Wokeness versus Humanity

I once wrote that humans do not go about grunting, screeching, warbling, howling, roaring, etc., due to the amazing grey mass mounted inside our heads. A grey mass that has helped humanity get to a state of technological, engineering, agricultural and medical prosperity never before seen in history.

Humans are very industrious and adept at sorting out problems and challenges on the path of life, irrespective of opposition, strife and personal disabilities.

Yet, it is that very same grey matter that is leading a minority of humans to the belief that life is not about realities (or science) but about feelings. Feelings that are based on self-justification, self-aggrandizement and self-interest.

Said feelings leads said minorities to the uppermost belief that they have the answers to “Life, the Universe and Everything” else. – (D Adams). Something that they will shove down our throats at every given opportunity without much though as to how we feel about a given topic.

The typical rationale is that if they annoy the public enough, the government will be forced to give in to their one-sided demands.

The typical hide-behind is the tried and tested it-is-our-right-to-protest which usually prompts the police to defends said rights; even if the rights of others are being impinged on.

Of late, many video-clips of said protests have made their way onto social media platforms thus making them more accessible by the public at large. The interesting bit is that, by-and-large, the public commentaries are anti- what the protesters are trying to achieve.

In some countries, the police molly-coddle said protesters while in others, they disperse said protest with a modicum of severity.

One thing that is very noticeable is that the activist protesters have a mantra that they stick too irrespective of the questions being asked. And if they are pressed into explaining their actions (or beliefs,) they retort to shouting, screeching, barking, meowing and the like, thus making the matter at hand impossible to comprehend.

Every generation has had its fair share of anti-establishment movements that opposed (mostly without much rational thought but plenty of emotional rhetoric) the Government of the day – at least the ‘Hippies’ had lots of love to go with their protests.

Personally, the present day ‘woke’ or ‘cancel-culture’ activist movements makes no sense or presents a form of deducible validation as to their extreme actions: Yes, Save the Planet. But what about all the disparities and responsibility-tendrils that goes with said statement?

Humans have spent the last thousands of years dying, suffering and living, all in the hope of a better future, just for it all to be declared null-and-void by some that don’t like life.

History will one day tell a story of the efficacy or idiocy of said movements. As things stand, it is highly likely that it will all come to pass as just another attempt at changing life by some extremists.

The arithmetic of human-transformation is rather complicated for anything averaged by 8 billion people (and growing) is rather pitiful in content. Add cultures, diversity and gender into the mix and the numbers pale into insignificance.

For now, all one can hope for is that Politicians/Law Makers pay no heed to extreme activism, allow law-enforcement to do its job and pay just as much attention to the masses as what they do to the minorities.

Ends

Old Age, Denial and Legacies

The subject of old age (a life disruptor) intrigues me on a personal level. It’s as if being on the outskirts of old age, and possibly in it, has changed my viewpoint of life, old age denial and medicine.

It is a given that one does not live long enough to experience all that life has to offer or throw in one’s way. And indications are that no number of life-times will expose one to all that is there to be experienced.

Too many, old age is experienced to the full. Others don’t get to experience old age due to the ravages of war, accidents, injuries, work, sickness, terrorism, murder, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, etc.

Those that consider themselves lucky to have ‘outlived’ old age, would have endured pain in one form or another, the anxiety associated with a diminishing memory, experienced varying degrees of sicknesses, lived through embarrassing bodily functions, carried around a body that was riddled with groans-and-moans associated with wear-and-tear, consumed tons of medicine and visited the doctor on a regular basis. In the end, irrespective of how hard they worked at maintaining a modicum of fitness and health during their old age, they still succumbed to the ‘great equalizer.’

What is intriguing, is the onset of old-age Denial. It’s as if the realization of having one foot in the grave drives many to such levels of denial so as to stave of the ravishes of old-age. To the old-timers, realities, become figments of the imagination, driving them to becoming suffocating moralistic, undesirably negative or annoyingly positive (depending on the predisposition of the individual,) and aggressive when the world does not listen to their so called ‘wisdom.’

Thus, normal conversations are rare, as any perceived inference by said old person of being wrong or deemed incapable, demands the unleashing of the claws of denial. The problem is that such attacks of denial by the aged are quickly relegated to the annals of ‘hum-ja’ by the younger others.

Other signs of old-age denial are the visible displays of fitness and mental powers: all the sudden, showing off mental acuities, exercising, healthy eating, and avoiding chemical-based pharmacology; be it pills, food, supplements and esoteric routines, are all the rage. Usually, the one involved in said healthy practices wants others to join them in their quest for longevity: and become highly moralistic and soap-boxy if one does not follow them in their quest.

The issue of being relevant (purpose, identity, power, relationships, routine) is the ‘Alma-mater’ of most old age conflicts.

