I always feel a little worried when I meet anyone who has complete and truly unshakeable belief in anything.
I’m not against faith as such, I hasten to declare. Millions among us have faith in a divine authority. Christians, Muslims, Bhuddists (more or less), Hindus and many more divisions, offer us a pattern for life and hope for the greater future.
Aussie rules, Soccer and Rugby players and supporters have and need great belief in their teams, we (mostly) believe in our nation, our system of government, our politicians, our friends and our family, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
It isn’t the institutions that worry me – it’s the “true believers,” those whose faith forbids thought or question.
Religion fills a widespread need, but differences between the divisions have festered throughout history. Pride in nation and government is good, but reasonable people leave room for reservation in their enthusiasm for their own and others’ systems.
I admit that I’ve sometimes felt fear in facing some football fans, or chanting crowds in noisy demonstrations.
I don’t know of any sure way to defeat fanaticism of any form, but I reckon we’d do better in this world if more were to “use the brains we were born with”.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Sunday, July 15, 2007
What to do?
What to do?
Our world seems to be in a bit of a mess, these days. That’s what the major newspapers and their correspondents are telling us anyway – over and over again.
I read all the “heavy” bits of “The Australian” yesterday, and emerged under a fairly large cloud of pessimism.
In the US, for instance, lame-duck resident Bush is in a heap of trouble. As the “disaster” he launched starts to divide his own nation, he has no way of withdrawing his troops with honour.
In Europe, we learn that Putin’s Russia has withdrawn from the Euro arms pact, and that brings back memories of the “Cold War” days for most of us.
At home, the long, long drought might be fading, but there’s still trouble enough. Did you ever imagine that some of those whose families came here to escape terror would wish to kill and main in Australia? Then you might well want to consider the “bikie” gangs, and the water shortage, and the impending “global warming” as on the debit side of life in 2007.
How should we individuals react to the over-supply of bad news, I wonder?
There’s not much point, it seems to me, in writing letters (even to “The Australian). “Prayer “ seems a sensible option for those who believe it has, or might have, power.
We can’t afford to send any more troops to Iraq (or Afghanistan for that matter), and we’re not internationally important enough to persuade Mr Putin to behave, or inspire President Bush toward a cure for his problems.
We might, perhaps, reflect that life on Earth has continued over many crises over the millennia and that. in the overall picture, we humans are all relatively insignificant.
Myself ? - I think I might go back to bed, for now.
Our world seems to be in a bit of a mess, these days. That’s what the major newspapers and their correspondents are telling us anyway – over and over again.
I read all the “heavy” bits of “The Australian” yesterday, and emerged under a fairly large cloud of pessimism.
In the US, for instance, lame-duck resident Bush is in a heap of trouble. As the “disaster” he launched starts to divide his own nation, he has no way of withdrawing his troops with honour.
In Europe, we learn that Putin’s Russia has withdrawn from the Euro arms pact, and that brings back memories of the “Cold War” days for most of us.
At home, the long, long drought might be fading, but there’s still trouble enough. Did you ever imagine that some of those whose families came here to escape terror would wish to kill and main in Australia? Then you might well want to consider the “bikie” gangs, and the water shortage, and the impending “global warming” as on the debit side of life in 2007.
How should we individuals react to the over-supply of bad news, I wonder?
There’s not much point, it seems to me, in writing letters (even to “The Australian). “Prayer “ seems a sensible option for those who believe it has, or might have, power.
We can’t afford to send any more troops to Iraq (or Afghanistan for that matter), and we’re not internationally important enough to persuade Mr Putin to behave, or inspire President Bush toward a cure for his problems.
We might, perhaps, reflect that life on Earth has continued over many crises over the millennia and that. in the overall picture, we humans are all relatively insignificant.
Myself ? - I think I might go back to bed, for now.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Something for nothing?
The New Scientist publication suggests, this week, that the latest "perpetual motion" machine has failed its first public demonstration.
That might be a disappointment for those seeking a solution for the world's energy production problems, but the more cynical of us are probably not surprised.
An Irish start-up company, so the New Scientist reports, announced a year or so ago that it had solved the problem of perpetual energy generation. The company asked for scientists to attempt to prove its proposition wrong. Recently, however, a working model of the machine was put on display.
