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Why

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

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