Flag waving

In response to a lot of strange flag waving excesses in the UK I posted this message. I believe it explains how I feel about it.

It’s not the flag, but the idiots waving it whilst shouting abuse at anyone who doesn’t agree with them. It’s not the flag, but people arguing people should be burnt alive. It’s not the flag, but people who think it’s funny to let children drown. It’s not the flag, but people who think paying the taliban to take frightened people back to Afghanistan is a good idea. It’s not the flag, but the people who consider it the British Swastika.
If you fly the flag do it with respect to humanity.

I think this could be a way of describing it to other people too. This might be too much to say here, but I feel it needs to be said. I don’t want to bring arguments here. I apologise for that.

Life’s an empty book

When we first started our lives we were empty books. At the end, perhaps we are the same. When the memory dwindles and is gone. Thousands of days or years pass by. How can we be remembered? Our belongings may be passed down through generations, but eventually they just become remnants of a previous way of life.

I not trying to be melodramatic about this or emotional. I’m just contemplating my place in history, a short blip in a continuous spectrum of time. I’m trying to grasp as much of life as I can for as long as I can. Continuing to take an interest in the world and the best of humanity. I hope you are too.

I would make compassion and empathy classes mandatory in schools.

What would you change about modern society?

Something needs to change. As the world gets more complicated, resources diminishing, people may be becoming more selfish?

But is that because we see so much more of the bad things going on in the world? It is only since film and TV and then the Internet that we have been able to see wars and conflicts in real time. We are not always sheltered by time or censorship of terrible events. Computers give us access to horrendous content that could change the way we think. But statistics show that in some countries crime has decreased considerably over the years.

As countries seem to be heading towards populist, right wing agendas, perhaps we should look at the ethics of news, bring in compassion and empathy. We could go back to religious rules, like turning the other cheek, enacting laws so that the weapons of war are not easily available, or working against theft and violence. But it doesn’t have to be a religious interpretation. Not all of those rules make sense. Why not work with humanitarian or humanist ethics? Listen to world courts and follow their precepts.

If compassion and empathy were taught in school we might not change the current situation but we could change our futures or our children’s futures.

A film to watch

“When you hear a bell ring an angel gets its wings”.

I was feeling very down this morning. I couldn’t see the point of things. I sat down and put the TV on. “It’s a Wonderful Life” with James Stewart was just starting.

Have you ever seen it? It’s an old film with a man who takes over a savings and loan company and supports all of his community, even when things are bad he sorts them out. But one day some money goes missing and he is about to lose everything. Meanwhile because everybody is praying for him, an angel (second class) is tasked to save him. It’s not a religious film and it’s very heartwarming and yet emotional to watch. It’s very humanitarian and caring.

If you like old films, and James Stewart, give it a go. Truly 5 stars.

I honestly don’t know

What change, big or small, would you like your blog to make in the world?

The world’s a mixed up place. There’s too much fake information out there. How can my small blog cut through it all?

I had a silly idea that I could write and prevent the War in Ukraine escalating. I even wrote to the Russian embassy in London to think about what Putin was doing and going to do.

I have written about global warming and famines. But I’m one person. Clearly if everyone agreed, then we as humanity could change things. But who’s going to listen? I don’t have a large reach here or anywhere else. I’m no influencer.

It’s nice to feel I might make a difference. But it’s like winning the lottery, a 14 million to 1 chance that someone might care. That’s all I can say.

How would you like your blog to influence people? When will individuals work together, team up, care enough to change things?

Obviously there are people out there in groups and teams who try. I hope you give them half a chance. The world needs changing but it might be too late!

Missiles over Ukraine

Russia fired 70 missiles at Ukraine today. 51 were shot down, but 19 got through. One hit a maternity block of a hospital (over 700 medical facilities have been hit during the war). A one day old baby was killed. This is evil.

Electricity has been cut to most of the country and fresh water supplies are running low. A later attack on Kyiv killed at least four people. War does no good, it just makes peoples lives horrible.

Why are the people of Ukraine being hurt like this. Why is Russias president Putin making these people suffer.

It’s over one hundred years since the end of the First World War, the ‘war to end all wars’ and yet throughout the world men continue to wage war on mem women and children. Iranians are beaten and tortured for not wearing headscarves. Other countries treat their populations badly or attack neighbours. Surely it is time to stop fighting. We are humans that should treat others with humanity and the world as the precious planet that is being harmed by humans too.