Sunday Selections #399

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
 
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen. 
 
Like River I usually run with a theme. I am going to continue with our trip to Floriade this week, but we have made the decision we won't be going back to Floriade this year.

So more photographs of the low key quirkiness and some of the blooms from Floriade 2018.

I like the use of parsley as a decorative plant.

 We didn't go on the Ferris Wheel this year.  The plants were not out sufficiently to see the best of the patterns on our visit.  Next year perhaps.

 The main Floriade entrance - which we didn't use either coming or going.

 Another vegetable used for its decorative qualities.

 I thought this one looked sad and disgruntled.

  And a sneak preview from Tulip Top Gardens which was one of our excursions this week.  Not all of their blooms were open either, but it was a totally blissful outing.  We went to an outdoor sculpture exhibiton in a nearby rural village too.  And there will be photos of both in future weeks.

The Conundrum - some answers, and some questions

Thank you so much for your comments on the hypothetical raised in yesterday's post.

The issues raised came before I had reached 100 pages in The Butterfly Mosque, and I continue to ponder them.

It wasn't a decision I found easy to make.  I don't believe that anyone behaved 'well'  but, on the basis of personal responsibility, would put the woman at the top of my  'blame list'. ( I should also add that in anything other than a hypothetical I would keep this list firmly to myself.)  She made her decision and acted accordingly, but left her safety as the responsibility of other people.  I  believe that the killer who was presented as definitively insane is not responsible.  Guilty but not responsible.

So how did the group respond?

The westerners said that the madman was number one because he had committed the murder.  The others in the scenario were given varied rankings.  The missing husband?  Least responsible.

The Egyptians were apparently horrifed.  The woman came in at number one, and her husband at number two.  The ferryman (because he was uncharitable) ranked higher in their list too.  The madman couldn't distinguish between right and wrong.  They treated him as a force of nature, and ranked him last.

So why the differences? The explanation presented in the memoir is that the Egyptians were considering moral responsibility and the westerners personal rights.  Under the Egyptian moral code the husband for example had an obligation to care for his wife's physical and emotional happiness.  By neglecting her he failed to meet his obligation and indirectly contributed to her death. 

The westerners seemed to accept (while not always condoning the decisions made) that both the husband and wife had the right to make their own decisions.  If the husband decided that his career took priority over his marriage that was his perogative.  If the wife looked for sexual/emotional fulfilment elsewhere that was hers.  Spousal responsibility was not considered.

I can see both arguments (but would still lean towards acceptance of personal responsibility).

I was fascinated at the compromise position the group arrived at.
1:  The madman because he wielded the knife.
2:  The wife, for knowingly endangering her life
3:  The husband, for encouraging her to do so through his neglect.
4:  The lover (apparently for general bastardry)
5:  The ferryman because lack of charity is a sin in Islam
6:  The friend.

Do I agree with the compromise?  Probably not.  However I am super-impressed that both sides were able to work together to reach something which wasn't perfect for either of them.

And I continue to learn from the book.  A win.

A Conundrum

The memoir I am reading posed a problem which apparently illustrates the huge cultural divide between Muslim Egyptians (and presumably all muslims) and people from the United States (and similarly, presumably most 'westerners').

The book is The Butterfly Mosque by G. Willow Wilson.  She is an American writer and journalist who converted to Islam and married an Egyptian man in the very volatile post 9/11 world.  I am not very far into the book, but finding it fascinating despite some of the writer's philosophies/viewpoints being completely alien to mine.

A team-building exercise was given to the staff at the Language School at which she worked. Participants were given a short case study. 

In summary:

A woman whose husband is always away on business and who neglects her goes out at night to meet a lover.  There is a known homicidal madman on the loose.  At the end of the evening the woman asks her lover to escort her home in case the madman appears.  He refuses.  The woman goes to a nearby friend's house and asks her friend to walk home with her.  The friend refuses.  The woman goes on alone.  At the river separating her neighbourhood from her lover's she asks the ferryman to take her across.  She has insufficient money to pay the fare and he refuses.  The woman, trapped on the wrong side of the river is killed by the madman.

The question asked of the participants is 'Who is responsible for her death?  Rank the characters by the order of their guilt with the most guilty being ranked 1'.  Stop at the point where you think there is no guilt.

The answers given by the westerners were very, very different to those given by the Egyptians.  I didn't agree with either list completely but came much closer to the Egyptian viewpoint. 

I would be very interested to hear your ideas.  I would really appreciate it if you would list your 'order of guilt' in the comments, perhaps with some explanation.

I will be out most of today, but will post the answer the class gave and the reasons, and my own later.

 

Sunday Selections #398

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
 
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen. 
 
Like River I usually run with a theme.  Our spring flower festival Floriade is on again.  Of course we went.  

Most years, in addition to lots and lots of spring blooms there is art and whimsy to share.  There was a LOT less this year.  There were less flowers too, and many less tulips.  We went early, and a lot of it wasn't completely out.  We will go back later, and I will share the blooms then.

In the interim, here is some of the other things which made our first visit well worth while.

The froth of white blossoms along the foreshore of the lake is Manchurian Pear - which I think is a delightful tree whatever the season..

I adore pelicans.  This pair was just outside the Floriade Gates.

Floriade always has a theme.  This year it is Pop Culture.

Drat them, they are recycling some features.  This water lily was here last year too, and is without doubt illuminated for Night Fest.

The pansy Dalek is also recycled (which I mind less than the water lily).

Rotary is having its 90th Birthday in my city, and gave us a cake.

I thought the Abbey Road sculpture was the most fun of this year's crop.  I notice that in my usual fashion I have got a tad carried away with posting photos.  More next week.

In other (and I think excellent news) some of you will remember these charming statues from last year.  It was announced this week that they have been given a permanent home in one of our newer suburbs - near a nature reserve.  I wonder what the kangaroos will think of their giant relatives?

  I think of them as Kanga and Roo but they are by  Jimmy Rix - and he called them 'Stopping to Enjoy the flowers'.

As usual I picked up some Floriade fridge magnets (and a bookmark).  I am happy to post them world-wide.  If you would like one let me know in the comments or via email.

Sunday Selections #397

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
 
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen. 
 
Like River I usually run with a theme.   I have mentioned before that I am a creature of habit.  Sadly not all of my habits are good.

After the Out of The Shadows walk finished it was still early.  There is always a breakfast for participants after the walk.  If I had gone to the breakfast I could almost certainly have got a lift home.  I rejected that because I was all peopled out, and needed some time to think about the walk, and about conversations I had with other walkers.  I could have waited an hour or so for a bus.  But no, I didn't choose either of these practical options.  Instead, as usual, I walked into town.  I was already tired and sore and adding two or three additional miles to the walk wasn't sensible.  But I did it, and took photos all the way.

So, come walk with me again, and revel in the early spring.

I take photos of this garden every year.  I love those entrancing paths...

I think these flats are ugly, but was impressed with the balcony garden.  Their citrus tree has fruit too.

 My city is often called the bush capital.  Photos like this explain why.

Without doubt this hotel was once a very posh home.

Despite the original house being demolished, fragments of the garden remain.

These bunnies (and another hutch too) were in the front yard of the house above.

The outskirts of the city.

The rainbow on the pavement was put there when the gay marriage plebiscite results were announced. 

 An office block.  I think it looks a little like a docked spaceship...

   At the second bus interchange of the day, with a developer's plans for future development.

It did feel good to get home.  Very good.