Update & Reflections

 

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته 

Ever since my childhood, I used to think that I can never stop writing or even take a lengthy break out of it. And to a certain extent, it was also true, given that every now and then, I felt compelled to speak, my heart out. To make sure that I could see what I know, what I feel, what I think. Although, as we all grow, we struggle to manage the different tasks that we commit ourselves to. Also, it’s not that I haven’t been writing anything at all-but that most of it has been focused and directed toward different modes and variations. I have also been practicing to create some decent pieces in Arabic and may share some soon. However, tonight, I have just realized that it is an abnormal break that I have taken and it doesn’t feel like the normal self- A 2-month break in writing is so not me. 

If I don’t unclutter my knotted thoughts, everything jumbles up in my head until I see no clear way ahead of me. The quality of my thought regresses and my performance is affected in almost all areas. I believe that it’s not healthy for a mind to go on without taking the crucial time to sit, ponder and write. Regardless, on some days, setting up your laptop and focusing your mind on one topic does not come off as easy as it does otherwise. As much as it offers clarity, it takes its fair share of grit. Which reminds me, I have started a new book-Grit, by Angela Duckworth- And I might be posting up a review on that.

Unlike, what my words imply, I have not gotten hard on myself and sat down to write. Infact, today, after very long, I have sat down with a strong urge to have it all  jotted down. But the weird thing is that I don’t have any specific topic, rather, just bits and pieces of thoughts and reflections that you will see ahead. You could say that I mainly wanted to return, write something, and also update my readers with where have I been lately.

So firstly, I have been significantly contemplating on the idea of desensitization. Being a student of Sociology, I come across different patterns and values on which the media are based. Unfortunately I see that it has had one major role in desensitizing the masses. Unlike the past, when the smallest tragedy was worth mourning over and sufficient to sadden the air, it takes the entire, electronic, print and social media combined to create a news that people take seriously. And by ‘seriously’, I do not mean everybody reposting the news. I am referring to the genuine feeling of grief that one feels at loss of his Muslim brother without having to ask how old was he or knowing that one part of the Muslim world suffers under evils like genocide. However due to the media’s algorithm of showing the news interminably, despite the gravity of a matter, it ultimately makes it easy to swallow. The amount of sensitive and triggering content we are shown on a daily basis- in the form of pictures, videos, and taglines- is inversely proportional to our emotions attached to it. Meaning, the number of times the television screen appears with the breaking news of an incident that has taken place, the more effortless it is to accept the event and carry on with normal routine. The media are making everything implausibly normalized. Therefore, in lieu of keeping ourselves aware, we should not be heedless of what and how much content we allow ourselves to absorb. Because in reality, it’s not about how much you know, but that how much of it continues to matter and affect your thought process.

I also read that the media follow a proper channel of agenda-setting. Which depicts that they not only decide, what should be discussed, but also ‘how’ it should be discussed. For example, if a channel reports that a certain political party is at conflict with the government, rather than allowing you have your own guess, the media will also report as to why the conflict arose and how are we supposed to make sense of it. Infact, deciding to take a different view or an unpopular opinion, almost becomes far-fetched and may also illicit some unconstructive criticism.

Please excuse the unexpected change in topic ahead.

I wanted to share a very beautiful gesture that I witnessed. A few days ago, I attended a religious event and saw that a toddler of age 2-3 years was busy eating a snack until she saw her grandmother and decided to offer some. The grandmother courteously refused and asked her to be seated so that she does not disturb the guests. The kid resisted until her grandmother was forced to scold her a little. Unwilling to give up, she continued to offer the snack. Eventually, her grandmother realized that there is no choice but having to accept it with grace, she did so and the granddaughter returned with a smile. I was incredibly mesmerized and amused by the little one’s act of kindness. As adults, we seldom continue to offer anything, especially after we have received a harsh refusal. More than refusal, we deem it as a rejection. But children, even when they offer the smallest thing to anyone, do it with immense love and purity of intentions as if they genuinely wish for the other person to see and enjoy what has seemed to fascinate their young minds. We do it for formality, perhaps.

Dear readers, Please let me know if you have any feedback or, good topics/ issues that you would like to see on this blog. Your valuable input will be appreciated and looked forward to!