Professional Documents
Culture Documents
a
Word
Club?
By
Ziad
Aazam
The
following
thoughts
are
the
reasons
behind
creating
the
Word
Club.
I
am
open
for
debate
and
discussion.
These
are
my
ideas,
not
copied
(mangool)
or
plagiarized
(of
course,
not!)
or
referenced
from
other
work
(possible,
but
I
didnt
find
similar
thoughts
to
gain
credibility
from).
I
have
written
these
ideas
here
to
share
and
test
their
acceptance
by
the
few
who
read
them.
For
those
cynical,
who
dont
believe
that
Arabs
can
think,
they
may
ignore
these
thoughts,
disagree
or
ridicule
them,
as
they
see
fit;
I
shall
continue
to
speak
my
mind.
A
word
is
a
discrete
unit
of
our
natural
language.
A
character
is
a
discrete
unit
but
it
is
meaningless;
a
sentence
is
meaningful
but
made
of
many
words
and
can't
be
the
smallest
unit
possible,
unless
reduced
to
one
word,
like
Congratulation!.
A
word
is
small
and
meaningful
enough
to
be
a
discrete
element
of
language.
Nevertheless,
a
Word
is
more
than
a
small
element
that
carries
meaning;
it
is
also
a
container
of
cultural
and
cross- cultural
values
and
significance;
and
a
carrier
of
association
to
other
words,
within
the
same
language
or
between
languages.
Being
an
architect,
I
tend
to
view
the
world
through
its
deconstructed
building
blocks
seeking
creative
synthesis.
Space,
as
a
discrete
element,
is
the
building
block
of
the
architectural
language.
Architecturally
speaking,
any
space
can
turn
into
a
Place,
when
a
space
is
known
to
contain
socio-culturally
defined
values
and
significance;
if
combined
with
other
spaces
of
various
Place
values
and
significance,
we
can
construct
rooms,
dwellings,
buildings,
streets
and
cities.
Similarly,
any
word
can
turn
into
a
Word
(with
capital
letter
W,
to
denote
an
equivalent
word
to
Place),
when
it
contains
socio-culturally
defined
values
and
significance;
if
combined
with
other
words
of
various
Word
values
and
significance,
we
can
construct
sentences,
paragraphs,
dialogues,
articles,
poems,
books,
volumes,
libraries,
social
interactions,
cultures,
civilizations
and
histories.
For
example,
a
Mosque
is
an
institutionalized
Place
with
embedded
socio-cultural
values
and
significance,
so
is
a
Musical
Hall.
A
Corridor
is
a
simple
universal
connector,
not
culturally
specific
Place.
Similarly,
the
word
'Islam'
is
an
institutionalized
Word
with
embedded
socio-cultural
values
and
significance,
so
is
the
word
'Capitalism'.
A
word
like
'Walk'
is
a
simple
universal
verb,
not
culturally
specific
Word.
The
world
around
us
is
extremely
overwhelming.
I
do
have
information
anxiety
problem
and
I
suffer
from
Knowledge
Suffocation
Syndrome
(KSS),
where
the
container
no
longer
can
contain
the
contained.
Words
are
the
main
carrier
for
all
production
and
reproduction
of information and knowledge. For us Arabs, the quality and quantity of the words production and reproduction, including translation from other languages into Arabic, are not aligned with our socio-cultural values and significance. We are squeezed between Globalism, specifically, Western cultural values and significance, and our very own, historic, traditional and progressive cultural values and significance. Our thinking process, through words, is also confused, swaying between Arabic and other languages, mostly English. In all of this process of informing and communicating, words are slaves to issues, newspapers, books, stories, political speeches, textbooks, subjects, movies, poems, conversations, arguments, debates, and every possible form that shapes words into something else to make a point, send a message, communicate an idea, creating a plot, executing a sentence. Words have always been slaved away by humans to construct sentences, paragraphs, dialogues, articles, poems, books, volumes, libraries, social interactions, cultures, civilizations and histories. Words deserve to be revered and understood, not as slaves in books, or prisoners in dictionaries and encyclopedias, but as free spirits, dignified and influential capital letter Words that transcend cultures and languages and touch Human Beings with their rational power and imaginative spell. Let us give Words a break and accept them for what they are, not what we want them to be. Let us understand them individually and in relation to other Words for what significance they have and value they create. Let us simplify our world, instead of reading books, with hundred thousands of words, let us understand few powerful Words that leverage the world and transcend cultures and languages. Let us fall in love with Words and seek joy in their presence, follow them in space and time, enter with them hearts, minds and souls. Let us be part of the Word Club, bringing our own loved Words to share them with other Words lovers. Let us understand the world through this inverted approach, from the Words to the World. The Word Club is a simple space for sharing important Words with socio-culturally defined values and significance. Each member brings to the Club a Word every week and attempt to define it in all dimensions; other members may help through their contribution to the members chosen Word. Each member is responsible for his or her own suggested Word and should drive definitions in all dimensions. Each members knowledge background will help diversify Words selection and interest in Word Club. The Word Club members, however small in number, shall be like a flock of birds in the sky, flying together in synch and calling others to join the fly.
Only with true understanding of Words, Beautiful Minds are shaped. With Beautiful Minds, real Human Beings can perceive, conceive and live a well-being life. Dr Ziad Aazam http://spacewriting.wordpress.com/ Tuesday, 01 January, 13 Jeddah