The Devil Lies Not in the Details but the Context – So Says @azizmola

I have this thing where if I don’t know a source of a quote I will use the statement,  ’A wise man once said…’  I cannot trace the source of this practice but do believe it started out while writing compositions in primary school. I remember using wise sayings would get you a few additional points or something to that end. So, a wise man once said that the devil lies in the details but I would like to disagree with this statement.

The devil does not lie in the details but the context.  As human we are wired to jump into conclusions (majority of us) and pass judgement on the book cover. As much as you’d like to know the details of a crime, law has evolved in such a way that the context takes first consideration. This is the fine line between First Degree murder, Second Degree murder and Manslaughter.

For the past few weeks we have been hearing a lot about cases of man does animal, be it a chicken, a dog, a goat, a cow and most recently a donkey. Let’s take the chicken case for instance. It was the subject of much debate with some friends/acquaintances a week ago. So, how does one really do a chicken (to death)? This is something that requires a lot of thought as we can only theorize on the act. But still away from the details of such “ungodly” an act, what is the context behind the happening. Who is asking the questions such as what drove the man to the point where he sought conjugal rights from the animal. You could argue that that is what prostitution is for depending on your moral leanings. It is cheaper than a chicken in some areas.

Apparently in Colombia it’s a rite of passage for boys to do it with a donkey (as was informed by one B.W). Again the thought is to quickly judge and jump into the details of such practice but I ask what the context is? We can go on and on arguing about the morality of such practices but we must put in an effort to understand what brought it about. This is not the first time that man is doing animals. Proper research can show you a list of cases and practices that have coitus between humans and animals. Even some porn films have such acts (disclaimer: I have not watched any but I have heard the stories)

I read once an article asking why Americans do not eat horses. Apparently in France horse meat is a delicacy. Before you jump into conclusions you have to understand the history behind the horse eating practice. It can be traced back to the revolution. The horses maintained by aristocrats as a sign of prestige ended up alleviating the hunger of the lower classes. I stand to be corrected on this for history is not my forte. Back home, what is the fuss behind donkey meat? Is it because we are not informed of where the meat is from or is it because it’s a donkey? Not that I would personally eat donkey meat but if it’s fit for human consumption that why not.

Lastly, during the Storymoja Inthync Ideagasm F.W asked how many in the room had slept with a man. The hands of the females in the room were quick to go up but it took a while for most of the guys to raise their hands. Why? We quickly jump into conclusion as to the details of the question before we really think of its context.

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Euticus is lover of poetry, music and photography. He masquerades as a computer scientist and part accountant but mostly enjoys writing and project management.

He loves video games, especially FiFa and Call of Duty and is looking to travel to Brazil for the world cup in 2014.

He writes for several blogs and is the cofounder of africanplato.com and beershara.co.ke. He can be found on twitter @azizmola