Hey Friends,
The first month of school has already flown by and I can’t help but imagine how fast this second semester is going to pass! I’ve been really enjoying the content in our ASTU class as we continue to delve into post 9/11 literature and scholarly works.
I have particularly enjoyed reading the works of literary theorist, Judith Butler who is in fact better described as a philosopher. Growing up I never knew how to describe how I felt about the war and thought my confusion wasn’t valid to state as I needed more education on the wars itself. Yet after graduating High School and completing one semester of University, I am still unable to voice my confusions and why the US does what it does on the world stage.
It was very refreshing reading chapter one of Butler’s “Survivability, Vulnerability, Affect” as I feel like she voices what I’ve been unable to comprehend all my life. She truly is a philosopher as she adopts a critical lens and affirms to it in her works. She really scrutinizes the ‘frames of war’ and delves into the social phenomenon of the human body, especially in the context of when a vulnerable life is grievable.
To begin with, Butler goes on to state that our interpretations are done through frames in which interpretations are a consequence of the frames. This really reminded me of Education Scholar Farhat Shahzad’s scholarly contribution of ‘interpretive communities’ from her article “The Role of Interpretive Communities in Remembering and Learning” which we studied last semester. Much like how we interpret through ‘frames’, we also have ‘interpretive communities’ which are important influences in our process of learning.
The issue of ‘frames’ as a negative force is one that was largely emphasized in Butlers work. Butler really goes deep into the issues of morality of war and discusses the frame we often perceive of, the US wanting to spread their ‘ideals’ and doing good for the world by spreading democracy – American Exceptionalism. However why is it that we go to the extent of taking such imperialistic measures killing many in the process. We certainly are blinded and disregard the lives lost by the perceived ‘enemies’ however if one of ‘our men’ dies it’s an atrocious event which is heavily grieved
Additionally, Butler goes so far to speak to the issue of interpretive frames silencing events that that create negative publicity. This really made me think about the recent attack of Syrian Refugees in Vancouver. Why was this event barely heard of and exploding in media? Was it something that was silenced because it was un-Canadian? If it had been Canadian civilians attacked in the Middle East I feel like media would have exploded. It discomforts me that certain bodies are given more socio-political worth than others. The media certainly is a very problematic ‘interpretive frame’ which endorses such a view.
After reading, although I feel a sense of relief being able to comprehend my questions that I’ve been trying to pose all along, I feel more confused as to what we can truly do to become more human and moral. Maybe these heinous terrorists should be looked through as a very vulnerable social phenomenon called a body?
“War is precisely as effort to minimize precariousness for some and to maximize it for others”
-Judith Butler
Thanks,
Kaveel Singh
