DON'T LOOK BACK

2007
another year expires and is consigned to history
the year that was
and the year that wasn't
destined to be forgotten
much maligned
written off
put down to experience
distorted
celebrated
glorified
archived and microfiched
edited and revised
put to bed and resurrected
referenced and reinvented
cited and indicted
cut up and pasted into a scrapbook
another year of empty promises
disingenuous dissembling
slanderous lies
collective amnesia
dashed hopes
faded dreams
dubious means
violent ends
thuggish intimidation
murderous intent
cold-blooded assassination
innocent pleasures
touching kindnesses
jawdropping beauty
stunning cool
improbable synchronicities
fortunate serendipities
mutating cities
restless flux
breathless change
breathtaking inertia
stagnation and obselesence
empty ritual
full speed ahead
a year all wrapped up in pretty packaging
shrinkwrapped in plastic
placed under spotlights
and sold two for the price of one
a paradoxical year
a year just like any other year
and yet...
unique

see ya all here in 2008!

OUT OF CURIOSITY

what is art-pour-l'art?
what was so special about william blake?
how did rimbaud inspire dylan et al?
is a flea circus real or a con?
who is david de rothschild?
what is the secret of happiness?
who were the diggers?
did david kelly commit suicide?
why was gilligan really forced to resign?
what is a troika?
how did robin cook meet his maker?
what is a zero-sum game?
what did the triffids release?
why is the beast #666?
what were the finer plot details of 'the selfish giant'?
where can i get a pair of breathable trousers?
what exactly is clause four?
who were the parasites in charge of northern rock?
do lemmings really launch themselves over cliffs?
what do buddhists believe?
how does one meditate?
what is an apocryphal story?
could bush and chums have stopped 9-11?
what is a mummers play?
why are birmingham grammar schools named after king edward vi?
what was kenny everett's real name?
what are green drinks?
will the church play any uk dates in 2008?
when do our american friends say 'heads up'?
why are trees vips?
why do humans keep on making the same old mistakes?
what is the purpose of the tom paine society?
what is the fourth estate?
and the fifth?
how do you play the opening chord of 'a hard day's night'?
who is denis haliday?
why is gandhi still relevant?
whatever happened to echobelly?
why do some schools have an interactive whiteboard in every classroom
while others go without?
what is education for?
who were the lily-white boys covered all in greeno?
what are the dangers of pvc?
whatever happened to the guy out of haircut 100?
what nutrition does one get from a potato?
what is the best way to write a song?
how did rudolf nuryev escape to the west?
where was mercia?
how does the killer manage to rattle off a blog every day?
can mainstream politics save us from self-destruction?
why are the nigerians cutting down their rainforests
and eating the monkeys?
what do they do at schumacher college?
do broadsheet journalists really believe the bilge they spout?
why did the earth centre at doncaster go pear-shaped?
is it worth reading 'the ten-day mba'?
what is the most eco-friendly form of modern human settlement?
how do you go about writing a business plan?
is it worth writing one?
how can i make this blog more interesting?
does it have to be interesting?
isn't 'interesting' a meaningless value-laden word?
why are biofuels such a disaster?
what do 'bucolic' and 'apoplectic' mean?
how does george monbiot speak for twenty minutes without notes?
what is the prisoner's dilemma?
how can i keep my emotions on a more even keel?
who is frances cairncross?
what is 'active traffic management'?
where does jason pegg play gigs?
how many jobs have i had over the years?
what's the best pub in stamford?
what is the best way to remove a red wine stain from a carpet?
how do you cook beetroot?
where is the spotted dog?
is russell brand for real?
should parents offer kids discipline or flexibility?
how much money has the uk government wasted on the iraq invasion?
how many iraqis have died as a result of war and sanctions?
how many afghan civilians have perished?
how can the media churn out superficial tripe about war
and never ever focus on the tragedy of the real victims?
how can i remain calm in the face of such provocation?
does alcohol really give you cancer?
are the arctic monkeys washed up?
what colour would you like the door of your new nuclear power station?
can a carnivore be an environmentalist?
can an environmentalist be a carnivore?
aren't we all environmentalists?
isn't the term a red herring?
why when we learn the truth do we still go on lying to ourselves?
do you wanna be part of the problem or the solution?
what is art?
what is the art of living?
is property theft?
what vocal style best suits my voice?
how can we get hannah to sleep at a reasonable time?
how can i help my brother deal with his anger?
who was general pitt rivers?
what happened to the zepellin?
how come lord kitchener was so successful?
and did curiosity really kill the cat?

