically, a Westerner does not respect anyone including herself any more.

Its the dosh, the power and the spectacular lights and buildings that have always dazzled the Westerner - the plunderer.

"Only puny secrets need protection. Big discoveries are protected by public incredulity." MMcL

by igor vincha (svjeronimatgmail.com) on Thu Dec 27th, 2007 at 04:54:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Benazir, victim of globalization (4.00 / 5)

I think what you describe is less Western and more upper-class. Everywhere. Every time. Now it has a Western culture everywhere, but that's only a surface.

And plunderers were from everywhere, not just the West. We can go back to the Moghuls, to Ghenghis Khan, to the Warring States of China, to the Assyrians and the Hettites, it's there.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Fri Dec 28th, 2007 at 08:29:01 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Benazir, victim of globalization (4.00 / 2)

With all that experience we should be able to recognize the contemporary plunderers when we see them. But do we?

We close our eyes and hope that we can share in the booty.

"Only puny secrets need protection. Big discoveries are protected by public incredulity." MMcL

by igor vincha (svjeronimatgmail.com) on Fri Dec 28th, 2007 at 10:58:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Benazir, victim of globalization or USA social tampering | 38 comments (36 topical, 2 editorial, 3 hidden)

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