The Rudy Giuliani myth-machine will crack this year.
The Sunday Times reports that the firefighters union are out to 'swift boat' Rudy's candicacy for the Republican nomination for the White House. Three cheers, I say.
I always thought he was corrupt, snidey little man, clearly with a mountain-load of skeletons in his closet. But then came 9-11 and he became a hero for...well...er...I have never been sure why exactly.
Kudos to Rudy in that he didn't become an uncontrollable wreck and sat in a corner on that most fateful day in the history of New York. But that seems to be it. What else did he do? Make blindingly obvious statements and doing a press-call every few hours – that seemed to be his only operating procedure.
He certainly didn't treat the World Trade Centre as the crime scene it obviously was, and couldn't get going quick enough on 'cleaning-up' and selling anything still viable to the Chinese. All very strange.
Giuliani is a classic modern politician. No discernable ideology or opinion beyond the bland and politically expedient. Of course, he's a lawyer as well and, while I don't have the instinctive hatred of this generally well-educated group lots of people appear to have, I can't help but notice that recently lots of politicians who have a problem defining the difference between a blatant lie and the truth do seem to be lawyers (step forward Mr Blair). The grey areas that they exploit in their legal careers are not so well-suited when it comes to making public policy.
Anyway, I digress. Guiliani is one of those guys who happens to be in the right place at the right time, as in New York when he famously 'turned the city around' and reduced crime. A similar drop in crime was experienced by most cities in the US at the time, and probably had more to do with Roe vs Wade, demographics, and economics, than it did with policies spouted by Rudy.
9-11 was the greatest moment in Giuliani's life. Since then, he has been touring the world like a conquering hero, dispensing 'security advice' and related hot-air through his own company “Giuliani Partners” and being paid millions of dollars for doing so. This company – quelle surprise – has been accused of being involved in all sorts of dodgy activities.
I wonder how much of his new-found wealth he has passed-along to the victims' families or the city employees such as firefighters and police who have to live with the memories of that day as long as they live. Oh, let's take a wild guess at a big fat zero.
Add the facts that Rudy Giuliani was a draft-dodger during Vietnam, and his family has mafia connections, and what do we have?
A perfect candidate for the White House…
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Pity the children
Kids are on drugs.
No, not the ‘fun’ kind but actually the very opposite. I’m talking about the drugs that bring ‘em down to the required level of compliance and docility that enables even the most incompetent, ill-educated, teacher to control them.
This article by Johann Hari in The Independent reveals the scandalous use of mind-altering drugs in the British education system – although I suspect the North American experience may be even worse in this regard.
And what an interesting statement this is:
“It is no coincidence that ADHD and Ritalin have risen as corporal punishment was phased out. Until the 1970s, the dull factory model of schooling was upheld with the sanction of physical force: if you didn't sit through it obediently, you were beaten. Now that is (thankfully) no longer permitted, we have replaced the cane with a cane-for-the-brain”
This all relates to the changes in education introduced from the 1980s which have succeeded only in producing a generation of ignorant, self-centred, brats with an almost comically ill-deserved sense of superiority.
They have created a classroom in which a child who doesn't have a 'learning disability' is considered a freak. The psycho-babble industry, reflected and glorified in the hideous 'Oprah' culture, has convinced us that if little Johnny says 2+2 = 5 then he should be congratulated for expressing himself in a new way. In my world, little Johnny needs to be told that the answer is 4. And told. And told. Until he knows. And why the answer is 4.
Ah, but - in the esteemed words of Mr. Timbaland and the one of the Pussycat Dolls who sings - wait a minute. Isn't this blog supposed to be about challenging orthodoxy and breaking down barriers in society? Indeed it is. But call me a dull old Victorian (a much maligned society not given enough for running the biggest Empire man has ever known...for good or ill), I really don't want to hear the pompous ramblings of 8 year old Jocasta. Sorry Jocasta, it turns out mummy and daddy are idiots and what they told you about *whatever* was actually balderdash. Perhaps when you have gotten an education and learned how to think for yourself then we might want to hear you. Until then, go to school, shut-up, and don't speak until you're spoken to, got it?