JEAN'S GENES

aunty jean's real name is diane
but no-one calls her that
for reasons unknown or lost in time
she likes to be addressed as jean
aunty jean is my dad's younger cousin
she is a good eight years my mum's junior
but mum is often embarrassed when people ask if jean is her mother
one of the most striking things about jean
is her constant babble of rambling incoherent speech
very much like a person vocalising their thought processes out loud
which is perhaps what it is
jean also has a severe speech impediment
which takes a lot of getting used to
and makes understanding her extremely difficult
by way of example
'aunty rose' comes out as 'aunty owl'
what does aunty jean mean? asks a puzzled hannah...
jean lives in a care home across the city
once a month my folks take her out for the day
each day follows a familiar pattern
they pick jean up in the car
take her for lunch in a cafe
they go shopping for routine items in a suburban high street or mall
finally it's back to the house for tea
salmon sarnies, cake and trifle
apart from the difficulties she has making herself understood
jean has other problems:
a pronounced stoop from bad posture
severe alopecia and a bleeding scalp
caused by her pulling out her own hair
week legs and painful feet
meaning that she has to use a zimmer-frame-on-wheels contraption
and shuffles along at a painfully slow speed...
like her mobility
jean's field of interest is extremely restricted
a few things that register:
cats
family
knitting
old photographs of brum taken from the fifties onwards
the various 'aunties' who work at her care home
some things that pass under the radar:
popular culture in general
music
sport
opinions
topical events
the wider world beyond the care home
this also places limits on conversations...
jean suffered brain damage as a baby
my dad's uncle and his wife looked after her
until they passed away twenty years ago
and she found her way into a care home run by a trust
as a child i never saw her
the only evidence that diane (as she was called then) existed
came from an annual christmas card scrawled in clumsy capitals
more recently my parents have gradually got to know her better
got used to her ways
her needs
her interests and limitations
jean obviously looks forward to her days out
pencilling them into her diary
no sooner than she has sunk into her favourite armchair...
i used to resent the visits from this cuckoo
barging into the family nest
on day release from the closet
with her strange babbling and routines
intruding as if from nowhere on our lives
i even shamefully remember making a real fuss
about her coming round one boxing day
now that i have come to understand aunty jean a bit more
i realise that she is as lovable as anyone else
and heartily regret my selfishness and stupidity

FLEA CIRCUS

long life
good health
the freedom to live in peace and democracy
loving and being loved
access to information and communication
the means to live in comfort
the freedom to travel the world
the chance to contribute towards the well-being of others
the wherewithal to respect and protect the environment
what more could anybody want?
and yet...
most of the people in our society
seem to pursue happiness in vain
they find entertainment and pleasure
but no deeper longer-lasting fulfilment
i only have to turn on the telly or the radio
or observe the people around me
to see that anxiety, unhappiness and discontent are rife
the highs are fleeting
always followed hot on the heels by the lows
like a junkie on heroin
those twin imposters triumph and disaster jostle for attention
as we walk the tightrope
they are always beckoning
shallow ephemeral waves of pleasure wash over us
as our desires or goals are momentarily satisfied
but we lack the depth of the sea
that body of water unmoved by turbulent storms and high winds
how can we ever find happiness
if we only look outwards
if our eyes remain focussed on the flea circus
if we jump to attention like pavlov's dogs when a bell is rung
while we neglect to look inwards
terrified of what we might find there

