UYUYORUZ

Üç el silah sesi geldi az evvel komşu apartmanların birinden.

Bugün süper ligde oynanan maçlar var ve sanırım şampiyon Beşiktaş oldu, takip etmedim. Silah sesleri ara ara varıyor kulaklarıma hala. Ama durun; şimdi de havai fişek gösterileri(!) başladı. Yenibosna’da bir mahalledeyim. Öyle Taksim falan değil yani… Konvoy oluştu sanırım; daha beş dakika bile olmadı hâlbuki.

Hala silahlar patlıyor. Serseri kurşunlardan biri, ben tam da kendilerinden bahsediyorken şimdi camdan süzülüp beynime saplanacak diye ter döküyorum inanın. Konvoy korna sesleri ile kendini daha da belli ediyor şimdi. Gece yarısından evvel kesilmez sesleri. Binlerce araç birden bire caddeleri doldurdu. Herkes bu anı bekliyormuş sanki uzun zamandır.

Bildik manzaralar; daha fazla tanımlamama gerek yok, biliyorsunuz. Yarın, eğlenceler(!) sırasında hayatını yitirmiş birilerinin olduğunu öğrenmemek, gazetelerde, televizyonlarda öyle haberlere maruz kalmamak için sadece dua edebilirim sanırım. Beni kimsecikler dinlemez. On binlerce insan, on bir futbolcunun attığı golleri dinliyor sadece. Bu gece, en kabaca hesapla on milyonlarca liranın çöpe gidecek olmasının, muhtemelen birçok kişinin yaralanmasının, hatta birilerinin hayatını kaybetmesinin kendisi gibi mantıksız bir nedenle olması içler acısı bir durum…

Spora böylesine deli olan, sporla kendisini böyle kaybeden ama buna rağmen neredeyse hiç spor yapmayan bir toplumuz biz.

İnsanların ortak bir noktada buluşup, bir sonuca sevinmesi gayet güzel bir olay! Aidiyet duygusu kadar da özel bir şey yok… Ama bahsini ettiğimiz ortak nokta, sadece bizim paramızı ve zamanımızı tüketen bir oluşum. Hiçbir şey öğretmiyor futbol bize. Bir takımı tutuyor olmamız, takımımızın şampiyon olması bize hiçbir şey katmıyor. Bize bağımlı olarak yaşayan bir sektör, ama biz sanki o olmazsa yaşayamayacağız gibi kapılıyoruz bu rüzgâra. Çocuklarımıza spor sevgisini aşılamayı, bir takım tutturmaktan, o takımın formasını giydirip maçlarına götürmekten ibaret zannediyoruz hatta. Fanatik olmayı, bir takımı desteklemek, öteki takımları destekleyenleri neredeyse düşman olarak görmek olarak algılıyoruz. Bu ifadede en ufak bir abartı olmadığı, neredeyse her maçtan önce yaşanan kavgalarla, yaralanmalarla gözler önündedir zaten. Ülkemizde takım tutmak, maçlarda ve kahvelerde argoyu ve küfrü konuşmalarımızda öne çıkarmayı, bağırarak herhangi bir şeyin desteklenebileceği düşüncesini gerektiriyor. Şampiyonluk kutlamaları ise, hiçbir anlamı olmayan konvoylar oluşturup arabaların camlarından sarkmayı, havai fişekler atmayı, silahlar patlatmayı getiriyor aklımıza.

Refah seviyemiz yüksek sanırım! Hem de çok… Baksanıza, konvoy hala büyüyor. İnsanlar tanımadıkları, Beşiktaşlı öteki insanların arabalarının önünde ve arkasında kornalara basıyor, ‘Şampiyon Beşiktaş’ diye avazları çıktığı kadar bağırıyor, kimi alkolünü de alıyor aynı anda. Birkaç saat uzunca bir konvoyda takılıp evlerine dönecekler. Gece yarısından çok sonraları başlarını yastığa koyduklarında sanırım hiç de eğlenmemiş olduklarını fark edecekler. Sadece yoruldukları kalacak akıllarında. Çünkü bizi dinleyen bir Beşiktaş yok; bizi gören, bizi daha ‘iyi’ yapan bir şey değil Futbol. Bize kattığı hiçbir şey yok; öyle, çünkü hala yüzlerce polisin gözetiminde yapılabiliyor maçlar. Biz hala sahalara koltukları söküp atıyoruz, çakmak fırlatıyoruz. Sahaya girip futbolcu ve hakem dövüyoruz hatta. İşi kumara döküp yüz milyonlarca liralık bir sektör oluşturuyoruz. Futbol damarlarımıza şiddet tohumları ekiyor, biz hevesle üzerine gittikçe suluyor bu tohumları, meyvelerini de bizim uyumamız ile alıyor. Uyuyoruz sevgili vatandaşım! Biz, takımımız şampiyon oldu diye sevinirken dünyada ne haltlar dönüyor bilmiyoruz. Bilmek de istemiyoruz, umurumuzda değil dünya! Oysa gitgide yaşanamaz kıldığımız bir yere dönüşüyor gezegenimiz. Sonumuzu iple çekiyoruz sanki…

Bu gece takımlarına gösterdikleri sadakat uğruna bu kadar masraf yapabilen insanlarımız, keşke kendileri gibi insan olan, aç olan, hasta olan, ülkeleri savaş içerisinde olan yüz binlercesine de sadakatini gösterebilse. Takımlarına gösterdikleri duyarlılığı, bu gece aç yatan yüz binlerce çocuğa da gösterebilse…

Cihat Albayrak
cihat-albayrak@hotmail.com
İstanbul Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi
http://edebiyatuniversitesi.ning.com

Hemen Şimdi Daha İyi Bir İnsan Olabiliriz!

