Interesting thoughts hatched from mother and daughter

Hey all. This one is just an aside...I'll probably write a big long blog tomorrow. This one came after my mother and I were discussing a paper I wrote in regards to the image of martyrs in Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis and we ended up with this (my mother did the wording...she is brilliant):
(If the cause of the person attempting to usurp the power is just, and perhaps a cause that the dead martyr would have died for, then the subversion might be justifiable and the martyr’s sacrifice honoured. But, if the person taking advantage of the martyrdom is only out for himself and his cause is corrupt, then the act of martyrdom becomes perverted and the martyr greatly dishonoured and demeaned. Maybe what Satrapi is trying to say is that if we don’t honour the term and use it carefully, then we run the risk of becoming unable to treasure and feel wonder at the depth of character needed to sacrifice ourselves for the greater good. When you no longer understand honour can you behave honourably?)

I wonder if Satrapi believes and admires martyrs and shows through the belittlement of the term by her characters what can happen if people do not honour those who do make the great sacrifice. Maybe she is not distrustful but really idealistic and fighting to keep others honest and pure in their motives by showing how distasteful and shameful it is when people diminish true heroism.

There you have it...the wisdom of us and the wonderful words of my mother. More strangeness yet to come.