The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!

Posted on by Opher

I believe there is truth. It might not be absolute but it is near enough.
Science has brought us an amazing advancement in technology that has altered the world and transformed our lives. Some of that is for the best and some of that is far worse. Mostly it has improved.
We are always very keen to seize the fruits of this work – transport, energy, computers, medicine, materials, gadgets……… but we are keen to bash scientists and experts if they are not one hundred percent certain.
We have gone from the horse and cart and oil lanterns to nuclear fusion and space stations in no time at all.
So we will place our trust in the latest jet-liner but will reject evolution. We will try the latest cancer drug treatment but deny climate change.

And science is still in its infancy.

The truth? What is that? It has many levels. Is it a factual concept of what has occurred, how it has occurred and how that operates?
That is what we are investigating. We are in the infancy of science. We have understood so much so quickly. We still have a lot to learn. But we have made great progress. Scientists and experts have a pretty good handle on what is going on – far better than any of the ‘public’ or politicians.

I contend that Social Cohesion is much more important than the careers of politicians.

We need to put an end to this politicisation of information – both the perversion of science and the constant crying of Fake News and Project Fear. It is tearing apart the fabric of society.

Populism is destroying cohesion. It is tearing our societies apart and playing into the hands of those who want us to fall.
It’s time we put more faith into scientists and experts. They do not all talk rubbish.
Species extinction is real.
Climate change is real.
Evolution is real.
Brexit will badly damage our country.
Trump is actively causing division and hatred.

A healthy scepticism is one thing. Total rejection of all the evidence is something else. We are throwing the baby out with the bath water and allowing the religious lunatics and political extremists to spout their stupidity unopposed.
Look at the lunatics that are raising their heads with their fundamentalist claptrap!

Tory Policies results in 4 Million living in Poverty!

Posted on by Opher

Britain is the 5th largest economy in the world yet 1 in 8 of us still live in poverty!

Poverty is defined by having less than 60% of the average income of people in similar circumstances.

The number of people living in poverty has risen by 500,000 in the last 5 years.

It is an utter indictment of Tory policy. They have been systematically taking from the poor to give as handouts to the rich.

We have had a massive increase in poverty in work. Low pay has meant that people are working their backsides off holding down two or three jobs in order to merely exist.

There has been an upsurge in homelessness and food banks. It’s a disgrace.

So where is all this money the economy is generating actually going? Well we don’t have to look too far do we? We only have to look at the massive multimillion pound bonuses going to executives and bankers. The obscene salaries paid to those executives, sportspeople and entertainers. and the Tax Haven and Tax loopholes that none of the politicians have addressed.

So the cast of Mrs Brown are stuffing millions into offshore tax havens to avoid paying tax and Wayne Rooney, who earns millions, pays less tax than someone driving a van.

There is something drastically wrong with the way society works!

Warm Reception for Michelle Obama!

Posted on by Opher

It was great to see the enthusiastic responses for Michelle Obama in the school she attended and at her Royal Festival Hall event.

I could not help but contrast it with the reception for Donald Trump.

She spoke eloquently with humility, intelligence and piercing observation.

He speaks rudely, crudely with crassness and belligerence.

One was an inspiration and the other an object of disgust.

One oozed compassion and understanding, the other oozed arrogance.

One was rapturously received and the other protested with contempt.

It was like Beauty and the Beast.

The Narcissist versus the Egalitarian.

The contrast could not have been more profound.

Just imagine what the world might be like if we voted in leaders with such sensibilities?

Someone for the next Democratic Presidential candidacy?

Full and Frank Disclosure!

Posted on by Opher

Brexit is the most important event in the UK since the Second World War. It is going to have a massive effect on the country.

We are coming up to one of the most momentous vote of the past 80 years.

We need a full and frank discussion on the details and implications.

What is in the legal advice that the government does not want in the public arena?

Why can’t we have all the information?

What are they hiding?

We have a vote in parliament on whether the government is holding parliament in contempt. It’s a waste of time. We already know the Tories are contemptible.

Capitalism requires Poverty!

Posted on by Opher

Poverty and unemployment is the life-blood of the wealthy.

They require a workforce on minimum wages to maximise profits.

Poverty could be solved if there was the will. There isn’t because it is required.

So much of the world is absurd – bit it’s no joke.

The Beats and Hippies – some thoughts.

Posted on by Opher

The Beats and the Hippies did not want to be part of any warmongering, elite-driven war such as the Vietnam war. They did not want the hypocrisy of a conservative society that espoused one thing and did another. They rejected the austerity, elitism, racism, destructiveness and false patriotism. They wanted something simpler, less damaging, more inclusive, more sincere and more meaningful. They saw the heart of America and the UK, with its lip-service to religion, its greed and selfishness, as an empty lie. It was rotten at heart, uptight and conformist and based on hierarchy and power. It was corrupt.
Corporate America sent its youth to war for economic gain. They made money out of blood.
The elite did not fight and most avoided sending their own sons into battle. They disproportionately sent the poor and coloured.
Church was a club. If Jesus had come back they would have murdered him.
The laws were flouted. Money talked. If you were rich you could get away with murder. If you were poor or black you got electrocuted.
There was no heart or substance. It was all cash and power.
The Hippies and Beats saw a better way of living. They were, and are, right.
Their legacy is in spiritualism, environmentalism and civil rights.
BTW – Jack Kerouac was an early leader of substance but was undermined by Catholic guilt and alcoholism and became a sad character who was confused, increasingly right-wing and ended up a drunken bum.

More Quotations on Reading

Posted on by Opher

via More Quotations on Reading

New Fictions – a poem

Posted on by Opher

New Fictions

 

Our fictions are crumbling –

God, King and Country

Have lost their meaning.

People have lost their faith.

 

We need better fictions

To believe in;

Fictions that are better

Than the old ones.

 

One planet; one people,

One realm of nature;

One home for us all;

To be treated with respect.

 

Opher 2.12.2018

 

 

We created fictions to hold us together and give us strength. But the cohesion is wearing thin. We are becoming divided.

We no longer believe there is a god.

We’ve lost our faith in our politicians.

We do not stand for the Queen.

We know all people are one. That race, nationality and creeds are fictions.

I think it’s time to jettison the old and bring in a new set that we can believe in.

Everyone.

Nature.

The planet.

I’d put my faith into those.

Some People – a poem

Posted on by Opher

Some People

Most people are not insane.
Most people are capable of love.
They are taught to fear.

Most people help each other.
Most people love nature.
They are ruined by greed.

Most people are decent.
Most people are not cruel.
They have to learn to hate.

Opher 2.12.2018

We get the impression of a world full of vicious maniacs, cruel bastards, violent psychopaths. It is not like that. Most people will always give you a helping hand with a big smile and a go well beyond what is reasonable. Most people are friendly.
All the nasty stuff has to be learnt.
We just need to deal with the people that teach them.

One Day – a poem

Posted on by Opher

One Day

 

One day it will not be like this.

We will have grown wiser.

One day we will not elect psychopaths.

We will be compassionate.

One day we will be united.

We will respect the world around us.

 

One day will come.

 

Opher 2.12.2018

 

 

I like to dream that we can make the world a better place. But we do keep putting our faith in those unpleasant psychopaths. We keep allowing our greed to run away with us.

One day we will have a treatment for that aggressive violent type of person. We’ll have a pill for psychopaths, sociopaths and narcissists.