Sorumluluklarının bilincinde bir birey olarak yapmamız gerekenleri çok iyi biliyoruz aslında. Hayatımızı çok küçük çabalar ile nasıl renklendirebileceğimizi, günlerimizi gülücükler ile nasıl doldurabileceğimizi ve insanları mutlu ederken mutlu olmayı nasıl başarabileceğimizi bizden iyi bilen bir başkası yok. Sanırım farkında olduğumuz her şeyi, farkındalık teriminin hayatımızdaki yerini ve empatinin bir gerçeklik olarak varlığını gözden geçirmemiz gerekiyor sadece.

O kadar çok çöp biriktirdik ki dünyaya; boğulmak üzereyiz israfımızda. Çoğunluğunu çocukların oluşturduğu binlerce kişi her gün, yetersiz beslenmeden, susuzluktan yahut su kaynaklı hastalıklardan hayatını kaybediyor. Aynı zaman dilimi içerisinde binlerce insanı çok rahat doyurabilecek kadar su ve gıda dünyanın dört bir yanında israf ediliyor, çöpe atılıyorken, bu süreci, işleyişi, sessiz kalışı, bu görmezden gelişi yalnızca cinayet olarak tanımlayabiliriz. Biz kendi kendisini yok eden tek canlı türüyüz. Bunun yanında, düşünebilen tek canlı türü olmamız tabloyu daha da atlanılmaz bir karanlığa bürüyor.

‘Bir birey olarak yerküreyi saran savaşlara, bilinçsizliklere, doğanın yok edilmesine, eşitsizliklere karşı yapabileceğimiz pek bir şey yok’ diye düşünmemiz çok yersiz aslında! Hemen şimdi bunların her birini başarabilir, daha iyi bir insan olabiliriz. Bir birey olarak haksızlıklar, yanlışlıklar ve sorumsuzluklar karşısında, biz tek başımıza özgür irademiz ile durabildiğimiz zaman bu, toplumun her kesiminden destek bulacak ve örnek alınacaktır. Böylece bizim –örnek almış olalım ya da olmayalım- sergilediğimiz tavır uzun vadede bahsini ettiğimiz sonuçlara doğru büyük adımlara gebe kalacaktır.

Peki, bu bağlamda somut olarak neler yapılabilir?

* Öncelikle vicdanımızı hayatımızın her anında kararlarımıza referans olarak almamız gerektiğinin bilincinde olmalıyız. Böylelikle hiçbir canlıya zarar veremeyeceğizdir aslında.

* Okuduğumuz gazete de dâhil olmak üzere, kitaplarımızı, dergilerimizi kitaplıklarda tutmak yerine park ve durak gibi alanlarda bırakalım ki başkaları istifade edebilsin. Böylece kâğıt israfını da önlemiş olabiliriz.

* Sigara içiyorsak eğer, sigarayı bırakma konusunda bilimsel destek veren kurumlardan yardım alıp tez elden bırakalım. Günde ortalama bir paket sigara içmek yerine, yardıma muhtaç en az bir kişiyi doyurabiliriz.

* Kullanmadığımız elbiselerimizi ihtiyacı olan insanlara verilmesi için birçok vakfa ulaştıralım.

* Bir tek pil, kullanılabilir tonlarca suyu kirletiyor. Kullandığımız pilleri belediyelerin ilgili birimlerine yahut kargo şubelerine bırakalım. Hatta talepte bulunanlar pil toplama kutusu bile edinebiliyor. Şarjlı pil kullanmak çok daha kesin bir çözüm…

* Çocuk Esirgeme Kurumlarında ve Huzurevlerinde sadece güler yüzümüzle mutlu edebileceğimiz, ziyaretlerimizle kendilerini sevindirebileceğimiz binlerce kişi var. Zamanımızı onlara da ayıralım.

* Toplumumuzun en önemli sorunlarından biri de Engellilerin Topluma dâhil edilememesidir. Son yıllarda devletin mali desteği bu konuda önemli adımlar atılmasına vesile olmuşsa da, önemli olan insanların engelliliğe bakışı ve engelli vatandaşların yanında oluşudur.

* İhtiyacımız kadar alışveriş yapalım. İhtiyaç sahibi komşularımıza yardım edelim. Özellikle kış aylarında, sokak hayvanları ve kuşlar için ekmek ve su bırakalım evimizin önüne, balkonumuza.

* Uluslar arası yardım kuruluşlarına bağışlar yaparak aç insanların doymasına, hastalıklarla, doğal afetlerle baş edebilmelerine vesile olalım.

* Kızılay’ın Kan Merkezleri’nde kan vererek, toplum olarak binlerce kişinin yaşamasında rol sahibi olalım.

* Atık yağları mutlaka bir araya getirip yetkililere teslim edelim, çünkü bu yağlar da tonlarca suyu kirletiyor ve kullanılamaz hale getiriyor.

* Plastik ambalajlardan, poşetlerden uzak duralım. Bu maddelerin doğada yok olma süreleri yüzlerce yılı bulabiliyor. Böylece büyük bir çevre kirliliği yaşanıyor. Uzun ömürlü, defalarca kullanılabilecek kâğıt ya da bez ambalajlar kullanalım.

* Kavgalarda, dövüşlerde ‘bana ne’ psikolojisi ile hareket etmeyelim; araya giremiyorsak bile en azından emniyet birimlerini arayalım.

* Çocuklarımızın ‘eğitimi’ konusuna toplum olarak eğilelim. Davranışlarımızla onlara örnek birer model oluşturalım.

* Maruz kaldığımız haksızlıklarda, usulsüzlüklerde cesaretle hakkımızı arayalım!

* Her konuda fikirlerimizi, düşüncelerimizi ifade etmekten, duyurmaktan çekinmeyelim.

Kalem Kurusu Edebiyat Yarışması

Kalem Kurusu Edebiyat Yarışmasında, ben de nesir dalında ön elemelerden sonra aday gösterildim. Puanlama sistemi yarışma sonucuna etki etmiyor. Ancak yazıyı bu linkten okuyabilir, puanlayabilir ve yorumlayabilirsiniz!

http://2009.kalemkurusu.com/admin/nesirler/bu-iste-bir-yalnizlik-var/10/05/2009

Ayrıca Edebiyat Üniversitesi'ne kayıt olmak için;

http://edebiyatuniversitesi.ning.com/main/authorization/signUp?

