Comments for The Zahir http://zahir.org.uk The University of York's Culture Magazine Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:23:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc Comment on Urban Kenya? – Rachel Knighton by Chris Thorpe http://zahir.org.uk/?p=478&cpage=1#comment-3215 Chris Thorpe Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:23:53 +0000 http://zahir.org.uk/?p=478#comment-3215 Excellent. However I do believe that not only Kenya suffers the invention of "disclocated sub-cultures as it goes along". I believe that is but a socio-cultural human tendency. As societies evolve and time passes, new cultures emerge. The loss of our roots and traditions, displaced by new cultures, is no different to religion or other cultures overtaking previously more primitive customs and traditions. Be it Mexico, the UK, China, Japan or the USA it actually seems to be the lure of primarily Westernised or money/capitalist-related rather than simply urbanisation (which you do identify in the article anyway) that is the key eroder of a country's identity and values. Urbanisation to me is simply a manifestation of capitalisation and the world's overuse of its resources. And this has been happening since the Industrial Revolution around the world. I miss Kenya a great deal having lived there for 16 years. A wonderful and fragile nation. But I believe its leaders must invest in its infrastructure and in its traditions if they are not to hit a very hard brick wall in the next 25 years. Excellent. However I do believe that not only Kenya suffers the invention of “disclocated sub-cultures as it goes along”. I believe that is but a socio-cultural human tendency. As societies evolve and time passes, new cultures emerge. The loss of our roots and traditions, displaced by new cultures, is no different to religion or other cultures overtaking previously more primitive customs and traditions. Be it Mexico, the UK, China, Japan or the USA it actually seems to be the lure of primarily Westernised or money/capitalist-related rather than simply urbanisation (which you do identify in the article anyway) that is the key eroder of a country’s identity and values.

Urbanisation to me is simply a manifestation of capitalisation and the world’s overuse of its resources. And this has been happening since the Industrial Revolution around the world.

I miss Kenya a great deal having lived there for 16 years. A wonderful and fragile nation. But I believe its leaders must invest in its infrastructure and in its traditions if they are not to hit a very hard brick wall in the next 25 years.

]]> Comment on The New Architectural Language of the Reichstag – Harriet Waghorn by Zahir Magazine http://zahir.org.uk/?p=331&cpage=1#comment-3159 Zahir Magazine Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:25:59 +0000 http://zahir.org.uk/?p=331#comment-3159 sorry about that, have corrected the name. sorry about that, have corrected the name.

]]> Comment on The New Architectural Language of the Reichstag – Harriet Waghorn by ian larter http://zahir.org.uk/?p=331&cpage=1#comment-3031 ian larter Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:05:09 +0000 http://zahir.org.uk/?p=331#comment-3031 Good article One thing I wish to point out that her name is Hariet Waghorn not Harriet Waghorn Markham. Good article One thing I wish to point out that her name is Hariet Waghorn not Harriet Waghorn Markham.

]]> Comment on The Warm Heart of Africa – Joe Walsh by Bengee http://zahir.org.uk/?p=378&cpage=1#comment-1995 Bengee Sat, 05 Jun 2010 00:52:46 +0000 http://zahir.org.uk/?p=378#comment-1995 Awesome article. I had similar feelings when I discovered the music of West Africa, particularly Fela Kuti's afrobeat revolution. I do think, however, that it is unfair to label the music of the continent under the one banner of 'African music', as there are vast differences between Amadou and Mariam's 'Afro-blues' and the desert trance of Sudan's Rango, for example. But kudos for mentioning Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou! Awesome article. I had similar feelings when I discovered the music of West Africa, particularly Fela Kuti’s afrobeat revolution. I do think, however, that it is unfair to label the music of the continent under the one banner of ‘African music’, as there are vast differences between Amadou and Mariam’s ‘Afro-blues’ and the desert trance of Sudan’s Rango, for example. But kudos for mentioning Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou!

