h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

In times of trouble, which books and poems, writers and authors do you go to for guidance or solace?
When things are really apocalyptically bad then the book I head for is the Bible. I am not totally sure I believe all of it, but I do try and live by what it teaches, and there are some fairly tripped out bits to read in the book of Revelation. As an alternative, I will read DNA books as then I can laugh until my ribs ache and feel better.

Are there any films and songs that speak to your soul, that give you a sense of perspective, imparting wisdom that really helps you? Have you seen It's a Wonderful Life?
I have to say that films don’t tend to work for me on that kind of level. I suppose I like to see there is a moral to a story and probably one of the best ones around at the moment is High School Musical (the lesson being to be who you want to be and not to give in to peer pressure). I have never seen “It’s a Wonderful Life”, though it will probably be on again at Christmas, so maybe I should sit down and watch it! As for songs, I get a lot of solace from “Bridge over troubled waters” and I always smile at “the hippy, hippy shake”!

In your own life, have you experienced ups and downs and developed a bit of perspective, a 'long view' you might want to share with us?
In my life thus far I have experienced a lot more downs then ups. My perspective is that the trappings of fortune and success (big house, big car, big bank balance) do not necessarily bring happiness. Having all ups in life can still leave you dissatisfied and yearning for something. In my mind if I have a £ more than I need, then I am wealthy. If I have a water-proof roof over my head, someone who loves me, a cat to purr on my knee and a really good book to read… well then, I am rich!

Do you think the press is hyping up all the 'bad news' and is therefore partly responsible for a general air of panic? Might things actually be not that bad?
Initially the press was totally hyping it up. Now however… I am not so sure. I think this downturn/recession/depression is going to be a really, really nasty ride for a lot of people. Inevitably there will be those who make a total mint out of their misfortune as well, but mostly I think people are going to find things very, very tight for a while. Maybe it is not a bad thing.

Do you 'travel light' in this world or are your affairs inextricably bound up in the global market and all its vicissitudes - mortages, shares, savings, retail etc?
I have my fair share of baggage, and a mortgage, but otherwise, I am pretty much travelling light.

Do you think that on a deep level Western society ignores the fact that all human beings eventually die and ignores this 'philosophical crisis', filling the gap instead with shopping?
I think that the decrease in Church attendance and a belief in a God or some other higher power has driven Western society to replace kindness and community spirit with material competitiveness and “keeping up with the Jones’”.

Do you think 'worldly' crises bring us closer to what's really important in life? Often a person is more philosophical after a major crisis; can the same apply to nation states? Will those parts of the world currently affected by the economic crisis feel chastened? Will they reflect more in the future, become more soulful?
The only way that people will be chastened and learn from their mistakes is if the governments actually let the economies die for a little bit and then resuscitate them in a different form. That is so wildly unrealistic, especially when the money being poured into the banking sector is so that the economy stays alive a bit longer! I think the materialism will rear its ugly head again. It always does.

As ever, Crickett, we really enjoyed reading your thoughtful response to this week's talking point. Many thanks for your insight.

"doesDo you think 'worldly' crises bring us closer to what's really important in life? Often a person is more philosophical after a major crisis; can the same apply to nation states? Will those parts of the world currently affected by the economic crisis feel chastened? Will they reflect more in the future, become more soulful?
The only way that people will be chastened and learn from their mistakes is if the governments actually let the economies die for a little bit and then resuscitate them in a different form. That is so wildly unrealistic, especially when the money being poured into the banking sector is so that the economy stays alive a bit longer! I think the materialism will rear its ugly head again. It always."

I think most governments are in a blue funk. For many years they have known about the situation but hoping the other party will be in charge hasnt been enough.
Pouring money into the system is not going to work either. Where has the money come from anyway??
The simple fact is that society in general has lived the best life it has ever lived in the worlds history. Unfortunately the rich and powerful have not seen fit to take care of the rest of us, that is a bit short sighted as their wealth came from the rest of us anyway. Just like the banks, their behaviour has lost them loyalty, like the mayfly they couldnt care less as they were happy.
If there is a complete collapse wealth wont make any difference the only thing that will is karma.
Friendship and good will is probably the most important thing in the world - a simple question, when was the last time you helped a neighbour, or they helped you.
Isnt that what life is really about?