The other observable sign of old-age is the vigorous need to undertaking artisan tasks. Tasks that were undertaken with ease in their youth. Most will go out of their physical powers to prove that they are still as capable as what they were; until they are injured that is, then they complain like mad when things don’t work out as they used to and if the injury takes ages to heal, scapegoats are manufactured and blamed for said delays.

*It is understood why old-age therapists advocate painting, music and gardening as a form of physical exercise and mental stimulation for they are the least invasive and intrusive on the boundaries of an ageing body.

Old age is supposed to be a time of stock-taking, time-management, enjoying hobbies, playing with grand-kids, making the most of a given situation, scaling down on secular activities i.e., banking chores, household maintenance, minimizing responsibilities, and going for casual walks or traveling.

Going against the grain just to prove that one is still able and capable, does nothing to ease family tensions as they are the ones who have to pick up the pieces re accidents, sicknesses, bed-side assistance, physio rehabilitation processes, shopping, fiduciary management, etc.

The question that remains is when does old age kick in? As usual, it depends on the quirks of the body, possible genealogy, mental breakdown, physical attributes and circumstances. Some are healthy until they are not and it usually happens overnight. Some, breakdown early in their lives. Some manage to live with mental ailments and physical breakdowns past their octogenarian stage. But only a few manage to get away without a hint of mental disengagements or some form of physical breakdown.

The rule-of-thumb, as per medical data, is that old age sets in at ± 60 to 70 years of age. Said age is based on statistics (generalities) and not individual longevities – longevity practices are mostly based on anecdotal evidence and not scientific data. Thus, saying that one’s longevity prognosis is good due to having lived a healthy life, is fallacious in concept.

Thus, old age and all its effects and maladies remains a contentious issue which will not go away. Resisting old age is counter intuitive but understandable given its implications and inevitable certainty.

Maybe if stories of public-interest did not only focus on the good-news exceptions, but rather on the general suffering experienced by the majority of old-timers, the anxiety and outlook surrounding what old-age means would not hurt that much.

The adage of balance and temperance should be taken notice off and applied by all old timers.

One way or the other, life does not care whether one lives to a ripe old age. Making it harder on others just because one feels that one is owed accolades and praises for having lived long does not change the what is: legacies are things of books, photographs, digital postings, etc., and not the human mind: it is said that it takes is one generation for legacies to evaporate!?

It should be remembered that life is one long lesson in humility for graveyards are full of irreplaceable people.

As Stephen King wrote in the movie Shawshank Redemption; “get busy living or get busy dying.” Acceptance of this principle should make life easier all round.

Ends

The case for the Homo Sapiens

If one takes a gander at postings across social media platforms, one will come across lots of commentaries relating to the stupidity of human beings; most being of people calling other humans stupid due to their actions, behaviour and belief structures. The interesting bit is that to others, we are those people that we term as stupid.

What make the Homo Sapiens so otherwise is diversity: A dog is a dog is a dog, but humans are as diverse from each other as there are sand grains on a beach. Even our emotions, although similar, are so different that even a learned criminal profiler battles to come up with a profile that is 100% accurate.

In the animal world, of which we form part of, there is very little difference between the genders. A lioness will react to situations like their counterparts (except for the obvious differences) whereas a human male reacts quite differently to situations as opposed to the female of the species.

The physiological part of being human is one of the few differences between beings that can be measured and managed. Those who partake in the sport of athletics will attest to the differences in performances, endurance and timings. Coaches base their performance and dietary programs on said differences.

Yet there is a growing body of modern world ‘wokeness’ that vilifies the differences to the point where biology, anthropology and medical knowledge is made up to be nonsense and in need of revision; all in their quest towards a more ‘genteel’ world. The irony is that they assume that they alone possess the knowledge and know-how to the way of the world.

History attests to how the human animal has used said differences to its benefit and downfall. And it all shows how humans have managed to reinvent themselves technologically to a point where life comprises of technology as the main sustainer of life. This synopsis in itself shows the human animal at play without much regard for its health and well being; which is in keeping to the ethos that the human spirit is neither good or bad, it just is!

Nature does not care what happens in the circle of life as long as the propagation of life is continued. If a species goes extinct, nature continues unabated for it has time on its side, for life, in the big picture, is all about time.

Unfortunately, the Homo Sapiens, by nature, believes that it can control every eventuality thus making it a megalomaniac species. And it plays the role to perfection and to the detriment of itself. Throughout the ages, the way humankind has carried itself is testament of an internal struggle of mortality versus legacy. A role that most humans will pursue vehemently and all else be damned.

Yet, there is a kind and thoughtful side to this unfathomable animal. Take a catastrophe where human life is affected, and the majority will rally together to help those in need. Whether these acts are altruistic in themselves has not being figured out yet, but what is evident is that acts-of-kindness are generally short lived. Returning to normal is a huge necessity amongst the living.