Cihat Albayrak

Research Extracts

Cihat ALBAYRAK – 3231060006

Research Topic: Effects of Technology on Human Life

Research Question: What are the negative effects of technology on child health?

Hypothesis: Technology has not only physical negative effects on children, but more

current and important than that, it has psychological negative effects that may not be cured, which reveals as disintegrity in the society, increase in crime rates, unhappiness, failure in school and group works, and as the primary agenda, relationships with the family.

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Focusing Children

Technology has been affecting human life since the industrial revolution. With every new progress and invention, there appeared both simplification and complification of life. For instance, Einstein(Wikipedia:15^th May 2008) had studied on atom energy with the purpose to make use of it in industry and his intention was just to have more peace on the world. But his studies were used in military and atomic bomb caused the death of thousands of people.

By products, wastes(which causes the pollution of environment),radiation(which leads cancer), unsociablity are some of the terms that affects human life in a negative way all being results of technology. There are studies to lessen these effects. But the point is that children endure technology more, and apart from the obvious effects just like eye diseases, infections, obesity; they have problems in social life, too. An essay on guzeldunyam.com,” effects of technology on human life” (guzeldunyam:5^th May 2008) explains this as follows:

“According to researchers, children are dragged to loneliness with the abstract technological products that take much of their time daily. In the paws of them, they live an emotional collapse, and see life as quite nonsense. They happen (technology/products) to be means of unhappiness ,more than entertainment.”

In spite of the fact that children are affected by technology most, in the studies/researches, there has not been a focus on them. The matter has been taken as a whole, and in the generalization,” technology and human life “has been researched. Recent (previous)

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research on “negative effects of technology on child health” is restricted with newspaper articles ,internet documents and interviews by experts.

Bayram Kaya(K.Bayram:17^th May 2008), in his article, ”staying a long time in front of the computer dries eyes” focuses only on eye disorders resulting from technology, and explains that, staying a long time in front of computers causes the production of tears to lessen and thus resulting the chronic eye dryness. And states that, “if the risk increases, there can even be loss of seeing.”

Another article is from the same newspaper. In the article of ”Anadolu Ajansı”(Anadolu Ajansı:5^th May 2008), ”Children will watch TV far away”, it is stated that, ”According to the international standards, the distance between the child and TV must be at least 5 folds of the screen size. ”Rest of the article follows on the path of eye disorders and dangerous waves of lights.

An interview with the Manager of Biologists Association(saglikbilgisi:5^th May 2008), Kadir Sorucuoğlu, reveals that mobile phones produce electromagnetic waves that lead to cancer.(especially lymphoma c.), high blood pressure and spine(spinal/orthopedic) disorders.

Wikipedia(Wikipedia: 15^th May 2008) has more focus on child health and explains as, ”New forms of entertainment, such as video games, and internet access could have possible social effects on areas such as academic performance…Technology has increased the need to talk to more people faster causing social separation of singular interaction…” Wikipedia, thus

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includes not only physical, but also psychological negative effects of technology on human life and especially child life, which is the focus of this research indeed.

In this research, physical disorders and diseases of children caused by technology will be studied first of all, to reveal the conditions that lead to the notion that “technology has negative effects on child health”. And then, social and psychological conditions will be analyzed so as to assess the objectivity of the hypothesis that, ”technology has not only physical effects on children, but also more current and important than that, it has psychological effects that may not be cured which reveals as disintegrity in the society increase in crime rates, unhappiness, failure in school and group work, and as the primary agenda, relationships with the family.

An interview with a doctor, Hasan Talay, and a questionnaire that will look for the ideas/impressions of parents will add up to the process.

Technology As A By-Product

In the modern world today, technology reaches to even the furthest, most uncrowded parts of the world. Even in Africa, people can use mobile phones, computers, internet, planes, and televisions. Production of technology, unlike industry and agriculture, does not need an enormous human power to run. Groups including some thousands of people, at the moment, produce new hardware and software and this simultaneously effects the life of billions of people.

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Graham Bell came up with the idea that a gadget, telephone, would be useful for people, and today it is in the life of 7 billion people. Bill Gates developed the computer technology, and

economical points of view changed. Industry changed! A new age occurred; information age. Television was invented and today, it takes at least one hour of every single person on the world. A term having an effect of that much on people, technology, is worth to be thought, studied and programmed on any subtitle of it.

How To Cure Technology

The more cures are found to the diseases, the more diseases occur. For instance, cancer was not so common a hundred years ago. And there was not a disease, obesity, which limits the life of millions of children especially in USA. Ecological circumstances were not danger for people. For example, governments need not cope with global warming, which is again human-made indeed. From a perspective, scientists hunger for new technologies to help people face with life at ease, but from another perspective, people strive with the wastes and side effects of them. An article on Wikipedia(Wikipedia:15^th May 2008) points out this phenomenon as:

‘Each wave of technology creates a set of waste previously unknown by humans; one of the main problems is the lack of an effective way to remove these pollutants on a large scale expediently. In nature, organisms ‘recycle’ the wastes of other organisms. For example, plants and photosynthesis circulation…’

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Unfortunately, there is no such circulation (or mechanism) existing to remove technological wastes and side effects. It is all up to awareness of people on how to and when to use technology.

For most of the situations, people do not know how a gadget will effect their children, and for some situations, they misunderstand these effects. In a questionnaire made for this research(Appendix 1), it was found out that, all of the participators (50 parents) thought that mobile phones had a negative effect on child health because of the radiation and electromagnetic waves. But it was acknowledged not to be true.

A GSM operator, Turkcell, made a press conference and answered the questions on minds. The co-manager of the corporation, İlter Terzioğlu, indicated that mobile phones did not emit radiation. To quote Kuvel(K.Selim:14^th June 2008) the reporter:

‘Mobile phones have no negative effect on human health; Terzioğlu claimed. He told that the radio waves that are emitted by mobile phones and the nuclear radiation did not have any resemblance and that, it was confused with the nuclear radiation and the heating effect resulting from electromagnetic zone.’