The problem many children appear to have, and now sadly this generation has grown-up so we see it in adults, is that no one told them that they can't sing. No, not literally ya fool, but metaphorically. Although perhaps the opening rounds of those TV talent shows are revealing after all. No one ever had the guts to tell little Tammy from Idaho that her voice has driven at least four members of her extended family to suicide. No, better to tell her she's a superstar surely? And then let the harsh reality destroy her entire belief system when the world collectively shouts "Next!" when she goes for that gig she had been told was virtually her birthright.
Far too much about education and children, not subjects I expect to talk about often, so there's your fill for the next while at least. My final word on that is on higher education. Again, call me a bluff old sentimentalist, but I actually rather think education should be free. Or, I should say 'free at the point of delivery' since god knows the government will receive quite enough in future taxes from those who decide to better themselves through education, never mind the fact that parents have likely forked-out a thousand times more than it costs to 'provide' said education. But I’m sure I will return to the subject of higher education at a later date. I know you will look forward to it.
No, not the ‘fun’ kind but actually the very opposite. I’m talking about the drugs that bring ‘em down to the required level of compliance and docility that enables even the most incompetent, ill-educated, teacher to control them.
This article by Johann Hari in The Independent reveals the scandalous use of mind-altering drugs in the British education system – although I suspect the North American experience may be even worse in this regard.
And what an interesting statement this is:
“It is no coincidence that ADHD and Ritalin have risen as corporal punishment was phased out. Until the 1970s, the dull factory model of schooling was upheld with the sanction of physical force: if you didn't sit through it obediently, you were beaten. Now that is (thankfully) no longer permitted, we have replaced the cane with a cane-for-the-brain”
This all relates to the changes in education introduced from the 1980s which have succeeded only in producing a generation of ignorant, self-centred, brats with an almost comically ill-deserved sense of superiority.
They have created a classroom in which a child who doesn't have a 'learning disability' is considered a freak. The psycho-babble industry, reflected and glorified in the hideous 'Oprah' culture, has convinced us that if little Johnny says 2+2 = 5 then he should be congratulated for expressing himself in a new way. In my world, little Johnny needs to be told that the answer is 4. And told. And told. Until he knows. And why the answer is 4.
Ah, but - in the esteemed words of Mr. Timbaland and the one of the Pussycat Dolls who sings - wait a minute. Isn't this blog supposed to be about challenging orthodoxy and breaking down barriers in society? Indeed it is. But call me a dull old Victorian (a much maligned society not given enough for running the biggest Empire man has ever known...for good or ill), I really don't want to hear the pompous ramblings of 8 year old Jocasta. Sorry Jocasta, it turns out mummy and daddy are idiots and what they told you about *whatever* was actually balderdash. Perhaps when you have gotten an education and learned how to think for yourself then we might want to hear you. Until then, go to school, shut-up, and don't speak until you're spoken to, got it?
The problem many children appear to have, and now sadly this generation has grown-up so we see it in adults, is that no one told them that they can't sing. No, not literally ya fool, but metaphorically. Although perhaps the opening rounds of those TV talent shows are revealing after all. No one ever had the guts to tell little Tammy from Idaho that her voice has driven at least four members of her extended family to suicide. No, better to tell her she's a superstar surely? And then let the harsh reality destroy her entire belief system when the world collectively shouts "Next!" when she goes for that gig she had been told was virtually her birthright.
Far too much about education and children, not subjects I expect to talk about often, so there's your fill for the next while at least. My final word on that is on higher education. Again, call me a bluff old sentimentalist, but I actually rather think education should be free. Or, I should say 'free at the point of delivery' since god knows the government will receive quite enough in future taxes from those who decide to better themselves through education, never mind the fact that parents have likely forked-out a thousand times more than it costs to 'provide' said education. But I’m sure I will return to the subject of higher education at a later date. I know you will look forward to it.
The real reason behind the rise of India...
How to explain the inexorable rise of India?
