The Power of Agreement.

Several years ago my son told me a story about a man searching for wisdom and happiness. He travelled the world searching until he was told of the wisest person, a hermit living in a cave high in the mountains. He made the harsh journey and asked his question. The hermit said the answer was to agree with everyone you meet. The man became angry saying that was a ridiculous answer, to which the hermit replied, “Yes, I see that it is.” Funny, yes, but thought provoking. It came to mind after seeing a snippet of Nigel Farrago and Russell Brand on Question Time that eschewed agreement at all costs. When one looks at one’s mind’s fluidity disagreement produces a gridlock of some entrenched position, one is reduced to continually rehearsing a dialogue with oneself. One instinctively feels any sign of agreement would be used to create a weakness in one’s defences, but alone in a castle one cannot find happiness or wisdom. Agreement though is not being beaten in an intellectual battle it’s an incremental step in awareness. When ‘the map is not the territory’ no one of us sees the territory only our map of it and finding some agreement with another person might well put a little extra detail to it. That’s not to say agreement is acceptance. If one simply accepted another’s opinion one would only join in a possible mutual error. True agreement is a willingness to find one’s mind’s fluidity and thus continue one’s journey towards wisdom and happiness. Nigel Farrago and Russell Brand did not move forward in this respect, yet I found some agreement with both of them. Does that make me wise? If you say no it’s likely I’ll agree with you. 

TTIP and ISDS.

This evening I spent an hour watching the Commons Select Committee discussing TTIP with the Head of the TUC and a spokesman for the CBI. (look on BBC catch up under S) The TUC, a woman, was balanced and spoke well. The CBI man attempted to intimate by groundless assertions that it was all a jolly good idea but didn’t convince anyone. The whole hour was vacuous in that they had no, that’s zero, facts to work on and they could not see the treaty because of secrecy. Every concern many of us have about TTIP and ISDS could not have been written more clearly between the lines. America is a bully; it’s how they operate. The CBI man basically said if we want an agreement with the big dog we must bend over and get shafted, otherwise they won’t sign it. My agent would have laughed. I was appalled that a dozen intelligent serious people did not show disgust and anger at this banal level of interaction. In any meeting I’ve been involved in to be so unprepared, so devoid of facts and arguments and relying solely on groundless assertions one would have been laughed at, torn to shreds and most likely sacked. Here's a suggested defense against an ISDS action.

Your Honour, this case is between Philip Morris (PM) and the British Government (BG) under the ISDS framework of the TTIP Agreement. PM is suing the BG for loss of future earnings over its restriction to only plain paper packaging for all cigarettes. PM believe this will reduce sales.

BG. Do you agree that PM have no right to sue me as an individual if I decide to give up smoking or change to another brand or choose to spend my money elswhere? That after all is the essence of a free market.

PM. Yes.

BG. Dou you agree that Britain is a democratic country?

PM. Yes.

BG. As such is it correct that the British Government, having been voted into power by a democratic election is mandated by the electorate to implement laws in accordance with the wishes of the majority of that electorate?

PM. Yes.

BG. Is it correct that under a democratic system the majority decision is taken to form the decision of the whole?

PM. Yes.

BG. In this case you believe this decision will result in a reduction of cigarette sales. Do you agree that this was the underlying reason for the British Government’s decision to implement this law? Realistically there can surely be no other explanation.

PM. Yes.

BG. As such the government’s implementation of plain paper packaging reflects the mandate of the electorate as a whole to reduce smoking: Do you agree?

PM. Well yes but..  (BG. Shut up, I’m talking)

BG. It hardly needs stating that the electorate consists of individuals and that each of those individuals, as you have previously agreed, has free choice to buy or not buy PM cigarettes without fear of litigation. If then these individuals have mandated the British Government, under the accepted norms of our democratic system, to reduce smoking and the government has acted on their behalf by implementing plain paper packaging the government’s action can be said to represent the decision of individuals, which as you have previously agreed is totally acceptable in a free market. 

