Some thoughts
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Freedom
With freedom comes responsibility. Thus those in Northern Ireland who choose to take their children to school through an area where they are not welcome are free to do so, but they should pay attention to the wishes of those that their route brings them into conflict with.
Survival
In order for the human race to survive, we must colonise other planets: first Mars, then the moons of the gas giants, then finally other systems.
But should we do this? Looking at what we have done to our own world, I shudder to think what we will do to other planets. Yet we are not the only ones who inhabit this world, and I believe that after what we have done to life here we should give it a chance to live beyond the end of this world.
Utopia
From my other writing it can be seen that I think that we as a society have come too far and have too much power. However, it could also be said that we have not come far enough.
You see, we have enormous power over the world we live in, but some part of us cannot accept that power; the world seems too big for us to affect, we are simply too small. At the same time, our egos and religions tell us that we can do what we want with the world.
The survival rate for infants is extremely high, and life expectancy is rising; yet many cultures encourage large families, a relic from when the chances of survival were low. With these conditions, the population is exploding, leading to increased famine in poor areas, and mass migrations of those who can afford to move.
In short, society has yet to catch up with modern life. Things must change if we are to survive. The vision of the future in Kim Stanley Robinson?s Mars trilogy seems to me to be the most realistic. It is basically utopian in the long-term, but is very bleak in parts.
The power of women
Women clearly have more power than men do because they are the ones who raise the children; they carry them inside their wombs, they nurse the young child, and traditionally they have raised them while the men earn the money.
It is the subconscious knowledge of this power that causes the many incidents of mistreatment throughout history and in the present, such as foot-binding, genital mutilation, and forcing them to wear concealing clothes. All of this behaviour is there to reduce women to subhumans or objects, and so lessen their power.
US vs. Islam
Someone in the American government must be either very stupid indeed, or are trying to push the Islamic fundamentalists into violent action to strengthen their position should military action occur. First there is the talk of a 'Crusade against terrorism'. Muslims know all about Crusades, it's where a load of Christians invade their countries and slaughter a lot of innocent Arabs. And then thy name their action 'Operation Infinite Justice'. Muslims believe that only Allah gives infinite justice, so in effect the Americans are saying 'We are God now'.
Clothes
The only acceptable use of clothing is as protection: protection from the elements, flora and fauna, and from machinery or tools being used.
The use of clothing socially is complex. Together with piercings, tattoos and jewellery, clothing shows what social group that you are in. The designer and markings give a rank within the group, or serve to put you in a sub-group that only members will recognise. To me, this use of clothing to show both individuality and belonging stems from insecurity and lack of self-worth.
With freedom comes responsibility. Thus those in Northern Ireland who choose to take their children to school through an area where they are not welcome are free to do so, but they should pay attention to the wishes of those that their route brings them into conflict with.
Survival
In order for the human race to survive, we must colonise other planets: first Mars, then the moons of the gas giants, then finally other systems.
But should we do this? Looking at what we have done to our own world, I shudder to think what we will do to other planets. Yet we are not the only ones who inhabit this world, and I believe that after what we have done to life here we should give it a chance to live beyond the end of this world.
Utopia
From my other writing it can be seen that I think that we as a society have come too far and have too much power. However, it could also be said that we have not come far enough.
You see, we have enormous power over the world we live in, but some part of us cannot accept that power; the world seems too big for us to affect, we are simply too small. At the same time, our egos and religions tell us that we can do what we want with the world.
The survival rate for infants is extremely high, and life expectancy is rising; yet many cultures encourage large families, a relic from when the chances of survival were low. With these conditions, the population is exploding, leading to increased famine in poor areas, and mass migrations of those who can afford to move.
In short, society has yet to catch up with modern life. Things must change if we are to survive. The vision of the future in Kim Stanley Robinson?s Mars trilogy seems to me to be the most realistic. It is basically utopian in the long-term, but is very bleak in parts.
The power of women
Women clearly have more power than men do because they are the ones who raise the children; they carry them inside their wombs, they nurse the young child, and traditionally they have raised them while the men earn the money.
It is the subconscious knowledge of this power that causes the many incidents of mistreatment throughout history and in the present, such as foot-binding, genital mutilation, and forcing them to wear concealing clothes. All of this behaviour is there to reduce women to subhumans or objects, and so lessen their power.
US vs. Islam
Someone in the American government must be either very stupid indeed, or are trying to push the Islamic fundamentalists into violent action to strengthen their position should military action occur. First there is the talk of a 'Crusade against terrorism'. Muslims know all about Crusades, it's where a load of Christians invade their countries and slaughter a lot of innocent Arabs. And then thy name their action 'Operation Infinite Justice'. Muslims believe that only Allah gives infinite justice, so in effect the Americans are saying 'We are God now'.
Clothes
The only acceptable use of clothing is as protection: protection from the elements, flora and fauna, and from machinery or tools being used.
The use of clothing socially is complex. Together with piercings, tattoos and jewellery, clothing shows what social group that you are in. The designer and markings give a rank within the group, or serve to put you in a sub-group that only members will recognise. To me, this use of clothing to show both individuality and belonging stems from insecurity and lack of self-worth.
