Author: badjohn7

Australian politics has possibly reached an all time low. In a rapidly decaying world people look for inspiration, a measure of altruism and hope from their leaders. Like much of the world Australians are increasingly disappointed and pessimistic. In September the federal election will be held.

On the one hand we have the incumbent labor government, which although it has accomplished some major reforms (the Gonsky education one and the Disability Support program) has simply made too many mistakes to be trusted. Their school building policy, their home insulation policy and their solar panel policy all resulted in massive overcharging by private contractors. Add to that the un-means tested payments to people during the GFC and you have a considerable financial stuff up. It’s only we, the people, who have to pay for it.

On the other hand we have Tony Abott (affectionately known as budgie smuggler or Big Ears) and the Liberals who want to grind down workers’ wages to third world levels, abandon the environment to whatever happens and generally assist the wealthiest, most selfish people to become even more so. As far as they are concerned, if the national balance sheet is soundly in the black and the rich can sail their yachts, all is right with the world. Future planning can take a back seat, the environment can go to hell and the poor can just drop dead.

The third choice is the Greens, probably the least of three evils. The Greens have a sound social and environmental policy but are a little light-headed about fundamental realities. Their progressive policy towards asylum seekers who arrive by boat may well increase the numbers of such arrivals as to burden the total infrastructure of the nation. Even the most of enlightened policies need to be funded and considered against future realities.

A fundamental contradiction in the modern world.

A large proportion of human charity involves saving the lives of the less fortunate in the poorest part of the world. Much of medical science has worked ceaselessly to cure countless diseases and to prolong life.

At the same time it is clear that there are too many humans on the planet and to wilfully increase the number, especially by prolonging the lives of the elderly and infirm seems almost ludicrous. We as a species are following our best instincts on a micro level to preserve and save lives. Yet on a macro level we are almost certainly dooming our species to extinction. I myself give to charity and I can see the contradiction between helping individuals, groups and entire countries and the impending doom that is hanging over our species. Neither politicians nor scientists seem willing to discuss this patent contradiction in our endeavours. I can foresee a world, in the not too distant future that has become totally intolerant of the infirm and aged and is likely to eliminate those who cannot work.

Workers in many countries, including Australia, are forced to gamble with their superannuation and retirement incomes. Most Super funds invest heavily on the stock market. Contributors are often required to choose between; maximum growth with attendant risk, balanced investment, defensive stocks or cash. Workers thus have to make a judgement call, which in these days of high volatility (as the financial gurus like to call risk or probable loss) is a horrible choice to have to make. It is gambling with one’s future. Gone are the days when retirement pensions were simply that. Now they are caught up in the manic capitalistic frenzy which seems to define the contemporary world. Whether a retiree lives a comfortable existence or faces extreme poverty, depends on the throw of the global dice!

Happiness is like a shadow. Try to follow it and it will certainly elude you. If you turn your back on it and pursue a higher goal it may just follow you!

If Israel is even vaguely serious about promoting peace and prosperity in the Middle East it now has a golden opportunity.

With the Syrian civil war dragging on at the cost of thousands upon thousands of civilian lives (many of them children), and the apparent use of chemical weapons by Syrian government forces any excuse for International inaction has evaporated. Although the US is talking tough it is hamstrung by geopolitical considerations in a way that Israel is not.

If Israel were to militarily remove the Assad regime from power in Syria (and then immediately and unconditionally withdraw) it would certainly be seen as a sign of good will. From such a positive high, negotiations about a Palestinian state might finally get somewhere. Israel has always been quick to act in its own perceived self interest. If it would act on the behalf of others it could be a game changer in the Middle East!

Racism is not about colour, ethnicity or anything like that. I don’t think racists are concerned about colour schemes. Small children are never racist as they simply don’t understand such a concept. Racism is really about the clash of cultures and values specific to those cultures. and only occurs as children grow up and take on board the cultural values of their own society. Some societies are much more liberal than others and their citizens tend to be more open minded. In the West if a person denigrates Islam he or she can be subject to various sanctions on the grounds that he or she is racist. Yet if that same person arrived in a fundamentalist Islamic country and said the same things that person would be lucky to escape with his or her life. It is easy to see that some cultures and societies are much less tolerant than others. So it all boils down to the “Us and Them” mentality. Groups often define themselves by excluding and attacking others who are different. In fact, racism is never about race per se. It is about perceived differences that may or may not involve an actual threat. The perceived threats can be real or imagined. Nobody cares if a person is black or Jewish or anything else. The concern arises when there is a perceived threat to another person’s or group’s well being or way of life. In short, Racism is about many things but not race or ethnicity.

North Korea a worry because of the question of Face.