Interviewing A Danger

Parents suppose ‘radiation’ –they think it is emitted by mobile phones- as a danger, but it is proven by statistics(K.Selim:14^th June 2008) that this is not the situation and apart from this, they do not take the sociological and psychological factors into account.

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Dr. Hasan Talay, from İstanbul Medicine Faculty, during the interview for this research, indicated that mobile phones posed a big danger for children. Talay points out that: ‘Social part of the situation must be thought in detail. Children who are supposed to play with their

friends in the streets touching the sand and earth to grow their muscles, each write more than 20 messages in a day with mobile phones. Thus, not only the understanding and ability to interact and play do not progress, but also they do not take in ‘what is friendship’. (Appendix 2)

Some criterias are true for televisions and computers used by children. Parents do not know from which side to look to the negative effect. They have a look at the process and think it just as a waste of time. But, the situation is found to be not so bare.

Talay concludes in the interview: ‘Watching television too near to the monitor and for a long time is extremely harmful. Fist of all, it causes the eyes to get wet. After a few months, it turns out to be eye dryness. At this point, eyes start to lose their transparency, and loss of seeing occurs. And also, computer games pose a great danger. Children sit to play a single game of 15 minutes, but it goes beyond hours. All of these hinder both muscle and bone development. When this factors are added up, a term appears frightening all the world (especially children): (Appendix 2))

‘Obesity’

Advantages of both television and computer are commonly accepted for both education and socialization of children. But, parents do not think on side effects effectively. For example, in

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the questionarre, 14 parents out of 50 replied to have a computer for their children in their home and gave an average answer of 2 hours to the question; ‘how many hours does your child pass with computer?’ (14)

Spending hours and hours in front of the screens leads children to solitude. Their relationships get worse. This results in stress, which causes failure in academic studies. They do not have the ability to share, because computers and televisions are the friends of them, which construct a one-way communication thus leading to intrapersonal children. Children get more and more internal as every technology-based day passes.

Intrapersonal Age*

Children play ‘play station’ for hours in great excitement. It can be observed in hundreds of cafes in Turkey specifically, and all over the world generally speaking. Thus, just in a period when they need to grow physically, children sit and only their fingers work. Mental fatigue and eye loss is added. They are supposed to play football not on the screens with their fingers but on the grass working all their muscles.

A computer game called ‘counter’ is also a leading time-filler for children. It is full of violence and tends them to this attitude indeed. Just like television serials ’Kurtlar Vadisi’ or ‘Lost’, this game leads children to behave in negative manners. They have sympathy to guns, and the number of fights among them increases day by day. Classroom management becomes

* This term has been coined by the researcher.

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harder for teachers as children progress an egocentric understanding of world –this makes

group work impossible, especially- and parents can not control their children. Crime rates increase and children meet with this ‘crime and punishment’ fact of life earlier than supposed to be.

The reason behind this formation is that, communities can not adapt technology according to their needs and potentials. The philosophy supporting production of technology is to serve people so as to make life easier and endurable. But all of these problems arise because people buy products that they do not need, or how to use. And then, the process turns into a waste of time and side effects come out.

Computers and televisions can be used as educational tools but rather they are used as only entertaining tools. What is more, mobile phones are vital in some situations just like information sharing and communication between parent and child. It is wrong to accept these products as ‘aim’ but not ‘tool’. They must just be communication tools; children have social problem because tools have taken the place of communication ‘Man have become the tools of their tools’ just like Goethe says. Life has become artificial.

Waste

Industry, in modern world, on the other hand, again is for children’s use sure. Productions assist their development. But, as industry gets bigger and bigger every new day, the wastes,

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by-products and the ‘side effects’ term which follows the process, makes all these production a danger for the same children. Lack in purifying stages cause child deaths occur.

Pollution is one of the ‘main’ problems that is the agenda of governments.

Awareness Raising

Under all these circumstances, it is a prohibition to inform and educate both parents and children about technology and its use. Parents must limit and arrange child exposition to the technology and also children must be aware of their limitations, needs, and benefits from technology.

Conclusion

In this research, the goal was to analyze the negative effects of technology on child health. Social, and psychological aspects of the situation were the focus. The interview with Dr. Hasan Talay, and the questionnaire applied to 50 parents have proven that (when compared and synthesized with the articles on technology and child health) not only physical (diseases, etc.) but also (and, indeed superior to it) psychological, social negative effects have been on children because of technology and that parents, and governments have focused on only the physical face of the situation. Technology solidarities children and, unfortunately, parents are not aware of this. Many parents take buying brand new products to their children as a gift and as a responsibility indeed. The more children expose to the technology, the more parents feel

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that they have done their job as parents and that they have fulfilled their responsibility. They suppose this process to be need-based and that the products (technology as a title) help their children to success in education. But it is important to monitor children during their exposure to technology and control it. Otherwise, as statistics show, their children may become unsocial and have psychological problems.

This research has based on situations as ‘terms’. It is important to focus on further attitudes, and time-fillers of children, for the research that may be made.

Van

Van'da Erciş'teyim!

Memleketimdeyim... Hava sıcacık, yemyeşil bir manzaraya sahip tüm şehir. Özlemişim; bilmiyorum ya da farkına varamıyorum doğrusu. Çok kısa süre içerisinde çok farklı iki şehirdeyim. O kadar farklılar ki! Ama öte yandan bu kadar farklılık olması artık bir düşün orucuna itiyor insanı. Sanki farkındalıklarımın farkında olmama gibi bir çabam varmış gibi hissediyorum. Tüm bu zıtlıkları görmezsem, görmezden gelirsem, görmediğimi, fark etmediğimi kendime kabullendirirsem, inanırsam bu benzemezliğe, daha mutlu olacakmışım gibi hissediyorum.

Bir ülke kendi içerisinde bu kadar farklılık gösterebilir mi ki? Ya da neden gösterir?

