As I get older, I find it increasingly difficult not to turn and look the other way.
I find it harder and harder to bear witness to the suffering of people and creatures and our planet: The decimation of forests, the poaching of endangered animals, the neglect and abuse of babies, the lack of education of our children, the ravages of extreme poverty and the rank unfairness of excessive inequality. I used to be able to look at all this and it used to enrage me to the point where I would act.
But recently I have found myself less and less able to keep my eyes open. I have found myself turning away. In fact, I think this could be a very neat description of privilege: The option to turn away.
At times like this I need a good dose of Pink Floyd. They remind me that turning away is no way to live. This is a Momentary Lapse of Reason. This is the Dark Side of the Moon. They remind me that turning away can never be an option.
Be reminded too – and enjoy! Watch the video here
On the Turning Away – Pink Floyd
On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won’t understand
“Don’t accept that what’s happening
Is just a case of others’ suffering
Or you’ll find that you’re joining in
The turning away”
It’s a sin that somehow
Light is changing to shadow
And casting it’s shroud
Over all we have known
Unaware how the ranks have grown
Driven on by a heart of stone
We could find that we’re all alone
In the dream of the proud
On the wings of the night
As the daytime is stirring
Where the speechless unite
In a silent accord
Using words you will find are strange
And mesmerized as they light the flame
Feel the new wind of change
On the wings of the night
No more turning away
From the weak and the weary
No more turning away
From the coldness inside
Just a world that we all must share
It’s not enough just to stand and stare
Is it only a dream that there’ll be
No more turning away?
Hey Justin
It often haunts me. Especially as I have so much and have been give so many opportunities. Perhaps it’s the burden of privilege.
Great to hear from you Mark! My sense is that the call is to use our privilege to make the world a better place. But boy it just doesn’t feel good enough at all… Let’s connect
Loved the Pink Floyd lyrics, but I don’t think ‘turning away’ has as much to do with ‘privilege’ as it has to do with the language, the ‘narrative’ of what constitutes morality. Why do we increasingly think that doing wrong is not wrong unless we get caught? Why do we focus, educate, teach ‘rights’ without doing the same with ‘responsibility’? Why do we offer the perpetrator more protection that the victim? Why are we becoming such a litigious society globally? Why do you have to have good Samaritan law to protect those who don’t turn away? Don’t you think citizenry is being encouraged to turn away for fear of reprisals if they don’t? Complicated
I think this is so important Steuart. Educating rights AND responsibility. I guess when you have had your inalienable rights violently ripped from you and then suddenly given back to you, you just need a moment or several decades to live what it means to have rights – stuff responsibility. This doesnt mean we must stop living and teaching both…
Ive never really listened to those words before. Theyre perfect for RSA and the world today. And so funny they were written almost prophetically so long ago.
It is totally prophetic as so much of their work (and many others) was/is. Glad we are acknowledging that prophets come in all sorts of forms….now we just need to listen!!