The creative side of humanity is all encompassing. It is the one consistency that can be catalogued and verified throughout history. Unfortunately, sacrifices will usually be made to the detriment of others: A father that works hard to provide for the family will usually get to old age with very little memories of family interactions and ‘grown’ progenies that have very little regard for his sacrifices.

Technology has grown and improved in leaps and bounds to such an extent that being seen with a smartphone in one’s hands is not seen as a curse. The perceived Climate Crisis has forced Architects to rethink the way buildings are designed and constructed: Being climate friendly being the operative word. The way electricity is generated is under the microscope due to the Climate Crisis, to such an extent that Engineers are forced to rethink and reevaluate staid electrical generation methods. Human transportation is also under heavy scrutiny due to the Climate Crisis. Many up-and-coming design Engineers are working hard to provide a cleaner method of transporting humans and goods from point A to B; some will go as far as saying ‘a safer way of transporting humans and goods.’

The spread of information is so pervasive that it has become impossible to acquire and digest the available tomes of accessible information. Computers are so efficient at the acquisition and dissemination of information that living a relaxed life, especially in Cities, Towns and Suburbia, is virtually impossible. Even rural establishments are fast catching up to the technological explosion.

Communications in all its guises has experienced a global explosion. Nothing is beyond reach, and secrets are basically a thing of the past: what happens somewhere around the globe is quickly transmitted to other parts of the world at the speed of light. An ideal that is widely optimized by the news media to great effect. Having to book a trunk-call to be able to speak to someone on the other side of the world is so old fashioned that few modern folk will know what a trunk-call is. Today, making a call to someone on the far side is the world is as easy as picking up a mobile phone (Cell phone) and making said call; and the response is quick, dynamic and instantaneous. And one can perform other tasks while on said call: direct messages, e-mails, surfing social media platforms, listening to music and on-the-run research.

Health issues can be researched and dealt with on a virtual basis. Some Companies are making use of the available technology to avail their clients of instantaneous medical, legal and accounting diagnostics thus allowing for informed decision making by their clients. Some even offer information gathering applications that keep track of fitness programs, sleep patterns, heart rates, blood pressure, blood sugar, etc, and relay said information to a designated health practitioner for diagnosis and design of preventative actions. There is a reason why the mortality rate has increased and keeps increasing.

Technology has, by its very design, done away with the one size fits all designs and precepts. Individuality has become the new colour of enlightenment and fulfilment. The whole precept has elevated the old adage of ‘knowledge is power’ to new levels of personal growth and development. The Whole is no longer relevant. It is now all about the individual and its non-binary wants.

Activism is a growing activity due to the technological advances. No longer are stationary soapboxes required to attract audiences to one’s way of thinking or concerns. Political shenanigans are quickly highlighted and exposed thus making political accountability more inescapable and dire. The art of relaying leaked informatics is now so prevalent that it is no longer seen as a no-no with a positive side-effect. Whistle-blowers no longer have to wait for a media-buff or police officer to take note of their concerns before action takes place: type a message, press ‘send,’ and the indiscretions are distributed as far afield as one’s imagination allows.

Religious movements have the ability to reach many more believers at the press of a computer key. Dissemination of sermons and holy messages is now at the fingertips of Clergy, acolytes and administrators. Religious organizations that refuse to join the boiling pot of instant messaging are losing out on the plethora of netizens who are in need of up-liftment, purpose and life direction.

Thus, can a case be made for the Home Sapiens?

Here is a species of animal that carries itself in an upright position, produces wondrous works of art, ear pleasing music and awesome stories. Designs eye pleasing structures, tall ones at that, that last for centuries. Constructs machines capable of moving mountains, boring through mountains, seeing the atom at play and manufacturing detailed goods at the speed of blur. All the while being at war with one another.

A species that has procreated at the speed of coitus. A species that has developed disease resistant foods and viral resistant medicines. A species that has traveled at the speed of sound and beyond. A species that has traveled to other worlds and left footprints on some. A species that enjoys capturing and watching celluloid stories based on otherworldly beings. A species that overuses the environment that sustains it.

The ability to state what humanity is made of, is a mystery for it is a complex issue with many tendrils at best. Issues that cannot be categorized and catalogued in a single sitting. Issues that have not been solved in the history of written history. Issues that continue to baffle and mystify students and researchers and teachers and parents alike. Issues that will continue to be issues to time immemorial.

Humans seem content to continue on the chosen path of a finite life, allowing others to hopefully take the acquired knowledge to higher levels of consciousness. As long as the sum of individuals is looked after, all is as it should be. The trodden few will have to make do with whatever is thrown at them irrespective of what the Universe wants, what the gods proclaim as to what the truth is and whatever every self-help guru pontificates as to what life is all about.