The legacy of the British Empire - leaving behind infrastructure, a trained civil service, and a democratic political culture?
The history of the ancient civilisations of the subcontinent and a deep, intricate, social and cultural pool of knowledge?
A cultural tendency toward hard work and entrepreneurial endeavour?
Enlightened recent governance opening-up the country to global markets?
Well, yes of course any fool can come up with these perfectly plausible reasons for the meteoric increase in the economic fortunes of our cousins from the subcontinent.
But my Indian correspondent (I have spies everywhere) points me in a different direction:
Booze. Hooch. Falling-down juice. Grog. Call it whatever you want.
That’s right – it turns out the most of the Indian population is constantly Brahms (that’s rhyming slang…Brahms and Liszt…I’m sure you can work it out).
Here is a story in the International Herald Tribune detailing the changing drinking habits of India but it also reveals this true secret of their success.
A lesson to all here – especially the Islamic world and the Chinese – the only true road to enlightenment is at the bottom of that bottle of hefty Cabernet Sauvignon or that pint of best bitter.
The exception that proves the rule is of course Australia. Spotting a sober Australian is a rare occurrence, but they still remain an utterly inconsequential, deeply unpleasant nation.
Ps. any other slang terms for booze are welcome…
The legacy of the British Empire - leaving behind infrastructure, a trained civil service, and a democratic political culture?
The history of the ancient civilisations of the subcontinent and a deep, intricate, social and cultural pool of knowledge?
A cultural tendency toward hard work and entrepreneurial endeavour?
Enlightened recent governance opening-up the country to global markets?
Well, yes of course any fool can come up with these perfectly plausible reasons for the meteoric increase in the economic fortunes of our cousins from the subcontinent.
But my Indian correspondent (I have spies everywhere) points me in a different direction:
Booze. Hooch. Falling-down juice. Grog. Call it whatever you want.
That’s right – it turns out the most of the Indian population is constantly Brahms (that’s rhyming slang…Brahms and Liszt…I’m sure you can work it out).
Here is a story in the International Herald Tribune detailing the changing drinking habits of India but it also reveals this true secret of their success.
A lesson to all here – especially the Islamic world and the Chinese – the only true road to enlightenment is at the bottom of that bottle of hefty Cabernet Sauvignon or that pint of best bitter.
The exception that proves the rule is of course Australia. Spotting a sober Australian is a rare occurrence, but they still remain an utterly inconsequential, deeply unpleasant nation.
Ps. any other slang terms for booze are welcome…
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
HP sauce and why globalisation stinks
The English factory making HP sauce is closing. This is bad. It's a disaster.
Firstly, cards on the table, HP sauce is quite a passion of mine. It is the respected granddaddy of the condiment family. I imagine HP sitting in the corner, on his rocking chair, with the young pretenders such as tabasco, ketchup, barbecue sauce, excitedly crowding around at his feet begging him to tell them once more about that time he took a Hun trench single-handedly after all his mates were slaughtered in no man’s land.
He may be advancing in years, but you just know that HP could still handle himself if some punks wanted to make some trouble on the last train home. The message is clear to all who look upon his sleek frame and majestic label: don’t mess, unless you want your candy-ass handed to you on a silver platter.
Imagine my delight when I came to Canada and found HP is venerated as highly here as in its homeland. In North America though, they use it as a 'steak sauce' which is fine, but really HP is at its best on sausages and bacon.
Anyway, this is not about HP per se. It is a parable of modern economics. It’s that thing called globalisation again. The G-word has for the last decade or so been an excuse dolled-out by any government (the real G-word) who wishes to disguise its incompetence, gutlessness, lack of ideas, or, sometimes, plain old corruption. Exactly when did our elected leaders collectively decide to just throw-up their hands and chorus “sorry, not our fault…it’s globalisation ya know”?
Aside from physical laws, mankind can create his own world. Politics and Economics are known as social sciences for a reason. Globalisation is not a law of nature. After listening to zealots like Thomas Friedman, you could be forgiven for thinking the whole thing is not only an inevitability, it’s actually ordained by the gods. In his next book, I wouldn’t be surprised if Friedman showed us some ancient carvings from a Mayan temple showing what looks suspiciously like a graph of foreign direct investment in Thailand for the years 1996-2006.
