Welcome

Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does. Everything has been figured out, except how to live. One always dies too soon or too late. And yet, life is there, finished. The line is drawn, and it must all be added up. You are nothing other than your life. There is only one day left, always starting over. It is given to us at dawn and taken away from us at dusk. We do not know what we want and yet we are responsible for what we are, that is the fact. When you live alone you no longer know what it is to tell a story: the plausible disappears at the same time as the friends. You let events flow by too.Suddenly you see people appear who speak and then go away; you plunge into stories of which you can't make head or tail. You'd make a terrible witness. It is true that people who live in society have learned how to see themselves in mirrors as they appear to their friends. Luckily, I only have a few...

Dr Shaw is a lecturer in Further Education at Edge Hill University, Ormskirk. She also offers philosophy courses at the School of Continuing Education, Lifelong learning, at the University of Liverpool. In 2015, she has completed her Doctorate in philosophy with a focus on existentialism, the equilibrium doctrine and narrative. She has worked as a teacher of English and Comparative literature and Philosophy at The American University in Cairo, Egypt where she also obtained her BA (Hons). Dr Shaw has an MA in Philosophy and Literature from the University of East Anglia where she also taught on a number of humanities subjects. Whilst working in North Wales in Further education, she gained a PGCE aimed at teaching in FE and HE sectors. Dr Shaw moved to Liverpool in 2010 where she now resides.

Interests: Existentialism, Narrative, Comparative Literature, Feminist Thought, Public Speaking, Arab Existentialism, Philosophy of Education, Art, Music, Film and Theatre, Greek Mythology, Existential counsellor and psychotherapist.

https://liverpool.academia.edu/ShereenHamedShaw


Saturday 29 January 2011

A letter for tomorrow by Egyptian Rap band ASFALT and ZAP Tharwat -- كاتب لبكرة جواب

A letter for tomorrow
Unfolded carpet, thousands sleeping on it
Well off, say I am a liar
Afraid of pain, beaten by a wipe leaves its mark in our minds
I exist and I don't exist. Living without a voice
Laughing and they can hear, buying my death
A country that never listens
so my letter is my coffin
Writing a letter for tomorrow, afraid it will never arrive
'cause words in our country never reach
Afraid you won't understand and say I will walk further
Wearing a shirt of mystery that can never be clean 
cotton produced in my country, yet covers no one
Writing a letter for tomorrow, afraid it will never be complete
Life in the hand of God, cannot be guaranteed
When is life coming to an end, why do we not regret
Dirty money stays in the stomach, cannot be digested
Hunger makes rocks talk
When you're walking on your feet and the one beside you crawling, begging
Should I listen and laugh
When I tell the ugly he is "ugly" in his face, I am blamed
And when I cheat in secret, they say the clever can succeed
Nations sandaled. Doors refuse to open
See how many nations are close to be erased...

Writing a letter for tomorrow, it arrives or not, it doesnot really matter
for I am leaving anyway.
If prophet ‘Ayub’ comes here, he will not be patient, he will not bear living
If they say stay one day, honestly I can't...
Let stay asleep, still and never rise
Whilst our love to our country continue growing, never small
Even when I am in the country, I still miss it
I brunt myself with fire, but the fire never burns me
And after all this, they say she laughs at me...
Shall I remain in my country a hostage
or shall I leave my country?

Friday 28 January 2011

Welcome the day of Wrath in Egypt

Many people may now wonder what is happening in Egypt and why is Egypt so corrupt. What is the day of Wrath? In a nutshell, for 30 years now, we have been ruled by President Mubarrak. One who managed to oppress every voice and promise others land and property that he claimed. He allowed greedy buisness men to sell and buy land, property and vital buisnesses that aid the economy. This privatisation has led to increase greed and widened the gap between the poor and the rich. Why did we live in a state of emergency for the past 30 years? Oh' I know, it is because we always say "better the one we know than another" familiarity is a curse! We never had the courage to say no. No to injustice, no to poverty, no to favouratism, no to greed, and definately no to a president who think he will live forever and rule all his life. Finally, the day has come- no dialogue, we talked alot in the past and all in vain. This time "This is It"! There will be no calm, no peace and no life without ensuring a better future for ourselves, our country and the next generations. It is time to change and never look back. Funny enough the news says "the US faces tough decisions in regards its relationship with Egypt"! this means that the 30 BILLION Aid going to Egypt will be reviewed! Is it enough for Obama to just call Mubarrak on the phone after his lame speach to dismiss the government and assign a new one, to tell him to "give meaning to (his) promisses"! It is worth clarifying that the problem was never the government, it is the President who has the last  word at the end of the day. He influences, bullies, controls and black mails. He appoints spies and undercover police/spies to tell on each other- just like big brother. How can we not learn from history? it is just another time where we see history unfold again right in front of our eyes, and again all citizens pay the price. If Mubarrak say he is "with the poor"- lets see how much he owes anddistribute every penny he has got on the poor. Why is he holding on to much on the presidency I wonder? O' I know- it is because the power has gone to his head and he thinks himself God. But there is a day for every mortal...and that day has already gone- now we watch.
Al Jazeera: http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/