Reading: More Than Just Words on a Page

Words are those wonderful winged vehicles which allow us to be time travellers, warriors, princesses……
They are steadfast non judgmental companions we carry with us all bound up in those wonderful objects we call books.

How do the words sit on a page… do they flow along the river of your thoughts?
Or are they merely ink on paper?

Do loud readers shout out the words on a page? And quiet readers “read in their heads?” Well, some readers mouth words as they read and some are fixated on the flow of words.

Creating visual master pieces in our minds eye. In all of human history and future no technology or ‘AI’ will replicate or replace the unique human trait – imagination.

Flowing words are our freedom as a species, conjuring worlds, vast landscapes, to remind us of happy memories and futures yet to come.
In each of our minds eye, we see our protagonists, back drops, details and colour of the sky. And no two images are the same.

We know the writing has taken over when the words are a the vehicle and the image is the destination.

W(h)ine anyone?

The w(h)ine glass is having it’s moment in the spot. It’s 5 seconds of fame if you will…But why? Why the wine glass? It is not a particularly lovely glass, short stemmed or long- it is an average looking glass from which we sip fermented crushed grapes.

It has captured the imagination of the ‘living my best life’ brigade on the internet. This innocent, innocuous looking glass has become the symbol of luxury and affluence. It is ironic that a half full almost always tilted, with the sun catching it in the distance is the new symbol of ‘affected affluence.’

Swathes of Europe drink wine daily, with meals, at home, in restaurants, at family gatherings, as a matter of daily life. So, the humble wine glass has waited hundreds of years to take center stage in the lives of our ‘living our best lives’ brigade.

But does this not beg the question….. why not Champagne?…. because affluence never demands attentiveness.

Arrogance or ignorance?

Are we born ignorant? Or with innate traits, knowledge and ideas?
Ancient peoples (the original stewards of our planet) believe our souls carry infinitely more wisdom than our conscious minds.
So how has it come to pass that we have morphed into an ignorant and self absorbed species the planet has ever witnessed or likely to ever encounter?

How have we become such directionless beings as to participate and watch our mental and physical destruction in a state of complete inertia?

Ignorance today is not merely a lack of information it is the intentional avoidance of facts. It parades as feigned ignorance. Here is where nature and nurture blur the lines of knowledge and instinct. Intuition and intellect, intuition is your instinct, gut, sixth sense… an intangible. But intellect is tangible with an element of measurability.

Our world is changing as we become entrenched in beliefs of “take overs” from other cultures and populations. We are a species in denial of our own role in creating an atmosphere of fear and loathing – not just amongst ourselves, but across nations, borders and continents.

A species at war with itself and the natural world, perhaps no life form so single-mindedly pursues its own extinction. We’ve turned against our own “progress” by narrowing our minds and vision as we gain ever increasing access to information and the truth.

In perhaps no other peoples is this more accurately personified in the immigrants who enjoy unrestricted travel across the world to move, relocate and re relocate at will.

To set down temporary roots and pick up and leave at will because your document of identity from your country of birth entitles you to free movement.

A majority of the world struggle to comprehend and accept this behaviour – because the same people rail against immigrant culture on their shores. All the while being immigrants in an affordably priced country because the cost of living at ‘home’ is unattainable for them.

So our “adult immigrant toddlers ” set down roots in any corner of the globe they fancy, only to bring with them the new tools of cultural imperialism.

Conglomerates that are larger than small countries such as Walmart, Mc Donalds, Costco and Amazon are no longer stores selling food or products. They are disruptors to entire populations cultures and small countries. Bringing with them consumerism and products against the natural order of the planet. They are in every shape and respect inimical to the natural world and human systems.

Post the US election results of 2024 an increased express interest to move simply because they believe they are no longer ‘welcome’ or ‘comfortable’ in their place of birth. It is utterly astounding that they feel the freedom to move to another country/ continent on the turn of a government. The citizens of a country which shall we say regularly foreign “brings democracy” to corners off the world rich in natural resources.

The ignorance is staggering but not surprising. It is by design of their educational systems and conditioning which serve to create a bubble of their own self serving reality.

The ‘global south’ or ‘third world’ (one wonders who are these second world inhabitants?) for all their imposed restrictions and failings remain a beacon for our “adult immigrant toddlers” because living and child care is cheap, help is abundant and once the purpose is served, onto new pastures. Mind you never to return to the home country whose privileges they continue to avail of.

In a world of chaos and destruction amid insidious corporate assault on every aspect of our lives no matter who we are or where we live, introspection is perhaps our only saviour. If we hope to leave the next generation more than a tangled broken mess of a planet- all of us, of all walks of life need urgently to introspect.

Life versus Quality of Life

Life is for the living. Quality of life is for those who love living.

If you grew up in and around the 80’s sitcoms you probably remember 3’s Company- slap stick, funny, superb cast and characters which achieved cult status. Now love or hate the TV serial there were mini threads of wisdom if you listened closely to dialogue.

In a particularly funny scene between the central character Jack Tripper (he tripped A LOT) meets his uncle who visits after a long time. In the course of conversation Uncle —- tells Jack ” Don’t confuse your terms dear boy, you can either live or settle down- you can’t do both”

Laughter from the audience at home and on set. The statement is amusing in the context of its delivery and serious as a life observation.

