Tuesday, July 21, 2009

One Man's Terrorist is... Still A Terrorist

Barry Rubin writes a standard piece against the Zeitgeist, exposing the idiocy and harmfulness of the idea that truth and justice are merely subjective constructs in the eyes of the beholder.

He's right, of course, though his column is a bit jaded: they've said it all, we've said it all, no-one's listening.

But then he gives a fine metaphor, one I suggest we use often until it becomes self evident:
Let me suggest an experiment. Take an apple or other handy piece of fruit or vegetable. Hold it in one hand. Then take a very sharp knife. Hold it in your other hand.Then, say out loud: One man’s [expletive deleted] is another man’s truth.Next, assuming that the location of the piece of fruit is a matter of personal opinion which has no relationship to spatial dimensions, slash out with the knife until you fall to the floor bleeding profusely.Congratulations, you now understand the effect of such a doctrine on the Middle East.

2 comments:

alec said...

Perfectly said. Too bad it needs to be said.

Ibrahim Ibn Yusuf said...

Yaacov -- it's somehow disappointing to see you marvel at Rubin's vulgar, commonplace metaphor.

But thank you for giving me an idea for a post. I responded to Rubin's article here.