STAIN

boxing day
when are we going to do some boxing? asks hannah
curious
as a kid i never questioned why boxing day was called boxing day
it just had a kind of right-sounding feel to it
chrismus day then...boxing day
anyway
the weather is mild n sunny n bright
we load hannah's scooter into the boot
and all six of us drive over to cannon hill park
birmingham's best park
according to my dad
who has a far superior working knowledge
of brum's recreational spaces
cannon hill is one of those victorian parks
which was donated by a kindly philanthropissed
once he or she had made a fortune exploiting their workers
i suppose
there are a couple of boating lakes
a black n white elizabethan-style cricket pavilion
wide open spaces
flower beds with exotic palm trees
kiddies playgrounds
a cycle track
and of course the 'mac'
the midlands arts centre
where i learnt to play classical guitar as a teenager
reaching grade six no less
in the so-called hexagon theatre
with my mate mike from number 83
and our wellspoken and slightly sexy teacher fran griffin
who always finished the lesson with a cheery 'toddle off now boys'
much to our amusement
once i played a piece for all the parents in a guitar concert
left foot placed on footstool
legs wide open
then realised afterwards i'd been flying low the whole time!
i guess the classical stuff helped me quite a bit
even though all i really wanted to do
was learn to strum chords
figure out how to play beatles songs
and get on with writing my own
the summer we left school
i played footy at cannon hill park with my mates from five ways
the summer i turned eighteen
and ironically got refused in a pub for the first time
the summer all of us headed off to university and adulthood
and the rest of our lives
eddie passalacqua
gavin rebello
nigel prosser
and all the others
where are you now?
'friends reunited' provides scant clues...
in the bright low-angled sunlight of the winter solstice
we feed the canada geese on the lake
hannah does a turn on her scooter
then asks for a hug
she's still not fully recovered from a pre-xmas cold
we do a brief tour of the playgrounds
then dad and i go for a stroll
while the others head off for a cuppa at the mac
back at the ranch
i experiment with a beetroot n cabbage salad
beetroot with its amazing healing properties
courtesy of our organic box
to accompany the festive feast
it turns out better than i could have dreamed
getting a rare unanimous thumbs-up
after dinner i resume my newly assumed role as games master
wrapping up a 'pass the parcel' from recycled xmas pressie paper
and organising a game of charades
the highlight is uncle johnny desparately trying and failing
to convey the concept of 'zen & the art of motorcycle maintenance'
while his bewildered team mates scratch their heads
unfortunately
in the middle of all the excitement
i have to blot my copy book
leaving a glass of ruby red port by the sofa
for someone to knock all over the carpet
we soak up the liquid with paper
and cover the stain with salt
but a long pink finger still extends stubbornly across the carpet this morning
suggestions on a postcard please...

