I had decided to give me (and you) the day off. Even had a plan worked out with Computer Guru Chris. He and I are specializing in early morning conversations these days. Well, early morning for me – there is a seven hour difference. However it is possible to reach him in his morning hours if I write before Fajr prayer. I cannot imagine my life without the discipline of the Islamic Faith. Things work when one follows the Quran. I am sure to write about that later.
I woke up (for me) late, because I somehow had failed to set my iPhone alarm. I awoke from a terribly upsetting dream (nightmare actually). I was anxious, upset and fearful. Late for Fajr prayer. Forced myself to get out of bed, preform ablution and prayed for guidance. While praying remembered I had blog written a post on the meaning of dreams in the Islamic faith. I must see if I can find it in the morass of my hundreds of blogs but did recall enough. There are three types of dreams – this was a Satanic dream – not one offering me guidance. Peace of mind was restored immediately.
Ablution is (for those of you who do not know) is • a ceremonial act of washing parts of the body. The origin of the word is interesting: late Middle English: from Latin ablutio(n-), from abluere, from ab- ‘away’ + luere ‘wash’. The original use was as a term in chemistry and alchemy meaning ‘purification by using liquids’, hence ‘purification of the body by washing’ (mid 16th century). Wikiidictionary explains:
Ritual purity in Islam
- Wudu, daily wash
- Ghusl, bathing ablution
- Tayammum, waterless ablution
I do admit that it took me quite some time before I appreciated (and then) performed the daily wash that proceeds prayer. I bought a child’s book while in Medina, its cover shall be photographed and provided. Explanations provided for children are most helpful – it is to be remembered that I am an Islamic child – almost, but not quite, three. Some self styled Instagram scholars (an Imams in local mosques) have the tendency to forget this – imposing strict rules not intended at such early stages by Allah (SWT). I take great comfort knowing that I am an extremely advanced three year old – even been to Mecca (once) and Medina (twice).
Once peace of mind and calm returned I began my daily routine. This includes making a list, alerting my iPhone to prayer times, then checking my email, WhatsApp, Messages and Instagram. Email brought a fascinating article from Walrus, a Canadian print and online magazine. I decided it absolutely must be shared, as many of you are not Canadians. Michael Cyca wrote: The Inescapable Rise of Moral Superiority. It is nothing short of brilliant.
“ An alien arriving on Earth in the year 2023 might believe social media was created solely for strangers to yell at each other. It has become unremarkable that, for example, an anodyne tweet by a woman who enjoys drinking coffee with her husband every morning would provoke outrage. “This is cute and all but did you think of all the people who wake up to work grueling hours, wake up on the streets, alone, or with chronic pain before posting this?” fumed one person. Or that expressing sadness over how difficult the early months of the pandemic were for new parents leads to a series of replies detailing how others “had it worse.” These exchanges are varied in subject, but what is consistent is how these banal discussions predictably devolve into a fight over moral superiority.”
“Look at any social media post that has more than a dozen responses; inevitably, one of them will attack the original post on the basis of some perceived moral transgression. Discussions of bike lanes deteriorate into fights about ableism; posts about the environmental impact of fast fashion unravel into accusations of elitism; the term “pregnant people” is somehow degrading to women. This can also take absurd forms. When an American writer tweeted that Canadian law dictates all burgers must be well done (not true but funny), the replies quickly turned rancid like room-temperature raw meat. All of a sudden, posters were deploying the suffering of Indigenous people and the victims of gun violence to dismiss the other country’s position on preparing ground beef.”
Cya is SO smart, telling us that this phenomena even has a name. It turns out this phenomenon has a name: moral grandstanding.
“In their book Grandstanding: The Use and Abuse of Moral Talk, philosophers Justin Tosi and Brandon Warmke argue that we often raise issues of justice and equity not to advance meaningful social causes but to generate positive attention for ourselves by denigrating others. Sometimes this involves piling on—joining a Greek chorus of reproachful replies without contributing anything new—or exaggerating one’s moral outrage for dramatic value. In doing so, we dilute the impact of critical ethical issues and foreclose the possibility of productive public discourse. The goal is not to understand but to win. Grandstanding is not just about demonstrating that your position is right but that your opponent’s position—and, by extension, their moral character—is wrong….”
Cya is so ardent, so strident and also, most importantly, fact-checked the Walrus tells us. Toss and Warnacke argue that grandstanding contributes to the increasingly divisive political spectrum, with real-world implications that are far more concerning than a bunch of chronically online social media users yelling at each other about burgers. North Americans are more polarized than ever, with less and less capacity to find common ground or shared humanity across political parties. And politically charged moral arguments can engender real harm against marginalized groups in the real world, as when the spectre of child abuse is invoked to justify the harassment and violence targeting LGBTQ2S+ communities. This allows moral grandstanding to be weaponized as rhetorical cover for cruelty and harassment; no reasonable person can conclude that yelling about drag shows outside a public library makes children safer in any way. These real-world actions are a manifestation of moralized outrage that has become routine online, and key messages have gained a degree of credibility through sheer repetition.
She concludes powerfully, incisively:
“As cathartic as venting one’s outrage can be in the moment, it’s clear that moral grandstanding accomplishes very little beyond the fleeting satisfaction that it brings. Shaming people doesn’t seem to change their behaviour, and invoking mass shooting victims in an argument about hamburgers doesn’t move the needle on gun control. Social change doesn’t come from posting but from purposeful collective action: organizing, voting, protesting. At worst, the catharsis of grandstanding deludes us into thinking that virtuous online posturing is a meaningful form of solidarity and not a fruitless, ego-driven impulse. Tosi and Warmke argue that the purpose of recognizing moral grandstanding isn’t to get other people to knock it off; it’s to stop doing it yourself.”
Michelle Cyca, the author, is a contributing writer at The Walrus. She has written for Maclean’s, the Vancouver Sun, and Chatelaine. I did listen to her, as you shall see.
Me: Okay, okay, okay. I will stop moral grandstanding!
Alter Ego: That is good to hear! You occasionally indulge in such behavior on Instagram.
Me: I try not to, supporting positivity but I do err occasionally. Nobody is perfect, not even me. Hahaha.
Alter Ego: I have noticed your imperfections. But you seem to be trying hard.
Me: Thanks I am. But do need to keep being diligent.
(Diligent is a great word: having or showing care and conscientiousness. Applicable synonyms are: industrious, hard-working, assiduous; conscientious, painstaking, exacting, careful, thorough, intent, earnest, persevering, persistent, tenacious, dedicated, committed.)
This is no doubt about it; this has been a serious blog. Some relief shall now be provided. Apple Photo recently sent a series of photos set to music, it was called Golden Hour Through the Years. Sunset is my very favorite time of day – scenes over the years were portrayed. Saudi Arabia’s Edge of the World the most recent and my favorite. However, Computer Guru brilliantly discovered that YouTube would not allow access until the music was removed. He brilliantly removed the music,. You can now share my favorite moments over the years – some of London, some of Edmonton, some of a Dubai Desert Safari and other places I do not recognize at this moment.
