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Mixed Martial Arts Continues to Grow in Popularity

There once was a time when boxing ruled the sports landscape. The heavyweight champion was the most feared and famous athlete on the planet. Boxers like Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, George Foreman and Mike Tyson were household names throughout the world.
However, over the last decade, a sport with history and honor has lost its popularity to upstart sports like Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The decline of elite fighters in the heavyweight division and the lack of knockouts have led many young men to look for action and excitement in sports like MMA.
Because of the decline of boxing, mixed martial arts has taken over and has become the sport of choice for the age 18-34 demographic and put the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on course to join the ranks of elite sports leagues like the National Basketball Association and the National Football League.
MMA resounds with 18-34 (year olds) because that age range has a shorter attention span than other age groups. They buy video games, fast cars, cool clothes, all on credit because they want it now. They want instant gratification. In the UFC, the normal bout consists of three five-minute rounds, said long-time fan George Sorrell, 35, of Houston.
MMA is an intense and evolving combat sport in which competitors use interdisciplinary forms of fighting that include jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and other techniques to their strategic and tactical advantage in a supervised match.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship began in 1993, but mixed martial arts dates back to the Olympic Games in Athens, according to the UFC. About 80 years ago, a Brazilian form of MMA known as Vale Tudo (anything goes) sparked local interest in the sport. Now that interest is felt throughout the world as the UFC now offers 12 to 14 live pay-per-view events annually through cable and satellite providers.
Recently, a UFC event in Columbus, Ohio attracted more than 19,000 people, the largest audience in North America to witness a mixed martial arts event. More than 4. 7 million viewers tuned in to see UFC 75, the first ever title bout on Spike TV. On a Saturday night, it outdrew college football among young men.
Viewers of UFC 75 saw Quinton Rampage Jackson defeat Dan Henderson to unify the UFC and PRIDE titles in the 205-lb weight-class. Cheick Kong defeated Mirko Cro Cop and Houston Alexander knocked out Alessio Sakara in one minute of the first round. In the title fight, Jackson became the first man to unify a major title with a five-round victory. Judges scored the bout 48-47 and 49-46 twice for Memphis, Tenn. native.
Fans attribute the success of the UFC to clever marketing such as the reality show “The Ultimate Fighter,” because fans can become acquainted with the athletes and begin to follow their careers. The million-dollar question is why are violent sports so popular among young men?
I suppose I like it for the same reason you rubber-neck at a traffic accident. You want to see how bad it can get. You want to see how bad the knockout will be or how slick a submission will be. You want to speculate what you might do in a similar circumstance, said Sorrell.
To many fans, mixed martial arts have already surpassed boxing in popularity, and some feel it will not be long before it is on par with mainstays like football, baseball and basketball. Questionable decisions and a lack of star quality have led to the UFC regularly outperforming boxing in its pay-per-view intake. With such quick success, it seems as if the UFC will soon revival the three big sports leagues in popularity and profit.
And for those who have not yet caught the MMA bug, Sorrell asks them to watch the reality show from the beginning. The UFC packages the fights amidst bad blood while living with each other and training with each other. Also going online and watching some of the signature fights helps. I would also ask them to watch a pay-per-view event or a free night on Spike TV.
After watching one fight, the UFC is certain that it will not be the last.

