ART AND LITERATURE – THE MORAL CORRECTIVE FOR A FALLEN SOCIETY
“Perhaps we failed to draw a line between what gives us happiness and what takes it away. And, a more serious question is: was happiness the destination of human progression? Philosophically speaking, it was. – Anand.
The title of this article casts aspersions on the idea of human development and the progression of the civilization. It is a serious question which stares us in the face: are we in the progressive mode or is it a decline? If we compare the good and the evil of our modern society, can we feel satisfied that whatever we have achieved speaks well of us as conscientious human species? In spite of all that we have accomplished, the final feeling of mankind is that happiness still eludes us. There are still disparities and injustices on a vast scale and a huge proportion of our population is under-blessed. All this in spite of the fact we possess great powers of science and technology. We are highly ‘blessed’ if we consider our ‘killer potential’ but to counter it, our sense of self-preservation and self-improvement stands nowhere.
Why has happiness and joy of being eluded mankind? Reasons are obvious, because all the physical assets that we have created are meant only to give comfort and happiness to mankind. In the midst of plenty, we are feeling deprived, dispossessed and unhappy.
Perhaps we failed to draw a line between what gives us happiness and what takes it away. And, a more serious question is: was happiness the destination of human progression? Philosophically speaking, it was.
However, the first phase of human progression has been the instinct for survival. And after survival, when we feel secure, we think of the idea of happiness. And what grants us happiness is Art whose very idea lies in the fact that the society in which we are living is twisted and has edges which cause bruises to human psyche. Art is the balm, a pain-reliever, which give us a sense of joyousness. Art is never the activity of a happy mind. It is the outcome of a tortured psyche and a disturbed soul. The greatest artistic works were the creation of human minds which were on the boil.
Art and Literature:The Moral Corrective
Thus, art and literature find their justification in a society which is built on injustice and inequalities, and it is through art that human soul seeks relief from persistent pain. Literature is the pain-reliever, which provides a release to human nerves and saves the society from explosive situations. Art does not justify the ills of a society, it takes men towards a resolution and release of pent up emotions, which Greek Masters called catharsis.
Art is the greatest moral corrective, which makes people understand their problems in their naked reality, feel the pain, and also the relief. In final analysis, art is nothing beyond a happy arrangement of words and how they are said, or colors how they are arranged.
The Fall
The human society has suffered a great fall. A young student who is studying Economics, or Commerce, or Engineering or Electronics will never realize this fact. The governments are always telling the people how GDP is increasing, how wealth creation is going on, and how the happiness index is going up. The addition of new inventions to the inventory of joy indicates how modern society is poised towards a revolution in human comfort, and the greatest achievements in space exploration and scientific development. It is going on unchecked. It is one side of the story of success of mankind. But, unfortunately, it is matched by another devastating story. Of the fall of mankind. Mankind suffered a fall when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. Now we are suffering another great fall. Knowledge has risen to our head. We have never looked back to check if our actions are in the right direction or amiss. Knowledge is a great power, but, it was Satan who set us after knowledge, and we are serving his ends only. Knowledge has destroyed our Innocence, our Joy, our Peace and our Happiness in Being. This is the real fall that humanity has suffered.
What are we doing to retrieve our lost happiness? Our joy and our Paradise? Can we just disown our Knowledge? Can we stop the progressive spree of mankind? Can we stop the exploration of the space? I think No. The moral corrective lies in the fact that we stop the blind pursuit of success, and wealth and the exploitation of nature. We should tell our younger generations that the real purpose of human living is not isolation, nor success, nor wealth creation, but Peace, Happiness and Joy. It has also to be mentioned to them that if they have success, but not happiness, it is all waste. And one more thing that needs to be mentioned here is that Happiness comes to us only when we give happiness to others, and do not disturb the balance which nature has created around us. If we respect the phenomenon, if we show respect to the planets, to winds and waters which make our life possible, we shall regain our dignity as well as our joy in being. This is the Moral Corrective needed to re-build a society which believes in the well-being of creation as a whole.
[Dr. Jernail Singh Anand has authored 175 plus books of which 11 are epic poems. He won the Seneca Award [Italy], the Charter of Morava [Serbia], Franz Kafka [Ukraine, Germany & Check Rep.] and Maxim Gorky Award [Russia]. His name adorns the Poets Rock in Serbia. He is President of the International Academy of Ethics. [ethicsacademy.co.in].
“Look at this BS on the TV,” cried Riley from the sofa, scoffing at the cable news report one evening before supper.
“What is it?” asked Tricia, pausing in front of the set to stare at the female anchor.
Riley snorted “Some nonsense about rape.” he replied, pausing to drink from what was his fourth bottle of beer. On the screen, the anchor was relating the story of the forcible rape of a starlet by a fellow actor.
“Why is it nonsense?” queried his wife.
Riley’s face assumed a look of contempt. “Because that’s what it is,” he retorted with some heat. “Forcible rape! Look it,” he said, “not a mark on her. Now, if it was statutory rape, then I could see it, but heck, she’s at least nineteen, if she’s a day. And look as who she’s accusing. Jason Jax is a handsome movie star. He can have all the babes he wants who are better looking than Jan Jeffers.”
