Republic of virtue, 3/08

What next after this 'Asian implo-volution'?

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Thursday, 20 March 2008 09:50

Can Abdullah Ahmad Badawi be free to allow the younger ones to run the nation, after the humiliating defeat? Can our Malaysian universities be free to do whatever they like to students, especially to intimidate those who wish to be set their minds free? Dr. Azly Rahman http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/ (Early notes for a speech at an upcoming Malaysian forum at Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA, March 2008.) Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains (- Jean Jacques Rousseau) Man has no nature, what he has is history (- Ortega y Gassett) When I was invited to this gathering of young thinkers, movers and shakers, and public intellectuals, I was writing about hope. The Malaysian Revolution of 2008 was about hope materializing. It was about 'freedom' fought and won. How Malaysian do we want to become? How free do we want to be? How much can we in turn be imprisoned by the newfound freedom? These, I believe are strange philosophical questions that is peculiar-sounding at a time when the machinery of the previous regime is being de-constructed and dismantled piece by piece after being captured in a revolution that is aided by the force of cybernetic technology. For those who believe in divine intervention, the revolution or the "Asian implo-volution" (a combination of "implosion" and "evolution") as I would coin, the event was god's will carried out by the general will of the people. The enabling technology of this "Asian implo-volution" is the will of the Internet – of technological determinism. Are we at a second phase of Merdeka/Independence? Who were we fighting against? If 50 years ago, it was against the British imperialists, who are the neo-colonialists amongst us now? If in the 1950s, we had a multicultural struggle in the form of the "hartal", are we seeing a similar version of it now in the form of rallies such as of the Hindraf and Bersih? Again, what is freedom and independence? How has it changed? Where does freedom lie? How do we feel and taste freedom? What are the manifestation so of the structure of freedom? What do we wish to be free from? Free of? Freed by? These are the questions all of us must answer as a country of various nations evolving? Can one be free to shout "Fire... Fire...Fire" in a full packed theatre? Can one be free to pull his or her keris/dagger/Samurai sword out and shout "Tak Umno hilang di dunia? and not annoy the nation? Can Abdullah Ahmad Badawi be free to allow the younger ones to run the nation, after the humiliating defeat? Can our Malaysian universities be free to do whatever they like to students, especially to intimidate those who wish to be set their minds free? I have some thoughts on what freedom as it relates to what independence might be; thoughts that must be translated into practice. Ten steps towards freedom Independence and freedom are not a slogans but an existential state of mind and a condition of 'lived democracy', one in which citizens are aware of how oppressive systems are cultivated. We cannot be independent until we arrive at these historical junctures, and until we do the following: 1. Free the human mind from all forms of dogmas, superstitions, mental chains, hegemonic formations, and transitional levels of totalitarianism. Our educational system at all levels must strengthen the scientific and philosophical foundation of its curriculum and practices to effect changes in the higher-order thinking skills of the next generation. We should not tolerate any forms of bigotry, racial chauvinism, and retarded form of democracy in our educational system. 2. Understand the relationship between the 'self and the system of social relations of production' and how the self becomes alienated and reduced to labour and appendages and cogs in the wheels of industrial system of production, a system that hides under the name of the corporatist nation and any other term that masks the real exploitation of the human self. 3. Make ourselves aware that our social systems, through the rapid development of technology and its synthesis with local and international predatory culture, have helped create classes of human beings that transform their bodies into different classes of labour (manual, secretarial, managerial, military, intellectual, and capital-owning) that is now shaping the nature of class antagonism locally and globally. 4. Understand how our political, economic, cultural institutions have evolved and are created out of the vestiges of newer forms of colonialism, institutions that are built upon the ideology of race-based interpretations of human and material development that benefit the few who own the means of cultural, material, and intellectual production. 5. Understand how ideologies that oppress humanity works, how prevailing political, economic, cultural ideologies help craft false consciousness and create psychological barriers to the creation of a society that puts the principles of social contract into practice. 6. Be aware of how our physical landscape creates spaces of power and knowledge and alienates us and how huge structural transformations such as the Multimedia Super Corridor or those emerging corridors that create a new form of technological city-scape (technopoles) that benefits local and international real estate profiteers more that they provide more humane living spaces for the poor and the marginalised in an increasingly cybernated society. 7. Be fully aware of the relationship between science, culture, and society and how these interplay with contemporary global challenges and how we clearly or blindly adopt these rapid changes and transform them into our newer shibboleths of developmentalism – one such policy being the National BioTechnology Program. 