Land Of The Thunder Dragon

Bhutan Nestled in the eastern Himalayas, Bhutan is a small kingdom roughly the size of Switzerland and fondly referred to as Druk Yul meaning “Land of the Thunder Dragon. “  The society is closely knit and draws its values from Buddhist teachings of love and compassion. It is for this reason that Bhutan is able to enjoy serenity over the decades. Bhutanese are a unique race of people, their identity enhanced by the years of self-imposed isolation.  The kingdom of Bhutan is an exotic land of high mountains and lush valleys, snow-clad peaks and running springs, a pristine ecology and incredible wealth of flora & fauna. Making a trip to Bhutan with humble respect is an opportunity to experience a Himalayan Buddhist culture. Legend of Bhutan The early inhabitants of Bhutan were dates back as early as 2000 BC according to Archaeological evidence. Buddhism was probably introduced in the 2nd century although traditionally its introduction is credited to the first visit of Guru Rimpoche in the 8th century. He flourished the Tantric strain of the Mahayana Buddhism practiced in Bhutan. His eight manifestations are worshipped throughout the kingdom as second Buddha and wherever he visited in the country is today a pilgrimages sight highly revered by Bhutanese. Bhutan was not unified under a central authority until the sixteenth century. However the numerous religious presences in the country and noble families ruled in different valleys throughout Bhutan, quarrelling among them. This changed in 1616 with the arrival of Ngawang Namgyal from Tibet. He implemented the Drukpa Kagyu religion throughout the region and soon established himself as the religious ruler of Bhutan with the title Zhabdrung Rimpoche. He repelled attacks from rival lamas and Tibetan forces and transformed the southern valleys into a unified country called Druk-Yul (Land of the Thunder Dragon). His political system lasted until beginning of 20th century and the Zhabdrung’s era ended in 1705 was followed by 200 years of internal conflict and political infighting.   Instability lasted until 1907 when Ugyen Wangchuck was elected, by a unanimous vote of Bhutan’s chiefs and principal lamas, as hereditary ruler of Bhutan. Thus, the first king was crowned and the Wangchuck dynasty began. Over the following four decades, he and his heir, King Jigme Wangchuck, brought the entire country under the monarchy’s direct control. During the reign of the third king Jigme Dorji Wangchuck Bhutan opened its door to the outside world after an age long isolation . Bhutan became the member of United Nations. It was our neighbor India who strongly backed our country for the admission. During his period Bhutan developed many diplomatic ties with many countries. He abolished the age long slaverism prevailing in the country and started modern education. The third king Jigme Dorji Wangchuck is known as the “father of modern Bhutan”. The fourth monarch, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, has continued the policy of controlled development with particular focus on the preservation of the environment and Bhutan’s unique culture. Among his ideas, the economic self-reliance has now become widely known as “Gross National Happiness”. His coronation on 2nd June 1974 was the first time the international media were allowed to enter the Kingdom, and marked Bhutan’s debut appearance on the world stage. The first group of paying tourists arrived later that year. In 1999, television and Internet were first introduced to Bhutan.   People Bhutan has an ancient culture with a strong Tibetan influence and traditions have remained unchanged for centuries. The Bhutanese are very friendly and hospitable people. The large majority of Bhutanese people are homogeneous group divided linguistically into three broad sub-groups. These are Sharchops (people from east), Ngalops (people from west) and Lhotshampas (people from south) and often speak some English. Because of the isolation of many communities, there are many different dialects, dress codes and customs, which make a visit even more fascinating. A benevolent and forward thinking monarchy is determined to maintain these long held traditions and also offer its people free education and health services. National dress and a national code of building are enshrined in the constitution and traditional practices are encouraged wherever possible. Language The official language of Bhutan is ‘Dzongkha’. It is widely spoken in the kingdom. Lhotshamkha is also a major language widely spoken by the people of southern Bhutan who are of Nepalese origin. Tsangla or Sharchopkha is another major dialect spoken by the people from eastern Bhutan. There are also many local dialects used in many regions of Bhutan. Drukpas are composed of three main ethnic groups that are Ngalops, Sharchops and Lhotshampas. Ngalops the first group originally from Tibet who are the followers of Buddhism and settled mostly in the western & central Bhutan. Sharchops are the second group who immigrated from northern Burma & northeast India and settled in eastern Bhutan. Lhotshampas are the third group migrated to Bhutan from Nepal in the early 20th century for agricultural land and work. They live predominantly in the southern plains.       Religion Bhutan is a deeply spiritual country where the values of the people are strongly influenced by religious customs. Common among these, three marks of faith that shape the Bhutanese personality are “the Power of Prayer, Building Spiritual Infrastructure and Not Taking Life”. Moreover, the Buddhist faith has played and continues to play a fundamental role in the culture, ethical and sociological development of Bhutan and its people. It permeates all stands of secular life, bringing with it a reverence for the land and its well-being. Throughout Bhutan, Stupas line the roadside commemorating a place were Guru Rimpoche, Zhabdrung, Drukpa Kuenley “Divine Mad-man” and many other renowned Tibetan saints may have stopped for meditated and turn up into a pilgrimages. It also said to symbolically represents the mind of Buddha and serve to remind people of the possibility of and path to enlightenment. Besides, they ward off evil spirits and protect travelers and residents from imminent danger. Prayer flags are even more common fluttering on long poles which maintain constant communication with the heavens. Bhutan is the only country in the world to retain the Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism as its official religion.    