According to #BBCtrending: The call to free "happy" Iranians, the young Iranians were arrested because of dancing a song called "Happy" by Pharrell Williams, a famous American song-writer, producer, rapper and singer. A lot of people were surprised on what the government did because there was no reason for this confinement, and now people are calling for letting them all free.
This news totally captured my attention while I was listening to the radio on the way home. Actually, I am a big fan of Pharrell Williams, so this is one of the reasons why this news interests me . I really want to know the reason why they were arrested. Unfortunately, the reason of this confinement was not on the news. I think a lot of people also wonder why it happened. These young people just want to express their emotion on this song, and this song absolutely has a good meaning. It says people should have a right to be happy. This famous song has been covered by many people all around the world, and everyone could watch the cover versions on Youtube. So, what happening in Iran is the thing that everyone truly wants to figure out. It could be a reason that Iran has a bad relationship with the United States in case of nuclear problem, but it could not be the reason of prohibiting their people to dance American song. Right?
However, religion and culture could be reasons for the government's action as well. Iran is one of the nations in middle east region which has a strict custom and resists western culture. As Iranian women, they have to wear dresses which could cover their whole bodies, and this makes them uncomfortable sometimes because in some situations, it is more comfortable if they could wear shorts with t-shirt. This custom is quite unusual in western countries because women there could wear anything they want even sometimes their clothes cannot be called as clothes. It must be called just a small piece of fabric. So, when people think of women's right, Iran is still rated very low. I think Iranian women totally want to call for an equality. However, in some cases, Iranian men are also affected by religion and custom as well. Their custom doesn't want them to play western instruments, and this is absolutely hard to be changed.
Recently, some of these young dancers are released, but some are still arrested. I think the government should review their action. In this case, it is totally wrong in the view of everyone. It doesn't matter what people do if they do not hurt anyone. Just take it easy and let's see what people are going to perform their happiness. This world is enough for rubbish, so why don't we take it down and wait for new things which could make this world full of happiness.
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Reference
As I read it, it seemed to me that there was a contradiction in Wann's post on the interesting topic she discusses.
ReplyDeleteIn her introduction, Wann writes that "[People] could do everything they want which is not illegal" (para. 1). I think that the news article that is her example shows something very different: that in fact the law is often morally wrong, and unjustly stops people doing what they want for no good reason.
The young people arrested were doing something that is definitely illegal - they broke the lranian law when they "hurt public chastity" as defined by Iranian law. So, they are certainly criminals. But I think it is also certain that they did nothing wrong. The only moral wrong committed is by the Iranian government and police who are enforcing Iranian law - the law is unjust, the police action is unjust and the military government who made up the laws are all unjust and morally wrong.
The arrested kids are all innocent of any moral wrong - their own government and their own society has made them criminals for doing a good thing!
Oops, I forgot to cite the source for my copied and pasted words above, "hurt public chastity" (2014, "Iranian Pharrell fans", para. 3). And not citing the source of an idea, especially a quotation, is the serious crime in academic life.
DeleteReference
Iranian Pharrell fans arrested for Happy tribute video. (2014, May 21). BBC News Entertainment & Arts. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-27499642
Of course, if you agree with the idea that came up in class yesterday, that being widely accepted by a society makes something morally right or wrong, then you think I'm wrong and you think that these singing kids spreading happiness really have done something immoral for which they should be punished.
DeleteI disagree. Iranian society, Iranian customs, traditional Iranian religious leaders and their teachings and Iranian law are all totally wrong on this. They are stuck in past errors and misunderstandings from which they refuse to progress. The young dancers are much better.
But I'm in strong agreement with Wann's idea that she states in the fourth sentence of your concluding (5th) paragraph.
DeleteAnd Wann's idea here directly contradicts the idea that moral right and wrong are determined by social acceptance.
actually, when i just finished reading this response, i came up with various things to share, for example, illegal Vs. Moral, religious law in Arab countries and the argument in the last wednesday morning; however, Peter already introduce all my idea, so there is nothing left for me to share TT____TT.