Fark ettikçe, tamam fark etmemeye çalışıyorum ama ne yapabilirim ki, insan üzülüyor gerçekten! İnsana verilen değerde bir eksiklik var; evet, en çok da bunu görmek üzüyor insanı. Bu eksiklik dünden bugüne gelmiştir bugün durup dururken ortaya çıkmamıştır. Ama bu durumun bilincinde olan yenilerin bu durumun böyle oluşuna ses çıkarmamaları ya da çıkardıkları sesin sadece kendi kulak kepçelerinde yitip gidişi de onları en az eskiler kadar hüzün-saçan (bu ne yahu:) yapar pek tabii ki!

İnsanların sırf coğrafi şartlar kıt diye daha zengin, daha verimli topraklara göç etmesini bekleyemeyiz ki! Ki şu halde tek çözüm o gibi görünüyor. Ama verimli diye teleffuz ettiğimiz topraklar da en çok bu sorundan muzdarip! Yani şehirler insan yükünü taşıyamaz hale geliyor gitgide.

Ben döneceğim sanırım Van'a. Okul biter bitmez... Kaderde nerelere gitmek, hangi şehirleri görmek vardır bilinmez; ama Van'a, Erciş'ime büyük heyecanla döneceğim ben. Yapacak, yapılabilecek çok şey var.

'Sen mi kurtaracaksın' yerine, keşke insanlara bir 'hadi bakalım' denilse! Özellikle öğretmenlerin mezuniyetleri sonrası hallerini aşırı idealist olarak tanımlar bazıları. O idealistliğe bir katkıda bulunulsa, destek verilse halbuki!

Konular kopuk kopuk oluyor ama... Öğrenilebilecek çok şey var hayatta. Her yaşta, her karış toprakta farklı bilgi birikimi beklemekte bizi. Biriktirebileceğimiz, paylaşabileceğimiz o kadar çok bilgimiz var ki...

Salı İstanbul'a döneceğim. Döndüğümün hiç farkında olmadan devam edeceğim kaldığım yerden. Ben farkına varmadan şivem değişecek örneğin ilkin, sonra uğraşılar ilgi ve ihtiyaçlar topyekün farklılaşacak.

Hayat; Türkiye'de hayat... Bir adım ötede mülteci gibi yaşamak! Yaşamak her şeye rağmen güzel! Yaşamı da var edene bin şükür!

Yürüyorum!

Ben de yol alıyorum şeffaflığıyla katreleri kıskandıran bir varlığın boyunduruğunda!

An(ı)lar ‘zamanın’ damlacıkları! Yüzüme çarpıyorlar her adımda…

İnsanlığın izleri her adımda; kimi kanlı,

kimi buz kesmiş sanki

hiç yara almadan,

ayaklarıma dek varmış, korumuş kendini.

Bir ötekinin iradesini asla fark edememiş ‘voltalar’; dünyayı kurtaran ‘adam’ sanki;

öte yandan, ‘adam’ kadar çaresiz…

Neden hep tekerrür eden insan yığınlarıyla dolu tarih? Acı neden tekerrür ediyor inadına;

ve gözyaşı, kan

ve sebil sanki canlar,

alınan/verilen…

İnsanın insan üzerine kurulu alışverişi/Kardeşin kardeşe üstünlüğü ve hala köleciliği…

Haykırışlar varıyor kulaklarıma; ne çok haykırmış ata-ları-mız… Ne çok işkence; ne çok isyan!

ben bir çocuğum;

gözlerime takılan ne çok ayıbı görmezden gelmiş atalarım!

İnsan insanı neden ve nasıl görmezden gel(ebil)miş;

cinayetler, savaşlar, soykırımlar…

Büyük bir yangının içindeyim,

ben küçük bir çocuğum;

ne çok günah kaynıyor bu cadı kazanında!

Kimi kör, kimi sağır, kimi dilsiz,

bir ötekini asla anlamayan, bir ötekini asla fark edemeyen bir insanlık bu,

doğdum ben ve

büyüyorum!

Ya da gitgide küçülüyor; ölüyorum!

Üzerime bombalar yağıyor! Rengârenk bir oyun, ışıl ışıl; oynuyoruz sanıyorum. Ötekilerle saklambaç, ‘oynuyoruz’ sanıyorum. Barış desem çıkacaklar, savaş desem saklanacaklar… Annem ve babam da saklanıyor sonra. Asla bulamıyorum. Ardından kardeşlerim de ötekilerin yanına gidiyor. Herkes benden saklanıyor, herkes benimle oynuyor sanıyorum.

Rengârenk bir oyun bu, ışıl ışıl her taraf; kızıl ve siyah bir gökkuşağı beliriyor evimin üzerinde. Gökyüzü üstüme düşüyor.

Büyük bir yangının içindeyim; kan ile harlanan bir yangının.

Beton yığınlarının arasındayım;

Yürüyorum!

Ötekiler yok; anlıyorum!

Bu bir oyun değil; büyüyorum ben…

Harap olmuş her evin içinden kocaman çocuklar çıkıyor. Onlara katılıyorum.

Tekerrür eden insan;

gözyaşlarımızı fark ediyoruz.

Ötekilerin kurtarıcılık/kahramanlık oynadıkları bir sahnede yapayalnız kalıyoruz. Zaman buz kesiyor! Tekerrür edecek büyük, en büyük bir acı daha doğuyor coğrafyamızda. Tüm çiçekler koparılmış; güzel olan hiçbir şey yerinde değil sanki. Bütün renkleri çalmış ötekiler; ölüm iklimindeyiz artık! Kendini, hiç yara almadan, koruyacak insanlığın utanç yüklü izleri!

Toprağımızda yürüyen herkesin ayaklarına yüreğimden akan kanlar bulaşacak.

Haykırışlarımız, ötekilerin her adımında kulaklarında yankılanacak.

Ötekilerin boğazından geçen her damla bizim açlığımıza takılacak.

Ötekilerin tüm oyunları bizim iklimimizde son bulacak.

