One of the things I love about the teaching/training sphere is the room for reflection.
In the sessions I deliver we recently went over a cycle for performance improvement. It is a familiar cycle – plan, perform, review, revise to start the whole cycle again. I reckon done properly we might progress has we paid attention to the cycle. Of course as we fail in or between points of the cycle.
For example, in as much as we love activity, it also does us well to relax and stop ans review what we’ve done.
I do not schedule times for review. Sometimes they come on me. Like when I am at home talking with members of my family. Like whwn I am reading a book or watching a TV programme.
Like recently I was watching The A-Team movie for yet another time. I like the movie. I wnjoy watching it for the story, the action and the key performances. It also reminded me of how much I loved watching the original TV series back in the day.
I thought of that while watching the pilot episode of Arrow. I love comics and have been fascinated by super heroes since I can remember.
The episode was marked by scenes of violence. The use of violence was instrumental in displaying what was needed to assert one’s control either in maintaining oppressive control or to liberate the oppressed from it.
I considered again the justified and acceptable use of violence both in the movie and TV series of A-Team. Then I thought about the use of violence through the comics and supee heroes. Then I thought about the place violence plays in my life story.
I am certain I was not initially influenced to violence by those external sources. After all as a baby I had to fight for freedom from the womb. As a sibling disagreements leading to physical altercatioms were inevitable. Witnessing skirmishes during the school years also made it appear that violence was just part of life.
In as much as people tried to protect me from scenes of graphic violence, as they attempted to screen me from obscene language and improper sexual expression, there was always going to be a way it would come in. Yet it happens. Violence happens. Part of the thrill of beimg in the army or the police for many is the likelihood of action. Part of the thrill of certain sports is the chamce to release pent up aggression legitimately. Whether verbal or physical, violence is justified and acceptable in society.
Just whwn you think it would be safe to see an alternative in the Bible from beginning to end, the library of books is drenched in the blood of violence. The freed I value is based on a gruesome, violent act. Yet this is still the book featuring the central character who encourages a peaceful and peace-making approach to relationships.
It leaves me with the conundrum, in a world that glorifies and legitimises violence through various media, how now should I proceed?
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
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