Gavin Orland » Human Relations

The economic situation

Wednesday 22nd October 2008 09:11 in Human Relations

Traders I see the current economic situation, in the UK at least, as the logical conclusion of the “Because I’m worth it” culture, with both sides to blame. Those sides being the consumers who yield to peer pressure and decide that things like televisions and Xboxes are vital accessories which they must have now, and the greedy traders who seem to think that merely shifting money around is a real job. Buying and selling currencies, derivatives, bonds, and creaming off money for yourself is not earning a living. It’s just a kind of legal robbery, a parasitic practice which contributes nothing to the world.

Banks, in their greed, took advantage of consumers’ greed, and unfortunately we all had to bail them out. Such a sprial has to reach a terminus. There’s more to it, of course, but the above factors are relevant and symbolic of the age of decadence. People need to wake up and reject the bad values continually promoted in trashy newspapers and in the media generally (for example the glorification of do-nothing celebrities) and realise that there is no substitute for the fulfilment that comes from working hard and living decently within one’s means. People need to accept personal responsibility.

Observation

Tuesday 21st October 2008 19:18 in Human Relations

The best way not to get caught is not to do anything wrong.

Awe inspiring

Sunday 19th October 2008 11:17 in Human Relations

The beginning of the film Contact, from the novel by Carl Sagan:

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Some things that are vulgar

Tuesday 14th October 2008 22:02 in Human Relations

Many people seem to have no idea what is vulgar and what isn’t. It occurred to me that I could help out regarding this issue by providing a list:

Smoking (especially while walking and near others)
Swearing (ditto)
Snorting or coughing loudly exactly as you walk past another person’s ear
Listening to your personal music loudly on public transport
(especially through a loudspeaker)
Eating on public transport (especially hot food)
Shouting across people to get to others
Spitting
Drinking alcohol in the street or on public transport
(the latter has now been made illegal, but is still, of course, commonly seen)
Wearing wince-inducing spikes, rings or rivets in the face
Having public phone conversations
Addressing people as “mate” when you hardly know them
(especially when they’re employing you)
Chewing gum with your mouth open in the vicinity of others
(or even when not in their vicinity, for that matter)

Virtually all of these things were outlawed by social etiquette in the past and would rarely be seen. Now, the sad fact is that one can hardly take a short walk to, or journey on, the London Underground without encountering the majority of them.

The funny thing is they’re not hard to avoid doing. It takes no effort. How curious that civilisations, after a point, go into reverse.