Topography of Bhutan The kingdom of Bhutan lies east of Nepal and west of Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It is south of the Tibetan hinterland and north of the Indian territories Assam and West Bengal. Located in the heart of the high Himalayan mountain range, Bhutan is a land locked country surrounded by mountains in the north and west. The rugged east-west by few western travelers, borders the spare and largely unknown Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh. The high Himalayas in the northern steppes separate the kingdom from Tibet. The population of 734,340 is made up primarily of indigenous Bhutanese. The lower southern regions are inhabited by migrate Nepalese who have been granted Bhutanese nationality. Most of them are agricultural workers who take advantage of the fertile southern land. Altitude in the south range from 1000 to 4500 feet and the altitude in the more populated central regions range from 4,000 feet in the east around Trashigang to a high of 17,000 feet over the highest pass. The altitude at Thimphu, the capital, is 7700 feet. A high Mountain range separates the lowlands of the south from the central valleys.   Natural Heritage Nowhere in the Himalayas, is the natural heritage more rich and varied than in Peaceful Dragon. According to legend, the Kingdom known as Lhojong Menjong meaning “the southern valley of Medicinal Herbs”, a name that still applies today. The country’s rich flora and fauna is the result of its unique geographic location in the eastern Himalayas, within an area that extends through both Indo-Himalayan (oriental) and the Pale-arctic biographic regions. Its annual rainfall, which is significantly higher than in the central and western Himalayas, and its considerable altitudinal variation from 200 meters in the south to over 7500 meters in the north, which is accompanied by dramatic climatic changes. Because of deep traditional reverence, which the Bhutanese have for nature, the kingdom is one of the leading countries in environmental preservation. More than 73% of the area is still under forest cover. Many parts of the country, which have been declared as wildlife reserves, are the natural habitats of rare species of both flora and fauna. Opened for tourism in 1974, after the Royal coronation of the fourth king, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, Bhutan is perhaps the world’s most exclusive tourist destination. The country manages to retain all the charm of the old world. Like timeless images of the past, the travelers encounter the full glory of the ancient land through its strategic monastic fortresses known as Dzongs. A numerous ancient temple, monasteries and stupas which dot the countryside, prayer flags which flutter along the high ridges, wild animals which abound in dense forests, foamy white waterfalls which are ethereal showers, and the warm smile of the people. Each moment is special as one discovers a country, which people have chosen to preserve in its magical purity. •    Flora and Fauna Dense jungle growth is characteristic at altitudes below 1500 m (5000 ft). Above that height the mountain slopes are covered with forest, including beech, ash, birch, maple, cypress, and yew. At 2400 – 2700 m (8000 – 9000 ft) are forests of oak and rhododendron. Above this level, firs and pines grow to the timberline. Primulas, poppies (including the rare blue variety), magnolias, and orchids abound. The relative abundance of wild animals attributed to the Buddhist reluctance to take life. In the lower parts of southern Bhutan, mammals include the cheetah, goral, sambar, bear, and rhinoceros; in the higher regions are snow deer, musk deer, and barking deer. Game birds include pheasants, partridges, pigeons, and quail. Seasons Bhutan enjoys four seasons each having its advantages and disadvantages to the visitors. The southern plains close to the Indian border are warmer and more tropical than higher central valleys. Spring is a botanist’s delight as rhododendrons, wild azaleas and masses of wild flowers including the edelweiss cover the meadows like carpet. The various blossoms add a dainty touch to the valleys as their pink and white blooms add a sense of new wonder to the land that is about to burst with abundant growth again. The merry pink and white of cosmos flower dot the countryside. Summer is an abundant time of the year as flowers are in bloom and the valleys are covered in green, weeping willows sweep the banks of many of the rivers and the pinecones glisten in the sun, so full with resin they are ready to plummet to the ground. The months in the southern region are generally hot whereas in other parts of the country it is warm and pleasant with average maximum temperatures not exceeding 30 degrees Celsius and the minimum at around 10-15 degrees Celsius. Autumn casts a bright golden landscape and is one of the more crowded times of the year for tourism to Bhutan. Beginning of December the weather takes on its winter coat where days remain crisp and the nights turn cold. The southern regions however being much lower have a more temperate climate and considerably warmer winters. Soft tufts of cloud drape lazily over mountaintops as if waiting for new life to blow it across the landscape. •         Climate Because of the irregular terrain, the climate varies greatly from place to place. In the outer foothills adjoining the Indian plains, rainfall ranges from about 150 cm to 300 cm (60-120 in) a year; the forests are hot and steaming in the rainy season, while the higher hills are cold, wet, and misty. Violent Himalayan thunderstorms gave rise to Bhutan’s name, Druk-Yul, means “Land of the Thunder Dragon. ” Rainfall is moderate in the central belt of flat valleys (which have an elevation of 1100-3000 mtrs). The uplands and high valleys (above 3,700 mtrs) are relatively dry. There is less rainfall in eastern Bhutan. In general, the mountainous areas are cold most of the year. Temperatures there average 4°C (39°F) in January and 17°C (63°F) in July. HAVE A GOOD READING!!!    