Your Honour as the plaintiff is in total agreement with the defendants case I suggest there are no grounds for this case to go forward.

Ebola. Send in FedEx.

Living not far from Eyam and Wikipedea I’m aware the Black Death killed 45% of the European population in four years. Eyam because there’s a boulder in the middle of a field with holes in it. They were used to put coins in in payment for food and were probably filled with some form of disinfectant, a way to isolate the inhabitants. The current west’s response in contrast is to provide hospital beds to care for the victims. It’s how we do it these days and we’re proud of our medical technology but it’s like chasing the virus rather than starving it of new victims. We do have an advanced logistical mindset and in a sense sending in FedEx might give better results. By creating pre isolating measures rather than post isolation after the virus has had chance to spread we can beat it. As it’s incubation is typically three weeks to death or survival with only the last week as communicable creating a fire wall of pre isolation  whilst still isolating, caring for and where necessary disposing of bodies seems far better than just the latter. For example if each family group is told to stay home and delivered ‘clean’ food for three weeks though some will become ill the virus has nowhere to go. It’s what they did in the Black Death and it makes perfect sense. And we’ve got the logistic capability to do it. Like a local leader said, “we have to break our customary habit of shaking hands.” In this case it might not be medical rocket science. 

Wikitics.

With the rise of corporate money in politics, the spread of trade agreements like TTIP, the attempt to bankrupt the State of Virginia by a corporate land grab it’s clear democratic power is now subservient to corporate power. This power structure equates to the pre-democratic times where Kings, Barons and despots ruled the lives of common serfs. England, France, Russia etc have all had bloody revolutions to remove them. OK this is slightly different in that the suppressing armies are legal teams, tax accountants, managers and shareholders but the effect is the same and no doubt the results will be too. It’s amazing that people queuing up for the guillotine aren’t paying more attention to historical precedents, but then who would when it’s all going so swimmingly. By overpowering the legal systems, democratic governments and tax systems they’ve become free to milk the cow of the world. So how to break the mould before a bloody revolution? In the face of this ubiquitous power a head on approach is likely to fail; a more judo approach is necessary. Firstly our legal system is basically social. It recognises that society exists even if Thatcher didn’t, and many actions of corporate individuals in pursuance of corporate profit are directly harmful to our society as a whole. So can we serve them with ASBOs? If a farmer can be ‘given an ASBO and instructed to keep his geese from damaging his neighbour's property’ surely Monsanto can be ASBOed for threatening the whole farming industry. They may be doing it ‘lawfully’ but can they be challenged on the more fundamental grounds of causing social harm or using the law in an antisocial manner? Alternatively in the American Psychiatric Association’s directory of mental disorders, DSM 5 2013, the clinical definition of ‘antisocial personality disorder’ might well be used to show that may corporate heads and board members are sociopaths needing at least therapy if not sectioning. It’s clear that the legal and psychiatric sectors have become solely focused on the lower classes and studiously avoid the antisocial behaviour and personality disorders of the wealthy and powerful. If companies such as Coca-Cola or McDonalds can be proven to provide food that promotes wide spread obesity can they, irrespective of their legal position, be deemed antisocial? Can their key personnel, in pursuing that direction, be deemed to be acting antisocially and prohibited from taking an active part in running the company? Can information on Donald Trump be gathered to prove he has acute antisocial personality disorder and be deemed unsuitable to hold a position of authority? From the recent cases of sexual abuse it’s clear it was known about for years with nothing said because the abusers were powerful but in the end they were prosecuted. So how can we apply the law to the top end of the market? Oh I never got on to politics, which is what Wiki(poli)tics was about. 

Cause for Concern?

