Malala Yousafzai and Nobel Peace Prize

By Xah Lee. Date:

so, recently there's hot chat about this 16 years old girl Malala Yousafzai being the candidate for Nobel Prize. My instant reaction is sneer.

first of all, she's 16, and a girl. What does 16 years old know about this world?

the key, is that she's been shot, a bullet went thru her head, and she's a cute sweet 16 girl of the middle east, one that is picked and aligned with Western white men's political side.

there are quite a lot teens, who'd die for their cause. Aren't there a ton of such heroic boys for Islam?

the above are offensive thoughts to the typical white men. But then, i though, are there deeper, philosophically valuable reason i can give for my innate hatred of the pop?

Here's one. Let's suppose, if the world suddenly has 10 thousand more people like her. Would the world be a better place?

i kinda doubt it.

if there are 10 thousand like her, perhaps the wold would be more contentious place, more reformers or trouble-makers. The result is not necessary more progress, happiness, harmony, prosperity. Maybe even less.

what kinda person or deed should a “peace prize” be given to then?

am not too sure. I think the existence of such a award verily contribute to none-peace. Well, actually, there are circumstances it is worth meriting. For example, when someone in great power gave up his power, surrender in war to another country 10th his power, that would be admirable. Such a person, probably will not rise to any prominence in the first place.

Jean-Paul Sartre turned down Nobel Prize. He said something to the effect that Nobel Price is for Western conformists and other country's rebels.