Bare Life
The Platonic state of the biological life to a spiriual life, the initial distinction between "human life" and "bare life" and its transformative powers has been meditated on over the centuries. Giving rise to a variety of concepts such as Ludwig Witgenstein's "homo Sacer" Giorgio Agemben's "state of exception" and Michel Foulcault's "bioopolitics" and Slavoj Zizek's musings relating to the stripping of an individuals rights and laws for protection in a sovereign state. The individual become stateless in the hands of an aggressor.
Yet there is clarity because they all see the actions they take as transformative but for each culture or society this comes with a different process of thought. The story is very similar but is dependent on the messengers who have the authority and power to control a culture or society and whether they are moderate or extreme in there views..
Dictatorships, Democracies, Monarchies, Autocracies, Oligarchy, Theocracy, Aristocracy, Military Dictatorship, Anarchy all come with Power systems lawfully or unlawfully applied within the system. Taking hostages for political or geopolitical reasons is usually regarded as terrorism and has been a function of conflicts over many centuries.
With the recent Western Middle East conflicts hostage taking and the violence inflicted on them was brutal, ugly and medieval in its action. But the response equally so. To comprehend this it is necessary to look at the original Platonic distinction between human life and bare life. Plato distinguishes bare life as transformative no matter the actions performed especially if the belief system expressly said you become holy. Death and martyrdom mean transformation with the biological life having served its purpose, you would be reborn.
However Bare Life for hostages meant fear, loneliness, and stripping of all sovereign protection left at the mercy of the hostage taker / terrorist. Few people could ever understand isolation from a culture or society they were part off, to become global pawns in a communication war used as a visual representation of power and powerlessness. Equally the attempted destruction and annihilation of peoples throughout history is a well worn path.
The Taken - Hostages to Politics
A litany of excuses and hyperbole to excuse the disposition of political power is usual while the "Taken" await their fate. Politicians play politics with power while the "Taken" endure the ideals of politics and power
It Only Takes a Second
We are all subject to authority and without sovereign protection knowing our day to day existence is completely out with our control. Imperialism and dictatorship use systems of control causing humans' to become isolated and stripped of sovereign power. The vulnerability, suspense and horror imposed by the state on individuals isolated and stripped of the freedom to live a democratic life protected by the law is hidden by the state in many ways. The biological right to exist becomes redundant and life is ripped away with impunity.
Always The Innocent - The Chaos of Violent Intent
Violence happens daily against innocent people, at any time. Over a cup of coffee, while shopping, enjoying a night out, pushing a child in a pram. We are all susceptible to violence from complete strangers lashing out. Xenophobia and racism inflict hateful intentional violence, subjugating Others for their differences, criminality adds to societal violence and when coupled with Xenophobia is coopted by political factions to wrest power and control. Other examples are when somebody has just received bad news and lashes out at the first person they see. Domestic violence and abuse. being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The potential to become a victim of violence and its chaotic imbalance is extraordinarily high.The victims all ages.
The Unseen - "Self Defence Rule"
Violence is both visible and invisible but either way it leaves everlasting emotional scars and traces on the human consciousness. Usually no one bears witness to the scars created, particularly when governments create reasons and excuses for it happening. To be the victim of state violence is one of the most iniquitous infringements of morality, particularly when advocated under the "Self Defence Rule" when all manner of depravity and violence can be justified by governments, using lawful constructs for protection..
The Innocence of Youth Destroyed by Silent tyranny
Adult subjugation of youth presents in many guises and its abuses are narcissistic tyranny. This comes in many forms, war, society, government, parents, physical, emotional, sexual, neglect.
Children are defenceless against these oppressive entities, and when governments turn their back on the moral principles they promote to their people, as standards of protection, they become the worst offenders.
