So here we start another work week, and as usual, I got about 1/4 of the sleep that I should have this weekend. Not sure why I insist on being such an insomniac at my age, but it's the cards I have been dealt....
Today's installment of Tuesday Travel with Vice is one that is yet again deserving of a Pulitzer, but I'm pretty sure that award will go to reporters with more hard hitting stories like what sweater is best for your dog. Vice co-founder Suroosh Alvi traveled to Mecca with his family for their pilgrimage that all Muslims are required to at least take once in their lives. The filming is done on an older, shakier Handycam, but all of the points are nailed home. This is an incredibly fascinating look into an event and a culture that Westerners know very little about. But it also exposes the stark reality of privilege vs. poverty in the Islamic world, a reality that is slowly becoming unraveled before our very eyes in the form of youth uprisings and populist pushes for more equality and liberty.
However, one cannot deny they pious beauty of this ritual. Islam is very misunderstood by most of the world because it's most visible and vocal representatives are those who condone violence in it's name. But we should not forget that Islam is much younger than Christianity and that when Christianity was the same age Islam is now, it had fun activities like the crusades and inquisitions. It could be (and this is just my theory) that when an organized religion gets to a certain age, it crystalizes into a packet of intolerance for it's own sake. Who knows? Either way, watch this video and take a peek in on a world that few non-Muslims ever see...
So long for now, and see you all tomorrow! I am playing catch up (again) on comments, so bear with me...
11 comments:
All I can say is that it's definitely interesting but different.
Aaron absolutely nice and interesting post, I saw the video really interesting always I want to know more about other cultures and countries.
About religions you have reason. Who knows? is not a mistery that our Catholic Church live now difficult moments and maybe have lost the real sense of the poor, love, and charity, that Jesus really learned. Anyway you know we can talk a lot about religions, only Im afraid always about fanatic people in any religion, huggs and have a Happy Easter
Defiantly interesting!
I love the vice magazine exposes. Very cool. Looking forward to the insight. After I finish work today, I'm going to see that. No matter how we attain spiritual comfort, all forms with ritual intrigue me.
Another fascinating video. It really is like a post-apocalyptic, highly logistical, mass production ritual on Mars. The fact that they turned an entire walk between to hills to an indoor feat and all the other luxuries they try to implement is amazing. It also seems a bit dangerous though, and the class divides are readily apparent.
interesting, truely a place i'd like to visit
i saw this awhil ago, truly one of the best from vice. it's nice to see such a closed off ritual from an insider's point of view.
It's always interesting to me to learn about other cultures and religions.
i wish i could travel far away
being an insomniac is what all the cool kids are doing! awesome though glad to always have one to expand your horizons
that crazy to me but who im i to judge other people beliefs
Post a Comment