Governments and politicians are wonderful at finding solutions to problems that do not exist (except in their collective minds). Then they tell everyone else how they should behave while not doing so themselves - the do as I say not as I do philosophy. Example of this is them flying all over the world in their private jets to tell us we need to lower our carbon footprint.
That certainty usually "reserved for savants and psychopaths" has today been amply bestowed on our psychopaths. Somehow we'll come through this, too, but in what condition? Now that's a good question. Best.
My Zen Master of the Taoist School of Wisdom carries the Tao te Ching everywhere he goes. But his answers to my inquiries are always clouded in mystery. He likes to warm me that if I want to find “truth” then don’t have opinions as those who say don’t know and those who know don’t say.” if I press him for a clear answer he says, “Son, you must become a lamp unto thyself.”
If I dig at him some more he says,” My lad, when you take your cart to the mountains a path will open for you, and always remember to drink from the stream upstream from the herd.”
When I tell him I have no more questions he smiles and says, You have crossed over the river into Nirvana!
Joel in reading and studying your home continent over these past 45 years I've slowly come to understand the dichotomy of views that proliferate in this the oldest landmass or continent, with smaller meteorite impacts or glacial destruction and of course what is now become popular the "always was always will be" civilisation, (really tribes) who have un-obviously been so overlooked by western imperialism that they are now purported to be the original source of the human species that we have all originated from and should therefore be thankful for all of their marvelous cultural innovations from managing the natural environment to how dream time was in fact the beginning of all religion's .. and the biggest mistake is that when we offered to host the long lost tribes of Israel in the far north of the Kimberley/Arnhem land they declined as they felt in the indigenous folks were not going to accept them any more or better than the folks in the Levant have and of course there is no mention of Australia in their God inspired Torah .. so NO the deal was off !
but just think what problems could have been avoided had the PM of the day just had a bit of foresight ..? One can hardly imagine how wonderful the Australian story (and your education) might have been modified to reflect the social norms by the entirely loving kind forgiving Israelite's
Thanks for this. I appreciate the prose, the opinion, the sentiment expressed in this essay, regardless of whether or not I’m in agreement with some, any, or none of it. This piece earned a sub from me and a chance to enter into my ‘paid sub’ rotation.
Laissez-faire a concept under apprieciated, misunderstood or lack of comprehension. Its root is preservation its unjustly seen as selfshness but in reality its independence.
Yes and all this actions comes from those who fly their personal jets around while lecturing others into 15 minute cities, those who forced vaccines upon society when the vaccines are worse than the virus and put doctors in jail and removed their right to practice because they had better ideas on how to treat the virus, put people in jail for being invited inside the capital and then walking around. Their hubris is inexhaustible as they censor people against the constitution. The last thing on their minds is freedom and god given rights. It is control of others by their ideas.
Thoughts for the day. Most likely all the criminal actions of our government will not affect us but rather those that follow us. Be it the destruction of our money or making the many populations of the world our enemies. Think again if you believe these global wars won’t come home to roost with our children or grandchildren. They will have to bear the brunt of our generations failures. Do not act surprised at the next 9/11 event. Time preference is key! For some reason humanity has lost the ability to build for the future. Missing are the stone masons who build a church, never to be completed in their lifetime but a gift for future generations.
Governments and politicians are wonderful at finding solutions to problems that do not exist (except in their collective minds). Then they tell everyone else how they should behave while not doing so themselves - the do as I say not as I do philosophy. Example of this is them flying all over the world in their private jets to tell us we need to lower our carbon footprint.
Humanity’s bias for action needs tempering with the Hippocratic oath of ‘first do no harm’.
If You sent these sayings of Lao-Tzu to every politician in the world. Nothing would change. It would fall on deaf ears.
Have you seen the movie, “Idiocracy” 2006? It seems to me we are moving quickly toward such an era if we aren’t already there.
A brilliant synthesis of classical wisdom Joel!
That certainty usually "reserved for savants and psychopaths" has today been amply bestowed on our psychopaths. Somehow we'll come through this, too, but in what condition? Now that's a good question. Best.
Excellent ❤️
My Zen Master of the Taoist School of Wisdom carries the Tao te Ching everywhere he goes. But his answers to my inquiries are always clouded in mystery. He likes to warm me that if I want to find “truth” then don’t have opinions as those who say don’t know and those who know don’t say.” if I press him for a clear answer he says, “Son, you must become a lamp unto thyself.”
If I dig at him some more he says,” My lad, when you take your cart to the mountains a path will open for you, and always remember to drink from the stream upstream from the herd.”
When I tell him I have no more questions he smiles and says, You have crossed over the river into Nirvana!
tax library watch the staff members get increasingly panicked near the due date.
The day after the returns are filed (most companies follow the April return due date) the tax folks take a well deserved holiday.
David
p.s. Joel, sorry with the bifurcated submission, but my vision is still impaired.
Joel in reading and studying your home continent over these past 45 years I've slowly come to understand the dichotomy of views that proliferate in this the oldest landmass or continent, with smaller meteorite impacts or glacial destruction and of course what is now become popular the "always was always will be" civilisation, (really tribes) who have un-obviously been so overlooked by western imperialism that they are now purported to be the original source of the human species that we have all originated from and should therefore be thankful for all of their marvelous cultural innovations from managing the natural environment to how dream time was in fact the beginning of all religion's .. and the biggest mistake is that when we offered to host the long lost tribes of Israel in the far north of the Kimberley/Arnhem land they declined as they felt in the indigenous folks were not going to accept them any more or better than the folks in the Levant have and of course there is no mention of Australia in their God inspired Torah .. so NO the deal was off !
but just think what problems could have been avoided had the PM of the day just had a bit of foresight ..? One can hardly imagine how wonderful the Australian story (and your education) might have been modified to reflect the social norms by the entirely loving kind forgiving Israelite's
Joel, I am surprised by your lament that governments like to govern and, over time, do so to excess to the determent of the governed.
It has always be thus, and I suspect always will. Someone has to be in charge; it's our nature.
Verifying this disposition are films galore of mass rallies featuring autocratic officials -- demagogues all
They thrive by telling their followers all manner of nonsense, from Hitler, Father Coughlin then to Trump, Alex Jones and Putin today,
The common denominator seems to be that each have approving audiences seeking direction
Thanks for this. I appreciate the prose, the opinion, the sentiment expressed in this essay, regardless of whether or not I’m in agreement with some, any, or none of it. This piece earned a sub from me and a chance to enter into my ‘paid sub’ rotation.
I loved this column. One of your best. “Armed with a certainty normally reserved for …psychopaths “ is a great line and spot on.
Laissez-faire a concept under apprieciated, misunderstood or lack of comprehension. Its root is preservation its unjustly seen as selfshness but in reality its independence.
Yes and all this actions comes from those who fly their personal jets around while lecturing others into 15 minute cities, those who forced vaccines upon society when the vaccines are worse than the virus and put doctors in jail and removed their right to practice because they had better ideas on how to treat the virus, put people in jail for being invited inside the capital and then walking around. Their hubris is inexhaustible as they censor people against the constitution. The last thing on their minds is freedom and god given rights. It is control of others by their ideas.
Thoughts for the day. Most likely all the criminal actions of our government will not affect us but rather those that follow us. Be it the destruction of our money or making the many populations of the world our enemies. Think again if you believe these global wars won’t come home to roost with our children or grandchildren. They will have to bear the brunt of our generations failures. Do not act surprised at the next 9/11 event. Time preference is key! For some reason humanity has lost the ability to build for the future. Missing are the stone masons who build a church, never to be completed in their lifetime but a gift for future generations.