Globalisation is not a process. It is a policy. That means it can be reversed, and any moderately powerful state could happily refrain from joining in the fun and go about its own business merrily, or make its own little club of like-minded peeps. In my silly little brain, the old concept of sovereignty actually means something. Combined with democracy, it means that we can elect and dismiss the people who make our laws and reign over our realm. Pah! Surely this is hopelessly naïve you shout (I heard it), globalisation is here to stay and we must learn to live with it. I disagree. Never ever ever ever trust anyone – especially a politician or, worse, an economist – who says anything is inevitable.
Just as politicians can do something about it, it’s up to us to change as well. Some big multinational just bought-out your favourite local brewery, closed it down, and moved production elsewhere? Simple – never drink that beer or any other from that company ever again.
If capitalism works, then in response to rampant globalisation, we should surely see small, local businesses filling the gap in consumer preferences. But the fear of many (and the hope of many too) is that our brand of capitalism doesn’t work at all. Consumers don’t choose, they are told what they like. How else can you explain the popularity of (to carry-on the beer metaphor) something like Budweiser?
Finally, for those yet to be convinced of my side of the argument consider the old Churchill quote. To paraphrase the drugged-up old manic depressive, couldn’t our embracing of global capitalism be likened to feeding the alligator in the hope it will eat us last?
Let me be clearer. Remember the old missive about 'first they came' for so-and-so and when they came for me no one was left to speak up? Well, they already came for the coal-miners, the steel-workers, the workers in the myriad little factories making simple products (like HP sauce), and even the workers in the big factories making important modern industrial stuff like cars, trucks and ships.
So what will happen when they come for the lawyers, the accountants, the software engineers, the consultants, or the creative media types? When we can get our taxes done in Bangalore for $30 rather $300, or have a lawyer in Shanghai prepare the legal side of our property purchase for $100 rather than a $1000? It’s already happening; see here.
We were sold the idea that to thrive we should just dump smelly, lumpen concepts such as making things, and embrace an economy where we sell each other pensions and really expensive coffee. But when the ‘developing’ world starts getting seriously into services, after taking all the manufacturing, what do we do next? Keep selling the same piece of land to each other for the thousandth time? Or maybe create another ‘junk bond’ style financial instrument to pretend that we’re doing something? How about just dispensing sage advice to those up and coming Chinese and Indian chaps, surely they would pay handsomely for that? Or…er…we could go fishing…
It’s fine for the rich like Friedman to chatter on about how exciting this shiny new world is, because they don’t live in it (by the way, I wonder what first attracted Friedman to his billionaire wife?). Just like the suburban middle classes who just looooove coming into the city to eat at that delightful ‘ethnic’ restaurant, and chat about how woooonderful multiculturalism is, the real consequences of all this are borne by the poor and unrepresented.
So, farewell HP. Mark my words, once we jump onto that slippery slope, there’s no turning back. Next time it might be something you care about...like your job...
Firstly, cards on the table, HP sauce is quite a passion of mine. It is the respected granddaddy of the condiment family. I imagine HP sitting in the corner, on his rocking chair, with the young pretenders such as tabasco, ketchup, barbecue sauce, excitedly crowding around at his feet begging him to tell them once more about that time he took a Hun trench single-handedly after all his mates were slaughtered in no man’s land.
He may be advancing in years, but you just know that HP could still handle himself if some punks wanted to make some trouble on the last train home. The message is clear to all who look upon his sleek frame and majestic label: don’t mess, unless you want your candy-ass handed to you on a silver platter.
Imagine my delight when I came to Canada and found HP is venerated as highly here as in its homeland. In North America though, they use it as a 'steak sauce' which is fine, but really HP is at its best on sausages and bacon.