8. Put a halt to the systematic stupefication of academicians and students in our public universities by first incorporating Academic Freedom Clauses in their mission statements and next enculturalising intellectualism in these learning environments. The public universities must be restructured based on a new paradigm of leadership. Leaders that enable the ability of our students and faculty to think must be removed and replaced with those that pay allegiance to truth. "Veritas!" or "Truth!" as Harvard University slogan decries. 9. Design an economic system founded upon socialistic principles that meet the needs of the many and curb our enthusiasm to consume conspicuously and consequently create a society divided by classes and a postmodern caste system. Rethink the progressive dimension of nationalization instead of pursuing the excesses of privatization. What good would Malaysia do if its leaders are siphoning the nation's wealth by the tens of billions, stashing them in places such as Switzerland and the Cayman Island? 10. Restructure the entire education system that would not only create some variant of a classless society but also one that would evolve into a reflective one instead of being rushed to death along the path of Wall Street by those who owns the means of production. First things first Of course the first thing to do is to bring this "Asian implo-volution" to a conclusion and honor the people's hope to bring the power abusers of the old regime to justice. This is a daunting first step in the process of acquiring power, maintaining it, and next consolidating it. But power here means the power to transform the lives of others for the better. We must educate Malaysians on the nature of "inter-locking directorates" or the link between business and politics that helped brought the end to the old regime. Soon, this must become a lesson learned. In the meantime, I am keen in exploring the possibilities of the social philosopher Rousseau's ideas of 'social contract' and crafting a new definition of Malaysian multi-culturalism. We wanted a revolution, we got an "implo-volution". What then must we do? Comments (16) ... written by batsman, March 20, 2008 10:24:05 Stop the overswing of the pendulum. After every "implovolution", there will be nasty individuals trying to get revenge for past grievances. They will try to provoke the mindless mob to mistakes. Stop the boycott of nasi kandar stalls. The rakyat must take charge. The rakyat are the boss. Stop nasty individuals from taking revenge. Stop punishing the many for the crimes of the few. report abuse disagree 3 agree 8 ... written by batsman, March 20, 2008 10:30:14 The BR must now plan to win big the the next GE. Make sure the states under their control are economically secure. Make sure law and order is maintained. Adopt a platform of repeal of all oppressive laws enacted under the BN. Especially abolish the ISA. Try to invest the Agung with a greater role in the social, cultural and political life of the nation. report abuse disagree 1 agree 5 ... written by HARIMAU BIN ABDULLAH, March 20, 2008 12:59:26 The communist regime was topple by people-power. We only need 50% of people-power to topple BN and wipe out UMNO! report abuse disagree 1 agree 2 ... written by penang1, March 20, 2008 13:10:10 What do you mean by "imprisoned by the newfound freedom"? We had been imprisoned by bn for so many years, and now you're worried that we'd be imprisoned by our "newfound freedom"?? Do you mean that we should "break away" from our so-called "newfound freedom" that we ought to go back to bn??? Gimme a break ! report abuse disagree 1 agree 3 ... written by Chuang Tze, March 20, 2008 14:22:15 Dr. Azly, I congratulate you on your scholarly discourse above. It is very well thought out and expressed, I think, in the simplest way possible without being overly verbose. However, I don't think that there will be that many people who would read it through completely (more is the pity) or after having done that, understood, say even 70% what you intended to put across. You, sir, are a philosopher and a thinker of the first order, and I don't mean that in a patronising way. It is a sincere compliment. Penang1, "being imprisoned by the newfound freedom" means that we are too content with having achieved this present March 8th level of freedom, and are then "shackled" by expectations stemming from this level of freedom, that we do not strive further for our ultimate freedom. Rather than go back to BN, we should forge ahead beyond March 8th 2008, that is what he means !! Correct me if I am wrong, Dr. Azly. If the BARISAN RAKYAT has a think-tank, they should include Dr. Azly to help chart Malaysia's future. Would love to meet you one day and have a chat over tea, Dr. Azly!! report abuse disagree 0 agree 10 ... written by Tompios, March 20, 2008 14:33:22 Dr. Rahman, your article is really good. This is what I looking for-self freedom! Well, I do not fully understand the term implo-volution in your idea but ovulation is more closer in my mind regarding to freedom. What ovulation can do with freedom? Hehehehe of course the ovum only choose the strong X/Y injection! Means, new Gen-2 of Malaysian must do some poisonious injections to Malaysia ovum to get hybrid Gen-3. In this stage, Gen-3 will conquered the whole Malaysian states as One Malaysia. No more kings, no more inter-national boarder line, no more state religion, no more ISA and no more Puterjaya. Only Malaysia and Malaysian alone. Forget it!! report abuse disagree 1 agree 0 ... written by speakofthemind, March 20, 2008 16:42:23 Ten Steps Towards Freedom indeed ! I couldn't agree more with your 1st step, we need to free ourselves from all forms of dogmas, superstitions, mental chains, hegemonic formations, and transitional levels of totalitarianism. Saying this do you think religion is along this line, and we need to free ourselves from it? report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by Naha, March 20, 2008 17:08:48 Ah, people, please do read Dr Azly's writings again and again before jumping to