Reformation Now!
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Deep Grass Roots
I just watched Democracy Now! online and they were interviewing Democratic Senatorial and Congressional hopefuls who are taking on incumbent Democrats, like Hillary Rodham Clinton, William F. Galvin and Joseph Lieberman. (story link here) Individuals like Jonathan Tasini in New York and Ned Lamont in Connecticut really make me wish we had some grass roots action being taken here.
Stephen Harper is running rough-shod all over this country and where is the opposition? The Liberals claim they are unable to step-up to the plate because o a leadership race. I see no reason why the Bloc and the NDP aren't doing more to keep this government accountable. In fact, what has happened to the Bloc and the NDP? I read on about the goings on on Parlaiment Hill (or least as much as the media are allowed to report on these days) and it almost seems that there are no other parties in play in the Commons. How can this be when Harper only has a minority?
Harper is media-phobic and seems to be taking a page out of George Dubya's book on media relations. To a degree Harper is right, the press doesn't like him or the majority of his party. Central Canadian media (including privately run outlets CTV and Global) have been very biased against the Western based Reform/Alliance, now new Conservative Party in the past. Some of the bias and subsequent abuse was unwarranted, some of it was owing to the party and its individual member's own idiocy and lack of sophistication. The same applies to Mr. Harper, a man who - despite some excellent coaching - still manages to stick his foot in a big pile before putting it his mouth. Apparently Prime Minister Harper likes to blame the media for losing him the last election.
It galls me that Conservative Party members can still stand by this man in all good faith. He has completely undone the party they had hoped to see in power - Preston Manning's Reform Party - and reveted it back to something like the party of Brian Mulroney. (whom the Reformers had sought to replace) His manner of governing is arrogant, autocratic and heavy-handed - just like former Liberal PM, Jean Chretien. Why stick it out with this guy? I guess reform wasn't the real aim, it was just to get some jack-ass from the West (and more specifically Alberta) in the PM's seat.
I am rambling on and about ideas I have run off on in other posts. The time has come for real grass-roots reform in Canadian politics. Like the progressive democrats in the States, it is time for all Canadians to come together and form a concensus about what it is that IS the most important to us. I say we high-jack a party en masse and make it conform to a new image. Openess and accountability. Democratic reform. Fiscal responsibility that is guided by compassion, genuine concern and respect for society. The elimination of regionalism. These are just general starts to ideas I think Canadians can discuss, places to start that all Canadians are concerned about.
Progressive Sci-Fi
I am quite interested in the new season of Dr. Who as the regular readers will know. My apprehension over the new Doctor has waned as I have visited the BBC website for Dr. Who. There is a creepy new species called the Ood, whom I think owe a lot to the Cthulhu mythos. (see the picture) The website is also one of the best sites I have ever visited for a show. Check out the games section of the site. Not all the games work for me. but I think they have done a good job with them. A lot of shows develop kind of lame PC games for the market, but the Beeb have outdone them all (and maybe even themselves) by offering a variety of free games online. The lamest game is Slitheen Surfer. My favourite game is still the first, the Dalek game. The soundtrack for the game is quite cool and your objective includes killing the Doctor.
The Rebirth of Fate
I find it interesting how many people I know and have met that believe in fate, destiny, determinism and yet either do not believe in a personal deity or in a deity at all. I am a theist, yet I do not believe in determinism, predestination, fate, etc. Not to say that I don't think that everything that happens happens at random or unpredictably - obviously that is not the case. However, I refuse to believe that all things that happen happen within a specific frame-work or plan or are undeniably and unalterably determined by a previous course of action. I also refuse to believe that God is some up-tight micro-manager, having nit-pickingly plotted out everyone's life right down to the most microscopic details and minutia.
