Friday, October 7, 2016

Imaginative Cosmopolis: A Reading

From Jasmine and Stars: Reading More than Lolita in Tehran,  Fatemeh Keshavarz



In faint voices that reach us from across the globe, there is the recognition of our shared humanity. In laughing at the same joke, feeling the same pain, or admiring each other's work of art, there is an empowering flash of recognition. Through the brilliance of that flash, a voice says, 'I know you are more than a number in the global statistics, because your grandmother looks exactly like mine. It doesn't matter if my Tuesday is Wednesday on your calendar. I have a little gray cat, and if you are brave enough to build a bridge, my cat and I might walk over.'  At times, it is hard to even contemplate the building of the bridge. But the excitement at the thought of a person and a gray cat from the other hemisphere walking in our direction is proof that we will never be totally self absorbed or even a nameless cog in the system. Not if we can help it.

p. 5



2 comments:

  1. I am intrigued but confused by your posting. I look forward to more.
    In the meantime, speaking of confusion, I have "repurposed" by blogging efforts, and you can find me here:
    http://theabbessofandalusia.blogspot.com/
    All the best from the Gulf coast,
    Tim

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think she's saying that, fundamentally, we're all the same - we're all human beings with hopes and dreams, loves and fears. The 'differences' between people are minor in comparison to what we all have in common.

    ReplyDelete

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