GENERATION X MOUSE

we haven't done this since h was seven months old
a big multi-generational whatnot family christmas
nanny n grandpa
funny uncle johnny
j
yours drooly
and of course little hannah e
enjoying her first english xmas proper
hannah bounds downstairs at eight
to make sure that santa has polished off his mince pie
and knocked back his sherry
hurray! says she
dragging her giant pillowcase of bright parcels over to the tree
we all sit around for hours
working our way through the piles of gifts
everybody has indulged h big time this year
there is a cool purple scooter from nanny & grandpa
a funky 'peppa pig' house from funny uncle j
a life-size doll with its own portable cot from mummy
a marble helter skelter also from fuj
(i can see we'll soon be losing our marbles)
playdough
korean dvds
and lots more
daddy's modest contribution consists of some nativity story books
to put the whole event in a bit of context
and a jog-raphy lesson
in the form of a world map jigsaw from oxfam
the kind folks in norwich have sent a luvly eco-art activity book
thanks guys!...
by the time i have finished unwrapping my pressies
i am transformed from a scruffy bloke in a dressing-gown
to a smart winter cyclist
clothed from head to toe in a breathable fleece & trousers
and some woolly socks n gloves from uncle j
i build up a seductive pile of books from various quarters:
epstein's bio
dylan's autobio
a guide of local cycle routes (and watering holes)
and those kind norridge benefactors have come up trumps again
with a great big eco-house design encyclopedia...
after brekky h goes out for a scooter test-drive in the sunlight
scaring the life out of grandpa
with her total disregard for health & safety considerations
meanwhile in the kitchen
too many cooks spoil the broth preparing lunch
or rather lunches
as we are obliged to cater for the usual carnivorous and veggie options
as well as different tastes among the veggies
but it all kind of gets there in the end
christmas spirit cutting the usual quotient of internecine quarrelling
we tuck into creamy leak and split-pea soup
delicious nut roast smothered in gravy
tasty roast potatoes, parsnips and carrots
and some steamed purple cabbage adds a dash of colour
the cabernet-shiraz, port and winter ale hit the appropriate spots
and we all collapse into armchairs n sofa
fireseed manages to rouse the troops from post-nosh slumbers
and marches everyone through a team quiz
with rounds on such topics as 'in the night garden',
'northfield manor school'
& 'south korea'
the outcome hinges on the last round 'sport':
which footballer unwisely commented
that none of the croatian players would make it into the england team
just before they were resoundingly humiliated at wembley?
(michael owen's famous last words)
nobody remembers
so the woodles shade it over the weakest links
by a mere point
everyone gamely endures my clumsy guitar playing
as we murder a succession of christmas songs n carols
h does a crazy wagglebottom dance
happy to be the centre of attention
egged on by all n sundry
a starstruck future on the stage awaits
telly is thankfully delayed till eight-thirty
when it arrives with a vengance
providing a suitable juncture
for bedtime stories
lights outs
and a swift christmas blog
still time for charades and more carols before bed...
a peaceful christmas to one and all
love
over-indulgent fireseed
xxxx

TRANSIENCE

change
transience
fluctuation
impermanence
inconstancy
evolution
revolution
rising
falling
growing
shrinking
here today
gone tomorrow
here for a fleeting moment
gone in a flash
like a bubbling fountain
nothing just is
the bus won't stop and let ya get off
the train never comes to a standstill
the planet revolves
the moon waxes and wanes
the tides ebb and flow
thoughts bubble up, coalesce and disperse
dust falls
organisms decay
an endless cycle
of birth
reproduction
death
the soul
the spirit
the flesh
the demands change
the goalposts move
the bar is raised
the parameters alter
we crave security
permanence
immortality
we get insecurity
impermanence
mortality
we desire what we cannot have
we want to be who we cannot be

BALI! BALI!

due to the appallingly inadequate media coverage
you'd be forgiven for missing it
but our greaters and betters have really sold us down the river this time
a near unanimous scientific concensus has now been reached
a real watershed in meteorological science
which concurs that this generation of humankind
has one fleeting opportunity to turn this ship around
before it capsizes and sinks
this is the calm before the storm
when the true effects of human indiscretion
are still largely hidden from view
what is happening represents the greatest market failure the world has ever seen
a total inability to internalise the externalities
to factor in the catastrophic effects of mass industrialisation
reflected in the stubborn 'business as usual' attitude
prevailing in the trade winds
as the planet silently cries out for succour
meanwhile in vain do i scan the news reports
for the words 'contraction & convergence'
a simple system which involves calculating
the number of carbos each planetary citizen can sustainably burn
and then setting targets for making gradual reductions in per capita consumption
a slowly adjusting carbon rationing system
based on democratic principles
where the wealthy lead the way and the poor eventually follow
hence the C & C
yet this elementary justice and equity is politically explosive
predicated as it is on the rich making 'sacrifices'
or should i say treading more lightly
for the sake of the rest of humanity
but ladies and gentlemen
these cards are nowhere near the table
no targets whatsoever were agreed in bali
despite all the noise and the sordid backroom deals
no binding commitment whatsoever was made
the global free marketeers are once again licenced to kill
to dig up, refine and trade with impunity
i say the time has come to step up to the breech
to give up waiting for our gutless political leaders to act
to take things into our own hands
to refuse to race over the edge of the cliff like lemmings
to refuse to comply with the insane demands of the free market profiteers
the northern rock parasites
and their ilk
who espouse the free market to make quick profits
then milk the public dry when they run into trouble
the time has come at last
to wrestle the ship's wheel from its drunken captains
to steer our vessel clear of the treacherous rocks that lie ahead
the ones that threaten to drown us and all our loved ones
so what are we waiting for?

