OK – my understanding has change

I just watched the Royal Wedding, and it was AMAZING. I really have a better understanding of what Royalty means to the UK and for the people. I also, have been made aware of some of the Bahai writings on Kingship and its importance which has changed my perspective:

“A just king is the shadow of God on earth. All should seek shelter under the shadow of his justice, and rest in the shade of his favour.” (Baha’u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 111)

“Although a republican form of government profiteth all the peoples of the world, yet the majesty of kingship is one of the signs of God. We do not wish that the countries of the world should remain deprived thereof. If the sagacious combine the two forms into one, great will be their reward in the presence of God.” Baha’u'llah, Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 27)

“Let none, however, mistake or unwittingly misrepresent the purpose of Bahá’u'lláh. Severe as has been His condemnation pronounced against those sovereigns who persecuted Him, and however strict the censure expressed collectively against t…hose who failed signally in their clear duty to investigate the truth of His Faith and to restrain the hand of the wrongdoer, His teachings embody no principle that can, in any way, be construed as a repudiation, or even a disparagement, however veiled, of the institution of kingship.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day is Come, p. 70)

That said i think that in my previous post, what i was trying to uneloquently say, is that the part of monarchy that i am not supportive of is where it may strengthen the class system, as i am still unequivocal in my support of meritocracy and democracy, but that my understanding has changed that this may not be incompatible with monarchy.

Also, i still feel that the current values of meritocracy and democracy represented by Obama and Zuckerberg etc. are some strong current symbols in the US today.

Zuckerberg/Obama vs. Windsor/Cameron/Branson??? – 2 very different royalty’s

I follow whats happening with Mark Zuckerberg – because im heavily into tech and am also an avid user of facebook.

Its impossible, with the impending Royal wedding, not to be aware of the Royal family in the UK at the moment.

As such, ive been thinking a little bit lately about the 2 different ‘royalties’ in the UK.

One, in the US, is a meritocracy, a middle-class guy, well (and i mean partially Harvard) educated who created through  his own talents a multi-billion company with huge popularity and based on his skills to identify a market and build a website to fill a niche.

Another, is a pure hereditary, system of an aristocratic family, with inherited wealth and title and privelege – i.e the windsors.

Let me be clear, i wish no ill will on either, but it seems to me that the opportunity and the feeling that ‘anyone can make it’ and there is no class baggage and let me also add simlarly less racial baggage (Mark Zuckerbergs girlfriend is Harvard educated and Chinese-American, Kate is English, White, Middle-Class) – for all that people are saying its a ‘normal’ ‘middle-class’ girl becoming a royal, theres not much that has really changed in the traditional way of things in the UK, in this particular institutional regard.

I really do wish the soon to be wedded couple, much happiness on a personal level, but on an institutional level – it seems to me that the US is rapidly moving ahead and charting new territory, creating wealth and prosperity and, with the first african-american president and technological innovation, while the UK and Europe are in some aspects stuck in tradition and conservatism.

Let me say, as a current student at the oldest English speaking university in the world, Oxford, i really do appreciate the tradition, and having come from a middle-class, ethnic minority background in the UK am thankful for opportunities provided me, so i’m not saying this statement about all of British or American society – but really more to do with social aspiration and the possibilties of achievement represented by these 2 individuals. (Yes, i know Britain had a female prime-minister first I am also studying as a software engineer and so appreciate the technical advantages that the UK has.

I’m proud of my Britishness(within the context of being a world citizen), but am happy (and with my recent acquisition of a greencard and impending move to the US) very much looking forward to the potential of the ‘New World’ and taking full advantage of the meritocracy that the Zuckerberg/Obama royalty represent.

A World Citizens Response to the State of the Union Address by Obama

As i am may hopefully be going to be resident in the US for a while, for the first time yesterday i decided to listen to the ‘State of the Union’ address by President Obama. There are a number of highlights that come to mind. Emphasis on education and innovation was of great interest and admirable. Reduction in the deficit was, in my view, prudent. And emphasis on the nature of democracy and value placed on participatory politics, very noble. However, one part of the speech made me question the relevance of some aspects of government in this changing world. Obama’s emphasis on competition and American ‘fitness’ in a competing world, with China and India as the competetition, doesnt ring true for me. As a British born Persian, who lived in China for 7 years, speaks Chinese, Persian & English, currently living in Mexico (learning Spanish) and soon to be resident(hopefully) in the US with 1 masters degree(Chinese Business) and another on the way(Software Engineering), i dont think my international background is particularly unique – especially in the melting pot that is the US. So when there is talk of competing nations i feel that there is an old unupdated concept at work which doesnt recognise the interdependance and reliance by these ‘so-called’ competing nations. The actual fact is that, in the case of China, the US and China both are suppliers and customers for one anothers products and services and in fact their reliance on one another is a fundamental nature of the relationship – and growing day by day. Furthermore, as Obama stated on his election, the eleviation of poverty of ALL the human family is in Americas own self-interest, which is really taking place in China.
On that note – when Obama mentioned about he value of teachers – this morning i thought wouldnt it be interesting to have a world citizen class in schools – which taught world history & culture and strengthened our identity as one human family. I end on a Bahai quote to this effect – ‘The Earth is but One country and mankind its citizens’.

test

test rss to sms

test sms

testing rss feed to sms

Summer 2009 in NYC

IM spending the summer this year volunteering for 3 months at the Bahai International Community offices at the UN in New York doing IT projects!

Back to work

Back to work at OUP this week and doing BIHE teaching. Will have a week off from OUP at the beginning of June to do ‘People and Security’ assignment. Also, working out summer plans as i write!

Pas lectures

People and security lectures all this week!

Test iPod

Long time no blog

Its been almost a year since my last blog. Naw Ruz is coming up again. Im still working for BIHE as an online tefl-tutor part-time. But my main day job is as a freelance multimedia tester at Oxford University Press. Im still studying part-time towards the MSC Software Engineering at Oxford too. I recently went on pilgrimage for 9 days to Haifa, Isreal and had an awesome experience. You can see the photos on facebook (if youre my friend there). Thats all for now – Happy Naw Ruz 2009AD/166BE!