Life not going as planned? Fate. Met a special someone and it was love at first site? Destiny. Didn't work out with a certain special someone? God's will wasn't behind it. Cancer? Diabetes? Brain tumor? Pre-determined. Fate/determinism is a convenient receptical/dumping ground for all of life's joy and garbage. Most disturbingly, people use determinism/fate as an excuse for apathy or to wallow in the worst aspects of themselves.
We have the ability to go against the grain, to be something different, act against our upbringing and baser impulses. Fate is best left to mythology and story-telling.
Deep Grass Roots
I just watched Democracy Now! online and they were interviewing Democratic Senatorial and Congressional hopefuls who are taking on incumbent Democrats, like Hillary Rodham Clinton, William F. Galvin and Joseph Lieberman. (story link here) Individuals like Jonathan Tasini in New York and Ned Lamont in Connecticut really make me wish we had some grass roots action being taken here.
Stephen Harper is running rough-shod all over this country and where is the opposition? The Liberals claim they are unable to step-up to the plate because o a leadership race. I see no reason why the Bloc and the NDP aren't doing more to keep this government accountable. In fact, what has happened to the Bloc and the NDP? I read on about the goings on on Parlaiment Hill (or least as much as the media are allowed to report on these days) and it almost seems that there are no other parties in play in the Commons. How can this be when Harper only has a minority?
Harper is media-phobic and seems to be taking a page out of George Dubya's book on media relations. To a degree Harper is right, the press doesn't like him or the majority of his party. Central Canadian media (including privately run outlets CTV and Global) have been very biased against the Western based Reform/Alliance, now new Conservative Party in the past. Some of the bias and subsequent abuse was unwarranted, some of it was owing to the party and its individual member's own idiocy and lack of sophistication. The same applies to Mr. Harper, a man who - despite some excellent coaching - still manages to stick his foot in a big pile before putting it his mouth. Apparently Prime Minister Harper likes to blame the media for losing him the last election.
It galls me that Conservative Party members can still stand by this man in all good faith. He has completely undone the party they had hoped to see in power - Preston Manning's Reform Party - and reveted it back to something like the party of Brian Mulroney. (whom the Reformers had sought to replace) His manner of governing is arrogant, autocratic and heavy-handed - just like former Liberal PM, Jean Chretien. Why stick it out with this guy? I guess reform wasn't the real aim, it was just to get some jack-ass from the West (and more specifically Alberta) in the PM's seat.
I am rambling on and about ideas I have run off on in other posts. The time has come for real grass-roots reform in Canadian politics. Like the progressive democrats in the States, it is time for all Canadians to come together and form a concensus about what it is that IS the most important to us. I say we high-jack a party en masse and make it conform to a new image. Openess and accountability. Democratic reform. Fiscal responsibility that is guided by compassion, genuine concern and respect for society. The elimination of regionalism. These are just general starts to ideas I think Canadians can discuss, places to start that all Canadians are concerned about.
Progressive Sci-Fi
I am quite interested in the new season of Dr. Who as the regular readers will know. My apprehension over the new Doctor has waned as I have visited the BBC website for Dr. Who. There is a creepy new species called the Ood, whom I think owe a lot to the Cthulhu mythos. (see the picture) The website is also one of the best sites I have ever visited for a show. Check out the games section of the site. Not all the games work for me. but I think they have done a good job with them. A lot of shows develop kind of lame PC games for the market, but the Beeb have outdone them all (and maybe even themselves) by offering a variety of free games online. The lamest game is Slitheen Surfer. My favourite game is still the first, the Dalek game. The soundtrack for the game is quite cool and your objective includes killing the Doctor.
The Rebirth of Fate
I find it interesting how many people I know and have met that believe in fate, destiny, determinism and yet either do not believe in a personal deity or in a deity at all. I am a theist, yet I do not believe in determinism, predestination, fate, etc. Not to say that I don't think that everything that happens happens at random or unpredictably - obviously that is not the case. However, I refuse to believe that all things that happen happen within a specific frame-work or plan or are undeniably and unalterably determined by a previous course of action. I also refuse to believe that God is some up-tight micro-manager, having nit-pickingly plotted out everyone's life right down to the most microscopic details and minutia.
