Song Is About You

After hearing via Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) of the controversy surrounding Ayaan Hirsi Ali (AHA) coming to speak at Yale university, I started reading the book. Probably not what those objecting to her speaking wanted but in countries that support free speech, there is nothing like objecting to someone speaking to raise interest. I do get excited when I think of how easy it is becoming to self-publish without financing (not here but in general) and when books like this are able to give us a view into another world. A world that I understand very little. Steven Pinker talks about how clumsy writing becomes if we keep having to make excuses and hedge everything we say. He describes the 'Classic Style' as being close to a conversation between equals where one happens to have looked at something else and is showing it to the other. Within that there are certain things that are allowed to go unsaid but are understood. A similar thing should apply to consumers of free speech. I know this is just AHA's view. I know it is based on memories that will have been altered by events to help her make sense of the world. No one remembers what happened. We remember a version that helps us survive going forward. We fill in the gaps. We make stuff up. That is why it is useful if lots of people write. It doesn't help us get to exactly what happened, but that is probably less important than a joint effort to create a version that helps us all survive going forward.

I am only half way through, but it is a fascinating story of growing up in multiple countries (Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Holland) and internal and external culture clashes. She talks of civil wars and tribal conflicts. It is a very open account of a turbulent life.

My life has not been a fraction as turbulent, but I doubt people I have known, liked, disliked, loved or clashed with would be comfortable with me writing a book like this one. Baring to the world our views of our personal interactions with people is something I haven't wrapped my head around. Sports Stars do it writing tell alls when they retire. Politicians too. How much of an interaction with someone else do you assume is private? What form of permission is required for us to tell our story? AHA's is one a lot of people would prefer was not told. I think we all benefit from these stories but it does make us very vulnerable.

Fiction helps. You can make up characters to represent other people. You can twist scenes to hide identities, but the readers who matter 'you probably think this song is about you' will be able to see through it. 

Even then, you are just trying to protect personal privacy while still trying to create a realistic commentary on the big picture. In this case, it is a critique of an entire way of life. She is not writing against an individual, she is writing against a religion and way of life. Not completely against. So far, there are certainly parts that make you see the appeal. For example - the lack of corruption and trust that exists in interacting with the religious people is very appealing when you can't trust government officials.

Figuring out how to share, comment on and discuss sensitive issues is messy.