PATH

there is no path
the path is made by walking
there are those who stumble along blindly
and those who soldier doggedly on
those who trundle along stuck in a rut
and those who shuffle forwards in resignation
those who trudge wearily onwards
and others who come to a halt paralysed with fear
like rabbits in the headlights
some fall by the wayside
some march to the sound of the drum
while others hear a different drum
there is the pied piper
leading the rats into the river
along with the village children
there is the path through the dark forest
the garden path
and the path well trodden
there is the road to nowhere
the road to redemption
the yellow brick road
and the road to perdition
the high road
and the low road
there is too the road less travelled
there is no path
the path is made by walking

PUBLIC HOUSING

at the point in England where the four counties meet
a town stands in south kesteven
its buildings hewn from the local limestone
where the melbourn brothers still brew their fruit beers
up by the fire station on new cross road stands the hurdler
the drum & monkey is over in casterton road
just round the corner from the danish invader on empingham road
move on to cromwell's, the green man and the punchbowl in scotgate
not forgetting the hit or miss and the jolly brewer in foundry road
the millstone, the otter's pocket & the periwig are down in all saints
and sell a mean pint
while the golden fleece in sheepmarket will warm your cockles
the london inn on st johns street
will send you steaming down high street
to the black bull in stamford walk
and the hole in the wall in cheyne lane
dart up a narrow alley on the other side of the main drag
and you'll be given a warm welcome
at the pear tree, the lord burghley & the toreador
on up the hill there's the dolphin inn in east street
then loop back round to the half moon inn
and the tobie norris in st pauls
the tobie serves up some mean ales from ufford's microbrewery
beside a roaring hearth
expect to be caught up in a mummers play at this time of year
and be on your guard at the daniel lambert in st leonard's street
where a fat man might challenge you to a rigged race
round to the vaults in st mary's
or a roll down to the bull and swan in high street st martins
ask a local for directions to the northfields in the drift
and don't pass up the chance
to sample a fruit ale at the melbourn brothers' place

MYSTERY

are you religious?
there goes that question again
that ever-so-simple yes-no question
with the ever-so-long-winded answer
requiring first of all a definition of terms
what the questioner usually means is:
are you a christian?
whatever that means exactly
in our this modern secular age
for judging by the respective claims and actions of people in this country
there must be a lot of camels
struggling to fit through the eyes of needles
are you religious?
a pretty nonsensical question
if ya stop and think about it
for aren't we all religious?
doesn't everybody have some kind of provisional answer
to his or her place in the universe?
however vague or undeveloped
even if that provisional answer
consists of rejecting the existence of god
arriving at the terrifying conclusion
that life has no purpose or meaning
beyond pleasure-seeking
desire-satisfying
consuming n shopping till ya drop...
the great debate still seems to rage out there
the two pillars
the twin dogmas
which the high priests of their respective temples do tenaciously defend
in the blue corner the darwinistas
dawkins and co
with their big bangs
their matters & anti-matters
their creatures crawling out of the primordial sludge
their theories of natural selection
the survival of the fittest
the lucky elephants/giraffes
which randomly grew long noses/necks
and prospered
and their less fortunate regular guy relatives
who sadly fell into decline
monkeys sitting at typewriters banging out shakespeare plays
eiffel towers forged miraculously from piles of scrap metal
hairy apes metamorphing into humans
(except for the ones to be found in the white house
and on the streets of birmingham)
so the darwinistas fail to cut it with the hows
and they don't even begin to explore the whys
hmmmm...
and in the red corner
the creationistas
those intelligent designers
marvelling at the world god created in six days
full of their tales of adam n eve
and the serpent that did beguile em
naughty eve and her bite of the apple
the expulsion from the garden
so far so good
but who or what was it
that created god and satan in the first place?
there is a tad more of the why here
but the how ain't at all convincing
hmmmm...
i'm afraid this debate doesn't do it for me
neither pugilist is up to the task
neither opponent has sufficient marston's pedigree
fireseed still musing
fireseed still scratching under the surface
still looking for answers
still trying to fathom the eternal mystery

