Friday 19 July 2013

Getting Off The Fence

I'm a reasonable person. When debating an issue with someone, I usually see several angles. But there are times when we all need to get off the fence. So here's my cards, slapped down hard on the table.

Shouting Female Holding Puppy 

by imagerymajestic

Dogs
They smell, dribble, mess, need cleaning, walking and amusing. What is the point? Yes, I can see some working dogs on farms are helpful but these days I don't see why they are useful anywhere else. Dog owners bang on about loyalty and the comfort they get but if one of those smelly things comes near me with they scratchy claws my stomach turns. In our neighhourhood they just symbolise mess, everywhere. On the pavement and on our buggy wheels.

Car Crash Television
Talent shows, scripted reality bullshit, they are all an advertisers wet dream. But something happens to my Twitter feed on a Saturday night. All these wonderful people I follow who share amazing articles, blogs and insights all week, suddenly switch to giving poor armchair commentary to a show essentially about nothing. Why would you want to give a blow by blow account of someone else's embarrassment? If you ever catch me tweet #xfactor please unfollow, it's too late to save me but not yourself.

Sport
Playing sport is great fun. You get fit, healthy, reach some goals, push the body and spirit to new levels. Throw in large sums of money, television rights, endless pundit shows and backpages of 'transfer politics' and you've lost me. The modern world of national tournaments and grand slams is riddled with people just looking to make money, not sporting history. It's rotten and cheating continues in order for people to make more and more cash. Doping, match fixing, ball tampering, embezzlement - the list of incidences grows and nothing really appears to change. People who routinely spend large amounts of money on sporting events are being conned in my view, no matter how thrilling they think the match may be.

Swearing
To me it is all relative. Bloody, shit, fucking - they are all just words. Personally I love a good swear session, it heightens a sense of passion and emotion. If you get hung up on 'bad language then you're missing the point. People can be rude and vitriolic without using any 'rude words' at all. When you consider English words mean different things in other countries, it makes a mockery of swear words. The American's use 'fanny' for bottom and it's playful, to us Brits its a rather derogatory meaning for ladies front parts.

Money
We need it to live, crave it to change our lives and some people use it to measure success. In fact I'm sure most of us have been caught thinking in terms of the latter. Ultimately the pursuit of wealth is a meaningless path unless it comes with other achievements, such as creating or producing something of intellectual or artistic value. Or filling the soul and having experiences which enhance yours and others' lives. I look at those around me who crave 'stuff', nicer cars, houses and holidays. Some reward themselves as a result of their achievements, the collection of 'stuff' is a symbol. If you can leave the craving there, you've sussed out a balance in life. But it doesn't always end there and I've also seen those who are eternally frustrated to get to the next level of wealth and never any happier getting there.

Religion
The list is getting rather heavy isn't it? Anyone who has read my blogs, knows I kicked organised religion out of my life some time ago. Raised a Catholic, I was disillusioned once out into the big wide world after being part of a fabulous school community. I'm still left with a spiritual void. The teachings in many religious scriptures and doctrines are essentially a moral code for humans which is a good thing isn't it? There's absolutely nothing wrong with trying to give your soul some direction and purpose. But organised religion is dangerous and slowly tearing apart the human race.

At a community level, religion is different. For example, in congregations throughout the world, most people don't care if two members of the same sex want to get married or women want to be Bishops. I will never fully understand the level of control organised religion wants over all people, whether part of their belief system or not. It's a double standard stacked up against their supposed spiritual beliefs.

Kids
Yes I'm a Mum. But I was a woman, a person with many different aspects before I became a Mum. Having kids was just something I have done. It didn't 'make me whole' or complete me or any of that claptrap. My daughters are the most precious part of my life network but not my sole purpose for living. Procreation is primal, it is deeply set in our genetic code.

Validating our existence by having children is one of the most natural things humans do. We extend our familial line and therefore guaranteeing a sort of eternal existence. One could argue, it's not a choice at all. And those who choose not have kids, have just evolved emotionally past the primal pull towards sowing their seed. Ironically, this kind of evolution would not guarantee the future of the human race!

Hove
I've tried so hard to like it. I lived there twice. But no one smiles that way and it scares me.
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