Read with Care Andy Worthington - The Party's over.
Yesterday is the past, the future is unfortunately writ with dire warnings of climate emergency, though you would not think so in blog land. I came across an article written by Andy Worthington, an author who wrote about 'The Battle of the Beanfield'. He reminds me a bit of Corbyn, grasping to his chest strong beliefs about the state of the world and rising up for the dispossessed, in Worthington's case Guantanamala prison. So read him as a political activist.
So what caught my eye, well next weekend is the Glastonbury Festival, in which thousands of our young will gather together and leave their enormous mess of rubbish behind (well unless a miracle happens) on the ground. The great and good will rattle and shake on the stage but all these well heeled performers and audience will have been raised in the recent modern culture of the 'me, me, me' society. In other words they want to strut the stage of the world and get noticed for a brief moment in time. Live for today and forget tomorrow.
Children it doesn't work that way! The 60s has a lot to answer for! A quote.....
"Unfortunately, however, just as Thatcher and Ronald Reagan had reinstated capitalism’s broken narrative in the 1980s, particularly unleashing the greed of the banking sector, Tony Blair and Bill Clinton dutifully followed, unleashing an unprecedented orgy of consumer materialism, expanding on the 80s mania for outsourcing vast swathes of production to the developing world, further empowering bankers, and facilitating the growth of remorseless international tourism, fuelled by the essentially unfettered activities of the car and plane industries that has dominated our relationship to the earth — and promoted our inflated sense of self-entitlement — to such an extent that our very existence is now imperilled."
Strong stuff, agree or disagree, but our Western world has certainly prospered under a system, I won't name it but it is there. Some would call it 'bread and circuses' a belief in a top down society, the 'upstairs, downstairs' of Downton Abbey.
Worthington felt strongly about the phenomena that was the Midsummer Solstice at Stonehenge, though arguably it is the Winter Solstice. Suddenly arising from the 'flower power' young people came to a new pagan religion. Celtic at its fringes, it made itself. Looking to The Earth as a mother and that we had to protect her.
Well there are some things you can't do in this old society, protest and gather together in large groups, remember how Maggie got the miners and printers? Greta Thunberg is just the latest rising star in the protest movement, the elite of course have to be a little careful how they treat children, so they smile with wolf's teeth ;)
It has struck me writing this how I am really a socialist through and through, not envious of wealth at all, my own family saw to that with their bitter infighting over inheritance. But also an observer, as I have watched protest in a different venue - road building - and seen the obvious pain of the protestors in their efforts to save the natural world. The same of course as fracking rears its ugly head, this time I do not see the 'wasters, travellers' so depised by some, but people of my age genuinely worried about the future for their grandchildren.
But then some people put their money where it is needed, such as David Gilmour auctioneering his guitars, into organisations fighting for the rights of the environment such as ClientEarth
But then some people put their money where it is needed, such as David Gilmour auctioneering his guitars, into organisations fighting for the rights of the environment such as ClientEarth
Why is the mild-mannered and kindly leader of the Labour Party persistently referred to by his surname? This distasteful habit has the effect of endowing him with fearful notoriety. In protest, I always refer to him as Mr Corbyn or Jeremy Corbyn. His entire political life has been about promoting social justice and what, pray, is wrong with that?
ReplyDeleteWell YP I have no problem with Corbyn, referring to him as Mr is something I have never done, neither for Johnson or any of the politicians, or nobility by the way.
DeleteCorbyn by the way never helps his causes, by not saying anything we are left with nothing. The example of course is his attitude to the so-called anti-Jewish problem in the ranks of the Labour Party. I am on the side of the people who stick up for Palestine, I would like to see him fight their corner - does he?
Yes he does - as he has done for many years.
DeleteI am not a socialist as I distrust government to do what is right because they are not playing with their own dollars. In our country we had what they called a war on poverty and the only ones that helped were administrators and those that sold programs/books designed to fix things. Socialism is for idealists (my best friend is a socialist), who believe in projects and that other humans mean well in the end. I am a pragmatist, who believes some people are like that and the wolves, which some people are, will eat them and chuckle about it over their caviar on their yachts. I don't begrudge the wealthy their wealth but I also don't admire it. That's what I see changed in my lifetime, a time when the middle class grew and had the best time it had ever known in history. When people began admiring wealth instead of hard work, it all changed. I remember a time when the palatial mansions that are being built today would have been seen as ridiculous and examples of shame. The US had had a brief time of robber barons but they were disgraced and tried to make amends by donations of a little of their wealth. They were admired for their largesse. Today it seems all that is admired is conspicuous consumption as an indicator of quality and wisdom. Sometimes it is but most often, it's not. I hope for the best for the future but my hopes are limited.
