year in review, an excessive ramble

Well it's nearing the end of 2011 and why not review... all the news outlets are looking for stories in this void between Christmas and new years, hopefully no earthquakes, tsunami's or man made fulminant disasters should happen in the coming days, or weeks to stop the trend of non-news news... but, every time I see a Television, it’s compiled lists of best of's, worst of's, newsmakers of the year, top 1000, biggest sales, on and on and on.

Now I'm not totally against reflecting on where you came from but when it's spewed from every media type repeatedly, my question is where are we going... there are a few things that I want to address and even though I'm but one blogger in the arctic, but who knows maybe someone will read this and think. Yeah I feel the same way... so here’s my year end reflection...

1. The economy is shitty and the prospects on the horizon are pretty bleak, with "European instability" and the recession in full swing in the US, now China's growth is showing signs of slowing if you have a job count your blessings and don't go and overburden yourself with debt... Canadians are carrying more debt now then before the 2008 crash and I don't know how long this whole capitalism thing is going to work out for. I can only hope that a slowing Chinese economy means less low quality plastic single use items, maybe boxing day sales will cease to exist and maybe the economy will start to reflect the ecology of the planet, economy and ecology - there based on the same root word meaning home, as in earth a finite amount of resources a limited amount of food a limited amount of fresh water.  David Suzuki has many quotes and books about the intergenerational crime that the "economy" is because it doesn't reflect accurately the present day ecological responsibilities the business of today on the planet today;  hence the intergenerational crime is that corporations today are leaving messes for tomorrows generations to deal with.

which brings me to

#2.  Fuck the whole idea of ‘out there is bad and in here were good’ the 99% vs the 1%, this is what bothers me about people, its not taking responsibility for your own actions. I'd say it's not some entity out there that is responsible for the plastic in albatross bellies, it's me I produce plastic garbage I am a consumer (if this doesn’t make sense then read my last post), it's not the Bill Gates and Steve Jobs’ in the world that are at fault for marketing something so well that they become a billionaires, it's my fault that I bought the product.  It's not the conservatives fault for quitting Kyoto, it's every Canadians for not stepping up and saying that they demand there workplace reduce emissions, shrink it's carbon footprint, or make some change, it's really easy to point a finger at someone and blame them but like the saying goes when you point a finger in blame three are pointed back at yourself... and yes I know that in order for an economy that is based on ecology would result in catastrophic failings of the current world order, but perhaps that’s necessary,  I know its a ridiculous thing to wish for, but all civilizations eventually fail, perhaps our hubris is oil and technology and were fast approaching the end of an era, only time will tell I guess, I just hope that the next generation, (which as a concept is bogus, the population doesn't produce in waves, it's a constant, and a growing constant...) isn't totally doomed to a poisoned, painful life of carcinogens and flooded cities, my parents got me composting and recycling at a young age, and now I have peers with children, nieces and a nephew, and I feel like the global conscious is still just lusting for more things.

#3. My grammar and English have paid the price for being in such an isolated place with so much broken English around, also I swear a lot more. I'm constantly catching myself poorly articulate words and it worries me that I'll likely be around it for another 2-4 years.

#4. I've changed my hobby focus from cycling to photography... I'd like to reconcile the 2 in the New Year... sadly, I think until I leave the Arctic this will be a struggle that pesters me.

#5. I'm struggling with the reconciliation of being an environmentalist and living in the Arctic... Canadian winters in general are not so carbon footprint friendly, when it's winter 8 months of the year and most if not all your food travels at least 3000 km before it arrives at your house, it's constantly on my mind and it makes me a huge hypocrite particularly when looking at point #2.

#6. Somehow the 80's are cool again, which scares me that fashion is being recycled so fast... pretty soon we'll be just parodies of ourselves.... how did fashion make my list... it must be late..

#7. List of things annoy me, I'll refer you to points #5 and 7 to hi-light how much of a hypocrite I am.

#8. Ignorance isn't bliss, and more then ever this year I've become hardened in my atheist beliefs, it amazes me that people still try to argue with me that what they believe is right and yet any attempts at a discussion lead to accusations that I'm personally attacking them. In starting a conversation about what you believe, and questioning me on a religious level, is in its self an accusation at my beliefs. People don’t know how rude they are, and I have done my best to bite my tongue and not get into these philosophical debates. I’m not a scholar in Atheism I don’t suspect that you are in your beliefs either, but please don’t be so bloody rude… I have someone tell me they were sorry for me, sorry that I was an atheist… WTF, I mean really, apparently as an atheist people seem to believe that I believe in nothing... the most common atheist conversation that I had this year is "how can you live without a god, you would have no morals, you could rape, pillage, murder and it would be okay, because you don't believe in god." I'm just going to retype this argument out because I really really hope that I don't have to have it in 2012. My thought's on this view of atheism is wow, you really don't give yourself much credit, it's like saying if you didn't have a god you would rape and murder and pillage because no one would be watching... that you would be accountable to no-one... I think that in any world with or without a deity you are accountable to yourself. I think that people have an innately good character, that people have a conscious, and when able to (when the basic needs of humanity (food, water, shelter, safety) are met), people do more then indulge themselves but actually care for others, contribute to society, follow a universally human code of behaviour, make mistakes because they are human and most importantly are capable of enormous growth, compassion and beauty. I believe that morality is more then a book in a place of worship, it is ones actions, ones behaviour, it is learned from ones parents, community and a part of it is intrinsically linked to our ability to communicate and interact with other living things. More then anything I know I am tired of defending Atheism, I'm not a bad person, I may be a hypocrite in some aspects of my life but I don't think I'm living some greatly immoral life.  I've made mistakes, I'll make more in the future but life is short and I'm not going to live in the past... 

A psychiatrist once told me that life is like driving a car, you have to look forward through the windshield to see where you going, if you spend all your time looking in the rearview mirror then you will crash. 

So that’s my philosophy and my goal of reflecting, see where you came from, don't forget who it made you but have a plan, be responsible and enjoy the ride because this car doesn’t have a reverse.

Yes, I know I'm being very verbose and perhaps not really reflecting as I set out to do but I guess that’s the way todays blog is going to roll... pardon the pun

so to summarize

1. The economy is bad, ecology is what we should focus on, 2. do it with action and not just words. 3 if my words don't add up, or are too abrasive please tell me, 4. I miss cycling, but I'll work on it, 5-7 I'm a hypocrite when it comes to the environment, and lists... I’ll work on that too, apparently I'm a critic... however I once dismissed capri pants and 3/4 length anything... the world didn't listen then either I don't expect them to now... and 8 please for the love of [your] god (pun intended) unless your willing to ceed something or at least listen to a different perspective don't push your ideologies on me. and I guess 9  don't live in the past.

Thanks for reading as always


M

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