The Painted Veil
Title stolen from Maugham's book of the same name. No relevance whatsoever, by the way, it is a great book.
Here are the two perspectives on the veil
1. The veil stands for modesty. The reason why women should be hidden is because if a man sees them, he will want to fornicate with them, and that is why all women should be hidden from men.
2. Men will always want to fornicate with women, I thought the whole idea was to be able to control one's instinct of procreation, so the ideal we are pursuing meant that we could feel (until the time we became Vulcans a'la Mr. Spock) and yet, not act upon those feelings.
So African Affirmation, there are two types of people, people who think that we will never change, and thus the veil, and people like me, who think that pursuing higher ideals is what our goal should be. In our Utopia, there is a difference between humans and animals. The animals procreate because its a natural urge, and every time they see a member of the opposite sex who is ready at some stage of ovulation to reproduce, just go for it.
And the humans in our world will be able to control those primitive urges, and wine and dine the object of their desire, and no more club her on the head and drag her by the hair. Those were the good old days, but alas they are no more.
The problem is where these two worlds intersect, where there are evolved human beings and the other ones. Lets see who wins....
Here are the two perspectives on the veil
1. The veil stands for modesty. The reason why women should be hidden is because if a man sees them, he will want to fornicate with them, and that is why all women should be hidden from men.
2. Men will always want to fornicate with women, I thought the whole idea was to be able to control one's instinct of procreation, so the ideal we are pursuing meant that we could feel (until the time we became Vulcans a'la Mr. Spock) and yet, not act upon those feelings.
So African Affirmation, there are two types of people, people who think that we will never change, and thus the veil, and people like me, who think that pursuing higher ideals is what our goal should be. In our Utopia, there is a difference between humans and animals. The animals procreate because its a natural urge, and every time they see a member of the opposite sex who is ready at some stage of ovulation to reproduce, just go for it.
And the humans in our world will be able to control those primitive urges, and wine and dine the object of their desire, and no more club her on the head and drag her by the hair. Those were the good old days, but alas they are no more.
The problem is where these two worlds intersect, where there are evolved human beings and the other ones. Lets see who wins....
posted by Xoff at 8/08/2005 01:37:00 PM
3 Comments:
the painted veil, inded a most apt title, and yes it remains to be seen wether enlightenment, will win out over man's fear of being unable to control his own urgers, maughan, told a beautiful tale,
(as an aside, greta garbo starred in the 1935, movie based on this enlightening tale, which im told has been re-made staring edward norton, im not sure wether movie has ben released yet, i believe 2006), i would love to see this interpretation of a great story,... to continue though,
a poem by shelley, c1819
lift not the painted veil which those who live
call life: though unreal shapes be pictured there
and it mimic all we would believe
with colours idly spread-behind lurk fear
and hope-twin destinies; who ever weave
their shadows, o'er the chasm, sightless and drear.
i knew one who had lifted it-he sought,
for his lost heart was tender, things to love,
but found them not, alas! nor was there aught
the world contains, that which he could approve.
through the unheeding many did he move,
a splendour among shadows, a bright blot
upon this gloomy scene, a spirit that strove
for truth, and like the preacher found it not.
i think shelley's painted veil is a good dscription of what we use to conceal problems of our own making, byron once suggested that the best of prophets is the past,
in my optimistic moments, i believe that we do have the capacity to learn from the past, to realise prized above all else in islamic world was enlightenment and learning, that we can control our behaviour. thus emerging above our counterparts in the natural world.
i think the pursuit of the higher ideal, would be the ultimate lifting of the veil,..i knew one who lifted it-he sought...things to love.
hey, looking forward to some new blogs from you.
good write up, refreshing attitude I like that.
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