The Mental Animal & The Rib! <>


Have to take you to task regarding this statement. Artistotle was the first to state that man is a social being. That view that the origins of man are social - tribal, familial, and people oriented - was then accepted by a large number of religious people over the centuries and that is what most religions accept to this day. In fact, modern science takes the opposite view - that the first man was an isolated entity. It derives this view from the Hobbesian view towards the state of nature. If you`re going to argue that ``agnostics`` and the ``men of the 21st century`` have a view towards ``man`` per se, you ought to state that it is ``that man is an individual entity.`` The idea that man is a social animal is the one that is traditionally used to justify religion and other theocentric philosophies.

Expectation Ehhhhhhh...

that`s some freaky twisted ending man.

who would`ve thought the wife would exemplify as much clinical efficiency as the main character.

success in america, it appears, leads to the same sort of person being created.

Clueless Pakistan Team vs. Professional Aussies Your writing is pretty eccentric and quirky, but at least it is not convoluted and rumpled....

I do have to thank you for your two articles thus far. I am not able to watch the matches, and www.cricinfo.com never works for me; so im relying on you to be my cricket updater.

Maternal Suicide #9: [#8 BTW YILDRIN OR YILMAHZ ARE TURKISH HOW DID PAKISTAN GOT TURKISED!......... ]

You may know that in the 20`s the Islamist movement in the sub-continent was rooted in somehow allying itself with the Ottoman Khalifate for political reasons. They hoped to be drawn into the spiritual caliphate extended by the Ottomans. Aside from the Turkish words in Urdu, this is the only recent ``Turkish-connection`` south-Asian Muslims have with Turkey.

It doesn`t answer your question mostly because I don`t have a direct answer. I suppose that perhaps I like the meaning of the word ``yildrim``, that is, Lightning.

although the Ottoman Khalifa by the same name, Bayazid Yildrim, did not seem very much like lightning at all when he was destroyed by Taimur in the 14th century. Of all the pre-Suleiman Sultans he was the only one to have suffered major defeat. Perhaps my innate sense of associate with him is a consequence of my own obsession with defeat.

Forty Winks I like how I get a feeling of being persecuted in this story seemingly about perspective, appearance, and illusions.

Maternal Suicide #7

Actually Ana, I am far too young to remember those days. The image of the artistic Lahore I have in my head is a consequence of having internalized (to a small degree) what Lahore stands for. Its strange to find out that before I was born Lahore really was like that. I am a big fan of Lorca. Perhaps one day I can make Lahore a fan of mine. My eventual goal is to set up a Theatre Company in Lahore and put on plays, plays, plays! All the world is a stage! And what better actors, that is, fakers, than Punjabis.

Maternal Suicide I think Lahore would be an ideal place to foment an artistic revolution. Perhaps by way of the theatre. Any takers?

Liberal Raiments? Aaisha.

I thank you for your thoughts regarding dress. Gave some good insights. Your style of writing, however, oof Allah! Must you use such a passive voice? How about picking up Strunk & White - Elements of Style - and looking into the use of the Active voice? It will make your writing much more powerful. You have good thoughts. Don`t let your writin be like a tiny little breeze that may, gently, carress us. Smack us with your words. Slap us with your words.

Little Big Men Mr. Moghul, you`re a briliant man. If you were not a man, I`d turn dogmatic and become your worshipper. Please, grace us more often; and not just that, but more.

Wanderings in the Twilight Zone Everyone I know in the States has bipolar disorder. Its in vogue to suffer from it. Hell, when I was 17, my university counselor diagnosed me with it. You don`t see me going around pontificating and then simply stating that the reason I should be heard is b/c I suffer. Pain is not an opposition to life. Suffering is a part of it. You dont live in the most stressful time ever. I feel remorse for your loss and sympathy too but I don`t appreciate the expectation that his greatness is somehow associated with his victimization (if you can even call it that). I think that is demeaning to him. I know it would be to me.

Moderate Muslims Isn`t the attempt the define `moderation` in itself a mark of your mediocrity?

Angel of Death
Ah! Eternal Feminine. Struggling to love the other world. And why not? This world is just plain pointless for you. This is as bad as my worst writings. I`m sorry to say.

Wanderings in the Twilight Zone What a pitiful life you`ve been dealt. Instead of congratulating you on your acceptance of destiny in a manly manner, I will pityingly glorify you by reading your writing. After all, you are such a victim. You deserve attention.

Fighting The War On Terrorism, Hollywood Style MY big fat Greek Wedding is AN INDEPENDENT FILM thus NOT produced by ``tinsel town.`` It is the highest grossing independent film ever which is what makes you think that hollywood had something to do with it. Its success is dependent on the fact that its funny (the way Monsoon Wedding was not). If you really wanted to make the point about the religious right`s influence on the films you could`ve looked at the countless, mindless world war two movies with pretty much the same plot line.

I also find it funny that the fascist right is made out to be some sort of oligarchy, working undercovers. My man, wake up! The conservative right is a 90 million people strong BLOC vote in this country, the biggest such bloc ever. It`s not because its hidden that its succeeding; its because its huge.

peace.

Jealous Maybe you should keep your emails in your outbox and remember to not scream at your girl. that will only make her call you a tyrant.

peace.

ps - long distance relationships suck.

Uniting Muslims on Eid ``Right`` day vs. ``Wrong`` day; ``Right`` way vs. ``Wrong`` way. The fundamental principles taught in any legal studies is that every problem has, at least, two possible solutions if not more. (You actually show three varying interpretations). Speaking of it in terms of fiqh, it is for this precise reason, that the hadith in which a jurist is rewarded for WHICHEVER conclusion he reaches, is rewarded. Allah is saying, essentially, that in complex issues resolved only by juristic aptitude, one can only expect a good faith best effort and not absolute certainty (which you believe exists). Let`s leave it at that, recognize the difference of interpretation and enjoy Eid for its halwa and mithai instead of writing polemical pieces on the last few days of good ramadan.