Negarit 83: መላጸ ኦካም – Occam’s Razor – شفرة اُكّام
This is a general transcription of Negarit #83.
- When they want to divide the people, their slogan is ‘Us and Them.’ When they want to show loyalty to the dictatorship, to alienate others, and confirm their physical and spiritual oneness with the dictator himself, their slogan is “NNNN”- we are him and he is us, meaning the dictator. And they are right ‘they are him we are us’ the children of the proud Eritrea even when our country is sick because we are confident it will be healthy again.
- Occam’s razor, is a fantastic tool and explains how we should deal with our predicament, our problems. It helps us define and find a solution to our confused state. When hair is infested with lice, shaving it denies a refuge to pests and could enable what’s inside the skull, the disabled brain to function properly. WE must try Occam’s razor.
Todays’ Negarit 383 which is entitled Occam’s Razor will address the above topics. In the meantime, those who have not subscribed to Negarit, please do. Thank you. I hope you enjoy the episode.
The previous episode, Negarit 82, has garnered many comments. I wanted to reply to some selected comments, but I couldn’t for lack of time. However, someday I will find a way of doing that. For today, I will reply to one comment by Solomon Tekle because I found it to be serious and important. I hope I will do the same with the other comments in the future.
Dear Solomon,
I salute you for bringing your views to the open. And thought I agree with some of the views, I do not agree with some of the views you expressed.
If you ask me what I wish to see in Eritrea, I would tell you, I wish that Eritrea will be engulfed with stability, prosperity, and a free country governed by the rule of law. Next, I dream of a country where citizens can respect their differences and solve them in unison so that they can live in harmony. And that is why I consider your comment important and deserves a serious replay—it’s natural to have difference of opinion, but it’s deplorable to consider all those who differed with your opinion as enemies and declare war against them.
Leaving the views, we agree upon aside, I will present my argument the views with which I have issues. Your views emanate from your belief of “US against THEM”. Such outlook kills a debate in the bud. You vs US a dichotomy that embraces some people and alienates others. Thereafter, those who are considered part of the US are brought closer and those who are considered THEM are pushed further. Furthermore, the US and them pronouns are not treated as such but are elevated to an ideology and that when the attack on the THEM is pursued.
You consider those of us you compartmentalized THEM, as the fascist Agazian and as those who are treasonous. On the contrary, those you considered US, as people who toil day and night for the wellbeing of their country, as people who care only for the interest of the country. Mind you, the final target of such a beginning leads to acts of decimating individuals and not their ideas. That is why It leads to nowhere but towards more bickering, confusion, and disarray. Basically, it is an argument that wrongly concludes that you are a patriot while others are not, adding arrogance in your attitudes, undermining and belittling others. Patriotism is a deed and not a certificate of chauvinism that one awards to himself.
You have adequately described what Eritreans paid to achieve their goals of independence, liberation and sovereignty. But your mistake is that you considered safeguarding the sovereignty of a country is if it’s just two choices—either one aligns with “Weyane” the Tigrayan ruling party, or siding with the Eritrean ruling party that is exposing the Eritrean sovereignty to risk and putting it in a precarious situation..
But there is a third choice: following the path that tens of thousands of Eritrean martyrs sacrificed their lives for. The thousands of patriots who fell to ensure that Eritrea is ruled by the rule of law, be just, and to accommodate its people by maintaining stability and social harmony. And the Eritrean justice camp is pursuing just that goal. And that. Is why we oppose the ruling party that have turned Eritrea into a large prison, where there is a perpetual shortage of drinking water, and a country whose people, including the old and the young flee from in their thousands. And that’s why we condemn and oppose those who seek solutions by selling Eritrea on the cheap and being driven by external and internal politicians to divide our people along sectarian and racial lines by promoting archaic political devices. But opposing doesn’t mean selling your soul to the Eritrean dictatorship and cheering for it regardless of what it does. Doing that cannot be distinguished from being a mercenary.
