What began as frivolity is now an entrenched part of life

The atheist and a pastor talked over coffee . . . . .

Coffee can be a wonderful
sustenance for conversation.

That sounds a little like the opening line of a joke, however it is not, rather a story of friendship; a friendship that was the manifestation of a personal project initiated a couple of years earlier.

About two years ago it seemed that much was to be learned in talking with a stranger each day and what was once little more than a frivolous past-time is now entrenched in my life.

At first it takes effort, but as time passes that connection with another person fulfils what is an innate human social need appears natural, and as easy, as the next breath.

I set out with a few personal rules – one, shop assistants don’t count as they are paid to talk with you and, two, nor does the casual exchange of pleasantries with strangers you pass on the street.

The killer app, so to speak, was that the conversation was to be meaningful; meaning that when it ended, both you and the stranger had learned something about each other.

Talking with a friend about the idea, he said he talks with people all day, but they are people he inevitably knows, a reality, I suggest, that afflicts most people.

Most of us stay within clearly delineated comfort zones; emotionally understandable places from which we don’t stray as any move beyond those boundaries demands a cognitive effort that can be disruptive, disturbing an imagined inner-harmony.

Despite the concerns of the new, the unknown and plunging headfirst into a relationship without apparent reason, there are rich rewards and benefits that cannot be measured in the usual economic way.

Whatever you might say, believe or whatever your experience, we are social creatures and our health, physical, mental and otherwise, needs us to connect with others.

Occasionally I have had to specifically seek out a stranger, but once you are conscious of them and understand why we should talk with them, they are in fact everywhere and nearly always eager to have a chat.

Most every significant struggle in life is replete with comments about how strangers “pulled together” to ensure their community was equal to the difficulty – you get a small taste of what it is that bonds those unfamiliar when you talk with a stranger.

People, it seems, might love family and friends, and enjoy a workmate’s company, but most enjoy talking with a stranger for while it can be a little risqué in that it provokes your thought patterns, breaking them wide open, it illustrates that everything is not exactly as you thought.

The pastor and the atheist: I’m the atheist and the pastor, once a stranger, but now a friend.

Australia's politicians are on a break; a break we need more than they

Whew! Australia’s federal politicians are on a break; a break the public probably needs more than they.

Winston Churchill.

The modern 24-hour news cycle might pile hitherto unseen pressures upon our Canberra conquistadors, but those demands pale compared to the confusion their verbal cut and thrust brings to the body politic.

Watching, and listening, is tougher than being actually in the game, particularly when the discussion and decisions are impacting on you, your life and that of your family, community and nation, and, in a practical sense about which you can do nought, you are forced to sit impotently by and simply wonder.

Looking on from any vantage point beyond the immediacy of Canberra’s Parliament House there is some doubt as to whether or not our elected federal representatives are conscious of how Australia, and the world, is evolving or they are they simply responding to populist ideologues and the values they tenaciously cling to?

Whatever, the image portrayed through our media is less than encouraging and leads inevitably to thoughts of “Nero fiddling while Rome burns”, but any view about that is suggestive and reflective of personal wants and needs.

Some would argue that Rome is not burning and so the behaviour seen in Canberra is as it should be, for they profit as our legislators “fiddle”.

Many others, seeing it through a different prism,  are simply distressed with those reputedly administering our country seemingly obsessed with finding a weakness in their political opponent’s veneer and appearing do little actual “governing”.

Our politicians appear to be sadly distracted by what is colloquially known as “muck-racking”, most of which is absolutely unrelated to national concerns.

Much to the delight, and profit, of a few, democracy in Australia is wobbling toward a distinct difficultly – the façade appears wonderful, but behind this comforting façade is a moneyed clique edging us toward inverted totalitarianism.

Writing in “Democracy Incorporated”, Sheldon S. Wolin explains how sweeping corporate power masquerading as democracy has convinced us that contentment is to be found in consumerism and entertainment and together they see many of us bow willingly before values that are alien to the democratic intent. Democracy is presently being sold to the highest bidder.