]]> Comment on the lit delusion – Harriet Evans by Bengee http://zahir.org.uk/?p=419&cpage=1#comment-1994 Bengee Sat, 05 Jun 2010 00:39:04 +0000 http://zahir.org.uk/?p=419#comment-1994 Nice work Miss Evans Nice work Miss Evans

]]> Comment on Freedom or Death? – Peter Hagen by Jenny O'Mahony http://zahir.org.uk/?p=409&cpage=1#comment-1785 Jenny O'Mahony Tue, 18 May 2010 19:12:18 +0000 http://zahir.org.uk/?p=409#comment-1785 How come you still get to write stuff? I hate you Peter. What's this article about then? How come you still get to write stuff? I hate you Peter. What’s this article about then?

]]> Comment on Holly Phillips critiques a critique by M. Marshall http://zahir.org.uk/?p=372&cpage=1#comment-1662 M. Marshall Thu, 06 May 2010 00:59:41 +0000 http://zahir.org.uk/?p=372#comment-1662 This has been an interesting ride. I think in many ways you are right Holly, I very much agree that pornography is endemic in our society, and that men are a) expected to consume pornography and b) expect to consume pornography. This of course has repercussions. I think your recent article outlined this idea further. The problem I have was mainly to do with the use of false statistics and clichéd ideas that porn cannot possibly be a choice. It can and it is. It really made me smile in this article when you insist that somehow showing that some pornographic models are happy, healthy and very intelligent disadvantages others. My aim was to express that sterotypical model expressed in your articles was a bit of a generalisation. The main problem I continue to have with your articles is that you suggest the material you are using as an example such as "gag factor" is heavily consumed main stream porn. But vomit is not to everyone's taste. You explore the extremes of pornography, without recognising that the majority of porn is boring, straight, and soft. Perhaps an examination of that would cut more at the heart of society and raise questions about the objectification of women. Also a note. 22 cases of HIV is pretty low, about 1.8% of 1,500 porn stars in Los Angeles. Given that the average percentage rate in America is around 3% this seems very good. This has been an interesting ride. I think in many ways you are right Holly, I very much agree that pornography is endemic in our society, and that men are a) expected to consume pornography and b) expect to consume pornography. This of course has repercussions. I think your recent article outlined this idea further. The problem I have was mainly to do with the use of false statistics and clichéd ideas that porn cannot possibly be a choice. It can and it is. It really made me smile in this article when you insist that somehow showing that some pornographic models are happy, healthy and very intelligent disadvantages others. My aim was to express that sterotypical model expressed in your articles was a bit of a generalisation. The main problem I continue to have with your articles is that you suggest the material you are using as an example such as “gag factor” is heavily consumed main stream porn. But vomit is not to everyone’s taste. You explore the extremes of pornography, without recognising that the majority of porn is boring, straight, and soft. Perhaps an examination of that would cut more at the heart of society and raise questions about the objectification of women.

Also a note. 22 cases of HIV is pretty low, about 1.8% of 1,500 porn stars in Los Angeles. Given that the average percentage rate in America is around 3% this seems very good.

]]> Comment on Zahir 5.2 by Laura http://zahir.org.uk/?p=367&cpage=1#comment-1609 Laura Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:13:02 +0000 http://zahir.org.uk/?p=367#comment-1609 Really good article by Guy Wilson (: Really good article by Guy Wilson (:

]]> Comment on Cat’s Cradle: Life Lessons from Kurt Vonnegut by Katie Harrison by Claire http://zahir.org.uk/?p=24&cpage=1#comment-1250 Claire Wed, 31 Mar 2010 01:28:56 +0000 http://zahir.org.uk/WordPress/?p=24#comment-1250 Cat's Cradle is one of my favorite books of all time! I'm writing a paper comparing and contrasting it with 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. This has been a great help! Thanks! Cat’s Cradle is one of my favorite books of all time! I’m writing a paper comparing and contrasting it with 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. This has been a great help! Thanks!

]]> Comment on Pure Cinema – Tom Shingler by Ted http://zahir.org.uk/?p=325&cpage=1#comment-660 Ted Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:32:49 +0000 http://zahir.org.uk/?p=325#comment-660 Pretty good, Tom: Congratulations! Pretty good, Tom: Congratulations!

]]>