Anyway, this is not about HP per se. It is a parable of modern economics. It’s that thing called globalisation again. The G-word has for the last decade or so been an excuse dolled-out by any government (the real G-word) who wishes to disguise its incompetence, gutlessness, lack of ideas, or, sometimes, plain old corruption. Exactly when did our elected leaders collectively decide to just throw-up their hands and chorus “sorry, not our fault…it’s globalisation ya know”?
Aside from physical laws, mankind can create his own world. Politics and Economics are known as social sciences for a reason. Globalisation is not a law of nature. After listening to zealots like Thomas Friedman, you could be forgiven for thinking the whole thing is not only an inevitability, it’s actually ordained by the gods. In his next book, I wouldn’t be surprised if Friedman showed us some ancient carvings from a Mayan temple showing what looks suspiciously like a graph of foreign direct investment in Thailand for the years 1996-2006.
Globalisation is not a process. It is a policy. That means it can be reversed, and any moderately powerful state could happily refrain from joining in the fun and go about its own business merrily, or make its own little club of like-minded peeps. In my silly little brain, the old concept of sovereignty actually means something. Combined with democracy, it means that we can elect and dismiss the people who make our laws and reign over our realm. Pah! Surely this is hopelessly naïve you shout (I heard it), globalisation is here to stay and we must learn to live with it. I disagree. Never ever ever ever trust anyone – especially a politician or, worse, an economist – who says anything is inevitable.
Just as politicians can do something about it, it’s up to us to change as well. Some big multinational just bought-out your favourite local brewery, closed it down, and moved production elsewhere? Simple – never drink that beer or any other from that company ever again.
If capitalism works, then in response to rampant globalisation, we should surely see small, local businesses filling the gap in consumer preferences. But the fear of many (and the hope of many too) is that our brand of capitalism doesn’t work at all. Consumers don’t choose, they are told what they like. How else can you explain the popularity of (to carry-on the beer metaphor) something like Budweiser?
Finally, for those yet to be convinced of my side of the argument consider the old Churchill quote. To paraphrase the drugged-up old manic depressive, couldn’t our embracing of global capitalism be likened to feeding the alligator in the hope it will eat us last?
Let me be clearer. Remember the old missive about 'first they came' for so-and-so and when they came for me no one was left to speak up? Well, they already came for the coal-miners, the steel-workers, the workers in the myriad little factories making simple products (like HP sauce), and even the workers in the big factories making important modern industrial stuff like cars, trucks and ships.
So what will happen when they come for the lawyers, the accountants, the software engineers, the consultants, or the creative media types? When we can get our taxes done in Bangalore for $30 rather $300, or have a lawyer in Shanghai prepare the legal side of our property purchase for $100 rather than a $1000? It’s already happening; see here.
We were sold the idea that to thrive we should just dump smelly, lumpen concepts such as making things, and embrace an economy where we sell each other pensions and really expensive coffee. But when the ‘developing’ world starts getting seriously into services, after taking all the manufacturing, what do we do next? Keep selling the same piece of land to each other for the thousandth time? Or maybe create another ‘junk bond’ style financial instrument to pretend that we’re doing something? How about just dispensing sage advice to those up and coming Chinese and Indian chaps, surely they would pay handsomely for that? Or…er…we could go fishing…
It’s fine for the rich like Friedman to chatter on about how exciting this shiny new world is, because they don’t live in it (by the way, I wonder what first attracted Friedman to his billionaire wife?). Just like the suburban middle classes who just looooove coming into the city to eat at that delightful ‘ethnic’ restaurant, and chat about how woooonderful multiculturalism is, the real consequences of all this are borne by the poor and unrepresented.
So, farewell HP. Mark my words, once we jump onto that slippery slope, there’s no turning back. Next time it might be something you care about...like your job...
Sunday, March 11, 2007
A manifesto for change. But not too much.
You know it.
I know it.
Something is stopping us from saying what we really feel.
This is my modest attempt at changing that. I will say what I want, and am thankful for this forum for my many pontifications. I would be very happy if you argued with me, congratulated me, or, even better, paid me.
