The status update I never write
GeneralThe reason I don’t socialise much and lose myself in audiobooks, reading, exercise, and drugs is because I find it hard to spend more than an hour in the company of others without wondering why we all maintain the collective illusion that everything is OK.
We live in a world beset by problems which challenge us to be brilliant, bending every sinew and firing every synapse to create solutions, and instead Helen’s got a job in marketing luxury hotels, James is flying to Spain for a week to teach golf, Arthur’s just been given a bonus so large he’s going to buy a house, and a bunch of people are wittering about an advert. (Examples changed to protect the innocent*)
But none of us are acknowledging that in our lifetimes
- climate will cause mass population migration
- we’re still selling weapons to recklessly oppressive countries (or any country, for that matter)
- fossil fuel will be impossibly expensive and we don’t yet have an adequate substitute
- our greatest civic accomplishments (eg national health care, education) and our common assets (air, water, forests, wildlife) are being privatised and remorselessly exploited.
- most things are predicated on an impossible growth
- the concept of pensions will not exist
- robots will be smarter than us, and be used for fighting wars
- that most people would not choose to do their jobs
The dissonance between what we know and what we do is so enormous that I find it impossible not to point out, and so end up boring even myself, and then think it’s probably best if I just stay home.
* I realise, when trying to think of examples, that most of the people I know are completely awesome. But still the same truth applies.
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Your a good man Ed Dowding. Keep thinking, keep acting, keep doing, and the world will be just that little bit better. Buy you a beer or two soon. Dermot
Staying hidden doesn’t serve anyone. You are clever enough to inspire people while they teach you patience.
Well Ed I hope, and think that you also probably feel that way sometimes. In Trinidad we are scared of people being passionate and the famous thing to do, in the midst of a big disagreement, is to pat your ‘opponent’ on the back, smile widely and say ‘no prob man, let’s take a drink for that.’ Maybe that’s why we have one of the highest per capita murder rates in the world and are the second highest globally in per capita carbon emissions. We are very uncomfortable with follow through on seriousness and earnestness about an issue. So we’ll keep putting money in the pockets of alcohol companies while we divert attention from important action steps. That said discernment is required. When to be serious, when to see the trivialness of our existence, etc. But I wish you the ability to dive deeply into your concern and worry when it appears. It won’t last so no need to mute it with distraction.
That explains why you havn’t spent any time with me since rubbing your hands on my scalp (5 months ago!)
Sometimes it sucks to acknowledge the overwhelming challenges that face us, but knowing we’re surrounded by people who recognise the same situation and are doing something about it is about the most important thing I can do for myself.
Come join the Enspiral crew – we’ll look after ya 🙂
“our greatest civic accomplishments (national health care and education)” what?
Yeah I realised that and when tried to get in to edit the internet died and I went to bed. Will fix. 🙂
Hey, whats with the drugs…almost always produced/traded with huge cost to vulnerable people…yeah you you nasty man its yr fault etc. And obvs, make that SIX FREE DINNERS
Mark – Always homegrown organic, and in moderation.
(Not my home I might add.)
And I was just about to grass you up to the Drugs Czar and claim my reward
Ed be good to see you, you ever in London? Also it’s Dans birthday today if you fancy giving him a bell! M
Already done 🙂 Alas I only realised it was his birthday when he told me at the end! x
Been thinking a lot about this over the last month. Apparently it takes being hit by a car every once in a while to step back and evaluate what you are doing and question how you even ended up on that trajectory
Shall we all move to Portugal and grow bees?
(Bizarrely perhaps) I’m very happy in London but still keen to co-own and co-create a network of awesome co-opeartively owned spaces around Europe as per that group you started the other day