punky fu

insta @lia.linda

[blogology]

Game Of Thrones & Climate Change

It was Oscar Wilde, everyones go-to guy for bon mots and aphorisms, who said  that “Life imitates art far more than art imitates Life.“  I don’t know about the relative balance, and I doubt Oscar did either, but it’s certainly true that there is a mutual effect between the two; art imitating life and life imitating art. 

All of which is really just a sneaky way of sliding sideways into my pet theory for today (which came to me in the bath last night in case anyone is interested) (although it’s probably sufficiently obvious for someone to have thought of it before) (but .. oh well). Anyway, before I get totally lost in parenthesis it’s about Game of Thrones and what’s happening with Climate Change. Don’t you think there’s an almost perfect parallel between them ?

By the way, if you haven’t been following Game of Thrones (why not !!) then this will make no sense at all and you’d be better off having a cup of tea and playing with the cat for a bit. But assuming, like me, you’ve been gripped by this must-watch cultural phenomenon and are fully up to speed on the dragon-doings, bare-breasts, bonking, murder, and machiavellian machinations then I shall explain. 

Game of Thrones (GOT) as you know is a fantasy TV show based on a series of books by R R Martin. It is set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos where noble families engage in power struggles to either claim the throne or escape it’s domination. There’s lots more going on, not least of which is the increasing threat from North of the Wall of the ‘White-Walkers’, an army of the undead bent upon the destruction of mankind. ‘Winter is coming’ people keep muttering darkly and in the story it is, both literally and metaphorically. 

As the story unfolds we follow the various powerful groups and factions struggling to secure and hold power, each determined to preserve their privilege and status. We see them squabbling and back-stabbing while ignoring the looming existential threat posed to them all by the White-Walkers and winter. It has taken almost right through to the 8th and final TV series for our hero Jon Snow to understand and then begin to convince the squabbling elites they have something far more serious to worry about than who gets to sit on the (very uncomfortable looking) iron throne.

So to recap, in G.O.T ..  there are selfish elites, constantly fighting each other over power, resisting change, driven by greed or ignorance, intent on maintaining their privilege while either totally ignoring or refusing to believe in an existential threat to the whole of mankind. And a few brave voices desperately trying to get the powerful to listen, face reality, and focus on what really matters. 

Turning now from a fictional world to the real world, there has been a solid scientific consensus for a long time about the nature and serious global threat of climate change. It is not a matter of ‘opinion’. It is not a matter of ‘belief’. It is happening and within our lifetimes devastating consequences are going to be felt worldwide. Serious changes to the way our society and industry works are urgently needed to mitigate the worst effects.

This has frightened politicians, who really just want to be left alone to serve the wealthy interests they are paid to represent or further their own party-political agenda. Serious long-term planning doesn’t fit with short-term political priorities. The big businesses that put their short-term profit above the long-term good of humanity have also been deliberately ignoring or denying the threat. Dishonest vested interests have peddled lies and propaganda to confuse the issue. The Climate Change can has been kicked down the road for years.

Hopefully we’re at an inflection point now where inaction will finally turn to action. With things like international Climate Change accords, the New Green Deal proposals in the USA, the Extinction Rebellion climate change campaigners taking protests to the streets, the message is starting to get through. Greed-motivated resistance to change is increasingly being challenged. 

So to recap, in our world ..  there are selfish elites, constantly fighting each other over power, resisting change, driven by greed or ignorance, intent on maintaining their privilege while either totally ignoring or refusing to believe in an existential threat to the whole of mankind. And a few brave voices desperately trying to get the powerful to listen, face reality, and focus on what really matters.

I’m not sure whether the splendid Mr. Martin had the mess we’ve made of dealing with climate change in mind when he wrote Game of Thrones, but there are certainly very strong parallels. Like the people of Westeros, we’re facing an existential threat that is far more important than any political allegiance or nation. It’s by no means certain we will triumph in the end but inaction is not an option.

If ever there was a time for heroes, it’s now. If ever there was a time for people to stand up for the right thing, it’s now. We haven’t got a Jon Snow to save us. We haven’t got dragons. But we do have people like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez; people like Greta Thunberg, the brave 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist; we’ve got scientists and ordinary people willing to act for the good of all rather than just for the profit of a selfish few; hopefully we’ve got you and, for what it’s worth, we’ve got me too.

Who needs dragons ?

Internet Writer

[punkyfu-blog]

"How do I convince people who don't know me that an enemy they don't believe in is going to kill them all ...??"

~ Jon Snow

[humansoflatecapitalism]

[philosophybits]

“If anyone tells you that a person speaks ill of you, don’t make excuses about what is said of you, but answer: ‘He does not know my other faults, or he would not have mentioned only these.’”