Comedy delivers wisdom, insight and truth. Fun philosophy- when you learn, internalise and think- without being aware of it. Laughing out loud at a joke you hear in the comedy club, and thinking it over later, narrating it to friends and family are all part of a learning process.

We remember the context, content and come to realise whether agree or disagree with the deliverer is irrelevant, because it ignites a flame for thought and lays the foundation for discussion.

We live in such confusing times that fact and fiction blur, kindness and cruelty often present as two sides of the same coin. But quality of life, humour, food, literature, people, perceptions… the list is endless is timeless.

An abundance of food does not translate to nutrition or health. The plethora of information does not guarantee an informed public. Over priced schools do not deliver well informed citizens. Degrees do not ensure an educated mind, they merely attest to the fact that a person “attended and graduated.”

How long you live will never determine how well you lived.
The length of a marriage has no bearing on the quality of a marriage.
An abundance of food does not mean an appreciation of food or that any quality of nutrition is derived from it.
Reading many books, does not mean appreciating or internalising literature or its messages.

Let’s equip the next generation to recognise quality of life, relationships, marriages, food, literature… life.

The Real Fear of Fake Meat

The fear is real and palpable. They cringe, raise hands in protest and heads shake violently! Are they protecting themselves from an almost certain fatal assault?

It is the mere mention, not consumption of meatless meat or ‘fake meat.’ Could it be the angst of learning a kinder alternative to animal flesh is easily accessible sends otherwise sensible minds into a tail spin?

Yet these Confirmed Carnivores* cringe at the mention of a slaughter house. Evading the truth with what can best be described as Olympic level mental gymnastics.

The eternal Confirmed Carnivore scoff at salads, written off as rabbit food. Surely it is no more than a garnish. Their commentary and ridicule may previously have been a source of amusement. However, we live in a world where encyclopaedias are available at our finger tips. So the only excuse for ‘not knowing’ must be “I do not wish to know.”

The Confirmed Carnivore shifts uncomfortably in their seat, hold up their hands in protest in a physical attempt to save themselves from this menace of mock meat. Or worse a salad attack a withering look comes your way if you humorously say, “lettuce can’t bite.”

To the vegan or non meat eater at a table it is all at once amusing and fascinating that otherwise intelligent rational individuals can fall apart at the mere suggestion of tasting a new food. These are the same people who will indulge in extreme sport with out a second thought, tear open packaged food and devour it without ever questioning its contents. These are affirmed adventure seekers, world travellers and hunger for knowledge, but fear a piece of tofu.

It sends them in fight mode, because flight would be impolite at a dinner table. Be prepared to hear a tirade of ‘ancestral diets’ ‘lions eat meat’ and ‘God wants us to eat meat’

Except that when you counter these arguments with “we no longer live in caves’ ‘we’re not lions’ and ‘God gave you reasoning powers.’ The final defence of meat eating is pulling out the ‘meat substitutes are processed’ argument. It dies a silent death when delivers whilst sipping on Coke, eating cheese and sausages.

The vegan approach to food and for that matter life is deeply personal. But it does irk fellow diners and often family members. No one is perfect or ever will be, the attempt is not at perfection and it may well be argued that vegans believe themselves to be morally superior. If there are vegans that do believe themselves to be so they are no different to the confirmed carnivore- militant in their belief.

Militancy never unites opposing ideologies or people. Dialogue does. It is imperative to remember while so many of us have the luxury of debating these issues, those employed in animal agriculture often do not have the means or education to escape. They are just as much victims of an exploitive system as the animals. Consumers as well may be vulnerable to restrictions and conditions.

It is a rare person who enjoys the suffering of another being human or non human, but it is common for us to be slaves to generational prejudices and beliefs. Changing your mind, learning and educating your mind beyond your taste buds is a courageous step and if you listen to the little voice in your head it is encouraging you to take the leap of taste.

The real fear is not of fake meat, or dairy free cheese. It is the fear of being labelled a non conformist. Are the Carninsts of today, the Heretics of the 1600s which saw Gallelio and Copernicus warned and ridiculed for their assertions that the earth was not the centre of our universe. What do the rotational realities of the sun and earth have to do with consuming meat? No much, it’s the mindset not the action.

Without going into the intricacies of the hearings and inquisitions against them, the core beliefs of ‘going against the establishment’ immediately brands individuals as rebellious. Perhaps the worst label one can inherit is that of activist. Designed to create imagery of banner waving extremists intent on destroying the status quo.

If the substitution of soy for sausage has such a visceral effect on people let’s investigate the root cause. And we most often turn away from the cause because it can only be described as indoctrination. Your indoctrination and allegiance to the system of eating and industry which cares little or not at all about you, the animals, the planet or its workers.

*Confirmed Carnivore – An individual who steadfastly clings to opinions of convenience rather than verifiable facts. It is a generational indoctrination which begins at an impressionable age. It is characterised by the intentional blurring of fact, fiction and fantasy. The theory is almost exclusively applied to food, conflating food, nutrition and flavour to be similar.
The Confirmed Carnivore has an impressive lexicon of phrases they wield as sabres of truth – the champion of which is ‘humane slaughter’ The Confirmed Carnivore is often ensconced in an atmosphere fearful of change and enjoys the status quo.