MARCH IN DECEMBER

we should have brought a canoe
the filthy december weather well n truly rains on our parade
by the time we start shuffling along millbank
we're already soaked to the skin
and the 'wanted - george bush climate cowboy' placards
are disintegrating
though i do think this criticism is a little personal
georgie boy's only doing what he's told to, after all
come to think of it
where are all the 'gordon is a moron' signs?
we stream past the empty houses of parliament
with its big black security shed
and sail on up whitehall
past the home of the moron
where a letter of protest is presented
as the throng flows up the hill to trafalgar square
the noise of a jazz band
a dancing polar bear
and a big all-the-colours-of-the-rainbow keep up the spirits
with my attempts stalling to get a 'cut the carbon' chant going
and no banner to wave
i make a mental note to come better prepared next time round
as many saucepans and whistles
and as much other noise-making equipment as possible
at the end of the monopoly board in mayfair
a line of police in fluorescent jackets cross grosvenor square
protecting the dull concrete monolith of the us embassy
from the aggressive likes of the south lakeland wdm-ers
up on the tiny stump in the corner of the square
chris huhne announces the exact number of days and hours
that gb has left as president
as if the fossil fool has a monopoly on capitalism
according to caroline lucas
a vegan in a 4wd is better for cc
than a meat-eater on a bicycle
(or a veggie in a vw polo?)
guess that gives me carte blanche to ask santa for a humvee!
george monbiot predictably blows the other speakers away
he begins by telling us about an efficient new system
of carbon capture and storage
that requires no new technology or investment
the name of this revolutionary solution?
'leaving fossil fuels in the ground'
george warns us of a government busy trying to manage energy demand
that asks us to switch to low-energy lightbulbs
and stop using plastic bags
while it utterly fails to manage the supply of energy
opening huge opencast coal pits in wales
and handing out subsidies to north sea oil companies
for every last drop or crumb dug out of the ground
will be burned
george digs out some frightening stats:
at current growth rates
humankind will use the same amount of resources over the next twenty years
as we have since we first walked on two legs
then george utters the dreaded c-word
'capitalism'
a system that depends on never-ending growth
that relies on ever-increasing consumption of resources
so that it makes a return on its investments
a system that would bring down the biosphere
a system that would bring down the human race
a system that would give a new meaning to 'the end of history'
oh a revolution is surely what we need
economic
political
philosophical
ethical
spiritual
revolution
a revolution in our hearts and minds
for there is no planet b!...
we get home and turn on the telly to see the coverage
we sit through stories about a canoeist con man
maggie thatcher laying a wreath at westminster abbey
one of our boys killed in afghanistan
but there's nowt about our march through the cold rain
so what?
so we need to shout louder!