I think neighbour love has gone out of the window.

I think of Desiderata

"Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. etc."

I, have, i have. My glass is always half empty, you can get more in that way.

"Are there any films and songs that speak to your soul, that give you a sense of perspective, imparting wisdom that really helps you? "

The film that has given me the most in terms of uplift and a moral story is Baron von Münchhausen, the Terry Gilliam version.
Every time the baron was disbelieved he grew older.
There was a kind of bizarre joy to the total strangeness of the ideas and attitudes portrayed.
Sad thing was it was meant for children, but was too advanced, for adults not an "art house" film.
Perhaps the concept was too ephemeral for most to grasp -
Ahh well.

Times of trouble, sense of perspective, lack of Church attendance, air of panic...emotive terms these.

Greed tends to lay you low eventually and there's no need to scour the Bible for enlightenment anymore than there's a need to scour Marx's writings or Kant's(now that would be drastic), just get your Karma on the right level and the rest just falls into place.
For 30+ years I've managed to not work full-time, buy a house, raise a family, spend more time with that family than your average wage slave and also spend at least one day a week(never on weekends) fishing.

The stress levels are kept to a minimum as a result of this schedule and it's mainly through applying restraints on what I(we)need that it's achieved.

There was a thread here a while back called "When did you last do a good deed?" or words to that effect and I try to a few good deeds over the life of a year, not donations to charity but helping a neighbour or someone who is struggling in one form or another.
No sermons from the pulpit or admonishment from a book is needed, you just get up and decide to do something nice for someone and the giving is really, truly it's own reward.

I do Landscaping and stonewalls for a living and a neighbour desperately needed a wall built as the existing wooden one was chewed out by termites and her youngest daughter needs braces and at $5000 that's a lot of moolah for a parent who works part time to come up with and she would never ask for a freebie but that's what she got.
So at minimal cost to me in money but a considerable sacrifice of time, we rectified her problem and a nice cup of coffee and genuine thanks was the perfect payment.
I feel great and happy about it and she's rapt and her daughter's braces are on the way.

This is balancing your Karma.

As for the media, think back to say, 17th of August 1994 and dredge up the day's headlines and world problems...of course you can't(in most cases) and there's the rub: Life wanders on irregardless of headlines and things quite often sort themselves out.

DNA had it right..."Don't panic", chill and don't be a , think for yourself and do the right thing, the rest just falls into place.

Keith, you are so right.
Wage slavish here for a while, but the bank took all the money (it wasnt much, but enough)and with it my will to be successful - but then i found another way of being successful.
My delight, strange little things for others, often things that are not even noticed, but sometimes big things, i tend to "scorn" the rewards we are supposed to get in favour of my own.
I get so much pleasure from my work, because i now have the time, and whats more, its mine.
Had a nice pollock yesterday, but got seasick and had to head for home.
Probably go out later this week, if the sea is not so potholy.
Just had breakfast on the veranda, not a sound other than birds, no cars,aeroplanes,people.

"not a sound other than birds, no cars,aeroplanes,people."

And that's the way it should be, shouldn't it. Not everyone can do it and sometimes you need to be at the bottom rung, the lowest ebb, to be able to look up or around you and the realisation can be quite life affirming.

This is a picture taken about three weeks or so ago at 4.30am or thereabouts on Friday morning down at my local beach where I spend most Fridays chasing down a feed and a sight like this makes up for the loss of income I could of made if I'd worked instead.

Traffic jam, stress on the train, blah,blah, blah. Not really a fair choice between that and this...
http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm105/Culmie/IMG_0017.jpg

Beautiful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwKHsheYv2k

What a great vid Syrphus and the weather! Like a mill pond, the sea doesn't give you many days like that a year thats for sure.

Thanks keith, by the by, its Bertie