Biliyorum!

Tırnaklarımın arasına dolan toprak ve ellerimdeki nasırlarla hatırlıyorum ben geleceği; yürüyorum, büyüyorum. Kulaklarımda içimi hala gıcırdatan metal sesleri… Bedenimde kendini hep hissettiren şarapneller… Biliyorum; zamanın damlacıkları çarpıyor yüzüme. Kendimi görüyorum her adımda. Bir ad’ım olmadan yaşıyorum.

Tıpkı ötekiler gibi.

*Unutulan, görmezden gelinen, ölüme terk edilen tüm savaş çocuklarının adına…

Cihat Albayrak

28 Mart 2009 İstanbul

Drama - Three Monkeys

Three Monkeys

‘Looking For Some More Meaning’

An Absurd Play of 4 Scene

By Cihat Albayrak

Blindy

(Blind begger)

Deafy

(Deaf begger)

Dumby

(Dumb begger)

Missi

(The girl)

Father

(The father)

Scene One

In a dining room. Evening.

Some cakes.

Missi and her father sit around a table and eat some cakes. Missi asks questions without interruption and the father doesn’t care much and doesnt’t give clear answers to her. Missi is irritated not to take satisfying answers.

FATHER: (full of cake in his mouth) You ask too many questions!

MISSI: I need to!

FATHER: It is dangerous to think too much on these matters. Just relax and enjoy your day

Missi.

MISSI: (irritated) You want me to take after you. To be indifferent to life!

FATHER: I call it ‘enjoying’, honey. Just try…

MISSI: (interrupting her father) Dad, why I have to go to school even though I do not

like to?

FATHER: Because you ‘HAVE TO’!

Missi freezes her father and goes on talking to herself taking a new cake in her hand

MISSI: (looks into the eyes of her father and laughs) You make me crazy Dad! Can’t you

see that I-am-not-happy? ‘Missi study; Missi read it; Missi solve it; Missi think

it!’ What a meaningless thing is it to be instructed to think!

The father regains his consciousness

FATHER: What did happen? I don’t feel good. Something strange happen to me nowadays.

MISSI: I know that Dad! But there must be another way. Or reasons to convince me.

FATHER: Because I want you to…

MISSI: It is nonsense to spend our lives reading coursebooks and than working for

nothing.

FATHER: It’s important to read Missi…

MISSI: That’s why you have read just one book after graduating from university? And of

course, if we can call a ‘users’ manual’ as book…

FATHER: I would read more if I had any time. But I have to work, you know.

MISSI: Why we have to have jobs that allow no time for us to do things that we like to?

FATHER: You must try to like things that you have to do. That’s the point honey!

Missi freezes her father again

MISSI: (with a mocking tone) That’s-the-point-honey!

The father regains his consciousness again

MISSI: I see Dad. You say it is unnecessary to talk about freedom, transparency, famine,

global warming, child abuse, crises, wars and etc.

FATHER: Yes, and etc. It has not a meaningful end. That will not earn you anything.

MISSI: You are right.

Missi freezes her father

MISSI: It is NONSENSE to discuss with you.

The father regains his consciousness

MISSI: Dad, I don’t feel ok today. I will not go to school.

FATHER: It’s ok honey; you have a lifetime to go to school!

Scene Two

Corner of a street.

Afternoon.

Blindy, Deafy and Dumby sit next to each other on the corner of the street. Each try to beg witl all the talent specific to them. There is nobody around.

BLINDY: (irritated) Is there any costumer around?

DUMBY: (telling Deafy, what has Blindy said, by his body language)

BLINDY: Hey, answer me?

DEAFY: (hurriedly, too loudly) No, not indeed!

BLINDY: How much we have?

DUMBY: (taking the coins in his hand and showing them to Deafy with a glance)

DEAFY: Just three dollars…

BLINDY: Three beggers and three dollars in almost three hours! What a poor day is this!

DEAFY: Have we got anything to eat?

BLINDY: (falling into laughter) Of course Excellency! What would you like to have as an

appetizer? Bread or bread?

DUMBY: (showing the bread and telling Deafy by his body language that they have only

bread.)

DEAFY: It is becoming harder and harder to beg in this country! I think I will look for

another job.

BLINDY: (again laughing) Maybe we make a mistake. You know man, demand and supply! I think, three ‘beggers’ is too much for this corner! Did you get it?

DUMBY: (making meaningless movements with a meaningless look on his face.)

DEAFY: Is it funny? Do you think this is funny? People get more insensitive with every

new day. Remember, what Dickens says? It is a matter of expectation. People want to be equal with their friends. If they are rich, than they want to have the same richness. And if they are poor, than it is not important to be equally poor.

BLINDY: We are the poors! (in a victorious tone) We-are-the-poors!

DUMBY: (showing his pockets out; a movement which shows that they are really poor)

DEAFY: (shouting)People do not mind us! Don’t you see?

BLINDY: I see, I SEE!

DEAFY: They are lost in their daily works. Always struggle for more and have nothing at

last.

Dumby and Deafy talk to each other with body language

DUMBY: Relax!

DEAFY: Do I need to?

DUMBY: Everybody needs!

DEAFY: What about you?

DUMBY: I’m a gifted man. I think twice and say once. (smiles)

DEAFY: Of course, of course! Would you do if you had any other chance?

BLINDY: What’s up man?

DUMBY: (telling Deafy that Blindy is back again)

DEAFY: Most of the things that people do are nonsense! It is nonsense that people consume their time in vain by planning it with schedules in any moment.

Missi comes nearer to the corner of the street where the three beggers sit next

to each other and stops in front of them

BLINDY: (obsessed) Hey, shut up! I hear someone coming nearer. Come on; it’s time to beg!

DUMBY: (tries to tell Deafy that someone is coming)

DEAFY: Please lady, help these three old man! Please give some coins for something to eat!

BLINDY: Wouldn’t you want to make these three poor man happy?

DUMBY: (opens his hands with a wish of some money)

MISSI: (smiling)You three are so sweet! But I don’t have any money.