conclusions (the same holds for the writings of Farish Noor). He is an academician, he uses difficult words we barely understand to express his thoughts, it's his job. Anyways his main concern is education, or rather, the mis-education many Malaysians suffer from. Dr Azly, are you trying to caution us against the uber-commercialization of higher education, which is a reflection of a gloves-off free-market economy, which is the staple of western apitalist democracy, which screams 'freedom' when it really means 'freedom for capitalists to plunder'? In that climate of education for profit, of course there will be no room for social agendas, except as lip service. I have some thoughts on what freedom as it relates to what independence might be; thoughts that must be translated into practice. That, however, related to election promises made. report abuse disagree 0 agree 2 ... written by chiongguo, March 20, 2008 21:45:05 "Free the human mind from all forms of dogmas, superstitions, mental chains, hegemonic formations, and transitional levels of totalitarianism. Our educational system at all levels must strengthen the scientific and philosophical foundation of its curriculum and practices to effect changes in the higher-order thinking skills of the next generation. We should not tolerate any forms of bigotry, racial chauvinism, and retarded form of democracy in our educational system." Aren't scientific and philosophical thinking a form of dogmas, mental chains and hegemonic formation which result in bigotry and chauvinism ? All scientific and social breakthroughs came not through some form of reductionistic or rationalistic paradigm. These breakthroughs happened when the heart and mind is truly free. The incessant bickering of the rationalistic mind is anathema to higher order thinking, not facilitate it. Science is based on objective facts but such objectivity is limited and can only go a certain way. Rationalisation uses such objective facts to create a subjective reality and often we think that this new reality is based on facts. Know the mind and we will forever be free from its deceptions. We deceive ourselves and because of its very nature we seldom could see it. Rationalisation almost always EXTENDS the objective reality culled from scientific inquiry and we must never see this reality as objective. It is a mind's fabrication. Higher order "thinking" or insights encompasses all of this and touch reality at its most fundamental level - the level beyond words and concepts. What we need more in our educational system is not more dogmatic pronouncement on the superiority of the scientific method but on how the mind touches reality in ways that we have yet to understand rationally. Why do we become angry when others lied to us ? We can rationalise and argue all we want but the instinctive hurt and disappointment always precede the reasons we give ourselves and others. Why do all of us hate corruption ? Why unfairness incurr so much unhappiness ? We are spiritual being and it is from this source that our abiding happiness can be derived from. We need to understand and to learn to discern our basic spirituality and this is the source of wisdom and the higher order thinking you referred to. Every religion that I know of has some from of quiet contemplative practice. This should be encouraged at all level. "Be still and know that I am God" is a simple and direct path to understand our basic nature. report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by Chuang Tze, March 21, 2008 14:11:21 Dear Chiongguo, "How the mind touches reality" can be a really profound statement !! Whose "reality" are we speaking of ?? Existentialists would say "I think, therefore, I am !" So is the "reality" we sense through our 5 senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, and the 6th sense) the TRUE reality ?? Can we ever hope to really find out ?? Why ?? Because the "reality" we touch is always processed and "coloured" by our senses. We can argue till the cows come home, but I think you know where all this is going. What Dr. Azly has emphasized here is the dynamism of thought and the "relativity" of the people to the existing and constantly evolving ecosystem, be it in politics, or economics or environment. Freedom actually means different things to different people in different circumstances and with different cultural, educational, etc. backgrounds. Also, it cannot exist on its own without us considering tempering the concept of freedom with other human values such as responsibility, and compassion, etc. As he said, can we shout "fire" in a packed cinema and claim that it is an expression of our freedom ?? Not if we have common sense !! report abuse disagree 0 agree 3 ... written by Dr Azly Rahman, March 22, 2008 07:15:00 Folks, Great comments that are of high calibre, elevating our Socratic discussion to a higher plane. Keep up the good work. The subject matter keeps on getting more challenging. We welcome more comments that bring the big ideas down to the level of practice. A Brazilian educator, Paulo Freire would call this synthesis "praxis" in which the subjective and objective aspect of the phenomena under study become synthesized and transformed into action. The stage "cultural action for freedom" is an important aspect of this Malaysian revolution of 2008. How do we turn those at the grassroots level into active participants of the national development agenda. How do we teach them how to reject all forms of State propaganda. Freedom is an elusive concept and has its ambiguities. Mat Rempits think they are free and lead a life of total freedom, but who controls the production and reproduction of Mat Rempits. At another level, the power elites in the government thinks that the are guardians of Freedom/Merdeka but what is the meaning of freedom when those "corridors" built are institutions that will benefit the few and sell the country to foreign investors -- in the name of progress. Freedom is a prisonhouse of language. The