— Epictetus, The Enchiridion (via philosophybits)

[staedtlers-and-stabilos]

There are three rules.

1. If you do not go after what you want, you will never have it. 

2. If you do not ask, the answer will always be no. 

3. If you do not step forward, you will remain in the same place. 

[recoil-operated-deactivated2021]

Addendum:

4. Give yourself permission to suck.

5. If you try it and fail but you learn something, you didn’t fail.

[blogology]

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.”

— (John Kenneth Galbraith)

[lsleofskye]

Untitled | myakotnikova_svetlana

Location: Perm, Russia

[cartoonpolitics]

(cartoon by Adam Zyglis)

[naturaekos]

“Love is happy when it is able to give something. The ego is happy when it is able to take something.”

— Osho (via minuty)

[radicalanarchism]

“Taxation of earnings from labor is on a par with forced labor. Seizing the results of someone’s labor is equivalent to seizing hours from him and directing him to carry on various activities.”

— Robert Nozick

[cartoonpolitics]

(cartoon by Stuart Carlson)

[whatsnew-lgbtq]

Spotted in Brighton

[goodreadss]

“The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.”

— Marcus Aurelius (via minuty)

[fia-nova]

Last night, as I prepared two water vessels to charge by her light, I asked myself, “What could I possibly give the moon as an offering in return?”

And as I knelt before her this morning to meditate, it occurred to me:

The sun is the spark which gave us life. He is our light and the warmth by which we all may sprout and grow. He gave us drive, and all of the tools we need to thrive. He is unintrusive constance. The sun is the stable father who ensures our security, from birth to death.

But the moon… she is life’s silent orchestrator. She conducts the flow of energy given to us by the sun. She creates the weather and controls the tides. She is the essence of grace as she waxes and wanes, generating the cyclical nature of Earth. She gently guides our emotions and intuition with her gravity. She is the rock in the background of our world. The moon is the tireless mother who holds us all together, directs us, and keeps us moving as we scramble through our lives.

And what can one possibly give their mother as a gift that is worthy of her?

Then I asked myself, “What does every mother want?”

And so I thanked her. For all that she does for us. I recognized and honored her. I told her how deeply I appreciate her, and how much I love her. I told her that we would all be nothing without her. I expressed my admiration of her; of her power, her beauty, and her grace. And I told her that I aspire to her level of intuition, wisdom, and mastery of the elements.

I gave her my time.

It may have been my imagination, but she seemed to shine just a bit brighter as she slipped confidently beneath the horizon, allowing a glorious sunrise to paint the sky and warm the waking world in her absence.

[blogology]

 MAGA-Man Understands Stuff !

So you support Trump, eh ? You’re a MAGA kinda guy ? Hey, that’s okay. I’m not gonna criticize. I mean, why wouldn’t you ? You understand stuff, amirite ?

You understand that what America needs right now is a strong leader. I mean, democracy and the constitution .. yeah-yeah .. blah-blah .. but let’s get real. If folks’d just damn-well do what Trump tells them to, things’d be a helluva lot better. Right ? 

You understand that America has gotta be GREAT again like it was way back in .. yanno .. whenever. And Trump is the only one can do it. Least he could if the Deep State and the hard-left and the lame-stream media would just let him. 

You understand that the so-called ‘Free Press’ the libtards love so much is the Enemy of the People, right ? It peddles Fake News. The only places you can get real, honest-to-god truth these days are Trump’s Twitter and Fox News.

You understand that ‘global warming’ is some kind of crazy masochistic liberal shit Al Gore dreamed up to sabotage American businesses (guy probably works for the Chinese !)

You understand that the best way to help all the poor and the middle-class who are struggling so much in America these days is to give massive tax-breaks to the super-rich. The good ‘ol snake-oil, trickle-down bamboozle. That always works real well, doesn’t it ?

You understand that tens of thousands dying every single year in America’s gun-death epidemic isn’t an emergency needing urgent action. Because 2nd Amendment. End of argument ! Anyway, what’s the big deal ? It’s not like the kinda real emergency where you need to build a great big, beautiful wall to keep hordes of brown rapists and drug-dealers from invading the country. 

You understand that government needs to get control pretty darn quick of what women get up to with their own bodies, like abortion and such, because .. yanno .. women !! What the hell do they know about what’s best for them ?

You understand that the universal healthcare enjoyed by all other developed countries is ‘unaffordable’ and ‘wouldn’t work’ in America because, hey, if freedom means anything, buddy, it means the right to die a miserable premature death from curable illness. Go USA !! 

You understand that workers rights and protections and pensions gotta be scrapped pretty darn quick because preventing people being exploited and harmed in the workplace and offering them a secure retirement is ‘socialist’.

