Convergent Diversity
When I was growing up in the 1950s and ’60s, there were only two genders and those who didn’t fit comfortably within either one or the other were labelled as ‘poofters’ or ‘lesbos’. There was no room for subtlety. I am so glad that we are moving away from that binary disrespect, because disrespect it was. (more…)
We cannot predict or properly imagine what our society will look and feel like when we stop trying to regard all people as the same and, instead, see each person as a human being: a unique expression of humanity.
Some of you reading the above will immediately protest that I am denying the equality of all people. I am not arguing for or against treating any other person as my equal. We use the word ‘equality’ too loosely, and it is wrong to treat every person equally in a society that cares about the welfare, health and happiness of all the people who are part of that society. (more…)
Where do you hope your life will go? Why do you want it to go anywhere?
Humans have the ability to imagine almost without limit, including imagining things and places. It allows me to ‘pretend’ that I am somewhere other than where my physical body is right now; it allows me to hope that I can escape from the place where I am sitting, at this moment in the present. (more…)
It is March 2028 and, I think, time to review ten years since marriage equality was voted into law in Australia. One thing that has become clear is that in Australia, unlike in any of the other nations of the world that allowed it, the consequences of marriage equality on its society have been ‘interesting’. This is on top of the fact that Australia lagged behind the other countries. (more…)
The theme of this essay is contained in its centre. There is no time; therefore, there is no future.
MO‑BE‑US?
MO: Modus Operandi – how we operate in the world; how we make sense of it.
BE: Beginning-Ending – our concept of flow; a construct.
US: Unifying Semantics – thoughts communicated through words in an attempt to reach consensus about reality. (more…)
There is a story, hopefully not true, about a man offering to register the birth of his un‑partnered sister’s girl-and-boy twins. He names the girl Denise and the boy Denephew. (more…)
Security Myth
How secure are you? What does this question even mean? We think about security in relation to our finances, our work, our family, our abode, our country and our health – basically in relation to our entire lives. (more…)
Disenfranchised
For most of recorded human history leaders of humans have ruled without a ‘by your leave’. Most have been men and most leaders have inherited their power or have taken it by force. There have been exceptions, both in paths to rulership and that a few of the rulers were women; and some rulers were benevolent. (more…)
The Loss of Nuance
What has happened to subtlety? Where has the ability gone to see anything other than black and white? They seem to have disappeared, along with humour. Maybe they’ve all gone on a cruise and will return, refreshed and reinvigorated. (more…)
Is reality real?
Why are we concerned with what is real and what is not? Reality is what we experience n the world, arguably with our five ‘ordinary’ senses. What about those things we experience outside those senses? Are they real? (more…)