new state governments in the Yellow States (Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Kelantan) will need to showcase what freedom means and how the rakyat will benefit, in the most meaningful and tangible ways. What are the benchmarks of social justice and freedom that the rakyat will see in the agenda? How will "standards" of tolerance, justice, and peace be set and achieved-- how will these be measured? How will the rakyat be the judge and the ones to decide if these standards are achieved? We're getting into a serious business of systemic and systematic change here, after the revolution. Of the details of accountability in good governance. Comments, folks.... report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by batsman, March 22, 2008 19:40:03 The word “contract” in Social Contract is unfortunate as it implies inclusion of some sort of numerical numbers. This nudges the parties into the rut of racial quotas as witnessed by the nauseating scramble for seats in the Selangor Exco and the unrepentent and unashamed use of race to bolster arguments. We can no longer afford to fall into this trap again. There will never be a situation where UMNO or DAP will lose its die-hard supporters. The extremists on both sides push their way into the media and bully middle of the roaders to give way. This makes it look as if Malaysia is full of racists on both sides. That is why it is crucially important that news blogs such as Malaysia Today continue to lead the way. We are not even one tenth of the way to full national integration. A large segment of Malays have shown that they cannot tolerate the abuse of power, arrogance and corruption that UMNO exhibited and continues to exhibit. A large number of Malays no longer tolerate the corruption of the judiciary and the police force. The sight of Mat Rempit outriders guarding politicians is nauseating to the extreme. A large segment of Chinese also show that they no longer fall for the politics of chauvinism and religious bigotry. A large segment of Indians no longer trust their traditional leadership which has betrayed them. It is these segments that must be drawn into a social contract, but more importantly they need to be represented by a political party that faithfully mirror their cry for peace, integrity, mutual respect and honesty. The primary effort must go into building such a political party which can build and maintain trust and mutual respect among its supporters and members. A social contract also implies that the races are solid blocs. Is this true anymore? The extremists must be thrown out. Also, how are class alignments going to affect this social contract? Can we have one contract for races and one for classes? report abuse disagree 0 agree 1 ... written by SUV, March 25, 2008 10:51:50 What the world wants is character. The world is in need of those whose life is one burning love--selfless. That love will make every word tell like a thunderbolt. Awake, awake, great souls! The world is burning in misery. Can you sleep?Work unto death--I am with you, and when I am gone, my spirit will work with you. This life comes and goes--wealth, fame, enjoyments are only of a few days. It is better, far better, to die on the field of duty, preaching the truth than to die like a worldly worm. Advance!(Vivekananda) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- what's next after implovolution(fooh!! )?..constant progression towards divine life(betui..saya talak tipu tipu)..the eyes,n hearts dont see n feel,but there excist within ourselves and also "out there" something really specel who always smiles..(bersambung) report abuse disagree 0 agree 0 ... written by SUV, March 25, 2008 12:41:56 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABpE4NpoqoM report abuse disagree 0 agree 0 ... written by SUV, March 26, 2008 12:24:46 peace train..here she comes!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sjSHazjrWg report abuse disagree 0 agree 0 ... written by oks, April 09, 2008 13:31:11 Dr Azly, I appreciate that you've brought up the fact that part of change should come from education itself. I'm a lecturer and i see much defect (in social, political and economic awareness) in today's students. It's unfortunate that the students today are subjected to spoon feeding system, rather than being encouraged to think and analyze. Having said education being important, i believe character should come hand in hand with it. Today, universities are producing more graduates than ever (though we know the quality of their qualifications) but yet corruption practices and self serving attitude are becoming more apparent. We see daylight robbery (by our ministers) before our eyes, yet they claim themselves to be righteous. My qualm is this - what good is a man with sound education but lack values. KJ is a classic example. He is incredibly bright, who is an Oxford grad himself. Unfortunately his education hasn't shaped his value at all. In fact, the reason for his 'success' today is due to his intelligence to a certain extend (and also partly because of his father-in-law) Perhaps learning institutions, educators and parents should stop outdoing each other with performance (number of As), but rather to concentrate in shaping the next generation of Malsysia with the right values - selflessness, epathy, compassion, and any form of values that's contribute to the wellbeing of the country, rakyat, family, neighbours, friends and strangers. The reason for BN ministers' fall is mainly due to their character. They are unfortunately selfish and self-serving. To see Msia thrive in the next 50 years, the next generation need not just education, but strong values. And it's about time we stop putting our kids through memorizing 14 (or so) nilai-nilai murni in order to pass their moral exams. Instead, to put them into practice. For a better Malaysia. report abuse disagree 0 agree 0 Write comment This content has been locked. 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