Carl Sagan once said that “We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever” and “You’re an interesting species. An interesting mix. You’re capable of such beautiful dreams, and such horrible nightmares.”

Personally, I think that there is a case to be made for the Homo Sapiens, and that whatever that case is, it must be taken with a daily dose of highly concentrated patience, caffeine and bile.

Ends

Auld Lang Syne and Banalities

Once again, here I sit, at the cross-road between the has-been year and the wanabe year. How many times have I been here is somewhere between 67 and 66 years; depending on how the arithmetic is calculated.

What is relevant is the state-of-mind that age brings with it. I have learnt as I have aged, is that life, things, circumstances all have changed in meaning and seriousness. Nothing seems to be the same or even equal to what was apportioned to anything life that had meaning or significance. Life has become an apparition, a translucent fog of memories and understandings. Experience, on the other hand, tells me that I need every ounce of all said memories to help me navigate and make decisions on yet to be presented circumstances and situations.

In retrospect, 2022 was a funny peculiar year to say the least. Covid started off strong with visible signs of take-no-prisoners to total-surrender. And surrender it did. Going from mask-wearing and hand-sanitizing and distancing to nothing; absolutely nothing. In one foul swoop, life returned to normal; except in the country of origin where control of the little-bastard has been illusive and continues to run amok amongst a population that is losing touch with the realities of life under a small virus i.e., death is final.

The peculiarity did not end there. The Queen pulled her last breath. The newly elected United Kingdom Prime Minister lasted all of 40 plus days. The replacement Prime Minister was so off-center that he was quite normal and acceptable to the gob-smacked masses, and the Royals put on a brave face of a singular ethos.

In South Africa, a disgruntled out-of-work Correctional Services Official decided to lay allegations against the sitting President thus letting loose the dogs of war which in this case, the news media, their outcasts, their budding brethren and all opposition parties who saw blood in the water.

Must admit that said Official managed to distract the Legal Bodies who were investigation his highly compromised actions by introducing a greater bait for the media and its cronies to chomp into. In the end, as it is in politics, circumstances either dissolve into the atmosphere or take on a predisposed character as dictated by the ruling party. As a highly regarded ex-politician, Tito Mboweni, is quoted as saying and I paraphrase: In politics, take nothing at face value!

What is even more peculiar is that a known ‘high’ agent of criminality is now playing public moral agent and creating waves where there should be none.

Fickle humanity to say the least.

Anyways, after some contemplation on a few peculiarities of 2022, and the realization that the end result is always the same, the Labrador principle; wag tail, be happy, have food, wag tail, be happy, bark, be happy, get attention, be happy, wag tail, not get attention, be happy, seems to be the way to go.

It will take some mental trainings to evolve to such levels of happiness where getting annoyed, losing one’s temper, wanting one’s way, is no longer a necessity for, by all analysis, it achieves nothing: And nothing would have changed in life.

Again, I am left with the question of what lies ahead in 2023? Does it matter? Does anyone else care what I think?

What is evident, is that what were considered youngsters are now the ‘ruling’ mob, and those my age, find themselves at a stage between old age and something that is considered old but not really. Mentally, the mind is still young and strong, but bodily, it is showing signs of wear-and-tear, punctuated by crack-rattle-and-pop, and paracetamol.

Arithmetic has also proved to be an ally of note, for most public statements and beliefs can be nullified by the application of simple arithmetic principles: 24 hours, 365 days, 8 billion people, many ideologies, many diversities. The permutations are endless, unlike what the media so proudly proclaims in their black-and-white agendas. Even the weather predictors are only as accurate as what one perceives them to be.

Having lived through a few decades of life, the realities are what one has come to rely on. Positivism, wokeness, liberalism, et al, are nothing more than hot air inside a balloon: sooner or later it disperses and the balloon drops.

All that remains is to pop some champagne, watch some fireworks, sing some ancient song and spend new years day recovering from the indulgences of the previous evening.

Ja well no fine!

Ends

Money, Irreverence and Equity

Fairness, equity and even-handedness are generally not associated with Money: A means of accepted exchange for services, goods, labour and intellectual property.

Governments have the power to print money when it is deemed necessary for their collateral is the land and all its associated resources. The downside is inflation, soaring interest rates and rating agencies.

The value of exchange depends on recognised global trade, the International Monetary Fund (Global Bank) and internal mechanisms.

Public trust in the exchange mechanisms also plays a vital role in the overall acceptance of value-for-money, sustainability of the processes and buying power.

Overall, money can be classed as an energy that needs to be acknowledged, managed and perceived as real. This applies in all sorts of social environments, human interactions and governing methods. The most common means of exchange governance is Capitalism.

The overriding principle governing money is that it does not exist in a vacuum: if a country with a strong currency ‘sneezes,’ the rest of the world gets a cold. The other overriding principle is that ‘money has no morals.’