By the way, those of you without a sense of humour may as well get your coats and leave right now. And to think, I gave you a beer when you came in the door. Well, I am at least a gentleman, so I will let you drink-up before you leave. If you don't appreciate the occasional sledgehammer sarcasm in these pages then go away and watch some average TV and eat your boneless unseasoned chicken breasts.
Anyway, this is not really the start I wanted to make. This is supposed to a somewhat serious blog about politics, society, and culture. And economics. And war. And sport. And beer. To differing extents, although if it's at all possible to get all of these subjects in one post then giddy-up.
So, to start. A few random statements to provide some context to the musings to come. I should note at this stage that I do not pretend that my views are set in stone. I take the sage advice of John Maynard Keynes in this regard. If you don't know what I mean you shouldn't be reading this blog since you are not good enough for me...sorry, I mean I would only hurt you in the future...no…it's not you, it’s me...
So, to basics. I live in Canada. I am an immigrant here. I was born and bred in a bizarre little country called England, and in this blog I will often comment upon the state of that nation. Of course, the particularly enlightened among my esteemed readership (and the particularly pedantic - I think I like you already) will note that England is not a country at all, but part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I would rather say that it is now an outpost of the most misunderstood - and dangerous - political unit to have developed since the Second World War. I speak of the European Union.
But let's start with Canada. In many ways it is a marvellous country. A place where the innocent are unlikely to be dragged from their beds at night by the agents of authoritarian government. This is not to be taken lightly, although most Canadians have a nebulous notion of their liberty and how it came about, a strain of argument I will return to often.
Canada is also a land of immense paradox. Its domestic politics are unfathomable to the outsider. Seemingly benign waters on the surface, but underneath lies a torrent of contradictions and grievances waiting to explode. I will go into details in later posts of course, on such issues as separatism, immigration, multiculturalism, political correctness, economic cartels, and smugness. Make of that what you will.
As for my general underlying philosophies, I'm not sure I have any. Well of course I do, but let’s discover them as we go along.
I despise ignorance in all forms. However, I happen to believe that most people on the planet don't have enough time to really think about their situation and have not been educated sufficiently to perceive of the realities of the world around them. Yes, that probably makes me an intellectual snob. But you know it's true. Take a look around in the mall or on the bus or train. You know a lot of them couldn't spell "PhD" let alone tell you what it means.
A corollary to this is that even intelligent people are too busy making ends meet to really consider the kind of things we will discuss here. Until the development of the blog that is. Perhaps this blog can go some way to recreating those philosophical rambling conversations that many of us enjoyed during our university days.
I am neither left nor right. I actually don’t think these labels are very useful, or ever were really.
I am for freedom, which does mean, for example, that I support the right for people to own private property. This is no minor point, it is absolutely fundamental in the difference between free-market capitalism and Communism. Darn, I guess I just lost the Marxists out there. Please, stick with me for a while – at least until you decide I am just another capitalist swine.
However, I believe unfettered capitalism (especially of a global nature) is even more dangerous than Communism. History tells us that an accumulation of power always leads to negative results.
I am not a huge fan of religion. I see the role it has in keeping the unwashed masses down and pliable, and this is rather useful in itself. However, I can't help but think that anyone who ascribes things to 'faith' alone (I don't really care which brand of religion is your thing) can't really be trusted to have a sound opinion about anything.
On a related matter, I am quite a big fan of the European Enlightenment. What an achievement for a continent riven with conflict and religious dogma to suddenly decide to collectively think "bugger this nonsense, let's give science and rationality a crack instead, see where that takes us". It took Europe to the top of the evolutionary tree. It's no coincidence, and utterly irrefutable, that all the best things in scientific, social, political, cultural, and economic matters have come out of Europe since.
Imperial arrogance? Nonsense, just the plain truth. I don't see why a Frenchman or an Englishman should bow and scrape and consider his culture to be at all relative to the head-shrinking nutter in the jungle. This is where the tricky subject of multiculturalism gets rather nasty, so we better leave that one until later. Suffice to say, I believe Canada's multicultural experiment (not how you usually heard it described, but I think it's apt) is a potential road to disaster.
