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Obama. Nobel Peace Prize - unorganized thoughts

10/9/2009

3 Comments

 
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I was just curious what folks thought about Obama's Nobel Peace Prize. Obviously there's a lot of controversy because he's kind of an untraditional recipient.  Usually folks are awarded the peace prize for specific, direct actions and outcomes.  But I think there could be an argument that his accomplishment is becoming the first black american to be president of the united states (also not an easy task).

When I was in the middle east this summer, folks all over the street would just yell positive things about America and Obama.  I don't think that's ever happened to me before - just so much genuine excitement.  Certainly, I think folks around the world are still waiting and seeing, but it's like the US has a clean slate.  The world's willing to give us another chance and I think that has everything to do with his presidency.

I was talking with a friend and she pointed out that she felt like the award had at least a little to do with the fact that Obama is incredibly "trendy" these days.  He's become a celebrity figure, not just a politician.  Nobel Peace Prizes should be popularity contests.  And she may be right, but it also occurs to me that his "trendiness" is another one of his great accomplishments.

For too long marginalized communities and race relations in the states is a topic that has been deemed "too serious" for casual conversation and "too controversial" for popular discussion.  I think that Obama's campaign and election has changed that, something that activists have been struggling to do ever since the 70s.

More importantly, the value of diplomacy (supposedly what he purports) and empathy hasn't been validated in american (and thus world) politics in a really long time.  And now it's trendy. Now folks vote for it. But that's always been the goal, right? for peace and empathy to be important in popular culture?

I dunno... not totally complete with my thoughts, but was curious about what other folks thought.  Definitely surprised, though.  Definitely surprised.


Update: 10/17/09
Hey look... rachel maddow kind of agrees with me!

3 Comments
Wendy Liu
10/9/2009 02:54:19 am

I think the world is sending the people of the United States of America a message a strong message.

Reply
Carrie Mar
10/11/2009 04:50:47 am

But isn't the Nobel Peace Prize sort of a ridiculous joke anyway? It reinforces the power of making peace/change within the confines of very specific global power dynamics. I mean, Hitler was considered for the prize way back when, and Henry Kissinger actually won it! Not exactly peaceful types... Granted, things change, and we can redefine, but... has Obama actually created peace somewhere? I can't decide if I'm more annoyed at the fakeness of the prize or the fakeness of choosing Obama.
(p.s. I'm friends with your friend Marwa from med school, and she told me to read your blog. I like it.)

Reply
Jess
10/17/2009 04:23:28 am

yea, i agree with you about the nobel peace prize business. i thought recently they kind of started changing a bit, like with grassroots awards, etc, but in general the whole idea is a little strange, right? let's award folks who already have power for fixing some shit that probably wouldn't be an issue if the very institutions that they derive power from didn't exist to begin with.

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