Friday 8 April 2011

I have never understood . . . . .




Scrabbling around in my currently moribund brain for a blogging topic I came across my friend  Tabor's post of today, which loosely refers to Thursday 13, a collection of themed items to fill a blank spot on a blog. I may not make it to the full 13, but there are some questions that have been puzzling me for ever:



I have never understood, why


    the ordinary Tom, Dick and Harriet never connect our need for feverish consumption of goods, our mad   use of oil, gas, food, water, and many other of earth's finite resources, with the destruction of our planet? We complain about fuel prices, we eat imported food, we buy flowers grown on another continent, we travel at the drop of a hat, for leisure, pleasure, business and no particular reason at all,  we live in air-conditioned houses, we use water like it's going out of fashion, we buy, and soon discard, all sorts of consumer goods without a second thought.

Yet we all profess to be seriously concerned about the life expectancy of planet earth and the human race with it.
o-o-o-o

    some people see all the evil in their neighbour's yard but never in their own? What causes these blind spots? Self-righteousness? Why has no one invented spectacles for clear thinking? There'll soon be 3-D TVs, why are there no vision-surround viewfinders for the human conscience?

o-o-o-o

    Benno wags his tail when I go to the bread bin?

o-o-o-o

    the British drink while standing up? It's so much less safe to fall down in a drunken heap from a great height than simply to collapse, head first, into the ashtray on the table.

o-o-o-o

    love and lust disappear after the first three years of togetherness? Love may last, but why does this mad first flush, this glorious, breathless, unsuitably demonstrative state of being, this embarrassing, hand-holding, weak-kneed, (stop it, Friko!) stomach-churning, physical need for the object of one's lust turn into a mild, "ok then", "what, again ?",  "I'd rather have a cup of tea", sort of togetherness?

o-o-o-o

    Americans think that I must know their cousin Elliot in Edinburgh because I live in the UK?

o-o-o-o

    some  religions  consider randomly selected foods to be taboo and inherently sinful, and alcoholic drink to be the devil's brew. Pork, beef, shellfish, game, rabbit and many more are forbidden in at least one religion somewhere in the world. Even coffee and tea and other stimulants do not escape prohibition somewhere. Where's the logic in that?

o-o-o-o

    some people risk their lives and the lives of others in the selfish pursuit of dangerous adventures, like the solo circumnavigation of  the globe in a cockle shell, or climbing hazardous mountains in inclement weather and totally unsuitable clothing. Whoever feels drawn to such heroics should understand that any rescue attempts when things go wrong, as they frequently do, will not be undertaken when others have to risk their life to carry them out. At the very least, the rescued should bear the full costs of the rescue mission which too often depends on voluntary contributions.

o-o-o-o

    so many plants self-seed profusely but never come true from seed. If it grows out of your seed, it looks like you, right? Wrong.
o-o-o-o

    there is at least one colourful sock which sneaks into a white wash and turns everything a lurid orange.
Why has no one invented a simple tool to detect an alien presence in the laundry basket before the washing machine is loaded.

o-o-o-o

    there are people for whom home is the last place they want to be. I know them, they spend as little time as possible there. Are they afraid they might meet themselves there?

o-o-o-o

    politicians, no matter how idealistic and honest they start out - there are some - succumb to the general malaise of subterfuge, evasion, wishful thinking and ignoring the electorate's wishes the moment they become part of the political machine. Very soon expediency becomes the watchword.

o-o-o-o

and finally,
    there are so many people who simply don't see the beauty of the world surrounding us, the kindness and generosity of the average person, the friendliness of our neighbour, the willingness to help, the smiles and the open arms reaching out to us.  Why gratitude for the small gifts we receive daily is usually so far from our thoughts, why complaints and moans come far more easily than simple thankyous; why we don't realise that the pace of modern life, the frantic pursuit of happiness, by which we too often mean worldly goods,  is not conducive to bringing us peace of mind and appreciation of simple pleasures.



34 comments:

  1. I had thought my favorite of these was going to be Benno and the bread bin (and it's definitely a contender), until I saw this: "the British drink while standing up? It's so much less safe to fall down in a drunken heap from a great height than simply to collapse, head first, into the ashtray on the table." Perhaps the pubs should carry warning signs: "We are not responsible for the results if you persist in drinking whilst standing up."

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  2. I think I know the answer to only one of the questions that you have posed here. And that is why Benno wags his tail when you go to the bread bin: Benno likes you. Benno likes bread. Benno is an optimist. 1=1=1=wag

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  3. These are brilliant ponderings, many of them I have wondered about myself. I think your one about Benno would be the easiest to answer.

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  4. Magnificent musings Friko. I love your questions within questions ... I just begin to reflect on the first part and you hit me with another.

    Did you, perhaps, begin whispering sweet questions such as these in his ear after the first three years, instead of sweet nothings?

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  5. so do you know elliot?

    and no way...we are at 15 years and love and lust are alive and well...

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  6. Or as one sage put it "Kissing don't last; cookery do." (Except for some -- like Brian!)

    Go on, Friko, we saw you and Elliot standing around in the pub last week. Don't be ashamed to admit you know him, poor fellow.

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  7. Ahh some questions of life.. too bad most of us don't have the answers. Fine ponderings, Friko. I've wondered a few of them, myself.

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  8. Fine, fine ponderings... some of the profound questions many of us ask every so often. smiles... but I don't think many of us ever truly find the answers.

