Concisely as possible, this is the most significant contributing factor to humanity’s problems as far as I see it. We forgo our right to self-direction and determination and subjugate ourselves to the desires and whims of a few dominant others. These others are almost always men, and they are psychopathic. They are juvenile, narcissistic, and […]
Society
Oíche Shamhna
A little background on the Celtic New Year festival that went global Millions of children and adults around the world celebrate Oiche Shamhna or Halloween every year, but perhaps few are aware of, or indeed care about, its ancient Celtic origins. Here in Ireland when I was a kid, we’d call to the doors of […]
More Time For What?
As I contemplated dropping my van to the mechanic this morning, I considered how I might get back home as fast as possible. I could get the missus to follow me in the family car. I’d save time, get more work done, achieve more than I would if I walked. Really? To what end? It’s […]
Have We Mistaken A Shiny Penny For The Sun?
As I sit here tonight, it’s Saturday night and everyone is in bed, I give thought to the phrase; mistaking a shiny penny for the sun, and I can’t say where it comes from. It says a lot in only a few words, so I thought I’d expand on it this week. It highlights the folly in materialism, of capitalism, and of the pursuit of one’s self in the world of things. I says I’m a fool, but
Too Much of A Good Thing
It’s interesting. The old saying “too much of a good thing” is prominent for me at the moment. From the extra condition that sits around my waistline, to the over-enthusiastic tendency towards political correctness, and the cultural upheaval the US, collapse from the peak of excess seems to be an unavoidable condition of the human […]
A Return to Craft Based Work
We don’t know how to use our hands and our bodies any more. We can’t make things, practical things. We don’t know how to grow food, to fix a roof, or build a wall. Some of us do, but many of us don’t. A return to making things by hand could be a route to that change, greater meaning and purpose, and a happier life.
How Quiet It Has Become
Their song It seemed louder and deeper than before. Like as if every branch of every tree held a blackbird. Someone told me that because there is so little traffic on the roads and less human activity generally, it means the birds can complete their entire song, not just a small part.