OWN GOALS

a word of warning, dear readers
we are on the subject of the meaning of life today
(ed: but isn't that your subject every day?
fireseed: oh shut up, ed!)
so let us start with some fundamental questions:
what is it that makes you get out of bed of a morning?
what makes you tick?
what are your goals in life?
what drives you?
think for a moment
is it money?
saving up to buy a new car
a new kitchen
a weekend break in spain
the children's school fees
'financial security'?
paying off the bricks and mortar
building up the pension
making provision for a comfortable dotage
looking after the family's welfare?
making sure the kids are fedwasheddressednreadyforschool
that hubby's shirt is ironed and his lunchbox packed
'success'?
the approval of others
getting a promotion
maximising sales and profits for the firm
boosting your commissions or bonuses
getting a rise
(oops! we seem to have strayed onto money again)
status
prestige
praise
acknowledgement
recognition
a pat on the back
a sense of importance
adulation
fame
glory
or perhaps the allure of romance?
the search for mr or mrs right
love at first sight
the trophy wife
a soulmate
the moon in june
(ed: what?! in december?
fireseed: i thought i told you to shut up, ed!)
or perhaps something more basic?
great sex
a 10 out of 10 body
the 'ultimate screw'
a beautiful mind?
maybe the footy or the cricket?
if only we can stay in the premiership
if we win our next match, we'll move up to 12th place
shopping?
a little bit of retail therapy
if i buy meself that new pair of shoes, then i'll be happy
christmas is coming!
hatred or revenge?
getting your own back on your vindictive boss
putting one over on that smarmy git in marketing
showing the playground bully a thing or two...
now for the sages of the east
all of these goals are somewhat problematic
representing as they do red herrings
wild goose chases
cul-de-sacs
dead ends
blind alleys
'sins' as opposed to 'virtues'
not in the sense of wickedness, you understand
but of mistaken thinking
in football parlance, own goals
because those goalposts keep moving
no sooner is the goal attained
than a new one takes its place
the thrill of the new shoes
or the car
or the 10 out of 10
quickly dies away
leaving a feeling of emptiness
repeated over and over again
this leads to a perpetual cycle of unhappiness and frustration
unsated and insatiable desire
i speak from experience
dissatisfaction of this kind is the story of my life
are there any echoes in yours?...
so what goals do the great sages suggest
in place of our futile deluded concerns?
what signposts do the world's great belief systems have to offer?
first and foremost
cultivate humility and compassion
by consciously developing the urge to relieve the suffering of others
we thereby relieve our own
cultivate both calmness and alertness of mind
these can be achieved through regular meditation
seek religious truth and right moral conduct
treading carefully among the landmines of atheism and theism
do not worship an all-powerful god
but keep your eyes pealed for signposts
in your search for a deeper understanding
of your own place in the universe
seek not the approval of others
for only you can divine your own truth
express yourself in art
paint
dance
make music
in short, follow your bliss
as joseph campbell said
according to the sages
buddha
lao-tse
jesus
muhammad
gandhi
these are worthy goals
which shall lead the willing seeker
through the dark forest of confusion and doubt
and out into the bright clearing
illuminated by the warm rays of happiness and fulfilment

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

to be or not to be
that is the question
whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
or to take arms against a sea of troubles
and by opposing, end them...
been re-reading a book called free to be human
by david edwards
one half of medialens
if you haven't read this fascinating enquiry
then do yourself a favour
go out and buy yourself a copy now
and peruse thoroughly
it will broaden your mind
it will knock your socks off
it will repay your investment in spades
assuming of course that you suspend judgement
and pay mr edwards' ideas due attention
F2BH has an eloquent subtitle
summing up the contents most succintly:
intellectual self-defence in an age of illusions
so what can i tell you about this illuminating thesis
in the bite-sized space of a blog post?
well, essentially so the theory goes
those of us living in a 'liberal democracy'
(that's me and very likely you, dear internet reader)
are cheerfully labouring under the illusion
that we have attained freedom in thought and deed
both political and personal
however it turns out that we are very much mistaken
this misplaced assumption being our single biggest obstacle to genuine freedom
for the sad reality is that vested interests keep us stupid
unaware
ignorant
disenfranchised
apathetic
self-obsessed
our understanding of personal, ethical and spiritual issues fatally compromised
but why should this be, you ask, unconvinced?
because the goals of society are formulated by a powerful elite
our business leaders and political masters
who create the rules by which we all shall live
the framing conditions of our society:
that economic growth must be maximised
that corporate profit must be maximised
that these desired outcomes must be fuelled by mass production
and stoked by endless mass consumption
with all its planned obselescence
in order to keep us co-operative and compliant
this growth imperative mantra
must be chanted endlessly by the fourth estate
shouted from the rooftops by our ever-informative media
no conspiracy theory required, folks
because the framing conditions ensure
that those who play by the rules
the journalists who tell us the 'right' things
the executives who maximise profits for their shareholders
at whatever cost
will thrive
while those who are not willing to play ball
will be ridiculed, marginalised and quickly dispensed with
is it little wonder that our natural environment is despoiled
unable to cope with this full-scale assault
unable to provide exponentially increasing quantities of resources
or replenish itself at the required rate?
ecology be damned!
people and animals exist as mere fodder for the industrial machine
only it's easier to spot among the factory farms
and in the sweat shops and slums of the third world
where the impoverished masses starve
as we liberal democrats plunder their resources
worse still
our search for religious truth has been waylaid
by the convenient red herring of atheism
a power religion that ensures a good buying environment
that encourages us to consume ever more voraciously
and discourages any genuine spiritual enquiry
into our relationship with the universe
our place in the cosmos
and as for our sense of morality
it has been corrupted by the mistaken notion
that if we can get away with a misdemeanour
in the absence of punishment by a vengeful god or by society
then why not?
what can be the harm in it?
we do not see that the mistake itself is its own punishment
condemning us to suffer chaos
for do we need to punish the child
for burning its finger in the flame?
(blair n bush beware!)
so here we are
basking in the bright sunshine of our freedom
reduced to an army of stupified zombies sleepwalking to oblivion
waiting for christmas
bored, deadened and alienated
as our despoiled world festers and dies around us...
but fear not, dear reader
as the tears flow down your cheeks
for mr edwards' conclusion is ultimately hopeful:
with effort and discipline
we can acquire the intellectual tools
to take up arms against our sea of troubles
and by opposing, end them...