You understand the labor unions that have historically championed progress and improved the lives of ordinary workers (like you) are your enemy and must be destroyed. Who needs them ? Buncha damn commies ! 

You understand that homosexuals and ‘illegal’ immigrants and atheists and feminists and pro-choicers and gun-control freaks and socialists and the godamn liberal media and people who aren’t as white as you are all want to destroy the American way of life and have gotta be stopped. Trump gets it !

You understand that everyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps, even if they can’t afford boots. Okay, so maybe you haven’t managed it yourself and things aren’t working out too good for you right now but one day, eh dood ?

Oh you know stuff, man. You understand things most folks don’t. No point anybody ever telling you that you’re wrong. Why bother ? You got faith. And when actual facts contradict your beliefs, well hell, you got your own ‘alternative facts’ straight from Fox News, right ?

So you’re a MAGA-Man (or woman). You support Trump and the Republicans. Because they’re right. Heck, they’re even righter than right. They’re so darn right these days they’ve fallen right off the edge of right into whatever wacky stuff is right out there beyond right. Don’t even think about it (I mean, seriously, don’t or you’ll get confused).

And who cares if every now and then reality comes right up and *WHAPS* you in the face with a custard pie ? In a country run by a clown that’s just something you’ve gotta learn to live with. Right ? You’ll get used to it.

Internet Writer

[punkyfu-blog]

American Idle Supreme

At the advent of the Scientific Revolution, the American people were taught that it was no longer cool to believe in their collective Gods. The unexplained became de-mystified. Zeus and Hera fighting in the heavens became chemicals clashing stridently in the air. Very bored, and very common humans brooded below.

Well, as it turned out Mythos had the common sense to evolve into cautionary tales; Urban Legend in the late 20th century. Within the fullness of time, the Gods of Yore gave birth to an entire pantheon of Concepts and Memes.

Who needs Apollo to drive his fiery chariot across the sky ? It’s just the Earth's turn, stupid. 

And, one by one, the religions of Before became the Mythology of the Now as the people found newer, shinier concepts to worship.

There is the god Authority. The most prayerful people, not having the old Gods to fear, and yet not willing to take responsibility for themselves, looked up into the broad face of Authority. For those whom freedom is a burden, conformity is a warm cocoon in which to protect oneself from the cold, unknowable world.

There is the god Consumption. A god of greed, laziness and indulgent criticism. Consumption tells us that buying and owning things is the one and only key to success. You need not do anything - just be a good, obedient little consumer and know which products are the "best" ones to own. If you have enough of the right STUFF, you will be fulfilled.

There is the goddess Popularity. Popularity is the god of Attention. She takes a sacrifice of your time, and in return she promises a veneer of self-esteem and companionship. Why, get enough "friends" added to your personal pantheon, and you might achieve demi-god status and become a Real Celebrity ! So ethereal and special, you’ll never even have to take another shit, let alone give one.

There is the dark god, Provocation. This god inhabits the Underworld of the New Gods. Unlike Popularity, this god’s method is not bent on approval. Simply getting people to react to you (but not necessarily like you) is the key. Say things that make people rip-roaring angry. Get under their skins. Remember - any reaction is better than none, and angry reactions are always easier to obtain.

There is the goddess Oblivion. Oblivion tells us that we need not focus on the hardships of life - but merely anesthetize ourselves with our drugs of choice. Be it alcohol or food or substance; or some screen: movies, or the internet; or other people’s problems. It makes no difference. So long as you are thoroughly distracted, you needn’t focus on the “bad things.”

There is the god Pity. Pity dictates that you find a place in your heart, hands and home for the poor, poor, pitiful ones. “Feeeeed me, Seymour,” they moan and groan about their traumas and dramas, until someone lets them latch on like a parasite, rapaciously drawing life from their hosts’ supplies for as long as they are permitted.

Finally, there is the goddess Lust. She tells you that you can fill the empty spaces in your heart and mind with your very own set of genitals. Of course, to make things easier, this doesn’t require an actual partner. No, something two dimensional will do - whether pre-recorded or a live presence on the other end of a web cam - take your genitals in hand and shake, shake, shake that booty until it screams.

The New Gods’ reign would not last forever. In time, given new tools, we will create new Gods. But for the time being, in our Age of Outrage, they are indeed Supreme.

[naturaekos]

“Truth is not to be found outside. No teacher, no scripture can give it to you. It is inside you and if you wish to attain it, seek your own company. Be with yourself.”

— Osho (via minuty)

[naturaekos]

“Promise Yourself To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. To make all your friends feel that there is something in them To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. To think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile. To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble. To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words but great deeds. To live in faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you.”

— Christian D. Larson, Your Forces and How to Use Them (via goodreadss)