Why Destroy Yourself?
Posted: Wednesday, July 14, 2010
by Michael Ramzy
delusionthread.com
It never ceases to amaze me the looks people get when they hear the term 'suicide bomber'. It used to be a look of shock and dismay, yet these days it seems to be a look of simple boredom - you know, 'here we go again'. Suicide bombers have been around for centuries, of course, yet other than World War II (where the 'kamakazis' got lots of press) we hadn't heard too much about them except for the past twenty years or so.
According to the 'experts', there isn't enough room on the internet to explain what the thinking is behind a man (or woman) willing to blow himself (and others) up. Too many factors involved, too many things to consider, etc. Of course, these experts are quick to point out there is always a cause or reason for this suicide, there is always that one thing that makes that one person destroy himself along with countless others.
That is giving too much credit to those who would do this kind of thing.
Suicide bombers might have a certain gene, might have been hurt by some real (or perceived) slight, might have missed Oprah . . . yet there is always one thing that sets them off to destroy. That part I get. And it is often said many bombers are doing it for a certain cause, that cause often freedom for something or from something, yet is there really any cause which would make someone kill himself and as many innocents (usually) as possible?
Is the 'cause' so just that God or Allah would understand and send the bomber to heaven and those the bomber killed to hell? Does it really work that way?
Probably not. But . . . who really knows?
All I know is that if there is a cause worth dying for, that same cause must be worth living for. If it is freedom for something, let your cause give you the intellectual ammunition to convince those who need convincing. If your cause is freedom from something, let your cause give you the stones to organize and educate. Not to resist with arms (or by blowing yourself up) since if you die, your cause has lost a voice. If a cause has nothing but suicide bombers, eventually you run out of willing participants (or, as the old Arab joke goes, 'there are only so many virgins in heaven').
Noble means to noble ends, otherwise the end is tainted and those who follow will somehow end up perverting the cause to something other than what was intended. You are gone, having blown yourself to wherever, and those left destroy not themselves, but the cause.
You could have lived for something, yet instead you chose to destroy yourself. And you have died for nothing because in the end nothing changes . . .
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Top-level comments on this article: (7 total)"All I know is that if there is a cause worth dying for, that same cause must be worth living for"Very well said Mike, I believe these suicide bombers are cowards.Well it probably takes some stones to kill yourself, (if you think about it in a 'give-them-the-benefit-of-the-doubt way) yet the thinking behind it is what I don't understand. Maybe they believe they are literally 'at war' and the 'battlefield' is not some desert or forest (or mountain) terrain but a mosque or coffehouse. Thanks for reading and commenting, as always.
You're right, I have become inured to what once shocked me. This is such a great article, Michael, thanks, I enjoyed reading it.Thanks very much. It amazes me the things we have become accustomed to seeing and hearing.
Well said, my friend. One thing many Americans forget or never think about within their freedom, comfort, and ease is that the majority of the world is really suffering politically and economically. Half the world makes less than $3 / day. If you rent a car and an apartment, you're doing better than 90% of the rest of the world. Over 50% of the world's wealth held by 6% of its population (United States). Most live in fear and doubt of their own lives lasting beyond the day, so I think that's good motivation for desperation. Without hope the value of life lessens. I'm amazed what I've learned over the years from students coming from the Middle East, Africa, South and Central America, Asia, even Europe. I am humbled by their trials. May we and other wealthy nations push for a cure to this disease of poverty placed there by unrelenting fear and greed. Peace, brother.Agreed. In my youth in the Middle East I saw the downtrodden and the desperately poor, not to mention the refugee camps (known also as 'refuse camps') and I can only imagine the hopelessness. Thanks very much for reading and commenting.
Do you ever find yourself scratching your head and trying to figure out how you ended up in this funnyhouse? :) Good article Mike.Not at all. Getting in was easy. It's getting out that's tricky! Thanks as always, sir.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink, but at least he doesn't bite off the heads of other horses that are. If you could get that horse to believe by doing so he would obtain eternal life and 1000 virgin horses, he would though.Stupid horse, or just uneducated? Probably the latter, yet I would say stupidity runs a close second. Thanks very much for the comment, sir.
I never read such a profound analysis to this unfortunate phenomena from a western perspective. Being from a Middle Eastern background, I can offer you some answers to your logical questions but there is no logic whatsoever behind these acts! Suicide bombers are victims of terrorist groups that take advantage of their poverty and stressful circumstances. They isolate them in special camps and brainwash them to believe that they are on holly mission that they have to die for. Sad but true!I agree, it is sad and true. Also sad and true is the fact the Palestinian neighbors (Syria, Jordan, Saudi, Kuwait) do almost nothing to help stem the tide of poverty and hopelessness and anger. They look to the Americans, yet that is like us looking to Saudi Arabia to help with our immigration problem. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Very well said - posing some good questions. Thanks Mike!
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