It just sat there. It didn't work!
Now, all that does read a bit like just another joke against the Irish I suppose, but I can't imagine "New Scientist" promoting it. In any case, optimists have, since the invention of the wheel (or further back) dreamed and plannned and tried to produce a system where we can get our energy for nothing. We should wish them all the best of luck!
But logic seems to point me back to that unarguable pronouncement from my schooldays - "action and re-action are equal and opposite".
It seems that, as far as energy is concerned at least, "nobody gets anything for nothing"!
That might be a disappointment for those seeking a solution for the world's energy production problems, but the more cynical of us are probably not surprised.
An Irish start-up company, so the New Scientist reports, announced a year or so ago that it had solved the problem of perpetual energy generation. The company asked for scientists to attempt to prove its proposition wrong. Recently, however, a working model of the machine was put on display.
It just sat there. It didn't work!
Now, all that does read a bit like just another joke against the Irish I suppose, but I can't imagine "New Scientist" promoting it. In any case, optimists have, since the invention of the wheel (or further back) dreamed and plannned and tried to produce a system where we can get our energy for nothing. We should wish them all the best of luck!
But logic seems to point me back to that unarguable pronouncement from my schooldays - "action and re-action are equal and opposite".
It seems that, as far as energy is concerned at least, "nobody gets anything for nothing"!
Monday, July 2, 2007
Black hole number 2 . .
My posting about our national "black hole" attracted this blog's first on-line response for many weeks.
Three cheers, therefore, for my prized but puzzling correspondent from some foreign land.
I couldn't understand his comment, and I couldn't read the web site he listed.
Seemingly, though, my new friend wants to sell custom lettered T-shirts.
I think he needs to plan his campaign more carefully, but I wish him well.
Three cheers, therefore, for my prized but puzzling correspondent from some foreign land.
I couldn't understand his comment, and I couldn't read the web site he listed.
Seemingly, though, my new friend wants to sell custom lettered T-shirts.
I think he needs to plan his campaign more carefully, but I wish him well.
Literary loafer
I used to read as many as four library books within a week. I used to “devour” books (mainly murder mysteries and preferably written by Australians or Englishmen). Writing was my profession, and words were my obsession for many years.
As a child I used to marvel at my father’s obvious need to read and noisily edit the morning newspaper, to listen to radio news and complain loudly about bad grammar and errors in pronunciation. I suppose I inherited his respect for our version of the language that, some believe, is about all that separates us from the apes.
Well, our language is vastly different now than it was when my Dad was around, and I don’t think he’d be impressed. But, despite that, I don’t think any of us have the right to really complain.
Very few school teachers have known more than the basic rules of English grammar for years and years, so why should their students? The old girl (gra’ma) is well past her glory days anyway. It’s “communication” that’s important, not theories and fancy rules from the past – and why not?
Life is faster, pressures are greater, and “efficiency” is the watchword for almost every activity.
I have, therefore, become a “literary loafer.”
One book per week is enough for me now – enough for my straining eyes at least, even though I skip more of the boring bits than ever as I try to finish the job in a day, as in the past.
I know what they’re saying in the papers and on the air, and I only wince “just a bit” at the graceless way so many of them say it.
All I need is books in larger type!
As a child I used to marvel at my father’s obvious need to read and noisily edit the morning newspaper, to listen to radio news and complain loudly about bad grammar and errors in pronunciation. I suppose I inherited his respect for our version of the language that, some believe, is about all that separates us from the apes.
Well, our language is vastly different now than it was when my Dad was around, and I don’t think he’d be impressed. But, despite that, I don’t think any of us have the right to really complain.
Very few school teachers have known more than the basic rules of English grammar for years and years, so why should their students? The old girl (gra’ma) is well past her glory days anyway. It’s “communication” that’s important, not theories and fancy rules from the past – and why not?
Life is faster, pressures are greater, and “efficiency” is the watchword for almost every activity.
I have, therefore, become a “literary loafer.”
One book per week is enough for me now – enough for my straining eyes at least, even though I skip more of the boring bits than ever as I try to finish the job in a day, as in the past.
I know what they’re saying in the papers and on the air, and I only wince “just a bit” at the graceless way so many of them say it.
All I need is books in larger type!
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