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  9. "...the pace of modern life, the frantic pursuit of happiness, by which we too often mean worldly goods, is not conducive to bringing us peace of mind and appreciation of simple pleasures." This is something I've been trying to explain to others, for years. You have no idea how good it is to hear someone else singing from the same songsheet!

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  10. wenn man diese Fragen liest, ist man eigentlich froh, wenn einiges für einen selbst nicht offen bleibt und man weiss, dass man nicht ganz in der Masse der Selbstverherrlichung (gerade dieser Ausdruck sitzt in mir fest, deshalb muss ich ihn vielleicht hier auch erwähnen) verschwindet... Anderes wiederum macht nachdenklich...
    Dir einen wunderbaren guten Tag, liebe Friko!
    Renée

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  11. Excellent ponderings Dear Friko!

    I think the world a wonderful place - see beauty even in the ugliest thing, ponder on what it is like to be a bee, a bird or a blade of grass.

    Nature in reality is cruel - the survival of the fittest. Humankind might think themselves above this - but no! Negative comment - yes, but your last pondering explains why. We should all look for good - for it is there!

    Anna :o]

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  12. Oh Friko what a wonderful, wonderful post ... bursting with truth, insight and humour, just a pleasure to read! :o)

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  13. so many wonderings friko! it's happy-making to know that i'm not the only one who wonders at the world all the time. it's a funny, sad, strange place isn't it. steven

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  14. so much to think about, thanks to you. That lust part is interesting. I read somewhere that the timing had to do with how long it typically takes to get pregnant, therefore the continuation of humankind. Speaking of humankind, I'm sure you must know my uncle's cousin, Fred, who once visited Ireland.

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  15. I think your last insight is probably the most powerful. Thanks for so many thoughts to ponder.
    Happy T13!

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  16. An excellent list...your first attempt. I am shamed and jealous. Made me almost forget that terrific header photo.

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  17. And did you think you would understand the behaviour of either a dog or a man?
    ...Tramp
    p.s. I thought of doing a post "13 things that I understand" but 13 is a bit much

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  18. no answers her but I've pondered the same things.

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  19. Now you'll have all of us doing this, but I know I couldn't come up with questions half so interesting.
    ...but I could ask, 'why do Canadians end every phrase with 'eh'?'

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  20. Thought-provoking, smile-provoking, head-scratching-provoking - this post has it all. Now you'll have me thinking of what I'm pondering. But I doubt I could share it quite so well as you have. Well done!

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  21. so glad you had your say
    and love how you got Brian to confess
    great ponderings

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  22. Oh, yes - all these and many more! I spend my life in a perpetual state of puzzlement:-)

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  23. Yes, this category is Human Nature! Funny, sad, true, and HUMAN! And that Benno! So cute! We just have to say the word "car," and our German shepherd is at the door! My mantra recently is "to come from a place of love" because I need to catch myself from whining just like everybody else! Great post, Friko! xxox

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  24. I enjoyed your observations Friko. I have been wondering on many of these myself.

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  25. I am glad you mentioned the selfish pursuit of grand accomplishments, like the girl circumnavigating the globe (and many more like her) who needed rescuing. She didn't ask all the potential rescuers out there if they minded spending their time helping her.

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  26. Dear Frikko,
    “A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?”
    asked Albert Einstein, and because he lived here in the Bavarian Quarter in Berlin (and will have drunk his beer standing up - it is getting down quicker, I think), I felt entitled to quote him :-)

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  27. to quote Father Dougall MacGuire (from Father Ted) - "So all those people who went to hell for eating fish on a friday, what happens to them now it's all ok?"

    some things just dont make sense.

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  28. Why, oh why, indeed! It's a crazy old world. (Think you were a bit hard on the madcap adventurers, though.)

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  29. I thought about your post on the English weather when I went out this afternoon. We are already in summer here – it was 87 degree F (30 ½ C) today and in the sun it was 94 F (35 C.) I am envious of your English spring weather.

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  30. I have just spent delightful moments catching up on your posts. I do so relish the various forms your posts take. They are so well crafted and insightful. I was dismayed, though, to read of the abuse delivered by one who called herself a teacher. I think you realized that her attacks were the product of something inside her own being. Parting ways was definitely wise.

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  31. Any one of these (with the possible exception of Benno and the breadbin :) would engender long, involved discussion. Come on over; I'll put the tea kettle on!

    Broadly, I think most of us believe what we were brought up to believe, for whatever reason those teaching us espoused. Only when we become uncomfortable with what we believe do we investigate changing those beliefs. In general, you can't change someone else's mind for them but you can change your own. We can only become the thing we wish to be.

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  32. There is a new product.."Color Grabber" (don't remember it's real name) But it is put into the washing machine and grabs the color that would affect the other pieces of laundry during the wash and rinse cycles. And wonders upon wonders...it works!!! No more bleeding colors for me!! Woot!
    Congrats on your POTW award
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  33. Heh, heh... thoughtful, as always, though I particularly like the image of the tail-wagging Benno by the bread bin. Why, indeed?

    Though with dogs you can never be quite sure. My sister-in-law's German Shepherd was inordinately fond of both ice cubes and carrots. Turn on the icemaker and she'd come running.

    Congratulations on your potw.

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  34. Oh, wonderful! I especially like "Why has no one invented spectacles for clear thinking?" Too true.

    When you find that alien in the laundry bin, would you teach me how to exorcise him, too?

    Great stuff, congratulations on the very well deserved potw, Friko.

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