I am an enthusiastic reader of military history and follower of current military affairs. However, I am finding myself tending to believe that 'war is a racket'. One can admire the heroic achievements of those people who sacrifice themselves to protect their country from oblivion, such as the millions of Soviet citizens (I must admit I just got a frisson of enjoyment out of writing the word 'Soviet') who gave their lives in the fight against German fascism. But I find it altogether more difficult to rejoice in the memory of a volunteer soldier killed while 'on duty' in someone else’s country without an invitation.
I support capital punishment. I happily endorse draconian measures to the problems of law & order we see affecting our lives more and more in many Western societies. No, that doesn't mean cutting-off peoples hands, but rather simply the old-fashioned view that prison should be very unpleasant and the 'rights' of the convicted criminal should be attended to last rather than first. The do-gooder brigade - usually led by white middle-class women - have brought nothing but spiralling criminality and unprecedented recidivism. Their experiment with our society needs to stop.
Here's another thing. I don't really like governments that much. I don't trust them. No, not in a hoarding-cans-of-tuna-and-high-powered-automatic-weapons-in-the-basement kinda way. Just that it seems to me to be the height of folly to place more than an ounce of trust in any powerful organisation. One really has to just pick any random history book off the shelf to realise that the chief abuser of 'us' - the people - has been our own governments.
I like the saying “people shouldn’t be afraid of their government – their government should be afraid of their people”. Revolution is not necessarily a bad thing ya know. Sometimes a society is so screwed-up, the only thing to do is to rip it up and start again. Lenin had it right on that one. There, I told you Marxists to hang-on in there.
Well, enough of this opening drivel. I haven't touched upon many issues I would have liked, but heck there ya go. I guess this blog will be like free-form jazz. Only hopefully less painful. And way less annoying, and (slightly) less pompous.
Let's just all agree to not mention free-form jazz ever again. Ta.
I know it.
Something is stopping us from saying what we really feel.
This is my modest attempt at changing that. I will say what I want, and am thankful for this forum for my many pontifications. I would be very happy if you argued with me, congratulated me, or, even better, paid me.
By the way, those of you without a sense of humour may as well get your coats and leave right now. And to think, I gave you a beer when you came in the door. Well, I am at least a gentleman, so I will let you drink-up before you leave. If you don't appreciate the occasional sledgehammer sarcasm in these pages then go away and watch some average TV and eat your boneless unseasoned chicken breasts.
Anyway, this is not really the start I wanted to make. This is supposed to a somewhat serious blog about politics, society, and culture. And economics. And war. And sport. And beer. To differing extents, although if it's at all possible to get all of these subjects in one post then giddy-up.
So, to start. A few random statements to provide some context to the musings to come. I should note at this stage that I do not pretend that my views are set in stone. I take the sage advice of John Maynard Keynes in this regard. If you don't know what I mean you shouldn't be reading this blog since you are not good enough for me...sorry, I mean I would only hurt you in the future...no…it's not you, it’s me...
So, to basics. I live in Canada. I am an immigrant here. I was born and bred in a bizarre little country called England, and in this blog I will often comment upon the state of that nation. Of course, the particularly enlightened among my esteemed readership (and the particularly pedantic - I think I like you already) will note that England is not a country at all, but part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I would rather say that it is now an outpost of the most misunderstood - and dangerous - political unit to have developed since the Second World War. I speak of the European Union.
But let's start with Canada. In many ways it is a marvellous country. A place where the innocent are unlikely to be dragged from their beds at night by the agents of authoritarian government. This is not to be taken lightly, although most Canadians have a nebulous notion of their liberty and how it came about, a strain of argument I will return to often.
Canada is also a land of immense paradox. Its domestic politics are unfathomable to the outsider. Seemingly benign waters on the surface, but underneath lies a torrent of contradictions and grievances waiting to explode. I will go into details in later posts of course, on such issues as separatism, immigration, multiculturalism, political correctness, economic cartels, and smugness. Make of that what you will.
As for my general underlying philosophies, I'm not sure I have any. Well of course I do, but let’s discover them as we go along.