ReplyDeleteEven the so-called programs to help save us from global warming often fall hardest on the poor or middle (the rich came to see the middle as a threat and do what they can to eliminate it), while the wealthy sail on with their jets and electric cars. Raise taxes on them and they find ways around them while the middle pays.
If we were doing real things about global warming, preparing for the flooding and storms some places, the abrupt changes others, moving people when that's needed, I might feel more encouraged but most of what is pushed will only put more funds in government pockets and do little for low-lying communities around the world. I wish I felt more people who go into government want to really help with serious problems. Right now, I see most of them seduced by lobbyists and power. They talk good, but in our country, both parties, their intents don't match their words.
The latest thing to tweak me was Bernie Sanders wanting to eliminate the over $1 trillion in student debt. So the ones who went to fancy colleges and acquired a lot of debt, the ones who didn't attempt to pay off their debt at all, will be rewarded and the ones who maybe chose community colleges or a trade schools to avoid the debt will feel like fools.
That's the problem I see with socialism. Idealistic sounding but it doesn't deal with the real problems-- in this case get the costs of an education way down to where a reasonable part time job can pay it (as I did with mine). Cut the fat in universities with so many aides tacked on without enough good professors. In one of ours in Oregon, a top administrator retired after being paid a million a year-- retired at a million a year, which is why not enough teachers can be afforded.
I envy idealists in a way as they have hope. What I see is the question that always comes next to me-- Sounds good, but who pays for it ;)
In many ways we are on the same page Rain, a system has broken out that is running away with itself, I am not sure what will stop it.
Delete"a time when the middle class grew and had the best time it had ever known in history. When people began admiring wealth instead of hard work, it all changed".
This of course is what we see in our country, we rely on service industries and The City for the flow of money, all up in the air as we muddle our way through Brexit. Manufacturing has gone by the board, maybe for the good given the environmental degradation there is plenty to get stuck in on 'green' issues. It really should not be about nationalism in both of our countries, turning inward is dangerous.
I don't fear the word nationalism despite it being turned into the equivalent of isolationism. I think what it should mean is each country does what is best for itself but that can mean helping others like the Marshall Plan. We all need to see we should work together on many things and that is possible in nationalism if you understand it's not about selfishness but like in our personal lives, if we don't fix our own problems, how do we help someone else.
DeleteI forgot to add what they could do with the students who still owe all that money, forgive the interest part of it. It should have never been charged to start. Let them just pay the actual dollars they borrowed. A lot of them probably won't anyway.
ReplyDeleteMy son is still paying off his student debt but doesn't seem worried about it, I presume you have the same method, only after you earn a certain amount do you have to pay it off. Before that amount there is nothing to pay.
DeleteOur daughter had little debt because we paid for most of it through the first four. Then for her master's we helped but she had to borrow some. She paid it off pretty rapidly. Her husband, with dual doctorates, had more debt but they also paid it off. Our son again didn't have to borrow as he worked and we helped. It also was cheaper then. I just think charging interest on it is wrong but there has be some way to encourage people to pay it off. Maybe so many years like 20 with no interest and then it starts.
DeleteWe started putting money aside to help the grandchildren and we'll see how that works out as only one is currently in university but she's not having to borrow. I think the interest though is charged even on those who don't make a lot. There has been talk that if they work in small communities or do things that are needed, it might be forgiven.
I grew up in the 50’s, a time of sharing, little jealously, respect, and appreciation of what we had. I was taught that class was not about what and how much you had, it was how you treated others. However, the 80’s changed everything and greed became something to aspire to in society. It has continued to expand and look where it has gotten us now. Our world is in peril.
ReplyDeleteThere were definitely simpler times, less choice and people were happier with what they had. One of the older ladies (91 years old) chatted a lot, houses costing a £1000 pounds, difficult to buy on low wages but she was still living in hers. But then, she was still living because of our marvellous NHS service. In fact Ahmed the consultant for Paul has just phoned for a small problem such courtesy from a busy man.
DeleteIt does seem to me that there are so few politicians who actually seem to be working for the good of their party and the country. They all appear to be in it for the money and the kudos. Gone are the days of the old politicians like Ernie Bevin, Aneurin Bevan, Clement Atlee and the like. My father, who took part in the General Strike and worked all his life for the working man, would be horrified at today's goings on.
ReplyDeleteI just wonder where all this greed came from Pat, I am sure there are politicians who work for the good of the people of this country but they get drowned out by the clamour of subversive news.
ReplyDeleteI believe in regulated social programs, regulated Capitalism and keeping your fingers crossed. Government must always trust but verify.
ReplyDeleteWell regulated capitalism has flown through the window Tabor, but I suspect that you always need two systems to jostle against each other to produce a better result. Actually though I don't just rely on keeping my fingers crossed I rely on the good commonsense of the people around me to keep the world going ;).
ReplyDelete