BLINDY: You are not a begger too, are you?

MISSI: No Sir, not indeed! I just beg for some meaning.

BLINDY: (happily)Did you hear? She called me ‘Sir’! Did you hear her?

DEAFY:

(falling into laughter)

DUMBY:

MISSI: Forgive me Sir, did I say something wrong?

BLINDY: No, of course no! But, what did you say? Do you beg for meaning?

MISSI: Yes.

BLINDY: We have no meaning for a child, especially for a rich child! Sorry! (laughing

again)What you want to have a meaning for?

MISSI: I am unhappy. But I can’t see any meaning in being happy. People look like happy.

But it is so foolish to look like; to pretend to be happy. That’s not something

related to the amount of things that you have or do not have. That is a problem of

employing a meaning to the things that you have and an aim for the things that you

do not have. And apart from all these, my father is indifferent to my questionfull

life!

BLINDY: I see. (hesitating) I mean I understand you.

MISSI: You are so funny Sir.

BLINDY: She continues calling me as ‘Sir’…

MISSI: Do you know each other?

DUMBY: (hugs Blindy and Deafy)

BLINDY: Yes in a sense and no in another sense!

MISSI: How can this be possible?

BLINDY: Do you really want to know?

MISSI: Yes, sure.

BLINDY: I know Dumby, because he always keeps my hand but I don’t know him, because I

have never seen him. I have never seen Deafy, that’s why I don’t know him. But I

have listened to him more than anybody else, that’s why I know him well. Dumby

doesn’t know me, because he has never talked to me. But he knows me well,

because he has heard my voice more than anybody else’s. Dumby knows Deafy he

has heard him almost as much as me, and has seen him more than anybody else.

But he doesn’t know him, because he has never talked to him. Deafy knows me

because he has seen me more than anybody else, and talked to me more than

anybody else he has had. But he doesn’t know me, because he has never heard me.

Deafy knows Dumby…

Missi freezes all the three beggers

MISSI: That’s an answer! I have never heard such an answer from Dad. What if this man

were my father! Than everything would definitely be more meaningful.

The three beggers regain their consciousness

MISSI: I think that’s something meaningful.

BLINDY: I think I have gone crazy.

DUMBY: (looks to his right and left sides, controlling anything abnormal)

DEAFY: What happened us? I feel hungry. What we have to eat?

BLIND: Excellency is back! (laughing)

MISSI: (laughing)

BLINDY: Bread with bread sausage is the special of the day monsieur!

DUMBY: (shows Deafy the bread and laughs)

MISSI: I would like to stay here more with you, but I must go now. Thank you, that you

made me reallyhappy. I wish I could help you.

BLINDY: It was enough to be called as a ‘SIR’ Lady! What’s your name, by the way?

MISSI: Missi, Sir. See you soon.

Scene Three

In a bedroom.

The three beggers are at their home. They prepare to sleep and have a talk

evaluating the day.

BLINDY: Don’t you think that we are lucky than many people?

DUMBY: (making meaningless movements again to tell Deafy what has Blindy said)

BLINDY: I can’t see; but I hear every word. I can hear better than many people. You Dumby,

can not speak, but you can hear better than many people. You Deafy, you can’t

hear, but you can shout more than anybody can. Hey Deafy, I talk to you!

DEAFY: What is going on there? You are again talking about me, aren’t you?

BLINDY: We were just talking about your successful life monsieur.

DUMBY: (laughing and telling Deafy that Blındy talks about their disablements and talents)

BLINDY: We may be disabled in some parts, but we are more talented in other parts

according to other people.

DUMBY: (making meaningless movements to tell Deafy what Blindy has said)

DEAFY: (laughing)

BLINDY: It is important to be aware of that. It is important to be aware of your talents,

capabilities.

DEAFY: Hey, what is this poor blind talking about! Sleep gentleman; we will have a long

begging ceremony tomorrow…

BLINDY: Than you may have eyes to look something; but you may not be able to see

anything. You may have healthy ears to listen, but it is up to you to be able to hear.

You decide what to see and hear. You may have a tongue to utter your thoughts;

but you may not be able to speak in any occasions. That’s a matter of choice.

People shorten or lenghten their time according to their choices.

DUMBY: (touchs Blindy’s shoulders to show his understanding)

BLINDY: (emotionally)People don’t want to see many things/people, they pretend not to see;

than they make themselves blind! And people don’t want to hear many

things/people, they pretend not to hear; than they make themselves dumb! People

don’t want to talk about many things/people/occasions; they pretend not to be

interested, not to have any idea about. They prefer to be silent!

DUMBY: (thoughtful)

BLINDY: What if you could speak! I know that you would speak in any aggreement or

disagreement of yourself. You wouldn’t keep silent!

DUMBY: (touchs Blindy’s shoulders again. Tells Deafy that he wants to sleep. Wants Deafy

to tell this to Blindy, and tell that he agrees with him.)

DEAFY: (laughing)He says he loves you. He agrees to sleep now. Have a good sleep.

BLINDY: (smiling)You must listen more, you Deafy! Good night…

Scene Four

Corner of a street. A tree.

Morning.

Blindy, Deafy and Dumby sit next to each other on the corner of the street. They try to beg in their full performances. Missi comes.

MISSI: (excited)Good morning!

BLINDY: (happy)Missi, is it you?

MISSI: Yes, Sir.

BLINDY: (smiling)Ok, now I’m sure that it is YOU.

DEAFY: (curious)What’s up Missi? What are you doing here in such an early hour?

BLINDY: You must be going to school?

DUMBY: (nods his head agreeing that she must be going to school.)

MISSI: (embarrassed)I want to stay here with you and talk.

BLINDY: This means that you don’t want to go to school?

MISSI: Yes Sir.

Deafy and Dumby talk to each other with body language

DEAFY: Why is this girl here in this hour?

DUMBY: She says she wants to stay here and talk with us.

DEAFY: Interesting. Doesn’t she go to school?

DUMBY: She says she doesn’t want to.