Many a financial scholars and Nobel prize winners have written treatises on the apportioning of money on a fair dispensation. Unfortunately, the outcry by those with monetary resources push said treatises to the annals of academia.

The financial treatises mostly revolve around the distribution of money without the need of being paid a salary for services rendered. Three prominent theories are:

1) The National Dividend. This was invented by engineer C. H. Douglas and has been revived by Ezra Pound and designer Buckminster Fuller. The basic idea is that every citizen should be declared a shareholder in the nation, and should receive dividends on the Gross National Product for the year.

2) The Guaranteed Annual Income. This has been encouraged by economist Robert Theobald and others. The government would simply establish an income level above the poverty line and guarantee that no citizen would receive less. This plan would cost the government less than the present welfare systems, with all its bureaucratic red tape and redundancy factors.

3) The Negative Income Tax. This was first devised by Nobel economist Milton Friedman. The Negative Income Tax would establish a minimum income for every citizen; anyone whose income fell below that level would receive the amount necessary to bring them up to that standard. Again, this would cost “the government” less than the present welfare systems. It would also dispense with the last tinge of humiliation associated with government “charity,” since when you cashed a check from IRS nobody would know if it was supplementary income or a refund.

The National Dividend, The Guaranteed Annual Income and The Negative Income Tax, all make use of fair disbursement principles and rely of the integrity of those charged with the oversight thereof.

The web is full of interesting quotes about money and the pursuit thereof. Here are a few extracted from web sites and movies about money:

“Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind.” Money Never Sleeps – Oliver Stone

“In a society governed passively by free markets and free elections, organized greed always defeats disorganized democracy.” – Matt Taibbi

“Prosperity brings choice” – David Voas

Modern life is about debt. Debt can be traded, exchanged and sold. It can be speculated on, extended and retracted. Every year, the USA extends its debt ceiling. A process that allows the Mint to print more money thus keeping their economy alive.

Credit Companies are alive and solvent. Mortgages are processed faster than a McDonalds burger. Likewise for Personal Loans (these tend to be stingier but having the ability to sell these off to 3^rd parties makes them generally profitable.)

Lotto and Gambling syndicates are making money hand over fist. Insurance companies are no slouches where profits are concerned. Investors are dime a dozen. The ranks of the Well offs, Millionaires and Billionaires expand on a regular basis. Even during the Covid pandemic, profits were being recorded daily.

No one is exempt from the benefits or ravages of money for it has no gender, race or creed. Religions are past masters at collecting their dues (Tithings) and will not hesitate in establishing fund-raisers, collection drives all on the back of well-worded emotional-laden sermons.

The poor are more often than not, told to get-a-job by the apathetic public or given a pittance by those with a sensitive conscience.

Will there be an end to the value of national resources (the promissory note that Government relies on when printing money)? Capitalism has the habit of reinventing itself for there is too much money to be lost if ever the system fails. For the foreseeable future, there is still money to be made. Lots of it.

The digital world has unleashed a slew of new ways to trade and make profits: Bitcoin, Non-Fungible Tokens, Blockchain… (If one takes a gander at the value of bitcoins, no wonder that Companies are starting to accept bitcoin as a means of trade.)

Where too from here?

What must never be forgotten is the unpredictability life of money (i.e., complacency): One can be basking in glory today but there are no guarantees that tomorrow, life will be the same.

“There is no nobility in poverty.”  Wall Street – Oliver Stone

Ends

Generational Downfall

Mark Twain said (sic) that History doesn’t repeat itself but it often rhymes, and Mike and The Mechanics sang in ‘The Living Years’ that Every generation Blames the one before, and all of their frustrations, Come beating on your door.

And that, in a nutshell, says it all where generational conflict is concerned. Every generation expects more freedoms and choices: Enlightenment tends to do that. What it does not do is improve the complexity that is the human condition.

It all starts with parenting. It is one important skill in the human learning arsenal that does not have a definite set of manuals or instructions on how to raise a human child. What exists are tomes of opinions and personal experiences that, when all is said and done, are all very personal and myopic.

Every parent believes that they have the answers to the above-mentioned prickly pear. Every parent believes that they know their child and thus in a great position to educate and provide said child with life skills that will stand it in good stead going forward in life. Every parent also believes that they do not need advice or counseling where the upbringing of their precious child is concerned.

And thus starts a whole downward chain reaction of misaligned children, brats, opinionated kids and apprehensive parents: this is not how I brought my child up; I don’t know where she gets that from; Where did I go wrong…?