What do we call a regime that jails women and children? What do you call a dictator who hampers development of his country but is elated when he inaugurate developmental projects in Ethiopia? One who kills legislative and judicial powers? One who distances and mistreats veterans and embraces the Arrivista and opportunists? One who throws the handicapped and aged veterans to the sheds of the dilapidated Kagnew barracks1 One who is mean faced when with his people but all smiles and excitement in Ethiopia! How is that considered respecting the sovereignty of Eritrea? Ask yourself, what have the Eritrean people gained after two years of so-called peace deal with Ethiopia? On the contrary, even children are trekking to refugee camps in the territories of Tigray under the Weyane that the Eritrean regime belittles and abhors so much.
It would be tolerable if you would support the regime while you preserve your dignity and conscience. But considering darkness an alternative to light, considering the hardships as prosperity, and suffering as a luxury, and still cheering for the regime, is denying yourselves any respect. And anyone who stripes himself naked willingly should not expect respect from others.
Finally, regarding the Agazian scare that you mentioned, I believe many people are underestimating the tolerance of Eritreans or they do not know it. And that is why I am surprised that any sane person would think that such fascists who cannot clean their noses, or extremists of any political or sectarian colour, would deceive Eritreans into abandoning their course. If anyone does not realize that, they are seriously underestimating the resolve of Eritreans.
Enlightenment
l have been looking for a Tigrinya equivalent of “Enlightenment” for too long but I finally found it in an interview that Major General Tekhleberhan Weldearegai conducted. I am glad he answered the lingering question about a concept or translation of the word that I failed to find a Tigrinya equivalent to.
Abrehot is a literal translation from English or other living languages because for centuries, it has been pitch-darkness in Habeshaland. Whatever light existed was extinguished by people who have the same thinking as the current fascist outgrowth known as the G’Ezeyan bigots.
Abrehot substitutes the English adjective of enlightenment or the Arabic Tenweer and it is an antonym of backwardness. It’s about modernity and not about dwelling in pitch darkness. It’s about a robust progressive civilization that abhors clinging to backwardness. Abrehot is enlightenment, Tenweer.
Occam’s Razor
Occam’s Razor is named after the Franciscan monk and philosopher William Occam. It’s an ancient philosophy developed over time but it became associated with the thinking of Occam who overshadowed all others before him.
Occam used it to explain divinity and metaphysical topics in simple forms, by shaving off excessive proposals for solving a problem. Thus, his razor shaves off much of the complicated and long winded solutions leaving the bare minimum, the simplest is likely the best solution. When there are many competing hypotheses with the same predictions for the same problem, “the simplest solution is most likely the right one”. I am using it here in its simplest form to demonstrate how we can focus on the simplest solutions and avoid complicating our social and political problems.
Of course, that was developed to explain theological views which is not my scope here. We are talking about the sentiments commoners that are simplistic, with simpler explanations as Occam’s razor.
Even in economics, the razor shaves all excess views: “It is futile to do with more things that which can be done with fewer” Also known as the rule of simplicity.
Of course, it is not that simple in different disciplines, where any competing hypothesis is taken into consideration, or at least until proven wrong by other views. So, I am proposing we use Occam’s razor to shave off the complex explanations until we are left with the bare minimum.
Maybe adding supernatural or metaphysical arguments would seem attractive, especially if said by an authority figure that might mislead those who are prone to accepting anything from the leaders, chiefs, religious personalities, etc.
I understand this is very simplistic and it could have negative repercussions or might prevent the pursuit of further examinations or studies of a specific problem, but this is about Occam’s razor and how we can use it to solve our predicament. And I will limit it to that.
So, we can use the razor to find an immediate resolution, but anyone interested in a better solution should present one, and it better be simpler or proved beyond doubt. In the abstract world the Agazian has pushed us in, Occam’s razor is the best tool.
Eritreans will prevail. They will defeat the forces of darkness, backwardness and ignorance. We will overcome the passing difficulties; we will clear the clouds of anxiety and frustrations. Eritrea will finally enjoy the fruits of its struggle by establishing rule of law and full justice where citizens will not be harassed for their views, we will not be punished for refusing to bow down and submit to the usurpers of power. Eritreans will one day be ruled by leaders they elect, and they will be loyal to them, because they dully elected them.
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