I C A R C H

International Competitions in Architecture

A House for a Suicide Soldier

A HOUSE FOR A SUICIDE SOLDIER

https://www.yahoo.com/health/preventing-soldier-suicides-a-new-development-emerges-102467842457.html

Who needs mental health treatment…?

The poor soldiers who, immensely depressed by the tragic futility of wars commit suicide, or those who provoke those wars…?!?

We find it incredible, actually, reading that “finally” the solution to the growing number of suicides amongst soldiers is (are you ready for this…?) a “mathematical algorithm."

Yes, indeed… wasn’t it obvious all along…???????

Ahhhhhhhh…. If it could be so simple… but at a time obsessed by the childish belief that science and algorithms can solve anything, even the deep seated distress in the human soul, what are we to expect…???

Numbers, numbers, numbers…

Of course, everything is rational, codifiable in numbers, easily “understood” by the soulless language of mathematics and science.

If we could only use a mathematical algorithm to cure the world of the countless criminals who launch wars…!!!!!!!!

Instead of trying to find a cure for the poor suicide soldiers, maybe we should try, instead, to find the magical “mathematical algorithms" that would cure the world of the warmongers of this world… and, unfortunately, there are so many of them, indeed.

Isn't it strange...? Exactly when the news reported the beautiful landing of a human space station on a certain crater, a marvel, indeed, of human engineering, the very same news also reported the "findings" about the soldiers' suicides...

We are able to reach far into the physical depth, but we seem to still have great troubles to reach into the depth of the human soul... and maybe while to reach "deep space" (that is, physical space) "mathematical algorithms" are sufficient, for the inner space, that is for the "deep space" of our soul, matters are not so simple.

As Ingmar Bergman said, "we are emotional illiterates".

And in the field of human emotions "mathematical algorithms" simply do not work.

When are we to understand this...?!?

Yes, by descending into the depth of the human soul we might not be able, so easily, to orient our efforts towards a distant comet... but will it not be worth it...?!?

While we can only admire and applaud the success of the space mission, we can only deplore that such an undeniable success does not find an equal one in the field of human affairs.

We continue to kill each other... and wonder why solders, who are supposed to be "strong," turn the kinve, or the rifle, against their own trembling self.

Design A HOUSE FOR A SUICIDE SOLDIER - even if no glossy magazine would ever publish such an "unnerving" house, on such a "depressing" topic.

But unless we address this topic, the knives and guns and riffles and bullets of this world will continue to kill and self-kill those who are supposed to be brave, but who, like anyone else, tremble and bleed... since to be brave does not mean to be insensitive. The injustice and tragedy of war shouldn't let anyone indifferent.

Thank you.

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