Friday, May 07, 2010

Democratise, democratise...

After the UK elections I renewed my interest in establishing an NGO dedicated to democratise these poor anti-democratic countries that are so deeply undemocratic that they even have the illusion of democracy. Think of the fraudulent US elections as a result of which George W. Bush was elected by Fox News Channel and some republicans from Florida. Think of the Great Australian Firewall, protested by most Australians themselves (even Australians over 15 are now unable to access websites that sell downloadable or physical copies of video games as well as those that host web-based games).

Emancipate, emancipate...

A sister NGO could be one to emancipate women in most modern/ised societies (particularly but not restricted to the 'West'), working on projects such as emancipating women from their physical-image-obsessed way of life (opposing "practices against nature" such as the use of surgery, chemicals, laser technology or extreme levels of make up usage on the body and the face in order to feel acceptable to or confident among others). For starters, the image itself can be ridiculed, the zero-size teenage image in the US, as well as the Japanese manga characters with huge eyes and breasts (which is a racial impossibility for Japanese girls). A possible side project could be: emancipating the American blond from the constant trashing and bashing of the 'culture industry.'
In the Netherlands we even have emancipatory political parties for farm animals, but emancipation of women from painful technologies of epilation and plastic surgery is somehow forgotten... I was simply happy to see a woman with a head-scarf that didn't mind her facial hair: She was with her kids and friends, looked absolutely ok with her appearance, and I don't know how you define emancipation, but mine certainly includes feeling fine with your looks! (although I must admit that it is a much less image obsessed society than many others... the first two days I was visiting New York, I thought I spilt coffee on myself, every one was soooo constantly checking everyone out. Worse still, in Turkey, the upper middle class obsession with looks does not allow women to have a single white hair -no wonder many prefer to wear headscarves! And you know who judge most, on these matters? Women judge one another!)



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