Photograph Credit: Mr. Stefan Seip
On the launch of Chandrayaan-1, a recent article in the Time magazine titled 40 Years Later, It's Moon Race 2.0, noted that India has joined the space race. I was thinking, the choice of words like "race" in this context says a lot about opinion of the US on rest of the world. The word "race" means competition; if one wins, the rest loses.
This launch is in no way a threat to the national security of the US. We all are working towards a common goal - understanding workings of the universe and betterment of life on this planet. If one wins, every one wins. This scientific achievement deserves appreciation, not apprehension. What ever happened to those cherished preachings of Covey on interdependence?
I am sure many in the US are not big fans of this belligerent attitude towards the developing world. But world bullies like Bush and McCain continue dominating them from time to time; hence these continual wars.
I was amazed by McCain's fight speech during presidential campaign - Fight with me. Fight for what's right for our country. Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.." He used the word "fight" a zillion times; it sure sounded Hitleresque to me. He could have used the word "strive" instead of "fight" and conveyed the same message. This kind of undertones sure are not going to help the US in winning world popularity contests. I am hoping to see a real change with Obama.
I was amazed by McCain's fight speech during presidential campaign - Fight with me. Fight for what's right for our country. Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.." He used the word "fight" a zillion times; it sure sounded Hitleresque to me. He could have used the word "strive" instead of "fight" and conveyed the same message. This kind of undertones sure are not going to help the US in winning world popularity contests. I am hoping to see a real change with Obama.
2 comments:
What else can we expect of the US, Gopa. The entire country has been built that way.
Steinbeck says that only the toughest of the Europeans made it to the US and there was further filtering as the folks started pushing west.
Always sparring, never sparing!
Don't think that the shelf-life of such an attitude is more than a couple of hundred years.
PS: Aptly enough, the captcha for this comment was "warkeed"! Make that "war creed".
Thanks Raama. I think there are many really good peace loving folks (60%) and quite a few war mongers in the US. Of course, the war mongers manage to get their way.
HA! HA! on that Captcha
Post a Comment