Have you ever looked in a mirror and then, shortly after seen a recent photo of yourself? It is amazing that we seem so much older and less healthy in the photo than in the mirror. What does this tell you about the human mind? In all probability we are over optimistic about ourselves and less than fair about others. That is why we always look good in the mirror! Our attitude actually influences our eyesight!
Scary thought isn’t it?
The previous Australian government introduced further, massive taxes on tobacco and these taxes have hypocritically been retained and extended by the present government because of its love for the almighty dollar. The approach of savagely punishing smokers financially along with the scare/shock campaigns has been an abject failure. During the last year for which statistics are available smoking rates actually increased for the first time in a number of years. Increasing the value or cost of an item can actually make it appear more desirable.
Evidently, the Australian government has paid little attention to the failure of the prohibition (alcohol) experiment in the U.S. in the thirties. The ridiculously expensive tobacco taxes will have a number of dire social consequences. The number of poor people and their children who do not have adequate nutrition or clothing will increase. Organised crime will have a field day. According to reports up to 13% of the tobacco market is already controlled by crime syndicates. In the past crimes such as burglaries, holdups and personal robberies were largely associated with illegal drug users. Now they will also be associated with tobacco users.
The war on “illegal” drugs has failed. It would seem that legalisation may be the only way to reduce crime and put criminal syndicates out of business. The Australian government has taken the opposite approach and now wants to add tobacco to the list of drugs fuelling crime and social chaos.
The amount of money collected in tobacco taxes is about double that used to fund the health system. If smokers were to stop smoking, for even a month, what massive new tax would the government then introduce on something else? There are more intelligent and effective ways to discourage smoking than that taken by the Australian government. However, they have one huge disadvantage. They don’t bring in billions of dollars!
In his “Myth of the Twentieth Century” Rosenberg stated the essence of Nazi economics. He declared that capital was nothing more than the value of stored labour. In short, the Nazis saw capital as the savings, put away for the future, of the fruits of labour, honestly earned. They did not approve of the capitalistic system of the present world, where the rich get richer (without work) and the poor get poorer (with more and more work). Despite the various crimes of the Third Reich their economic policy was second to none. They achieved a balance between capital and labour that, not only made sense but was also fair.
In terms of economic fairness and consideration for the environment the defeat of the Nazis has seen no improvement for mankind and the other creatures who inhabit this planet.
For a number of years now people all over the globe, as they have more comprehensive and better access to information, have been losing all trust in authority. Politicians and the majority of leaders are seen, at best, as self-serving and, at worst, a downright evil and enemies. This result is largely because of the attitudes and behaviour of those leaders themselves.
However, there is an unfortunate consequence or spin off. Many people are so untrusting and cynical that they simply don’t believe the medical profession when it decries smoking as a major health hazard. Likewise, many people do not trust the scientists that say global warming is a serious and fairly immediate danger. When we know longer trust authorities we are simply left to our own devices to do the best we can. Many people are incapable of forming intelligent opinions and action plans without the assistance of trusted leaders.
Until politicians are generally more sincere and come clean about what they know and don’t know this mistrust will go on and on, along with its spinoffs.
Recently China announced that it was relaxing the one child policy. Despite the fact that this policy was an attempt at preventing critical overpopulation the Chinese government is relaxing it because they have already have too many old people in their society. With not enough young workers, who will pay to keep the elderly? You are probably right when you gasp, “No-one!” This would-be solution is obviously a very short term fix.
Climate change is a bad enough problem but at least it can be mentioned! The question of how to deal with the elderly is a problem that, around the world, politicians won’t touch. The reason is that, if they were honest, it would cause panic amongst the not-so-young.
My prediction is probably as correct as it is chilling. Within ten years or so, around the globe (short of a pandemic that reduces the world’s population by at least a third and particularly hits the elderly), euthanasia will go from being illegal to compulsory. The rich and powerful are not going to pay to keep the “dead wood” alive. First, those in nursing homes with dementia will be put down. If I had dementia I wouldn’t mind in any case. Secondly, the rest of the people in nursing homes will be removed. After that, quite possibly, retirees (other than the rich and powerful) will be swatted out of existence. After that, quite possibly, the long term unemployed will also be removed.
Much as I hope I am wrong I fear that, as a matter of logic (considering human stupidity and greed) I am completely right.
We could not reasonably or ethically prolong the lives of the elderly if that meant the deaths of millions of young children! I myself am no spring chicken but accept the fact that I will have to go before a young person, especially a young child! It’s a shame that world politicians have not the guts to raise the subject.
Most of Australia’s states are under the control of a loony right and with the election of the Abbott government to the federal sphere the icing is on the cake. Our new PM is a climate change denier. Where will he hide when the weather catches up with him?
This right wing is a self-interested and untalented right wing. They do not have far reaching visions of any value. All they stand for is assisting the rich to become richer and the poor, poorer. They mouth platitudes about helping big business to boost economies but let’s get real. As you are drowning in rising oceans and breathing your last breath where will big business and the rest of the arseholes be?
I have always said that Australia is the country that does the least with the most and it is becoming truer. Mr Abbott may well be able to stop the boats! He’ll do it by making Australia such a miserable place that refugees simply won’t want to come here!
Recently, I spent a few days in Berlin studying some WW II history and its aftermath. For years, Rudolph Hess was imprisoned in Spandau and then, a few years ago, according to the official line, committed suicide. He is supposed to have made a noose from old electrical cable, put it over his head, and climbed onto a cupboard. From here he is supposed to have rolled himself off, thus ending his life. According to the observations of some who were entrusted with guarding him, his health and condition were far too frail to have allowed him to have performed such a feat.
Murder and cover ups are not exactly unknown to the powers who run this world, anymore than distortions of history are. It is hardly any wonder that conspiracy theories are amongst the mainstay of café conversations!
The Australian people elected a government with a highly questionable, and largely unknown, agenda (apart from promoting the interests of the wealthy) out of disgust with the political games and fear that, without change, things can only get worse. They did not consider that, with change, things can become even worse than before. They forgot about global warming and the fact that without a reasonable environment society and wealth are largely irrelevant. Don’t they care for their children, grandchildren and other creatures who will inhabit this planet in the future? Like most of their leaders they seem to be only interested in the here and now.
Obviously, like in many countries, the majority of the Australian people are not blessed with sufficient education and ability for critical thought to cast their votes wisely. What more can we say?
With the senseless and random killing of Australian baseballer Chris Lane in the U.S. earlier this month the question must be asked; has humanity reached a further low point in its downward spiral?
Is it possible that deteriorating behaviour – think of the Syrian crisis and terrorism – is part of Nature’s response to the massive human overpopulation? Laboratory tests have shown increases in anti-social and negative behaviour amongst rats in an overcrowded environment. The same now appears to be happening amongst humans!
Like my posts? Consider purchasing my very modestly priced novel, “Brownout – 666,” available as an e-Book from Amazon, Kobo, I-store, Barnes & Noble etc. You will not be disappointed!
Food for the thought. The more governments put draconian taxes on tobacco the more many people will smoke and the more harm it will do. A money grab by governments should be seen for exactly what it is.
cassandradoom 