Prior to being lectured on Obasan this Thursday, I had been feeling overwhelmed with work and completely exhausted. Exams, assignments, tests and excruciating readings had been taking over my entire life. Time management isn’t really my forte, and as a result I have truly been drowning in the workload of university. When I was initially reminded in class of the third blog posting, my stress level just skyrocketed. What would I blog about this time? What could I have to say amidst everything else I had going on at the time? I did not have the slightest clue.

However, when watching the two videos in class, especially the video clip in which we were able to see those interned in the 1940’s given honorary degrees from UBC, I swear I had a revelation. Probably just a reality check, but it felt like a damn epiphany. I was so touched by the videos; both resonated with me so much. I was reminded why I was in the CAP Law & Society program and why I decided to pursue this above other programs. The substantial workload all of a sudden became bearable because I knew I had to, and could, succeed in law – especially human rights law.

Ever since watching Hot Docs (a documentary film festival) in the eighth grade, I have wanted to be a lawyer. However, I was not seeking the mundane setting of some unknown law firm and dealing in small claims court. Instead,I had wanted to be a human rights lawyer established in and working on behalf of the United Nations. It is now four and a half years later, and that is still my ultimate goal despite how unachievable it may seem. Seeing justice being served and human rights being reconciled, fought for, and enabled around the world is what ignites a passion inside of me. This is exactly what happened when watching the videos in class. It struck an ambition within me to one day be able to work towards redressing historical wrongs, to allow those wronged to regain livelihood and a sense of self, and to prevent such occurrences from ever happening again.

In the context of the internment of the Japanese Canadians in the 1940’s, the largest mass exodus in Canadian history, corrective justice is better than no justice. To be able to witness affirmative action taking place, and development and progress happening in regards to human rights, brings about the certainty that things really are getting better. In my opinion, although our progress appears to be positive, we should always question whether all aspects of law today are just and in accordance with the most widespread concepts of morality.

How can we guarantee that the law is just and upheld so that no one will be subjected to such circumstances ever again? I intend on figuring that out.

After having analyzed 17 pages of Martha Nussbaum making a passionate case for the importance of arts in a democratic society, I feel as if I have come to thoroughly understand her argument and the position she takes.

Since childhood, I have been an extremely avid reader. I was also told in my youth that I possessed an imagination like no other.Only after reading Nussbaum’s article did I realize the correlation between these two traits. Everything that I have read throughout my life, from the simplest lullabies to Judy Blume to F.Scott Fitzgerald’s the Great Gatsby, has expanded my thoughts and imagination in one way or another. The more complex the literary works, the more insight I am able to gather on both the complexities of human society as well as the experiences of individuals. Perhaps the greatest power of literature is that it gives the reader the ability to slip into the skin of another person. Arts, more specifically literature, is able to do this by exposing different perspectives, making us question “what if”, exploring similarities and differences in various social situations, and allowing for audiences to look at the world through a different lens.

Through such devices, literature allows for informed rather than ignorant judgement’s on society and the individual. This understanding can formulate into positive action in a democratic society. Perception and recognition, both of which stem from literature and the arts, are vital in having a conscious understanding of future political aspects in life. All of this: perception, the complexities we gain from literature and the arts, and the expansion of the imagination lead us towards the central idea of Nussbaum’s article: compassion and empathy. Having compassion is key, especially in a country that prides itself on multiculturalism and diversity. Democratically, this is necessary in bringing about the most fair and just government possible. Literature leads to a significant understanding of compassion, empathy and sympathy which, put to use in societal life, is imperative in being a democratic citizen.

In Plato’s literary dialogue Republic, the rulers of his perfect city are required to undergo years of rigorous musical training before they are deemed worthy to govern. Plato obviously understood the importance and necessity of arts in human society. Nussbaum definitely agrees with this viewpoint, emphasizing the political relevance of art throughout her article. I too agree that when being called upon to vote, compassion and empathy are vital in making a correct selection of the candidate, their policies, their viewpoints, etc. Between a politician who cares strictly for numbers and policy versus one who genuinely cares about the people he governs, the latter should win ten times out of ten.

Although the concepts discussed above and in Nussbaum’s article may seem abstract and unrelated to some, they work together and complement one another allowing for them to be applied politically and democratically in real life situations. Nussbaum argues that we must defend ideals against a common humanity as it is what we need to thrive democratically. Do you agree?