-Removed-Well the negative side of the human condition prevails at present due to a certain virus and its' various variants. (That would have been a good name for a Punk band, 'Johnny Virus and the Variants', but I digress) Yeah, so apart from the medical and economic disaster of it all, we're social animals who are being told not to socialize, which hurts. Viruses aside, however, it's too big a subject to go global on in one post so I'll stick to the two places that I know best. England, that once great nation, seems to me to be flatlining, creatively, spiritually, (sorry) philosophically, politically, economically and I daresay other 'lly's' . Nobody's thinking the big thoughts anymore, it's all about the latest smartphone and the price of kippers. 'Brexit' is still a big thing, about half of the country still thinks 'Brexit good' and the other about half still thinks 'Brexit bad', so the country has sort of lost its' way in terms of its' place in the world, and that'll take a few years to sort itself out. Indonesia on the other hand basks in its' upward dynamism, and the weather's better here too.
From a personal perspective, I've done my time and have ended up in love and in paradise, and can sit back and watch the world do as it will, so I can't really be anything other than blissfully happy, ( I do try sometimes) and sit here in the cool of the Indonesian morning making massive generalizations about my former home, to which I will never return.
Anyway sorry about this, I'm feeling good because I've just finished writing FCTS series 2, and have some time and head - space before launching into the next project, and you got it. Have a good day my friend.
@fmf saidSounds like a mass sterilization program.
The thread title is the name of a weekly BBC World Service podcast. How does that title come across to you?
Does it cause raised eyebrows or eyes to light up?
Where would you place yourself on the Pessimism < > Optimism spectrum with regard to the current state of the world and the prospects for humankind?
Western societies have turned inward and we have reached the stage where we start to tear ourselves apart. It has happened to other societies throughout history. We have never known real hardship, hunger, wars. So we invent nonsense and torment ourselves with it.
Meanwhile the barbarians are at the gate hardly able to believe their luck. We won't even put up a fight. They don't need to take it all from us, we will give them what they want.
Then it will all start over. It was ever thus.
@the-gravedigger saidThis is a reasonable working definition for the "Fourth World".
Western societies have turned inward and we have reached the stage where we start to tear ourselves apart.
-Removed-Well yes, there's that whole sun exploding thing to look forward to, but I guess none of us here have to worry too much about that, and I have a sense that our species will have become a part of the fossil record long before it happens.
Anyway in the shorter term, glad I am that you have found your place, one day you and I will raise a beer to that one, of that at least I remain optimistic.