“Just because she’s not beat up doesn’t mean it wasn’t forced.”
He shook his head, unconvinced. “Don’t believe it,” he said. “If a woman wants to, she can prevent a man from raping her. Don’t all women take some self-defense class these days? She could have stopped him.” He took another drink of beer.
Riley rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean, Trish. She gave it to him.”
“Next you’ll be saying she asked for it based on her movie roles or how she dressed.”
He shrugged. “You saying I’m wrong?”
“You’re living in a dream world, Riley,” she asserted. “Just because a woman isn’t covered in black and blue doesn’t mean she wasn’t forced to have sex.” She looked pointedly at her husband.
“What’re you,” he asked skeptically, “an expert on rape all of a sudden?”
“I did date men before I met you, you know,” she pointed out cryptically.
The effect was instantaneous. “We’re you raped!” he said, his voice rising a little.
“It’s happened more than once before and after we got married,” she told him with a nonchalance that he found infuriating. He stared angrily at her, as though he might next accuse her of responsibility for the assaults.”
“Before I knew you a date got me drunk and raped me while I was unconscious. I didn’t file charges because I didn’t think I’d be believed, and I was afraid of the reaction of people who think like you.”
“Who raped you after we got married?”
“I’ll tell you,” she said, “but you have to promise you won’t hurt him.” He started to strenuously object, but seeing the look of determination on her face, he inhaled a breath of surrender and nodded.
“The only other man who has ever forced me, against my will, to have sex with him… is you.”
The silence hung heavy in the air for some moments, before he responded.”Trish, I never….”
She nodded her head. “Yes, Riley, you have.” He stared at her, disbelieving. “Both times it’s happened, you’ve been drunk. As much as you drink, I’m surprised it hasn’t happened more times.”
“Then why don’t I remember it?” he insisted. “Because I don’t remember a thing, and….”
“I remember,” she said simply. “You don’t think I’d make up something like this, just to make a point or to win an argument, do you?” He shook his head no. “I can only guess that you blacked out the experience because you were so loaded, or your brain won’t let you remember. I read up on it. You don’t form memories when you are blackout drunk. But,” she went on, “you wanted sex and you were going to have it. You didn’t hurt me, much, but for the emotional damage.” There was deep sorrow and regret in Riley’s eyes.
“God,” he said, with self-loathing, “you must hate me. Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“The first time it happened, when we were first married last year. Then, when it happened again over July 4th weekend. Both times, you’d been drinking. The first time, I told you I wasn’t in the mood, but you held me down and forced me. You hurt me. The second time I said no, but knew better than to fight. I asked my sister about it. She’s been married twice and said that’s never happened to her either time she’s been married. I was going to ask Mom but I was afraid she’d tell Dad and what he might do.” Riley gave her a hang dog look. “I love you, Riley, and I couldn’t let anything happen to you,” she said. “I was embarrassed, not sure you’d believe me. I’ve wanted so badly to….confront you about it. I wasn’t sure how.”
When Riley didn’t say anything for a long moment, Tricia broke the silence. She asked him, “What are you thinking?”
“I was remembering, when I was just a kid,” he said. “My brother and I used to listen to my Mom and Dad having sex in their bedroom. It was so loud! I remember thinking; he was forcing her to do it. I didn’t want to accept it and anyway, by the time I was a teenager, it had stopped.” She touched his shoulder. “Dad used to drink a lot, too,” he said quietly. He went on, “He also used to buy those magazines–you know, Penthouse, Oui, all the others. They’d have stories and letters and it always made it sound like the girl wanted it, she was a tease, and had a ‘rape fantasy’ I think they called it. I guess that was pretty stupid, huh? While we are being honest, I should tell you that I’ve been warned about coming into work drunk.”
Biting her bottom lip, Tricia only nodded. “There have got to be some changes, Riley,” murmured Tricia. He nodded gravely. She took a deep breath, released it. “Wash up, time for supper,” she said, walking back towards the kitchen. “Want another beer with supper?” she asked, turning back.
He shook his head no. “No,” he said, shaking his head no. “No,” he said. “That’s just one of the changes we’re going–I’m going to–have to make.”
How to build confidence in speaking a second language
Annotation: Nowadays, many language learners face problems related to speaking skills. These issues arise due to the speaker’s tendency to get nervous during speech, fear of making mistakes, and lack of sufficient vocabulary. There are also enough solutions to these problems.
Аннотация: В настоящее время многие изучающие язык сталкиваются с проблемами, связанными с навыками говорения. Эти проблемы возникают из-за того, что говорящий часто волнуется во время речи, боится делать ошибки и не имеет достаточного словарного запаса. Также существуют достаточные решения этих проблем
Annatatsiya: Hozirgi kunda ko’plab til o’rganuvchilar gapirish ko’nikmalariga oid muammolarga duch kelmoqdalar. Ushbu muammolar odatda nutq paytida hayajonlanish, xatolar qilishdan qo’rqish va yetarlicha so’z boyligiga ega bo’lmaslik sababli yuzaga keladi. Bu muammolarni hal qilish uchun yechimlar ham mavjud.