Democracy is noisy, meant to allow room for the contrarian thinker, those who challenge the status quo and those who want to disagree, but it is not about the pointless squabbles that until now have preoccupied our nation’s best.

“Democracy” according to the former British PM, the late Winston Churchill, “is the worst of all forms of government, except for all the others that have been tried”; an idea that Australia’s politicians appear intent on testing, until now at least, as they, and we, have a break.

Offensive, but understandably charming

Shepparton’s weekend-long “Spring Car Nationals” were decidedly offensive to the sensibilities of some, but for thoroughly understandable reasons, they charmed many.

A scene typical of the "action" at the
weekend-long Spring Car Nationals
 in Shepparton.

Thousands rushed to the city for a celebratory orgy of the energy of oil manifested in the bucking, sliding, roaring cars primped and preened to brilliantly exhibit their conversion of oil into power, noise and smoke.

An idea few understand or, if they did, acknowledge.

Humans, men in particular, have long been fascinated by power and to control it just for a moment, even if it is little more than on bucking, sliding and roaring car, gives admission to a select group, as distorted as that may be.

A 15-year-old boy I once knew (me) would have stood with that group and throughout the weekend, would have been would have been breathlessly watching, almost high on the exhaust fumes and the testosterone cloud, and gleefully joining in the strange bonding that such hedonism brings.

In view of the world’s evolving difficulties, such blatant pleasure seeking events are an aberration when the resources that make it possible are in serious depletion and with our atmosphere absorbing the true cost.

Of course what happens at Shepparton’s Spring Car Nationals is insignificant compared to the world’s Grand Prix events, America’s National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) and Australia’s V8 Supercars.

Together they promote a paradigm that is the antithesis of how we should live; a paradigm we cannot escape until we understand, or least learn that conquest is not about brute force, rather collaboration.

It is about understanding and learning to live with nature, rather than compete with and subdue it; the world is a finite place and rather than align ourselves with the misplaced desire of growth and progress, a code word for exploitation, we have to learn about conservation and care.

The second law of thermodynamics discusses the fact that disorder in the universe always increases and that surging disarray brought on by the transformation of energy into less usable forms was been forestalled first by coal and now oil, the principle portable energy used by for humans for more than two centuries.

Bruce Springsteen.

The power of that portable energy was demonstrated for all to see, and hear, at the city’s showgrounds over the weekend.

Listening to the wail of what sounded like dying dinosaurs, which they are, I thought about the words that rock poet, Bruce Springsteen, who wrote in his song “Something in the Night” in which has sang about driving in his car:

“….I take her to the floor,

Looking for a moment when the world seems right ……”.

Maybe participants pursued that “moment”, but any legitimizing argument of incidental economic boost to the city quickly evaporates when the full costs are considered.

 

Fewer than expected farewell Peter on a halcyon day

Peter Ross-Edwards
 in his prime.

Peter Ross-Edwards was recently farewelled by fewer than expected people on what might be described as a “halcyon” day.

That seemed appropriate for the former leader of the Victorian National Party and Member for Shepparton was in the rush of public life during what might be described as the halcyon decades of the late 20^th Century.

Mr Ross-Edwards’ October funeral, a State recognized event at Shepparton’s St Augustine’s Anglican Church, saw provision of nearly 1000 seats, but less than 300 were occupied.

The surprisingly low turnout for a fellow who had broad and deep respect within his community was not an indictment, rather the realisation that he had been effectively out of the public gaze for two decades, at least in his home city.

This fellow, known for the brevity of his conversations, appeared to have the ear of the state’s decision makers and was able it seemed, to make the impossible, possible.

He had stepped down from his very public role as the Member for Shepparton in 1991 and while he may have slipped from that public gaze, Mr Ross Edwards was still waist-deep in public life.

He chaired the Goulburn-Murray Rural Water Authority from 1994 through to 2001 and in what was an almost invisible role Mr Ross-Edwards was the chief commissioner for the City of Greater Bendigo for two years in the mid-1990s.