DEAFY: She must have some problems.

DUMBY: We will learn.

DEAFY: Listen her; listen, my man! You listening machine!

BLINDY: Why don’t you want to go to school?

MISSI: (determined)I see it meaningless.

BLINDY: (confused)But it is important to read!

MISSI: It depends on what you read.

BLINDY: You are right.

MISSI: I don’t want to read books that earn me nothing.

BLINDY: I understand.

Missi takes out some cakes from her bag. Deafy and Dumby take them from her hands. They eat like horses. They laugh and don’t give any cakes to Blindy.

BLINDY: Hey, what’s going on there? What are you doing?

DEAFY:

(laughing)

DUMBY:

BLINDY: Missi, tell me what these poors do.

MISSI: Here you are Sir, I have brought some cakes for you.

BLINDY: You disableds! Were you going to eat all of them yourself. You hungry horses!

MISSI: (laughing)

BLINDY: Did you have permission to bring these?

MISSI: No, but I did them myself.

BLINDY: Are you serious? They are so delicious Missi.

MISSI: Thank you Sir. I have brought some money for you, too.

BLINDY: You don’t have to. (laughing)You are not a costumer.

DUMBY: (laughing and telling Deafy what has Missi said)

DEAFY: (shocked)How did you get this money?

Missi freezes the three beggers

MISSI: I have stolen it from Dad. I have taken the money that he doesn’t need but that is

very important for you. What is the point in collecting that much money

eventhough you don’t need and many other people need it to live. How can I say

you that I have stolen it? A-ha, I know!

The three beggers regain their consciousness

MISSI: I found it! On the first corner of the street.

DEAFY: I have never seen that much Money together in a place.

BLINDY: You must be joking Missi!

MISSI: No, I swear.

BLINDY: Ok, we believe you. But, we can’t take this money. It may possess to a person that

really needs it. Or, even if you can’t find the owner of the money, it belongs to

your! We can not take it.

MISSI: I don’t need it. Please take it. You must take. You need it.

Deafy and Dumby look to each other. Blindy asks the opinions of his friends. They decide to take money and than think on hot to find the owner of the money.

MISSI: One more thing; I want to stay with you tonight!

BLINDY: You must have gone crazy!

MISSI: No, I am serious. I want to have a day with you. I want to see how is it to be a

begger. I want to understand how is it to live just like a begger.

BLINDY: I can’t understand. Just say that ‘you want to beg’, so as to complete the nightmare.

MISSI: Please allow me. I want to stay with you today.

DEAFY: What does she say?

DUMBY: (tells Deafy that Missi has gone crazy)

DEAFY: Ah, I can imagine!

BLINDY: Ok, girl. But you must not stay near us too much. Or else, we will not have any

costumer. Understand me?

MISSI: Yes, Sir. I will sit on the other corner. But before it, I want you to answer some

questions.

BLINDY: O my God. Ok, Ok! (showing his ear)I am listening…

MISSI: Tell me about your world. How is it not to see any thing?

BLINDY: I can’t tell that. You must live it to understand.

MISSI: (frightened)What you mean?

BLINDY: Close your eyes just for a day. And try to live in this way. You can understand

than, how is it to be a blind, tol ive like a blind in a sense.

MISSI: (happy to hear that kind of an answer)What about you Dumby?

DUMBY: (telling Deafy to say Missi that, she must do the same thing; not to speak any word

during a day, not to answer anybody/anything)

DEAFY: He says, you must shut your mouth up during a day to feel what he feels.

BLINDY: What kind of a brain you have Deafy!

MISSI: And, what about….

The father appears on the other corner of the street. Missi becomes afraid.

MISSI: I, I must hide. My Dad comes. Please, please don’t tell him that you have seen me.

Missi hides behind a tree. The father appears.

FATHER: (looks very frightened and is in a rush)Excuse me, have you seen a girl here? She

is 15. She was wearing a red cloth. She is out with a big sum of money. I’m afraid

that something bad will happen to her, or has already happened!

Dumby tells the situation to Deafy by some quick movements. Blindy closes his eyes with his hands. Deafy closes his ears with his hands. Dumby closes his mouth with his hands. The three beggers look like ‘the three monkeys’.

BLINDY: I have not seen.

DEAFY: (tells that he has not heard by closing his ears.)

DUMBY: I don’t know.

FATHER: Ok, thank you.

BLINDY: (with an upset tone)Would you want to give some coins to these poor man?

FATHER: (surprised to hear that)Oh, yes sure. I just forgot.(gives a note of ten dollars)

DUMBY: Thank you Sir! God save you. You will find your girl Sir. Do not wonder.

The father walks away. Missi appears and comes nearer to the beggers.

MISSI: (anxious)What did he say? What did you talk about with him? Tell me…

BLINDY: You neend’t give us money. We have told you that we did not count you as a

costumer. By the way, we had a ten dolar note from your father. Forgive us. But

that’s our job!

MISSI: He asked me, didn’t he?

BLINDY: Missi, you shouldn’t have told us a lie. We accepted the Money, because we knew

that you had not found it. It is mportant to help people. But it is not always a must

to give money to help somebody. You called me ‘Sir’ that was a great help. You

made and brought us cake; that was a great help for my two horses, Dumby and

Deafy.

MISSI: (ashamed)I just wanted to…

DEAFY: (hugs Missi)

DUMBY: (in a quiet tone which is unusual for him)Missi, you must give the money back to

your father.

MISSI: But…

BLINDY: You will give it back. And I think you mean a great importance for your father!

He was so curious and afraid. I think you have begged for a great meaning. You

will find many answers with your father.

DUMBY: Everybody bears as disabled! But some of them stays so. Some HAS TO, but

some DECIDE to stay as disabled.

BLINDY: That’s meaningfull, right?

MISSI: Thank you, Sir. Thank you all.

Missi goes away and disappears with the money.

DUMBY: Yes gentleman, we stayed alone again. What we HAVE TO eat?

BLINDY: Bread, with a sausage of MEANING.