In general, there are 7 defined generations, and each had (have) their own specific styles of dealing with life (aspioneer.com):

1: The greatest generation        1901   – 1927 (saved the world)

2: The silent generation            1928   – 1945 (worked, did not take risks)

3: The baby boomers                1946   – 1964 (a very productive generation)

4: Generations X                      1965   – 1980 (Work-life balance)

5: Millennials                           1981   – 1995 (Self-conscience, Healthy)

6: Generation Z                        1996   – 2010 (Technoholics)

7: Generation Alpha                 2011   – 2025 (Kids growing older younger)

The interesting anomaly is that each generation learnt little from the previous generation’s mistakes as it relates to the human condition, they mostly just assimilated them into their life repertoire: Thus, the baby-boomers passed their ‘me’ tendencies onto their progeny who in turn amplified those tendencies onto their progenies.

To the generational basket one must add the Personality Dark Triad of personality types: Narcissism, Machiavellianism and Psychopathy. These personalities are deemed to be inherent in some people of whom mostly do not have a sense of empathy and morality. This malevolence logarithmic adds to the generational problem.

Sociopathy, a derivative of the Dark Personality Triad, is highly esteemed since the Baby Boomers with the accent of Me’ism, Entitlement and an overbearing win-at-all-costs mentality. One more often than not, finds these individuals in positions of power: corporate management, leadership, authority, politics…

The old adage of ‘Children must be seen and nor heard’ is of no value in modern society where all children are winners, are easily offended and know what life is all about. Are way wise beyond their age due to the accessibility to the www world, dominate conversations, mishaps are never their fault and are deemed cute beyond reasonableness by their parents (and anyone else be damned if they don’t value said child’s opinions and beliefs.)

Where too from here? Difficult to ascertain due to the global human diversity both culturally and geographical location: what is good from a western perspective is may not be deemed acceptable in other areas of the world.

Democracy in itself tends to augment generational problems. Rights, which tend to be turned into entitlements, makes generational disagreements a reality rather than diffusing them.

Wokeness produces the same results. They focus so much on creating a more genteel world that they forget about their own frailties and those of the people around them.

Politics, by their very nature, proclaim open-mindedness and tolerance. A theory that worsens differences rather than unifying them. And by accepting minority belief structures, the majority feel aggrieved and generally lash out aggressively.

Personally, I do not believe that the generation gap will ever be solved; much like the gender gap.

All that remains is to wave-and-smile. The rest is pure conversation.

Ends

Old Age, Denial and Mortality

Old age, an affliction that all humans will experience irrespective of their gender, social standing or financial affluence.

Some escape its claws at an early stage. Others start experiencing its ravages in their middle-ages. Most will live with its frailties deep into their 70’s. Few manage to live past the octogenarian phase and if they do, it is with some discomfort and lots of medicine. As for living into one’s 90’s and beyond, well, the mortality odds do seem to level out the longer one lives.

It’s the financial and health issues that become increasingly important as one ages; the main component being health, for without a modicum of good health, one is doomed to reliance on others for the basic commodities of life.

Yet, even when one is armed with eons of knowledge and experience, one’s instincts is to deny old age: It is understandable for one has spent one’s life working at becoming independent without much thought to the fact that life does not work that way.

Anyone who has cared and looked after the elderly understands old age deniability. It is a real. And the more one reason against it, the more real denial becomes. The problem with the quest for independence is so ingrained that the elderly forget that their actions impact on the independence of those charged with their care.

The battle of wills is an age old (excuse the pun) dilemma. The elderly believe that they have all the answers to life and thus entitled to make demands and issue instructions on how things are to be done, not once considering the facts that life has changed and that what was acceptable in their hey-day is no longer in play. And accepting help is tantamount to a treasonous action.

Odds are against the elderly: Knees don’t work that well. Hips are wonky at best. Kidneys work overtime. Digestive system becomes sluggish. Mental recall becomes erratic and strange maladies make their presence felt. And it does not end there. Unfortunately, social broadcasts do not make it easier to help the aged confront their realities, for only positive public interest stories are given the light of day thus blurring the lines between reality and exceptions.

To worsen the odds, there is the confusion of living in a digital world: everything is simple yet very complex. Passwords, usernames and pin codes, clicks, double clicks and copy-and-paste all add to the muddle that is modern life. And speaking to a faceless-voice on the other side of the phone is by no means any simpler i.e., Press 1 for art, press 2 for paintings, press 3 for art nouveau, or just hang up…or get your progeny to help you!?

*Why don’t service companies allow for an additional contact name that can, during phone-ins, carry-out tasks on behalf of the elderly when they are unable to do so?  

The developmental stages of humans are generally birth, youth, adulthood, aging and death. The order changes for many times death comes along sooner but generally it is what it is. Yet, it is not something that is accepted as such. The sense of mortality, when it is realized, tends to drive some to depression, others to acts of longevity and many to acts of obliviousness: as if ignoring the eventuality of life will make realities disappear – “I get up every day and don’t let the old man in” Clint Eastwood.

Old Age should refer to living a life of effortlessness. A life of ease. A life of restfulness. Not one of controversy, arguments or disagreements.