Ключевое слово: Аудио, уверенность, дебаты, носители языка, разговоры
Kalit so‘zlar:audio,ishonch,munozara,o‘z tilida so‘zlashuvchilar, o‘zaro suhbat
Confidence in speaking, especially in a second language, is a skill that develops over time with consistent effort and practice. Here are some strategies to build your confidence:
1. Start Small: Practice speaking in comfortable, low-pressure environments. Begin with familiar topics like hobbies or daily routines.
2. Practice Regularly: Consistency is key. Try to speak English every day, even if it’s just a few sentences to yourself, a language partner, or a tutor. There are some apps available to practice.
Hello Talk — The Best App for Conversation. It allows you to chat with English speakers worldwide through text, voice recordings, voice calls, and video calls. FluentU — The Best Media-Based App. FluentU offers English videos, including news, music, and advertisements. With interactive subtitles, you can click on any word to get additional information about it.
3. Focus on Communication, Not Perfection: Making mistakes is natural and an important part of learning. Aim to communicate your message, even if your grammar or pronunciation isn’t perfect.
4. Record Yourself: Listening to your own speech helps you identify areas for improvement and track your progress over time. When students record their voices, they gain a valuable opportunity to listen to themselves and identify areas where they might be making mistakes in pronunciation, grammar, or fluency.
By carefully analyzing these recordings, they can work on correcting these mistakes, which leads to gradual improvement over time. This practice not only enhances their speech clarity but also boosts their confidence, as they become more aware of their progress and develop better control over their language skills. Additionally, recording their voice allows them to track their development and recognize the positive changes in their speaking abilities, further motivating them to continue practicing. The best program for recording audio is Audio Lab. It is free and useful for students.
5. Expand Your Vocabulary: The more words you know, the easier it becomes to express yourself confidently. Learn phrases and expressions relevant to common situations. Every student has to learn vocabulary to improve their language skills. A strong vocabulary is essential for understanding and expressing ideas clearly. One of the best materials for learning vocabulary is the Cambridge Dictionary. It offers accurate definitions, example sentences, and pronunciation guides, helping students learn how words are used in context. Additionally, the dictionary provides synonyms, antonyms, and related words, which can expand a student’s vocabulary and improve their ability to communicate effectively in English.
6. Engage with Native Speakers: Join language exchange programs, participate in online forums, or attend local events where you can practice English with native speakers. Engaging with native speakers is one of the best ways to improve confidence in language use. If students shadow their speech, they can enhance their fluency and proficiency quickly. However, are the terms ‘native speaker’ and ‘non-native speaker’ truly appropriate, practical, and useful for describing language identity, use, and understanding? When referring to English, which country or countries are considered ‘native’? And within those countries, which region or dialect defines ‘native English’? Does ‘nativeness’ in English Language Teaching (ELT) necessarily lead to better teaching experiences, improved learning outcomes, or a more effective learning process?.
7. Prepare for Conversations: Before speaking, think about what you want to say. Practice common phrases or responses to likely questions. If a student has conversations, they should prepare.
8. Stay Positive: Celebrate your achievements, no matter how small. Replace negative thoughts with encouraging ones. Today, most students are not confident because they worry about making speaking mistakes. However, this mindset is incorrect. Everyone makes mistakes; only those who don’t learn from them fail to grow. Mistakes teach us valuable lessons. A student may make mistakes today, but tomorrow they will avoid repeating them.
9. Learn from Feedback: Accept constructive criticism as an opportunity to improve, not as a reflection of failure.
10. Participate in Speaking Activities: Join debates, book clubs, or storytelling sessions to use your language skills in interactive and engaging ways. Participating in speaking clubs is one of the best ways to improve your speaking confidence. When you need to speak in front of others, preparation is key. The more you practice, the more your confidence will grow. On the internet, there are plenty of resources you can utilize, such as “55 Great Debate Topics for Any Project.” These resources provide valuable guidelines to enhance your speech. One important skill in debates is anticipating the opposing side’s arguments. To strengthen your position, prepare ahead of time by considering what the other side might say. This allows you to effectively counter their points and make your arguments more convincing. Additionally, participating in debates hones your critical thinking, persuasion, and public speaking skills, all of which are essential for building confidence. Joining such activities will not only improve your speaking abilities but also boost your overall self-assurance.
A first-year student at the Uzbekistan State World Languages in the Faculty of Philology and Teaching English, located in the Uchtepa district of Tashkent.
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7.73-79. Bekmuratova U. B. “Ingliz tilini o’qitishda innovatsion texnologiyalardan foydalanish” mavzusida referat. Toshkent — 2012 yil
8.Отабоева, М. Р. Chet tilini o’qitishda zamonaviy innоvatsion texnologiyalaridan foydalanish va uning samaradorligi / М. Р. Отабоева. — Текст: непосредственный, электронный // Молодой ученый. — 2017. — № 4.2 (138.2). — С. 36–37. — URL: https://moluch.ru/archive/138/39058/ (дата обращения: 27.04.2020)
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