What gift to get for that awkward family member

  We have all received a few dodgy presents in our time. More often than not these fall into the ‘novelty’ category – and they are just that, a novelty; which soon wears off. I’m sure there are very few of us who would not admit to also having bought such a present. Not that these gifts are without their place, a gift is something designed to give its recipient pleasure, and if it makes them happy for even a few moments then it was probably worth it. It is after all, the thought that counts.   But many gifts are thoughtless, and are bought with no motivation other than a simple sense of obligation. These are often for family members we have little contact with at other times of the year- Christmas and birthdays, the last bastion of the extended family in the 21st century.   These are the presents that are bought with the least thought, or at least, the least information about what their recipient would like and therefore the least chance of getting a present they would enjoy for any significant period of time or find, dare I say it, useful.   And so in these situations we resort to the generic staples for the recipient’s age group. The very young will receive a toy (which, to be fair, they would probably be delighted with), but then it gets harder and harder- the teenagers receive the ubiquitous store credit vouchers, the young adults receive household knickknacks and ‘gift sets’ of cheap aftershave and shower gel, and before long we are buying grandma a box of chocolates.   Now obviously there are no simple answers to this conundrum as the problem by its very nature arises from everybody being different. And so we have to focus on unifying factors, universal truisms that can be applied to age groups.   So what can we say of adults? Everybody has their favourite tipple. In fact, I guarantee that if you discover what a person likes, and then buy them that favourite bottle of plonk every year, they would be nothing but grateful. An appreciated present is a good present.   For older people of say, middle age onwards, there is another unifying condition – aches and pains. Almost everybody has some kind of recurring complaint, and a gift that helps to relieve that really would be ‘a gift that keeps on giving’. Magnotherapy devices such as magnetic bracelets can help to treat many conditions from rheumatoid arthritis and carpel tunnel syndrome to a bad back or any other joint or muscle pain. Besides the relief from symptoms they would enjoy every day, they would also be wearing your present every day- a daily reminder of your gift that will remind them of you for years to come.   Another appreciated and more unusual gift is a magazine subscription – especially if you know that they regularly buy the magazine for themselves anyway. And again, they will be reminded of you all year- it is like giving 12 gifts spread out over an entire year at once.    