In the last month my blog views in Russia have been four times that in the UK, 196 to 54. Have Russian mice found an interesting new source of cheese? It’s confusing. Am I providing English language lessons to a proletariat eagerly preparing for their upcoming European holidays or being crawled over by state spiders? I mean I don’t mind humans of any hue reading this stuff but the thought of being fodder for mere trawling algorithms is depressing. I begin to feel like a fish. Maybe they’re impatient for insightful critiques of our excellent TV programs like X Factor and Big Brother. (British humour) Well I think Putin should buy a Premier League football team. It’s taken three or more years but I’ve noticed Abramavich’s once pouting childish face slowly change to almost adult joy. He’s actually enjoying himself now here in Blighty. Forget Ukraine Vladimir, buy Bolton Wanderers. It’d be a great chance to get your shirt off on the training ground, and they’re all against homophobia now. I’m sure you could join the Village People if you really wanted to. In truth I think we Brits appeal to the Russian sense of humour. That’s why they’re still wondering how on earth we won the war. I mean Hitler was the serious type and Churchill was a depressive comedian by comparison, it should have been no contest. But don’t underestimate the power of happiness over aggression, it’ll win every time. So happiness to all in Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod, Kiev and Donetsk. Make it so.

Looking Back.

I’ve just been wondering how I’ve changed over the years. Looking back at old photos, trying to remember etc I don’t think I have much. I mean the I that I am was pretty much in place when I was ten, and a lot of that was what I was born with. So in terms of personal progress forget it, I’ve been dweebling around on the eddies of circumstance unchanged for seventy years. Sure I’d like to claim a little increase in maturity but even that feels a little dubious. No I’m a prefabricated building ageing with the weather, losing paint and guttering rather than adding to it. I mean I’d like to lay claim to some improvement, but what? I think it’s ‘in relationship’. I’m more in relationship with circumstance, be it things, people, events and even myself. There’s less fear, less drama and from that comes easier meetings. And the drama and fear are the result of holding some quintessential honesty at bay. So am I more honest than I used to be? Yes? Well no not really. So what then? I’m struggling here, have I been a complete waste of time? Ah there’s a glimmer there. Surely I haven’t just got better at wasting time? OK I want to say no but yes in a funny way. I did used to waste time badly by not relating but now I’m somehow better at it. I still meander in a wasting time sort of way but I waste a lot less time doing it badly. So there you have it, my seventy-year personal progress, wasting time more productively by losing fear and drama to be more in relationship with everything. And the ‘I’? Well that’s just me.

Professionalised.

‘Professionalised’ It’s my offering as a novel and necessary addition to the Oxford English Dictionary, though I’m thinking a ‘z’ might add a better derisory bite. It stems from the Ashya case, but aren’t we all to some degree professionaized by walking through an office door and taking an income from it. Even as a toy designer, the most benign of professions, I slanted myself to the creation of young rabid consumers to pay my wages. Whether it be self protection, self advancement, self comfort or profit we wear the mores of our profession like a blinkering coat, and as an adjunct to it a scarf of justifications, of necessary rules, restraints and behaviours. I have on occasion opined a fourth way, the third already taken by some airy-fairy political bollocks, and the first two being capitalist slavery and Bolshevik mindless equality, i.e. slavery. This fourth way is, in a phrase, “Do what you like for nothing.” It is in fact a secret Conservative policy who, having given up on productive industry, the welfare state and effective government, are leaving us in the hands of unpaid charity workers. I realise it’s hard to accept the Conservatives as radical progressives but the facts speak for themselves. High unemployment, zero hours contracts, internships and the growing reliance on charities all point to paid employment becoming a thing of the past. Thatcher didn’t do it for the money she loved it and she’d want us to do what we love too. Screw that immoral screen-watching job in the city and become a postman, or conversely, if your feet aren’t up to it any longer, take an accounting qualification. If teachers love the kids but hate the education system do it the way you want for nothing or become a farmer. We all want to contribute for the sake of our own self worth and the rise in mental ill health, depression and suicide stem from the current payment system stopping us contributing that worth in a misguided effort to ‘earn a living’ instead of ‘creating a life.’ So vote Conservative and watch the edifice crumble, we’ll all love it on the scrap heap together. And when some billionaire comes round offering us money for a loaf and some sprouts we can tell them to fuck off.