Mr Ross-Edwards had been in the air force for four years, he had been an integral part of the Shepparton based legal firm, P.V. Feltham and Co, and had been the president or vice president several major organizations in Shepparton.

The near empty hall at
St Augustine's Church
 in Shepparton.

To say he was in the ruck of public life in the halcyon days of the 20^th Century is in some sense unfair, but in others a comment without quarrel.

Being a decision maker is never easy, no matter what the environment, but undoubtedly the 24-hour news cycle and the emergence of its digital counterparts of the internet, Twitter and Facebook in the late 90s, have combined to make the life of public personality complex in the extreme.

Add to that the collision of “peak everything” from population through to oil along with the added complication of a human-induced changing climate bringing with it shortages of those things which allow humanity to thrive, water and food.

Those were matters simply not on the agenda for the MLA for Shepparton in his 24 years in parliament.

That however, does not lessen the importance of the task was in any way, just makes it different as the wants and needs of the electorate were both equally intense and important at the time.

Peter Ross-Edwards might have been a man of his time, but the impact of time was evident on that halcyon day in October.

Opportunity and reason lead to the Shrine of Remembrance

Opportunity, and reason, was cause to visit Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance last week.

The St Kilda Rd sign
pointing to the exhibit.

Entering from the nearby St Kilda Rd a sign alerted me to the reason for my visit, a temporary exhibition entitled “Peace”.

The overall energy of the exhibition warranted curiosity, but particular interest arose from that fact and that included in the display was the print, “Journeys and Destinations” by Melbourne’s Benjamin McKeon and Nathalia’s Bill Kelly.

Bill and Ben’s collaborative print represented Australia at the 50^th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights International Print Portfolio.

This print was inspired by the human right: “Everyone has the right to the liberty and security of person” and one of the limited edition prints sits in the collection of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) library, Switzerland.

Being at the height of the remembrance “season”, the shrine was alive with people from guides and advisors through to a seemingly ceaseless steam of school groups and others obviously eager to see the shrine and experience the sense the wonderment it invoked.

Interestingly, while the “war” section of the shrine captured the interest of most, while the “Peace” exhibit languished almost unnoticed in one corner of the main entrance area.

The drama of conflict appeals to, and seems to ignite, human emotions, while peace, the reason for the shrine appears to escape the understanding and interest of most, and so the idea that today we can live peaceably appears well down the hierarchy of importance.

Remembrance is obviously a key reason for the shrine, emphasized by its exquisite placement on high ground just south of the city making it obvious and ensuring the reality of conflicts to which Australia has been a party are constantly considered.

“Journeys and Destinations” by Melbourne’s
 Benjamin McKeon and Nathalia’s Bill Kelly.

The idea that we acknowledge those who died or suffered to preserve the life we presently enjoy warrants applause, but as we do that, it is important we escape the violent and quarrelsome paradigm promoted by the military/industrial complex.

Just last week a climatologist told an Echuca conference considering an indigenous response to climate change that a world-wide effort to mitigate that unfolding difficulty would cost some $30-40 billion a year, which is considered by most to be too costly.

However, confusingly and in what was a stark contrast, he pointed out, that the world spends about $780 billion each year of military machinations, not including the death or injury to thousands of people, the damage to property or the accumulating injury to the earth’s atmosphere.

Peace was one of the four “pillars” on which the shrine was founded, but it is something that will forever elude us unless we expand our thinking, challenge and change our adversarial behaviour, understand mutuality and be cautious with our use of language.

Adulation brings intellectual paralysis

Continued adulation of battlefield exploits point to intellectual paralysis.

It seems our thought processes have stalled, leaving us locked in an era when conquest of the other, and nature, signified elevated status.

Humans have always sought status resorting frequently to conflict and defeat of the other to cement their superiority with the ruins they have wrought being evidence of their success.

Celebration of that perverse success and, equally, the repeated remembrance of events past, even if that moment in history can be shown to be the antithesis of human betterment, draws on powerful human emotions making the event almost transcendental.