Time, Place and Identity

by Daniel Shalit adapted from a talk given at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Swiss Center for Conflict Research, Management and Resolution marking two years to the disengagement from Gaza Strip (translated from Hebrew by Yaakov Macales)   1. Rousseau and the Jews In the year 1762, Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote in his book “Emile, or On Education”: “It seems to me we will never come to understand what the Jews are saying until they have a free state, schools and universities in which they will be able to speak freely and discuss matters without danger. Only then will we be able to know what they have to say. ” Here we are standing today, in a free Jewish state, in the Hebrew University. If Rousseau were to come to the University today, would it be any clearer to him “what the Jews are saying”? Well, this is quite doubtful; the Jews themselves have undergone deep crises and no longer are certain about what they have to say, and moreover:  about who they are. *** In the Middle Ages, the picture was simple: one was either Jewish or Christian or Moslem. Passing from one religion to another entailed conversion, metamorphosis, a complete change of identity. Only with the advent of European humanism, enlightenment and rationalism, did it become possible to be a Jew plus something else, apparently broader: a pure human being, a citizen, Ein Mensch. Jews used this new opening and penetrated the fabric of French, German or English societies as citizens or Menschen. Many discarded their Jewish identity altogether and became just “Menschen” of the local (German, French or English) variety. In fact they became so good at being whatever they chose, that they almost started teaching the Germans themselves how to be better and truer Germans; which the Germans didn’t particularly appreciate. The wave of European nationalism that followed, and later, Antisemitism (the word was invented at that time) and of course, Nazism – pushed the Jews back to their original Jewish identity, or should we say in this case: to their Jewish fate.       Meanwhile Zionism proposed an alternative: not ignoring Jewish identity, but on the contrary, asserting and stressing it. Still, this was a new, revolutionary kind of Jewish identity, molded along then-accepted lines: secular, national, modern. No more wandering Jews, practicing their old religion and praying daily for divine redemption, but an active, political people, re-entering history, taking responsibility, gathering together from all corners of the world into their historical land as a normal people. This revolutionary alternative met with severe objections from the traditional religious communities, but eventually it seemed to have won: the state of Israel was founded, fought for and defended along this vision. The state of Israel was meant to be the final seal to the normalization of the Jewish people: A normal state, a normal people, normal politics. *** Where do we stand today? Israel is anything but normal. It is the only state in the world threatened with total extinction. Unlike normal countries, it is supersensitive to moral charges, which are fired at it at an astounding rate. It tries desperately to act according to the most saintly international moral standards, only to find that it is still accused of being the world Goliath, a monstrous Nazi, criminal state. Could it be, then, that the modern, secular, so-normal state finds itself in a corner traditionally reserved for Jews since the time of the Biblical Prophet Isaiah – the corner kept for the “rejected and despised, acquainted with grief and sorrow, despised and unesteemed” – but this time on a global scale?  Could it be that the very thrust to normalcy was an impossibility? Could it be that the name of Israel, with all its historical and religious import, could not be used to designate a new, normal state? And just where is that blessed normalcy to be found, anyway? Isn’t the family of nations today just as insane, just as abnormal as always, perhaps even more so, but just as tormented and desperate – perhaps desperate to find what it is that Israel taught the nations to seek: redemption, salvation, liberation? Could it be that Israel can actually be the answer to the problem of Man? *** Meanwhile, it is not only Israel that became uncertain as to its identity; Man himself lost the sense and meaning of his existence. Out of the glorious science that man developed, he emerges as a speck of dust in a barren infinite space; from the biological point of view – he is nothing but a meaningless carbohydrate complex; according to post-modern criticism, “Man” is an illusion, a “text” or “narrative” of the 19th century white male. This is the post-modern “Zeitgeist”. One century ago, Zionism drew its support from then-current ideas of nationality, modernity and progress. But the same Western channels carry today doubt, uncertainty, and in fact – nihilism. The kind of identity these channels have to offer is in fact a non-identity, as the post-modern situation erodes all identities, the very identity of Man included.   This is why Jean-Jacques Rousseau would stay quite uncertain as to what it is that the Jews have to say. In the Hebrew University, as well as in the Israeli government, press and even art – all of them so normal, western, post-modern – Jewish identity leads only a shadowy life, a repressed existence somewhere back in the subconscious. May be Rousseau should hurry back to his 18th century France, for if he stayed any longer in the Hebrew post-modern University he would become uncertain even as to who he himself is.     