I'm not sure if you have seen the metal dome built outside of the dining hall by the lake but you should check it out. Ben riddle and his companions built this structure as a space to seek and find refuge through community, creative expression and collective action. Ben riddle came to our class about a month ago and relayed his views on community engagement. He said multiple times he wanted to have a center where students across all fields and majors could come together and interact with community members. Community engagement isn't just about 1 class helping the community, it is about how can the school as a whole across all majors be involved to solve a community problem. I will post a link from YouTube at the end of this post if you want to check out footage from the construction of the Tabernacle. Yesterday I had class in the Tabernacle and Ben briefly explained why he build this and his inspiration. A dome about 3 times bigger than the one Ben and his friends built was constructed out east in Europe. It was supposed to be a space for refugees and other residents to bond through creative expression such as dance. People across all walks of life were brought together in a dome and had the freedom to let loose. Isn't this what liberalism is all about? Having the freedom to express yourself and find your inner soul sounds like an action many would dream for in many less developed countries whose government has a stronghold on its citizens. I cannot remember exactly what country where this large metal dome was built, but Ben told us that the government felt threatened and called for the removal and deconstruction of this dome. The people who found safe haven in this dome were left without a place to call home. A true liberal nation is a dome. Bringing everyone together through equality and freedom, a liberal nation is a melting pot which allows people from different races, genders, and sexual orientations to feel at home with no discrimination or prejudice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=midsWiADf8o&sns=em
It is certainly true that the dome is a potent symbol of inclusiveness. But I wonder, could it also symbolize the fact that we relegate inclusiveness to small, symbolic spaces only? Is the presence of the dome a sign of the absence of what it signifies in the larger culture? And is this a metaphor for liberalism--is it a small symbolic inclusive dome built on a Machiavellian, and to some extent Platonic, power structure?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your metaphor of how a liberal nation should be a "dome"; a dome that has been derived from this physical tabernacle. I find myself in agreement with the way in which you illustrate how liberalism could flourish and exists amidst such strife and discrimination occurring all around the world. Indeed, it is quite idealistic to think that in every nation this could exist as there are so many extreme versions of beliefs and ideologies--like that of extreme, radical Islam persisting in Syria. With this being said, it seems it would be ineffective to establish a physical building or structure that embodies freedom and liberality in thoughts or expression. This is because, in reality, the state in which we hope it could exist has no desire to accept or tolerate an amalgamation of thoughts and expressions. For example, in areas of Syria ISIS is so prevalent and influential that if an individual were to even try to establish this structure, they may put their own life at risk. In knowing that this is such a strong possibility beforehand because of understanding who ISIS and how they respond to different ways of life, is it worth the risk? Maybe it takes one individual or a group to be bold and attempt to resolve such strife with the establishment of a tabernacle, but I find it to be quite unrealistic because of how powerful and ruthless ISIS is. So I end with the question: in what ways could areas, like those similar to Syria, establish an invisible tabernacle without putting their own lives at risk in the attempt to physically produce a building or structure that allows for liberality and self-expression?
ReplyDeleteI love the metaphor of the dome. Truthfully I was unsure of what it stood for until I saw your post, but it makes much more sense now. The idea of a diverse community all under one dome really represents an ideal liberal society to me. The interesting part about the dome, is that the people under it choose to place themselves there and are expecting to enter themselves into a diverse and tolerant space full of freedom and expression. This concept oddly enough reminds me of my high school. My senior year of high school I attended an arts school. It was small, but collected people from all over the world with all different interests and talents. It was an unsaid rule that all different personalities, and backgrounds were accepted, and we collectively supported each other. I think the reason I like the idea of the dome so much is that the space of freedom for expression it provides, is what my high school was to many who attended it.
ReplyDeleteWe need more places like your arts school in the United States. This is what makes the United States so great today. We are the melting pot of the world; we have Muslims, Christians, Buddhist, black people, white people, Latinos. This is why many people want to come to United States, to achieve this American Dream of wealth and prosperity where the color of your skin or the religion you practice, does not matter. I think schools, especially elementary schools should have more cultural activities where students can learn more. My elementary, middle, and high school never offered classes where I learned about other cultures. The reason I believe this is important, is because it makes people more accepting and reduces discrimination and stereotyping.
Delete