Deletenevertheless, i used to do a marketing research about muslims' consumer behavior when i was in the university, and i found something very interesting that extremely strict muslims have quite difference behavior from normal people like us. they told me that a good muslim have to do everything -- they literally mean everything -- like phophet muhamad did in the past. it is the reason why they do not sing a song, but they pray a muslim song instead, why they do not dance; it is because in the past there is no such entertainment like those, and they very stick to the past manner. therefore, in most arab countries, they are governed by the islamic law, entertainment are not allowed for their citizens.
i agree with Peter that with good logic, there is only one true answer for moral or justice, and this confinment, to me, is far from the justice and the moral. however, to discuss something like this -- i mean something about social norm, custom, culture and perhaps everything which is included in social acience -- we must to be careful and restpectful, because the social science's answers is not clear like science. with today's knowledge we may think that this confinment is obviously wrong, but in the far future it may be right. it is very hard to imagine how knowledge will have been developed by the next 500 years, isn't it?
Sorry, P.
DeleteI'll wait before commenting more.
I think there are still some interesting issues to take up here.
okay i'll wait for further interesting issuues.
DeleteIf you don't want to wait, you can start your own interesting issue!
DeleteFor example, what is a reasonable response from those outside of Iran to this Iranian issue? What might not be reasonable? And as always, why and why not?
Wow!!! Your discussions here are longer than the Wann's post.
DeleteAnyway, one issue that I’m thinking about is law. As Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary (OALD) defines, “the whole system of rules that everyone in a country or society must obey”. I think it’s obvious that those guys did not abide by law so that why they were arrested. I think that law is an interesting issue. Some people might think that this law is not fair because it does not happens in their society, while others think it conform to their custom, their social norm and usual in their society. As everyone knows, countries around that do not use the same law, although it might be the same rule in some points. One thing that adapted to define law is customs. I therefore think that this issue is hard to say whether it’s morally right or wrong.
I am looking forward to seeing further discussion here.
DeleteI'm also looking forward to the responses to the issues raised here.
DeleteFor example, is the OALD definition of of the noun law that Ball quotes a good definition, or do we need to go, as Pop suggests in his recent post, a bit deeper to get a solid understanding?
Can a dictionary, any dictionary, resolve the controversies here?
There are also another eight definitions of law that Ball did not quote.
As usual, I think some concrete example, apart from Wann's example in her chosen article, might be useful.
I don't know about the customs and culture in Iran, but I think that what young Iranians have done might be unacceptable for the government because of the law ,or conflict between two countries, the singer's and them. However, if it's really wrong in their country, the government should find the better way than to arrest young guys who just did it for fun, without spite.
ReplyDeleteWhat does "find the better way" mean, for example?
DeleteShould all young people be kept locked up at home except when they are let out to go to school?
"Find the better way" sounds to me so vague it could mean anything, so actually means nothing. An example or two of what it might mean would be very helpful. Also see Pop's "Really ? Can you explain it to me ?" at http://peteraep.blogspot.com/2014/05/really-can-you-explain-it-to-me.html
On is certainly right that what the young people did, their singing and dancing, is against the law and so unacceptable.
DeleteBut does that mean its' "really wrong"? Is being illegal the same as being wrong? Is being legal the same as being right?
If you answer, "Yes." to the above two question, that suggests a very simple solution to every criminal and moral problem in society: make everything legal and nothing will be wrong! If you think this logical conclusion sounds seriously weird, not to mention totally wrong, then you might want to reconsider the "Yes" answers that logically lead to the false or weird conclusion.
The conflict between US and Iran start about 40 year ago after and Islamic Revolution not because Nuclear Dispute in 2000s.
ReplyDeleteAnother country that has Law similar to this one is Saudi Arabia which women is forbade to drive but it seem that "Western" media doesn't really care about it.
Good example from Mek.
DeleteIs Saudi law forbidding women from driving morally right or wrong?
Who should decide who may drive or open a bank account? How should it be decided?