Whose reality
Read the soldier stories and tweak to make a personal one:
When I was younger, I was always curious about that big scar on my grandpa’s face and why he was always so angry whenever we mentioned Captain Hing. Pa would become silent and walk away with his cigarette. One day, he opened his heart. He said that before he went to war, Captain Hing had encouraged him to sign up and ensured him that the war would be quick, clean and effective and that he would be back with his family by Christmas. CAPTAIN HING said the “evil” enemy-traitors did not have very good weaponry and that they would be easily demoralised. However, the reality is that grandpa went for two years and missed his family terribly. He could not deal with the fact that he didn’t see many of these “evil” guys – just women and children like his own, whose homes he had bombed.
Pa also regrets that many of his friends, such as Sapper Williams, had done amazingly heroic things, like running towards enemy fire, in order to protect mates, and lost limbs, and they didn’t seem to get the recognition they deserved.
When I was younger, I was fascinated by my grandfather’s war stories relating to his involvement in the Vietnam War. He would recall his acts of bravery, while trying to protect his mates, and then jump to stories of sheer terror. There were shocking stories relating to dismembered fallen mates. In other stories, my grandfather related how he and his fellow soldiers would throw a bomb that obliterated an entire village. At such times he says he would be completely knocked off balance. I would watch intently as he seemed to take on that long stare of horror as he slipped into another time and place. During such moments I would see a tear slip through those cracks, especially when I asked him how many people he had killed. I never got a straight answer.
To this day I will never know how many lives were destroyed by my Grandfather. I do know that ever since his return, according to my mother, he was never the same. He would become unpredictable and morose; brooding and sad. He seemed ashamed of the fact that he could slip so easily back into a comfortable every day reality, while the terrified civilians in that other world struggled with the constant horror.
An interesting story that featured in the Meredith News: parallel with Willy and Biff
Story 1: Recently the story about Fred Davis achieved front line headlines in our local newspaper, the Meredith News.
Despite the clash of interests, Mr Davis, a financial adviser and a property developer, advised his clients to invest in his numerous estates. Doe-eyed clients like Rosemary, who has become the face of the “Davis Scandal”, were inspired, cajoled and coerced into buying their first home on the evidence of just two pay checks as it turned out. The houses were worth a fraction of the stated price and were riddled with problems. Four years later, Rosemary was just one of many who were evicted, literally sleeping on their bed on the pavement.
Angry and betrayed, she later said, “it seemed my only hope at the time, of finally owning my own home and sharing the big Australian Dream.”
Coincidentally, I knew Fred’s son, Michael, who used to play in our soccer team and although he seemed to have a lot of potential, he was just drifting. After reading Rosemary’s story I know why Michael often seemed to be ashamed of his father and was so dismissive … (more later)
I was thinking about the Davis’s when I saw Death of a Salesman, which was staged at our school by the local Meredith Theatre Company last week.
Story 2: This week Meredith News reported the amazing triumph of local citizen, Daniela d T, who participated in the paraplyegic basketball team that won the World Cup. Daniela was lucky to be alive, so the win is particularly special. When she was 12 years old, she was at a swimming carnival and the wall collapsed on her back. She spent two years in the rehabilitation unit, where she decided to set her sights on a significant achievement.
“It’s been important for me always to keep the dream alive,” says Daniela, who many times, felt like giving up. “It’s just so important for me to set goals, and to try to achieve milestones along the way, otherwise life would be bleak. I try not to dwell on what might have been.”
For many individuals in the community, hopes, expectations and what some might term “illusions” are critical in shaping our lives and focussing on the positive side. As XX says, without illusions life would be simply unbearable.
But some illusions are more harmless than others.
Story 3: Currently, our community is preoccupied with the fate of Trooper Paul Smith, whose freak accident featured on the front page of the Starcroft News.
It’s a story of mixed emotions, of courage and sadness… Sam Smith had been anxiously waiting to welcome his father home, who was awarded a medal for his heroic service in Afghanistan. After his return, his father, Paul, seemed to be quite jovial, but sadly small things would upset him like a plastic bag floating in the wind or the smell of turpentine. What his friends or his wife, Sally, didn’t know is that he was suffering post traumatic stress. Very unpredictably, he shot himself in the leg after an argument and had to have his leg amputated from the knee down. Ironically he had survived the brutality of the war to come home and lose a leg. It just didn’t seem fair. But after his accident, he has also been gaining a lot more support from local community members because he can no longer shield behind his pain.
While many of us in the community, acknowledge the feats of the now decorated soldier, Trooper Smith is very ambivalent about his role. He has since spoken about his anger and distrust of war. And whilst he believed he was fighting the ‘baddies” and killing terrorists he realized that they were killing innocent babies and women. But he also realises that he should not shoulder that burden alone.
Other samples: a student persona/ protest against war/ how governments influence our realities: through flow of information: we see reality as we are (alter to how we see things from our own student perspective – environment)
Last week, I participated in the Campus Protest against the Abbott government’s decision to return to war. Just because Iraq asked us, none of us thought was sufficient justification to meddle yet again in another country’s affairs, and not one as complicated as the Middle East. Irrespective of how barbaric the Sunni jihadists are, war should never be the solution. Besides many of the Shiite militias we’re indirectly supporting, according to a recent report by Amnesty International (“Absolute Impunity: Militia Rule in Iraq”) are just as capable of barbaric actions. But of course that’s just one of many inconvenient truths that the Government will never tell us.
