I have just been for swim in the Coral Sea. It was warm, foamy and just enough wave action to be fun but not off putting. The Coral Sea is a small part of the Pacific Ocean and laps up against the beautiful white sands of the Queensland Coast. Scout and I almost had the beach and ocean to ourselves. Who would be anywhere else in the winter?
Then I watched the midday news on the ABC and learned of miners being bombed and killed in Ukraine for the simple fault of going to work and earning a living. I learned about a “leader” of the western world posting memes of the heads of universally respected black Americans on ape-like bodies then defending the insult before blaming others. I learned of further attacks in Gaza killing and wounding innocent children for the simple fault of being born in a country of which they had no choice. I learned of war in the Middle East because….. well there is no because really. “Enough” said Scout. “You are making yourself miserable.” And she was right. But miserable as I was becoming I couldn’t shake the feeling (I have had it for a while now) that the world my grandchildren are growing up in and will live their adult lives in is fast becoming a shithole. Those news items relate to events overseas but we can look closer to home. Even in Australia, “God’s Own Country” apparently we are all at each others throats. Opinions, like ’em or not are opinions. Personal views. Mostly. Lets discuss the merits of various views and try, with common sense argument to change minds but always we should agree to disagree. I have no problem with someone protesting inequities or the unconscionable events we see on our screens every day. Sometimes we just need to show ourselves. But everyone is just so angry.
I have travelled the world a bit and met people from many different cultures. My overwhelming impression is that we are all pretty much the same. We may celebrate different Gods, we may live by different rules and cultural norms but at the end of the day we are all really just trying to make a living, provide for our families and get some enjoyment out of life. This is significantly more harder for some than others, of course, but the common personal goals are the same. So why is it all becoming so hard. Things were not that easy for our parents and grandparents generations but they seemed to have more humour and fun in their lives.
So why do I think we are where we are at? Yes the world is dominated by three men who, how do I say? Have some significant mental issues. But we have seen this before. Global warming is a real issue in the world but I do have sufficient faith in science and our scientists to think we will solve it – if they are allowed to. Poverty in parts of the world is heart wrenching and we do little about it. But closer to home I don’t see the problem coming from these big issues important as they are. For me it is the small things in life that we have forgotten. We have forgotten to let our children be children and work stuff out for themselves. We are constantly at the teachers door looking for some advantage or moaning about some perceived injustice. Tiny things in the scheme of life which we would be better off letting our children learn the lesson from. We are lazy or so self involved that we let our children fall down the rabbit hole that is the internet – in my view the most iniquitous thing ever because we have lost total control of it. And AI is now well over the horizon.
We take umbrage at every tiny little slight. We smash things up because our team lost on Saturday. We pass judgement and interfere in everyone else’s lives but never acknowledge the need to improve our own. But mostly we have lost the ability to show respect to others. To allow our neighbours the gift of quiet enjoyment and to be themselves. Whatever race, gender or culture they may be.
I know, I know. Bloody boomer. Had the best of times, made piles on the property market and I don’t disagree. But why be so Godamn angry all the time.
Anyway I am off on holiday. See you soon.