But before doing that, being already in the Middle East, perhaps he should pay a visit to some settlements in Judea/Samaria. Maybe they are Israel’s suppressed Jewish conscience. Maybe he would come to understand there something about Jewish identity, and perhaps about human identity too.   2. What the settlements say The Israeli settlements in the “the West Bank” are perhaps the least understood spots upon this earth. To people influenced by the mass-media, they are associated with severe injustice (to Palestinians), with ruthless oppression (by Israel), with unchecked greed for land (by settlers) and are somehow close to racism, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, hatred, and other such things from which decent people should keep their distance. Rarely ever does one hear anything in defense of these places or the people inhabiting them. Who are they? Why have they gone there? What do they have to say in their defense?  *** The areas where the settlers settled are referred to in the Wikipedia as “Palestinian Territories”, in all languages except Hebrew. In the Hebrew Wikipedia, however, they are called “Judea and Samaria”. This tells almost the whole story. The Arabs feel that a foreign body has invaded their territories, where they have been living for generations. However, the foreign invader himself denies his being foreign; he says he has only returned to his four-thousand-years-old homeland. To him, the “Palestinians” are the newcomers to the area, and in fact, invaders or infiltrators from their native Arabia. To him, the “Palestinian territories” are the heart of the Land of Israel; they includes places like Bethlehem, Beth-El, Jericho, Shekhem, the City of David in Jerusalem; they were the route of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they were the site of two Jewish kingdoms and two temples for a thousand years; and later, throughout the two-thousand-years forced Jewish exile, they were the subject of constant yearning and prayers – to return to Zion. In short: these hills were and still are the backbone of Jewish identity. Without them, Tel-Aviv is devoid of all meaning or justification, and Israel is really just a colonizing power. With them, Israel is not colonization, but homecoming. *** Three objections may be raised against this argument: 1. Are you coming to deny the rights people who live there here and now – in the name of mere history, in the name of things that happened thousands of years ago? 2. Who says, that over such a long period, your own identity has remained the same? Have you not undergone considerable change over these millennia? 3. Why insist on territories at all? have we not suffered enough from that animal “territorial imperative”? Have we not outgrown attachment to miserable stretches of ground? These three objections gained power in our post-modern era. They question the validity of history; the reality of identity and the uniqueness of place.   Therefore it is worthwhile to take a closer look into our own time.   3. Postmodernity and identity Post-modernity is not just a fashion and not only a passing fad; first and foremost, it is the current state of our civilization: science, technology, economics and society; it is also the “Spirit of the Time” (zeitgeist), which dominates the intellectual world as well as art, literature and popular culture. This central Zeitgeist dismantles all traditional structures such as nation and family, authority and hierarchy, all traditional values (goodness, truth and beauty) and orientation in general (center vs. periphery, importance vs. unimportance; seriousness vs. triviality, depth vs. shallowness). Post-modernism thus has a corrosive effect not only on Jewish-Israeli outlook, but on Western civilization itself. If it is possible somehow to reconstruct the world of human values, it will be to the benefit of Man at large. Time, place Time and place are interconnected. Intuitively, we perceive time as  “What it takes to travel a particular distance”. Now, in the global village, both time and space have all but disappeared.   In cyberspace virtually no space/time is involved, geographical distances are irrelevant; connections are instantaneous. What is happening in the technological realm is supported by Post-modern thinking. Traditionally, place and time were not only abstract dimensions but had an actual structure: place used to have a center vs. periphery; surface vs. depth and height. These physical dimensions had their mental correlations: center meant importance, periphery meant irrelevance, unimportance. Surface meant superficiality; depth and height meant significance and import. Now, postmodernism rejects both physical and spiritual distinctions. And there is some truth in this. Indeed, who can deny, that nowadays the universe is conceived as infinite; that in such a universe – center, height, depth etc. are only relative to the observer. Our mega-cities have the same non-structure: old towns had their ancient center with church, market and townhall – marking the center of mass as well – and around it, in ever-widening circles – suburbs, periphery, while post-modern mega-cities are a conglomerate of suburbs with no center, or at best multi-centered. Another example is the Web, with no editing or regulatory center. Post-modernism takes these examples to be good parables to the non-structure of reality and of consciousness: there is no central view or truth: there are only points of view. This sounds to be heralding a new era of openness and tolerance (and indeed it is a step forward from narrow-mindedness and ego- or ethno-centrism). But this total openness means that there is no truth at all, nothing is important or trivial, high or low, deep or shallow. Everything is important and trivial, deep and shallow, and nothing really matters. So maybe a new way should be found to reestablish our relation to truth, value and meaning. May be the parables of physical space, of megacities and of the web are inadequate to describe the dimensions – vital, mental, spiritual – within which man acts, of which he is a microcosm. In the meantime, until such new ways are found, Western culture, the dominating culture of our era, acts without guidelines, without structure. *** So much for the de-construction of space and its conceptual parallels.  