I despise ignorance in all forms. However, I happen to believe that most people on the planet don't have enough time to really think about their situation and have not been educated sufficiently to perceive of the realities of the world around them. Yes, that probably makes me an intellectual snob. But you know it's true. Take a look around in the mall or on the bus or train. You know a lot of them couldn't spell "PhD" let alone tell you what it means.
A corollary to this is that even intelligent people are too busy making ends meet to really consider the kind of things we will discuss here. Until the development of the blog that is. Perhaps this blog can go some way to recreating those philosophical rambling conversations that many of us enjoyed during our university days.
I am neither left nor right. I actually don’t think these labels are very useful, or ever were really.
I am for freedom, which does mean, for example, that I support the right for people to own private property. This is no minor point, it is absolutely fundamental in the difference between free-market capitalism and Communism. Darn, I guess I just lost the Marxists out there. Please, stick with me for a while – at least until you decide I am just another capitalist swine.
However, I believe unfettered capitalism (especially of a global nature) is even more dangerous than Communism. History tells us that an accumulation of power always leads to negative results.
I am not a huge fan of religion. I see the role it has in keeping the unwashed masses down and pliable, and this is rather useful in itself. However, I can't help but think that anyone who ascribes things to 'faith' alone (I don't really care which brand of religion is your thing) can't really be trusted to have a sound opinion about anything.
On a related matter, I am quite a big fan of the European Enlightenment. What an achievement for a continent riven with conflict and religious dogma to suddenly decide to collectively think "bugger this nonsense, let's give science and rationality a crack instead, see where that takes us". It took Europe to the top of the evolutionary tree. It's no coincidence, and utterly irrefutable, that all the best things in scientific, social, political, cultural, and economic matters have come out of Europe since.
Imperial arrogance? Nonsense, just the plain truth. I don't see why a Frenchman or an Englishman should bow and scrape and consider his culture to be at all relative to the head-shrinking nutter in the jungle. This is where the tricky subject of multiculturalism gets rather nasty, so we better leave that one until later. Suffice to say, I believe Canada's multicultural experiment (not how you usually heard it described, but I think it's apt) is a potential road to disaster.
I am an enthusiastic reader of military history and follower of current military affairs. However, I am finding myself tending to believe that 'war is a racket'. One can admire the heroic achievements of those people who sacrifice themselves to protect their country from oblivion, such as the millions of Soviet citizens (I must admit I just got a frisson of enjoyment out of writing the word 'Soviet') who gave their lives in the fight against German fascism. But I find it altogether more difficult to rejoice in the memory of a volunteer soldier killed while 'on duty' in someone else’s country without an invitation.
I support capital punishment. I happily endorse draconian measures to the problems of law & order we see affecting our lives more and more in many Western societies. No, that doesn't mean cutting-off peoples hands, but rather simply the old-fashioned view that prison should be very unpleasant and the 'rights' of the convicted criminal should be attended to last rather than first. The do-gooder brigade - usually led by white middle-class women - have brought nothing but spiralling criminality and unprecedented recidivism. Their experiment with our society needs to stop.
Here's another thing. I don't really like governments that much. I don't trust them. No, not in a hoarding-cans-of-tuna-and-high-powered-automatic-weapons-in-the-basement kinda way. Just that it seems to me to be the height of folly to place more than an ounce of trust in any powerful organisation. One really has to just pick any random history book off the shelf to realise that the chief abuser of 'us' - the people - has been our own governments.
I like the saying “people shouldn’t be afraid of their government – their government should be afraid of their people”. Revolution is not necessarily a bad thing ya know. Sometimes a society is so screwed-up, the only thing to do is to rip it up and start again. Lenin had it right on that one. There, I told you Marxists to hang-on in there.
Well, enough of this opening drivel. I haven't touched upon many issues I would have liked, but heck there ya go. I guess this blog will be like free-form jazz. Only hopefully less painful. And way less annoying, and (slightly) less pompous.
Let's just all agree to not mention free-form jazz ever again. Ta.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)