Old age should mean that it is time to let go. Time to allow others to make their own mistakes. Time to settle down and enjoy the fruits of one’s life.

The old nautical phrase of ‘easy as she goes’ should be the mantra of old age.

As the Moody Blues so aptly stated in their song “In the Beginning.” – There you go man, keep as cool as you can. Face piles of trials with smiles. It riles them to believe that you perceive the web they weave…

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Climate Crisis, Bah Humbug and Complicity

“The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr

The above is the only way to describe the present-day war raging between those who believe in Climate Crisis justified by science, and those who oppose the Climate Crisis hype also defensible by science.

Those who oppose the whole Climate Crisis brawl are in the minority as the news media have now also joined the ranks of those proclaiming climate crisis a human disaster: The methods employed by the media are mostly based on ‘by association’ reportages.

*It must be noted that the Climate Crisis spin-doctors have modified the moniker often in the hope of attracting more adherents to the cause.

A recent report drafted by a scientific group, predicates that there is no statistical data that proves or highlights the fact that there is a climate emergency taking place.

Most climate crisis computer models to which predictions are based, are based on northern hemisphere models: the southern hemisphere models are based on extrapolations of the northern hemisphere representations. And then there are the eastern and western hemispheres eventualities that add to the headache. And not forgetting that climate, unlike the weather, is vastly more complex than is proclaimed or admitted i.e. The volume of the atmosphere is around 4,200,000,000 cubic kilometers which is way larger than what mere mortals can satisfactorily comprehend!?

The climate crisis debate has been around since (at least) the 1970’s and already then, it was proclaimed that climate change was 50 thousand years in the making and that it was going to happen irrespective of what interventions humans tried.

The one topic that is not being tackled with any conviction is the employment issue: What to do with the workers of the world once the traditional ‘carbon’ jobs are done away with? Every topic is about sustainability, saving the earth and the ice-shelves.

*A (coal) Power Station employs around 3000 workers whereas a solar farm employs a team of 10 workers (average) once the construction phase is completed.

Presently, Governments have instituted some form of Climate/Carbon Tax to offset the costs of fighting the Climate Crisis; as if money is going to staff off the eventuality.

Still humanity continues on its path of technological development, information cataloguing and digital self-improvement. Those who feel mortality knocking will be vitriolic in their condemnation of a dreaded human-caused tomorrow. Those without jobs continue on their quest for food, shelter and some form of human vulgarities: and climate crisis be damned. Those with means; do they really care about tomorrow or are they just making the right noises for it is what is demanded by the woke-culture?

Maybe if humans stopped pushing back the sea, the predicted Armageddon of rising waters would not be that significant!?

Enter stage right, the complex subject of what to do with all the non-recyclable materials used in the manufacture of ‘sustainable’ implements.

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Me, Myself and I

A few months ago, I restarted my blogging endevours in an attempt to voice my counter-opinions on various subjects pertaining to life, the media and other subjects deemed holy by the ‘woke’ mindset.

Politics is an easy subject as said practitioners of the art open themselves up for criticism, ridicule and praise. Their job description means that they must speak for a living. They must also make discissions that very few in society are willing to make. This opens them up for criticism even further for ‘one can’t please everyone.’

*As much as individuals want their voices heard and their needs taken care off, it is impossible to enact as ‘the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.’ It is a given that, more often than not, condemned decisions work themselves out pretty well; just not when we want them to happen.

Then of course there are the opposition parties that, in their quest for power and supremacy, will stir up public emotions in an attempt to outs the ruling party. They hide behind well-meaning wordage thus gathering those predisposed to their ideals. Right or wrong, this is how politics functions.

Another subject I found fascinating is the one of Law Enforcement. Note Law Enforcement! Not please let’s be nice and cordial but Enforcement: When a Police Officer asks one to carry out a certain action, the word ‘please’ is used in the request sentence. This terminology is not a request but and instruction veiled in niceties. Refuse at your own peril is the caveat.

In most law-and-order TV series, the producers will show cops using force, bully tactics, aggression, intimidation and moral indignation in their fight against criminality. Tactics that were frowned upon at the conclusion of the second great war.

The other accepted form of Law Enforcement is the advent of ‘victim advocacy.’ This is where victims are presumed to be honorable, and without guilt. The accused is then treated with all the bile and nastiness that the investigating officers can muster. The fact that the ‘accused’ life is damaged beyond repair does not come into the picture for ‘We are only doing our jobs!’ A good example of the above idiosyncrasies is Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.

The one sad highlight of the above situation stems from the fact that the public in general are happy that it is ok for the police to incarcerate people irrespective of them being guilty or not. It is as if the removal of the perceived evil threat is calming and reassuring: life can thus return to normal!?

The news media are a sacrosanct lot who believe that they are the ‘lord saviour’ of humankind: They alone hold the power to question public figures without fear or favour; And they alone hold the moral high-ground against a deteriorating society.

