Fragile Strength: The Freedom-seeking People in "Broken Keys" (Part 2)

Music: The Dialectics of Vulnerability and Strength

When he plays the piano, we can imagine: there is a huge world behind him, how small he is in this world, and how lonely his back is. What's the use of this? play. Not only did others ask him, but he couldn't control himself and kept asking himself; the sounds of gunshots, explosions, death, and silence around him kept pestering us, asking us to ask ourselves this question.

We see how fragile music is when terrorists smash the keys. Music needs a space, a precisely tuned instrument, a person and his skills, his fingers, to convert the score in his mind into the reality of this world. Look, fragile music! As long as an element is blocked, as long as a note is forced to stop, it is not a complete composition. It appears that the entire piece of music has been destroyed. In the face of violence and hatred, music always seems so powerless, so humble, that it will soon be uprooted into eternal silence.

So what about our lives?

A mother with a few children on the way to escape; a policeman who confronts a gangster with a hostage in his hand; a teacher and doctor who is eager to understand each other and help people relieve pain. These people are very vulnerable; they are often caught in many difficult situations. Because none of them can be missing. A real mother can't say: I give up this one in order to take the other; unless she thinks her giving up will give better care to the child. There is no way to increase the stakes, it is easy to be threatened, and the vulnerability of children is also the vulnerability of those who love them. In contrast, violence seems to be more convenient; I don't care how much is lost, how much damage it will cause, I only care that "some" purpose will be achieved, and nothing else.

However, her strength is hidden in fragility. Our lives are of course fragile; however, it is only when we look directly at this with our eyes, and accept that everything we hold dear is fleeting, that we find what really matters to us. Let's think about those terrorists, or what we meet in our lives: proud people, stubborn people, unscrupulous people, what are they after? The achievement of a goal, the accumulation of wealth, a position or a name; but must he do it? Terrorists need numbers and weapons, and it doesn't make any difference if someone (numbers) operates the weapons; someone accumulates and enjoys wealth, so what does he want to enjoy? This is wealth itself cannot answer him, only he can tell himself. Their strength is that they are not afraid of sacrifice, but that is their weakness: the reason is, if there is not a single note, how can there be a music? From within our lives, one note after another emerges; however, someone decides to plug their ears, to let one of those voices repeat vacantly, and declare: This is, "I." However, some people cherish many notes, each of which cannot be replaced, and the loss of any one is painful; that is our vulnerability, but also our life, integrity and strength.

At the beginning of "Broken Keys", in a township that lacks materials and instruments, we lift people up the steps and still have to save them. Kaelin sat in front of the piano and played slowly; even if there was no anesthesia, even if it was painful, he hoped that the attention of the injured would be slightly absorbed and the operation would be successful. No one is missing, no note is unimportant; this is a piece of music, this is our world.

subtle

Even if the piano is blown to pieces;

Even if we can't find the keys,

Too fine and become powder.

We still play.

In fear, by the butt of a gun,

In hiding and dark spaces.

Our lives are silent under the burden,

But run and jump in silence.