CONVERSATION

gandhi: it is a privilege to meet you, osama
how is life treating you these days?
bin laden: i cannot complain
for i have all the resources i need to live in safety and comfort, insha'allah
gandhi: our lives have interesting parallels, do they not?
you, sir, fighting to repel the world's current superpower
much as i fought to expel the 20th century british imperialists from my homeland
bin laden: yes, mahatma, we have much in common
although our methods clearly differ
gandhi: indeed, sir
and it is precisely these differences that i wish to discuss with you today
for differences are not things to be merely tolerated or respected
but are to be cherished
bin laden: you intrigue me, mahatma
please go on
gandhi: well, by encountering contrary views
one is forced to re-examine one's own version of the truth
perhaps to gain glimpses of a higher truth
and to adjust one's view
to grow from truth to truth
for truth cannot be absolute, only experimental
bin laden: do you mean a provisional answer to life?
gandhi: yes, exactly
bin laden: in that case, i am in full agreement
i assume that you take a great interest in my strategy to rid the holy land of the infidel
the armed struggle that al-qaeda wages against the persecution and oppression of my people
gandhi: yes, indeed
do you not agree that violence represents an admission of failure?
bin laden: in a sense, yes
but the western imperialists recognise only the power of the sword
it is useless trying to negotiate a peace with them
they occupy our lands
they kill our people
they steal our resources
they denigrate our culture
we believe that a jihad of the sword is our only recourse
gandhi: does not an eye for an eye make the whole world go blind?
does al-qaeda not try to extinguish the fire by pouring on petrol?
does it not try to cure the wound by deepening it?
have all other options really been exhausted?
as they insisted in south africa and in india
when i advocated the course of satyagraha, non-violent resistance
osama, in your position
i believe you have the power to be a force for great good
but for this to happen
you must extinguish the hatred you feel in your heart
for by degrading others through acts of violence
or even evil thoughts
you only degrade yourself
instead you must identify the weaknesses of the forces you oppose
then harness your resources against them
the great weakness of the western powers is their claim to benevolence
in the eyes of their own people and others
where this is clearly not the case
as we can see from the panic-stricken existence in the west
brought to bear by their 'war on terror'
just imagine the effect you could have, osama
were you to lay down arms
and seek ways to negotiate a peaceful withdrawal of western forces from the gulf
remember that what benefits others, in this case the citizens of the west, benefits you too
our basic human interests are identical
we cannot flourish while others suffer
after all you have to share the world with these people, like it or not
so you need to be cleverer than this
in india we challenged the injustices of the caste system by fasting
through 'voluntary crucifixion of the flesh', as i called it
bin laden: so what have you in mind for the arab world in its current plight?
gandhi: osama, i cannot provide you with the answers to your own problems
i seek merely to encourage you to pose the right questions
bin laden: it has been an honour to converse with you, mahatma
one day we shall see a peaceful world, insha'allah
gandhi: god willing, osama, god willing