Life not going as planned? Fate. Met a special someone and it was love at first site? Destiny. Didn't work out with a certain special someone? God's will wasn't behind it. Cancer? Diabetes? Brain tumor? Pre-determined. Fate/determinism is a convenient receptical/dumping ground for all of life's joy and garbage. Most disturbingly, people use determinism/fate as an excuse for apathy or to wallow in the worst aspects of themselves.
We have the ability to go against the grain, to be something different, act against our upbringing and baser impulses. Fate is best left to mythology and story-telling.
posted by Magnus at 00:30
6 Comments:
Magnus: "We have the ability to go against the grain, to be something different, act against our upbringing and baser impulses. Fate is best left to mythology and story-telling."
Amen, to that Magnus. Although, I do believe fate to some extent. As to what extent it was there before...
There is a combination of cycles or circular history and the belief in ends (apocalypticism - although at the moment, not surprising considering I've been away from the English speaking intellegentsia of Montreal for a whole year, I can't remember the special word for doctrine or study of ends). I don't believe wholly in one or the other. Although at times, I've had the terrible feeling that I've lived this same life before, and the memory is just not there to read the signs of supposed deja vu (really much more than deja vu).
Good title for your whole post, Magnus: Reformation Now indeed!
"Fate/determinism is a convenient receptical/dumping ground for all of life's joy and garbage. Most disturbingly, people use determinism/fate as an excuse for apathy or to wallow in the worst aspects of themselves"
I totally agree.
My main issue with organized religion as a whole is that there is no attempt in the minds of a lot fo people to adress their feelings and actually deal with their problems. They aren't allowed to get angry at things that go wrong or actually mourn those they lose or feel sorrow or joy, unless it fits a certain criteria. ANd worst of all - why change what you can't or look past their problems/illnesee to enjoy what is there if nothing can be done about it?
Lately I've been on a quest to try and find out what I feel I lack and try to fill it, or at least talk about it and spread happiness. For someone to be a whole person, they can't just shut down or ingore questions or doubts they have.
That being said, I do think think there needs tobe some magic and wonder in our life. NOthing is determinted in my mind until we act or react. I DO believe (being rather hopelessly in love) that J and I were destined to meet and be together despite all my reservations about fate...I've often felt that if we hadn't met by chance when we did, it would have occured at another time. I'm not saying I couldn't be as happy with someone else, I guess I just honestly feel that I wouldn't want to be...not so much fate I guess as 2 people ready to be together who met at the right time. Maybe it is chance...I don't like to think that "fate" rules my life any more than an ompnipotent force does...
I agree with Thoth in that if we were so driven by fate that history would not repeat itself. We are beings of choice, and to let something else choose for us seems a waste of the choice that so many religions believe we were given fundamentally.
OK...soapbox away now
In as far as love is concerned, my thoughts on fate/predestination can sound like the bitter tirades of a man whose romantic aspirations have been foiled once too often. However, I never believed in this whole notion of "the one". (I may have been tempted to in the case of Sarah and D. but never allowed myself to fall into that.)
Sometimes fate seems to be a way for some individuals to try and reign in a roving eye, by loaning their relationship much more cosmic weight than it actually has.
Magnus; Thanks for your visit. I went to Vancouver and I found a cartoonist (Colin Upton)from there and I really liked his work. Best for you.
Curry.
By the way, ESCHATOLOGY, or THINGS ESCHATOLOGICAL, was the term I was looking for. * sigh of relief *
Curry: nae a problem. My Dad wanted to be an editorial cartoonist so I grew up with an appreciation for good editorial/political cartoonists. I might post some of his stuff one day, if I can find it and scan it in.
Have drawn anything regarding the strike in Oaxaca?
Thoth: I knew what you meant, nae a problem there either.
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