Comments on: Engaging the Other http://julieclawson.com/2009/01/29/engaging-the-other/ incantations at the edge of uncertainty Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:00:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mike Clawson http://julieclawson.com/2009/01/29/engaging-the-other/comment-page-1/#comment-4008 Mike Clawson Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:17:08 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=767#comment-4008 If you go far enough back, even the ones sending men into combat were expected to join in the fight too. Kings used to lead from the front of the battle. Roman Emperors had to prove themselves in battle. While I'm not saying that it was a good thing for a society to be ruled by its warriors (though let's be honest, that's not just and ancient or medieval form of government - until recently, most of our Presidents have been expected to have spent some time in the military too), on the other hand, it's not necessarily a bad thing for those with the power to declare war to have to share in its risks themselves. If you go far enough back, even the ones sending men into combat were expected to join in the fight too. Kings used to lead from the front of the battle. Roman Emperors had to prove themselves in battle. While I'm not saying that it was a good thing for a society to be ruled by its warriors (though let's be honest, that's not just and ancient or medieval form of government – until recently, most of our Presidents have been expected to have spent some time in the military too), on the other hand, it's not necessarily a bad thing for those with the power to declare war to have to share in its risks themselves.

]]> By: Julie Clawson http://julieclawson.com/2009/01/29/engaging-the-other/comment-page-1/#comment-4007 Julie Clawson Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:14:34 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=767#comment-4007 David - great thoughts. and yes, it's hard not to be drawn to the Twilight books even with their issues. karl- I've only read the first book in the Bridei Chronicles, although I keep meaning to read the others... I love Marillier's stuff. David – great thoughts. and yes, it's hard not to be drawn to the Twilight books even with their issues.

karl- I've only read the first book in the Bridei Chronicles, although I keep meaning to read the others… I love Marillier's stuff.

]]> By: Karl http://julieclawson.com/2009/01/29/engaging-the-other/comment-page-1/#comment-4006 Karl Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:18:40 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=767#comment-4006 I know you've read some of Juliet Marillier; have you read any of her Bridei Chronicles? I recently read the first in the series and in it she has some interesting thoughts on combat as it used to be, combat so close that the combatants are looking at one another's eyes, wondering about the other's family waiting for him at home, etc. Kind of a tangent, but what you write about the Revolutionary war and the "whites of their eyes" reminded me of it. I've read the same sort of reflections from soldiers who fought in WWI and WWII, and agree that the way warfare is waged today often removes the sense of the weightiness of what is happening, even from the combatants. In the past the combatants were usually all too aware of it, even if the ones in power sending them into combat were often insulated from it. I know you've read some of Juliet Marillier; have you read any of her Bridei Chronicles? I recently read the first in the series and in it she has some interesting thoughts on combat as it used to be, combat so close that the combatants are looking at one another's eyes, wondering about the other's family waiting for him at home, etc. Kind of a tangent, but what you write about the Revolutionary war and the "whites of their eyes" reminded me of it. I've read the same sort of reflections from soldiers who fought in WWI and WWII, and agree that the way warfare is waged today often removes the sense of the weightiness of what is happening, even from the combatants. In the past the combatants were usually all too aware of it, even if the ones in power sending them into combat were often insulated from it.

]]> By: David Henson http://julieclawson.com/2009/01/29/engaging-the-other/comment-page-1/#comment-4003 David Henson Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:46:41 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=767#comment-4003 Oh, and I'm a closet Twilight reader. I have very mixed feelings about them. That said, I can't put them down.:) Oh, and I'm a closet Twilight reader. I have very mixed feelings about them. That said, I can't put them down.:)

]]> By: David Henson http://julieclawson.com/2009/01/29/engaging-the-other/comment-page-1/#comment-4002 David Henson Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:45:57 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=767#comment-4002 Yes, yes and yes. If we flatten the differences of the other, then we aren't engaging with them at all. I think you are right that folks seem to want to move past the point where there is an other, but in doing so, it seems they miss who the other actually is. Their eyes gloss over. They don't notice the other person's eye color because they are too busy staring at their own reflection in their pupils. Maybe that's not what you're getting at exactly here. Yes, yes and yes.

If we flatten the differences of the other, then we aren't engaging with them at all. I think you are right that folks seem to want to move past the point where there is an other, but in doing so, it seems they miss who the other actually is. Their eyes gloss over. They don't notice the other person's eye color because they are too busy staring at their own reflection in their pupils.

Maybe that's not what you're getting at exactly here.

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