reading in tehran

finished reading lolita in tehran by azar nafisi. i didn't know much about the recent history of iran until reading this book. i never knew that many iranian women hated the fact their veil became politicised. a sign of faith became a mandatory badge of party loyalty. i didn't know how the revolution sent everything backward 100 years and how mothers knew more freedom than their daughters would ever know.

i guess demonstrations and riots have their place. i guess the call for revolution must always be a genuine one. i guess the people should have opportunity to threaten the status quo, just as i suppose that all revolutions are destined to repeat themselves again and again.

and i shouldn't be surprised that an angry violent birth leads to an angry violent upbringing and painful conclusion. on horror's head horror accumulate. and i suppose they can't change things until no-one can remember what it was they were standing up for in the first place. and until they finally FINALLY realise what they have to do.

baby

saw million dollar baby. i think this film teaches us that we as humans have an unstoppable drive towards glory at all costs. that we would willingly lose the sight in one eye for a chance to be champion. that no matter how hard you try to protect yourself, you will always take that risk against your better judgment because you know in you bones that you can do it. you can beat this guy, even though he's younger, stronger and more experienced. it also shows us that the chance and glimmer of glory is enough to satsify the most furious of appetites; even if the effort destroys everything around you.