Time, too, loses its structure both in practice and in thought. In post-modern thinking, and contrary to former notions of progress, history does not go anywhere. also there is no historical “truth”. History is only a kaleidoscope of narratives. Identity From this follows the erosion of local identities. In any case, MacDonalds is the same everywhere; also, production and selling techniques are standardized. Local cultures are wiped out and at most offered as attractions in the Global Mall (exotic foods, ethnic music, authentic bistros, village inns). Malls are the same, manpower is the same, and all individuals dissolve into an indifferentiated mass.   Again, theory confirms practice: when space and time lose their value, identity which used to define itself by time and history, is eroded also. Here too, the loss of identities presents itself as an advancement, almost as a redemption: no more differences, no more boundaries: borderlines dissolve, and all cultures, all races, all genders come close to each other and embrace, “Sympathy and Understanding, Harmony and Trust Abounding” (“The Age of Aquarius” from “Hair”). But this is a sweet illusion. Love occurs only between complementary opposites. Washed-out non-identities are not capable of fertility but of degenerating into an inert mass. *** And as said before, it is not just personal or cultural identities that have been degraded. The very identity of Man, his self-conception, has been erased. In fact, Man is being denied.   4. The denial of man The entire Western culture was built by and for the self-determining, autonomous subject. The free, autonomous man or woman is still the pivot and cornerstone of democracy. Now while these values are still highly lauded, in actual fact they are depreciated and devalued. Man is being denied, both in practice and in theory. As employee, he is helplessly drawn into a global business machinery that he cannot grasp, and which erodes his humanity. As customer, he is tempted and coerced into consuming what he does not need, while the machinery of persuasion will use all means, over or under the navel, to trick him into it; in fact he and his needs are being re-shaped and re-engineered. As political subject he is treated by professional public relations men with utter contempt, as a particle of a mob, crowd or faceless mass, to be manipulated, coerced and tricked. At the top of the pyramid we find the leaders – Entrepreneurs, Political leaders, media and art celebrities. These reap the full glory of leadership and decision-making. But in fact they too are pushed by the incomprehensible circumstances, slaves to the demands of career, competition and image. They never had the time or peace of mind to find their inner truth; busy with amassing renown, money, or power, they are devoid of humanity just as the least among the crowd. So much for the denial of man in practice; now to theory. From the scientific point of view, man does not deserve much dignity: not only his home Planet Earth, but the whole solar system hovers somewhere in an insignificant tail of the Milky Way, which in itself is just one of billions of galaxies making their way from an insignificant bang to an insignificant thermic death. On this insignificant planet, man is just some chance chemical compound, which somehow survived but is currently heading for suicide. Good riddance; insects and microorganisms will survive it, and won’t miss it much. From the Postmodern point of view, “Man” with capital M, or the Subject, in  philosophical jargon, is nothing but an “invented entity”, a “narrative” of western culture, a “text” to be deconstructed and debunked. Anyway, it never served anything but the hubris of this curious species and its unjustifiable aim to dominate all animate and inanimate existence.   So much for the Denial of Man, the stripping man of all dignity and identity, both in practice and in theory. *** Somehow, in spite of everything, Identity survives as need, deep inside man, gnawing away at him.  The post-modern condition recognizes this need and caters to it in its special way. It supplies illusory, hollow, outward-oriented identities: a winner, a celebrity, a success; “smaller” people are offered smaller roles: a label consumer, a fan club member. *** Another way of identifying is through hate: We don’t know any more who we are, but we know whom we hate. I hate, therefore I am. (this is the grim reality contrary to the dreams of Universal Love). Identity through hatred is not a new invention: hatred always helped to boost identities and mobilize masses. But nowadays as natural identities are dwindling, the role of hatred increases. Orwell’s “Two Minutes Hate” in his novel “1984″ epitomized the role of hatred in dictatorships. But today it seems that not only in dictatorships, but in democracies as well – free, tolerant, open and otherwise amiable people may need some demon to define themselves against. This time hatred is not invoked deliberately by some external tyrant: it is rather a need coming from the inside, from the individual or collective unconscious, projecting deep inner fears and guilt onto an external individual or group, making it “the totally other”. Since it is not forced from the outside but demanded by the inside, it is much more difficult to diagnose and cure. People practicing demonization will not readily admit it, because this has been their way of self-cleansing. Because by pointing it out to them, the caricature they have been drawing of “the totally other” may be mirrored and projected back upon themselves. They may feel that they themselves are being demonized, and vehemently reject the allegation. (Therefore we will not press the point, but merely lightly suggest that such deep processes may at the root of the international demonization of Israel and “the settlements”. ) *** The denial of the value of man, the erosion of values, and parallel increase in hatred and demonization create in the West a toxic culture. Its past achievements cannot be denied: the creativity of autonomous man in science, technology, social and political thought, and the arts. But somehow these achievements themselves turn back upon Western man to poison his life.   5.   