OR: How decisions / the powerful can influence perceptions/ realities: we see things from our own background (include views and values)
Last week, I participated in the Campus Protest against the Government’s plan to slash the renewable energy targets. It was heartening to see so many students concerned about the “greatest moral challenge of our time”, despite what some newspapers still believe is just a beat-up of the left. We are also urging Southern University to take a moral stance and divest its shares in the coal industry like many universities around the world. According to Ben Caldecott director of the Stranded Assets Programme it would send a powerful message, trigger negative public opinion towards the industry and curb future investment.
(Link to prompt: media coverage or challenge of ideas)
sample: against political decisions: we in the west have the freedom to march;
As a proud student of the prestigious Southern Cross University, I recently participated in the student demonstration against the deregulation of university fees. My friends and I joined a mass of discontented students who marched from Spring Street towards Parliament House. Of great concern was the fact that the recent government wants to introduce deregulation which means that universities can charge market-fee for their courses. We believe this is a part of their right wing conspiracy whereby market forces are used conveniently as a means to entrench class differences. Contrastingly, many of my fellow students believe that education must be accessible to all members of society at an affordable price, irrespective of class and background.
Link to prompt: I guess, we are lucky that in Australia we can air our differences. We believe that a healthy clash keep democracy alive.
Also familiarise yourselves with a different soldier story as a back-up. There is definitely one for most prompts. I’ve included some link sentences. See soldier stories.
Conspiracy theories : war related
Interestingly, conspiracy theories abound on both sides of politics, but much depends upon one’s background, belief system, religion and political and social context as to which theory is more credible. We cling to the story of the West seeking to “bed down” democracy in the Middle East; we are helping to modernise the Muslim religion so that women can enjoy the fruits of a democratic society. Malala Yousafzai is our pin up girl. Contrastingly, I am fascinated by the conspiracy theories spread by the jihadists. Many believe that the West created al-Qaeda as a tool to defeat the Soviet Union in Afghanistan; and that the Islamic State, is a US-Israeli invention to contain Iran – to “clip Iran’s fingernails”. It’s a creation that justifies US invention.
Different versions of reality: we create our own realities; other’s create our reality: here’s a good one to cover your bases.
If you are feeling confident, you could try a personal/humorous one: the following is perfect for a “Student Reflection” article/column in a student magazine.
The other day, I pulled the lever off the shower door, because my mother was nagging me. I also broke the letter box trying to wrench the letter out, because my father was eyeballing me. And I stumbled over the cat and grazed its feet – naturally, because my brother was going to trip me first. Encroaching upon my territory yet again and as always, like a dog I snapped.
I’m not quite sure whether they’re creating my woes and putting these obstacles in my path, or whether I see the obstacle first and then create the problem. It seems to me to be very much the chicken and the egg problem. Perhaps I’m creating the problem, but then completely losing control, Or is it the other way around? Does the inside come first or the outside come before the inside? Does the inside start on the outside or the outside start on the inside?
Those in a position of power
Intro :
When I was younger, I was always curious about that big scar on my grandpa’s face and why he was always so angry whenever we mentioned Captain Hing. Pa would become silent and walk away with his cigarette. One day, he opened his heart. He said that before he went to war, Captain Hing had encouraged him to sign up and ensured him that the war would be quick, clean and effective and that he would be back with his family by Christmas. CAPTAIN HING said the “evil” enemy-traitors did not have very good weaponry and that they would be easily demoralised. However, the reality is that grandpa went for two years and missed his family terribly. He could not deal with the fact that he didn’t see many of these “evil” guys – just women and children like his own, whose homes he had bombed.
Pa also regrets that many of his friends, such as Sapper Williams, had done amazingly heroic things, like running towards enemy fire, in order to protect mates, and lost limbs, and they didn’t seem to get the recognition they deserved.
Conclusion: Grandpa’s body is still shaking. He finally released the stone that had so oppressed his heart all these years. After telling us his story, pa could finally here the name, Captain Hing, and not cringe. But he still tells us to be sceptical of those in power and the stories they tell.
A personal story for memories shape our reality
Jonny’s mother walked out on him when he was five years old. She was a painter. Jonny used to scribble on her paintings, which of course angered her immeasurably. But one day there was no mother and Jonny could only remember her frustration. “You’re such a wrecker”, she used to tell him when she discovered yet another defaced painting. One day there was eerie stillness and he had no more paintings to deface – just the memories.
And the nagging impression that he had somehow also wrecked the family.
His memories are not unlike what trauma psychologist Dr Paul Valent refers to as “magical thinking” among children. Their memories are often misplaced and distorted and resurface to write another story – the story that they are somehow responsible for the turn of events.
(Valent refers to one of his patients who lost his house and neighbour during Black Saturday fires. Because Matthew had occasionally jumped the fence and stolen the lemons and cursed his neighbour when he told him off, he thought that he had caused his death.)
The same goes for Jonny. Not only did he believe his mother – that he was a wrecker, but he suffered an enormous burden of guilt.
Melbourne psychoanalyst Peter Elling once said, “what we call memory is not the same as what happened. It is just our version stored in snatches of sentences and visual impressions recalled in words that only mimic reality.”
Johnny remembers his mother’s phrase, “you’re a wrecker”, which seems to haunt him. It burdens him with a sense of responsibility.
The guilt overwhelms him when he feels compelled to graffiti the trains. His tag name is Moralz. He has indeed become the “wrecker” foreshadowed by his mother.
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