Interestingly, their failings stem from the fact that they are organized, managed and run by fickle humans; the very essence of humanity that they claim to be guarding against. The other fact is that they are a business thus bottom-line driven: the more sensational the story, the more it sells.

To assume that the news media are honourable in intent is looking for trouble, and diminishing our rationale abilities. Allowing them freedom to mold our minds by veiled suggestion is tantamount to mental suicide.

There are two inviolable truths where the news media is concerned: Their rights is assured under most constitutions, and most editors (in-chief) are not honourable people: a story must have barbs, emotive material and by-association expressions. And not forgetting the liberal use of exaggerated-speak.

My conclusion to the news media conundrum is to accept very little they publish as the truth, to read more than one published story on the subject in question, to question, to verify, to validate…, and to divide everything they claim by six.

Modern day funerals are jestful in content. Not only are funerals expensive, the preparations exorbitant and the religious intent is always to convert the visiting cohorts of ‘non-believers’ to the ways of the ‘real’ truth.

And then there are the eulogies. Pieces of verbosities (some written) that expound the recently passed as heroes, as unilaterally unblemished persons who could do no wrong, lived for their family, were persons of character, morally strong and are now in ‘heaven.’ My investigations into this phenomenon revealed that these practices are there to alleviate grieving and to lighten the load on those left behind. Interesting how ‘works of the flesh’ are used to assuage the bereaved.

What about the world of activism? Here is a world where minorities want the majorities to view the world in their way as they alone have the answers to fixing the ills ravishing humanity.

Name a subject and there will be activists fighting for its rights and fixing what is perceived to be broken. They of course feed into the frenzy usually driven by the news media.

If one disseminates all that activists claim, very little of substance remains. But being aggressive about a subject means that they will get publicity; lots of it. The use of absolute-speak serves them well. Lace anything with a little drama, a pinch of bile and a sprinkle of doomsday and viola, one has a best seller.

The modern word ‘sustainability’ is their go-to word. Everything must be sustainable. History unfortunately is a harsh task-master where humans and their fixations are concerned: years ago, electricity, in all its guises and machinations was the way to go. Coal and Oil were seen as sustainable and the way to a prosperous future. In the modern world, wind, water (not so much,) and sunshine are hailed as the second coming of a deity. Unfortunately, as in the past, very little thought has been given to the collateral damage of these technologies. All that matters is the now!

Unionists are also activists. Labour activist at that. They use emotive-speak to garner votes from their constituents and absolute-speak when fighting the good fight on behalf of their members.

Listening to activists sprout their wares is a fascinating pastime but it is also annoying. All in all, the art of activism is that simple and that complex all rolled into one. 

Not much is left to say on matters that have interested me. One thing is for sure: Humans are a fascinating lot. It is their idiosyncrasies and rationalizations that make them a formidable force of nature and anything that stand in their way must just get out of the way or be damned.

In another few billion years (circa) the sun will decimate the world as we know it. Until then, smile and wave!

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The Queen is dead. Long live the King!

And so, another public figure, a royal one at that, is relegated to the pages of history. Seven decades of rule should generate enough words to fill many books, magazines, documentaries and newspapers; and keep journalists employed feeding our voyeuristic hunger.

Having never been a fan of any monarchy, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II made an impact from the point of view that she was human, empathic, flawed and majestic. She generally managed to tread lightly but with conviction where the royal rules of conduct and those of the modern world intersected.

Her family endured many upheavals, scandals and bitter marriages. I suspect that some daughters-in-law pushed her buttons often. As for sons, grandsons and great grandsons, history will either judge them kindly or harshly; but hopefully, frankly.

Parts of the world will give her a moment of silence and watch every broadcast that the news media constructs in the hope of keeping the masses entertained and glued to their TV sets: between the 10 days of mourning, the funeral and the coronation, there is enough data to keep the news channels busy for quite a while.

 Given the Diana and Phillip funerals, I’m sure that her funeral will be beyond grand. How many heads-of-state will be attending stands to be seen? Will the King Charles III follow the funeral entourage on foot or be carried in a horse-drawn carriage? Will the King’s coronation take place pre or post the royal funeral? Is a period of mourning still applicable in modern life?

The irony of life is reflected in the ascension of a female Prime Minister and the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Listening to the French President give a eulogy in accented English, presented the other irony.

King Charles III when a Prince (the activist Prince,) was a ferocious patron of many controversial ideologies which he passed on as being actual and factual. His mother used tack and firmness when dealing with controversial subjects. Stark differences!

What is the future of the British Royalty; only time will tell. I for one, believe that it will continue unabated. The fact that many international sporting events have been put on hold reflects the mindset of an enduring British Royalty.

“Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil, is rightwise King born of all England” T.H. White.

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