Islam and the West Islam strongly reacts to this toxicity of Western culture, to the loss of traditional values, to the decomposition of traditional family and the traditional system of authority. The remedy it offers is religious discipline – a total submission to Allah. In the west Islam diagnoses too much freedom. Islamic thinkers (Maududi, Sayyid Qutb) see the centrality of Man in the west as the source of all evil; they call western culture  “the New Jahilia”‘ meaning the new paganism. Still, the only remedy Islam knows for the situation is – war: surrender – or destruction. In fact we witness a clash of two opposed civilizations based on two opposed principals: the autonomy of man, unreserved, absolute, and total – as against the absolute, total submission of man to Allah. Total openness, tolerance, containing – against absolute divine Truth and power. Both principles are derived from Judaism, where, in spite of the creative tension that exists between them, they ultimately come to coexist in peace and fertility. Each culture took one side of Judaism, without acknowledging its original unifying and creative power. When they face crisis now, they have no more access to the living fountain that would enable renewal, but are both bound to return to some kind of conservatism – the outer shells of their one-time religious enthusiasm. What Man needs now is not going back but a step forward; a new fount and foundation.   6. What on earth has all this to do with Settlements? First, there is no specific “settler/settlement” message. “Settlers” are not a separate tribe. Each of them has many relatives and supporters all over Israel. Settlements are simply a concise expression of Jewish identity, true to its history and to its defining sites. (And Arab media know this: they call all Israeli cities “settlements”: for them, all Israel is just one big illegal settlement). *** Jewish identity is not easy to maintain. It is not a fact: it is a choice. It needs to be opted for, rediscovered and re-won under every new historical circumstance; It may be lost for a while, missed, refused, minimized, suppressed or hid; It is always put to a test. But in every generation there is central nucleus or group which upholds it to its maximum fullness possible at that time.   Today I believe it is the settlements who hold it at its fullest: the Tora life as well as modern life, attachment to ideals as well as physical realization, Tradition and renewal. *** What the settlements highlight today is the general Jewish message for our time: There is hope for Man. It is possible to mediate between human freedom and autonomy on one hand, and service to God on the other. Judaism does not reject human autonomy, dignity, freedom and creativity. All these are Man’s potential, parts of the Image of God. In fact it was Judaism, through Christianity, that laid the foundations of Humanism in the West (it is true that classical Greece, the other pillar of the west, did indeed establish the centrality of Man, but not his value or hope: Man there is essentially a tragic creature); And later it was the Jews that developed these qualities and used them to catalyze liberalism everywhere. On the other hand, Judaism testifies for Man’s standing before God; this standing is not just obedience, submission and service, but comprises the full spectrum of love and awe, fascination and dread, intimacy and distance.   *** The paradox of Judaism – the paradox of man – branched into two clashing civilizations.   How will both man’s autonomy and submission be reconciled? Abstract formulae will not take us far. The freedom-submission balance has to be lived, fought and suffered for. This takes some specific living society, for a long time in history, centering around some specific geographical scene. In Israel’s authentic tradition, the society where the drama of Man was and is enacted, is the people of Israel, the history is the history of Israel, the place is the Land of Israel. .   7. Time, history, Identity – epilogue The settlements say: History is not just a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. History has import and meaning. It is a process of trial and judgment. Nothing is lost. You can’t just “narrate” it as you like: you may err, lie or seek the truth of history.   Place is not just territory, an abstract location. Place breathes life. Sites are pregnant with meaning and with spiritual potential. Place, the most material substance, tests and brings out our innermost life. Man is responsible for places: he responds to their potential. He invests them with care and creativity, culture and sanctity – or degrades them by irresponsibility and evil. Identity is not just a sum of outer signs or differences. It is an inner unifying power. It is a guiding insight. Through its apparent limits the Infinite may be perceived. *** Again, the identity of Israel is not easy to achieve. It involves a synthesis of humanism and religion, novelty and tradition, technology and ecology, individuality and community, nationality and universality. For this work to be done, we need the proper laboratory, which is the Land of Israel – and time. If we are given time and credit, undisturbed by constant threats of war, destruction and extermination, although we can not guarantee anything, but at least we may resume our work which is only for the good of the family of man.

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