I'll preface this by saying that I'm suddenly inspired by my new obsession with Boston Legal, just as I was inspired by Californication a year ago. It seems good writing tends to inspire aspiring writers quite a bit.
Social injustice has always been a spark for wannabe humanists to spring forth and speak for the disenfranchised minorities, and rightly so, however why is it that an issue tends to be brought forward with particular cases while the vast majority tend to be silenced? The particular case which is currently getting viral focus at the moment is one of a seemingly pleasant man named Roger from Cameroon.
He has been in prison for a year and is being sentenced to another couple of those pesky things simply because he sent a text message to another man saying "I'm very much in love w/u." Now I've already gone into my views on sexual orientation and gay rights in a previous blog (scroll down if you want to read it) and this isn't the point of this post. My point is, why is it that one off cases like this get our attention occasionally, while thousands upon thousands of discriminatory cases happen daily and go unnoticed?
My initial conclusion is that it is because most of them are quickly silenced so that the masses who don't bother to look for instances of injustice don't realise that they are so widespread. Where does Boston Legal come into this? The writers seem to be doing their best to bring out these weird one off cases that are obviously there to make the show interesting, fair enough, however I think there's more to it than that. I think that they are trying to point out that there are a lot of things which just don't get the attention they deserve.
What about all the silent genocide going on? The constant war in the centre of Dagestan and other little-known nations? The revolts related to the Curds and Turks and other cultural groups? The daily murder rate in large cities, such as Manhattan? The systematic rape and torture going on in Islamic states by invading forces? ... All atrocities which the well-read few have heard of and which the scarce handful are actually even bothering to do something about.
Where does career choice come into this? Sometimes I wish I was studying to be a lawyer just to be able to try to exploit the law in such a way as to make life easier for the downtrodden majority of society which are irrevocably and ironically referred to as minorities. Instead I chose philosophy, perhaps one day I may be able to write and discuss in a way with which I can change the perception of a few people.
One mind opened to the harsh reality of the lack of morality of the world is one huge success, as far as I'm concerned. I am not a self-professed messiah, I know that I am far from a good person at points; however I wish that people who can make a difference actually got up and started to make one.
Good evening, the interwebz.