Most see participants in the conflict, survivors or otherwise, as sublime, attributing to them god-like ideals and values, adorning them in garments of splendour, awarding them medals and recognition for doing something that was simply a waste of human capacity and the manifestation of mob-madness.

An example of this recently dominated our popular media when a young man acted out the doctrines of our militant thinking; thinking that sees solutions in only physical confrontation.

Our intellectual stasis sees us trapped in a paradigm in which past events become a pattern for the future, negating adventurous and expansive thinking that allows us to understand that decency and discussion are better tools than bludgeoning another.

Decency and discussion is simply that and doesn’t need to be clothed in gaudy colours, adorned with medals or given to rapturous celebration, rather just thoughtful talk and kindly consideration of the other, embracing the realization that others, whatever their beliefs or passions, cry, bleed and feel just like us.

Life may appear linear – destiny that takes us from A to B without change – but it is not for with courage and commitment, and deep thought, it is unquestionably possible to change human behaviour and make what was common, a rarity.

Our ongoing adulation of battlefield exploits needs to stop for if we allow ourselves truly expansive thinking and consider 10 000 years hence what happened at, say Gallipoli, will be irrelevant and lost in the mists of time.

Rather than looking back and devoting time and energy to what was, we should, conscious of our errors, use our vigour to build our life around realities of the moment, rather than though an addiction with imagined glories of fruitless events.

Long has the wisdom of crowds been an article of faith, but such belief is slipping away, compounded, locally, by recent city council elections and in a broader sense, the apparent inability of many to accept that human behaviour is changing our climate and, in this instance, the absence of reason about disagreements that manifest violence and how recognition means reinforcement of failed ideas leading, inalienably, to more anguish.

The wisdom of crowds is sometimes absent

Crowds have a rather special wisdom.

Surowiecki's book.

In fact the idea that crowds do have a cumulative knowledge that exceeds the individual prompted a staff writer at The New Yorker, James Surowiecki, to write a book about that very topic.

Writing in “The Wisdom of Crowds” Surowiecki explored how and why it is that many seem to instinctively know more than one.

In considering why it is the crowd is wise, he investigated many things and stripped the idea of its finery by reminding readers that on a busy footpath when hundreds are walking toward each other, collisions are almost unseen.

The crowd moving to a fro on the footpath, according to Surowiecki, instinctively avoid each other without uttering a word or making any sign.

That, he argues, is the wisdom of crowds at its most basic.

Democracy is the epitome of that wisdom to which will all unknowingly contribute, but despite the richness of that knowledge we do sometimes get it wrong.

An example of the demos failing to understand its fallibility can be seen in the outcome of the recent City of Greater Shepparton Council elections – 26 people offered themselves for one of seven positions and from that rich bounty we had the chance to assemble a group with the skills and vision to guide the city, but we didn’t.

The Goulburn Valley revolves around Greater Shepparton and so the city needs innovative leaders able to identify our strength and weaknesses, able to escape from the rigidity of repetitive behaviour and ease our communities into a new way of living; a process that will see us prosper primarily socially to give our communities an ecological and subsequently an economic advantage.

We live in world burdened by the idea that economic success is the key to social and environment matters when it is in fact a palatable life arises from exactly the opposite, for once we bring order to social and environmental matters, the economy falls into lockstep.

For too long economic concerns have driven council and although that maybe how it needs to be given the over-riding attitude of society, there comes a time when communities such as ours need to step back from the commercial rush of life and turn our attention to the broader wellbeing of people who live here.

A common, but ultimately destructive, business adage of “what gets measured, gets done” reflects the relatively simple activity of measuring monetary activity, when what we need is a council prepared to address the complex and difficult understand concepts of wellbeing, contentment and happiness.

The contemporary adversarial role of councilors needs to be collaborative, positive and friendly establishing a benchmark from which all other groups and individuals throughout the city would gauge and so adjust their contribution.