Filed under: Life, Philosophy, Quotes | Tags: Auckland, Coromandel, internet, Life, Lifestyle, Renting, Technology, Thames
It’s hard to run a blog when you haven’t got internet at home. In fact I haven’t got a lot of things at my new house. Ever since moving to Thames, a small Coromandel town with a population in the tens of thousands, from Auckland, which has over a million residents, I have had to live without a few things.
Some things you only appreciate when you have to go without it. Standing in the shower with my clothes on, I imagine how convenient a washing machine would be. Still, washing my boxers in the shower was marginally better than standing under the house in my flat’s outdoor laundry, washing my clothes with dishwashing liquid like I did the night before. You can’t get grass off cricket pants with dishwashing liquid no matter how hard you try. Still I’d go without a washing machine rather than a fridge. A week of buying ice every day to go into a chilly bin has me yearning for the luxury of a fridge freezer.
The lack of some luxuries allows you to experience life not plugged into the electronic grid. When you don’t have a tv you have so much more time to read. Without internet you find time to enjoy nature, or good company.
Perhaps being deprived of household luxuries is exactly what this 24-year-old needed. Having lived at home with my parents all my short life, I have become accustomed to the luxuries of wireless internet on my laptop and Sky TV on a plasma screen. Leaving the home finally and living outside of Auckland for the first time in my life, I am loving the change of scenery in Thames. Despite its lack of some electronic necessities, my house is a nice wee little set up.
There is a lot to learn and I’m learning it. I made the mistake of leaping into the shower immediately after the power got turned on. I’m learning about bills and the price of milk. I’m learning about how people in small towns are so much nicer than in Auckland. I’ve never said “hi” to so many strangers.
Eventually I’ve caught up with the 21st century. The fridge is running smoothly – no more food poisoning. And the TV I’ve borrowed off my brother works well, apart from the fact we are only getting one channel. Still, the Playstation One plays okay. And I’ve finally got the internet at home. Dial up though!
Still got to get myself a washing machine though…
Filed under: New Zealand Election 08, Politics, Quotes | Tags: 2008 Election, Economy, Helen Clark, John Key, Labour, National, New Zealand, Politics
The upcoming election is of course about the economy. That is to be expected. But how bad is the economy really? Are people struggling as much as we are led to believe? The National Party promises a “brighter future”, although only the most naive would believe this package is extended to the greater population. Key will, with the help of Act, take New Zealand back down the path of the eighties and nineties, seeing the rich get richer and the poor poorer. Labour have already improved the finances for most people over the last nine years, repairing the damage of the National party’s anti-worker, anti-family policies of the nineties. Examples of this can be seen in the improvement to employment figures, accessibility to education and the increase of the minimum wage and worker’s rights. Even despite all the economic doom and gloom people have seen more money in their back pocket over the last six months. So is Key being completely honest? Considering he doesn’t know the price of milk, I wouldn’t expect the rich-list National leader to be able to empathise with financial struggle of “middle New Zealand”. I wouldn’t trust him to run down to the dairy for some milk, let alone run the country. (more…)
Filed under: Journalism, New Zealand Election 08, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, religion | Tags: Bethlehem College, Christian, democracy, government, Greens, Helen Clark, Herald, Jesus, John Key, Labour, National, New Zealand, Simon Collins, Tauranga, Winston Churchill
Although I initially though the Herald’s “One Man Poll” sounded like a massive vox pop (which I can’t stand) in the capable hands of Simon Collins the series was likely to be a success. And he does find some interesting people with interesting views on interesting issues. Collins finds people who do sum up what others are thinking and finds out the thought behind their opinions. Fascinating stuff at times. However, either Collins is drawn to some absolute morons, or New Zealand is a country with a disproportionate number of idiot residents.
Here’s a couple from the last few days. There are many more! (more…)
Filed under: Books, History, Journalism, Politics, Quotes | Tags: Auckland, Foreign Correspondent, Gaza, Independent, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Journalism, Lebanon, McCain, Middle East, New Zealand, Newspaper, Obama, Palestine, Reporting, Robert Fisk, Te Waha Nui, War, West Bank
A couple of years back I finished my BA in History and Sociology and had no idea what I was going to do with my life. Disillusioned, I spent two years working full time in a book store. I flirted with the idea of secondary school teaching until I read Robert Fisk’s Great War for Civilisation. People had suggested I look into journalism as a career before, but it was not until I read Fisk’s book on the history of the Middle East that I felt compelled to get into journalism. I loved the passion with which he writes with, the attention to detail, the sympathy he has for those who suffer in the troubled region. His knowledge on the area is unparalleled. I found his reporting inspiring. I feel I owe Fisk a lot, so imagine my delight when I was given the chance to interview my hero for Te Waha Nui.
This is the transcript from my 45 minute interview with the Independent’s Robert Fisk. Please forgive any grammatical errors – it took me eight hours to transcribe! Enjoy. (more…)
Filed under: Music, Philosophy, Quotes, religion | Tags: atheism, Atheist, bad religion, Belief, Bible, Brett Gurewitz, Christian, Christianity, Dark Ages, Evangelical, Evolution, Evolutionary Biology, Faith, Greg Graffin, Inquisition, Lyrics, Materialist, Music, Pascal's wager, Philosophy, religion
Every week I like to post quotes I have come across that I find thought provoking or sum up my opinion on something succinctly, and with wit. Instead, for a change, I’m going to occasionally select half a dozen songs that reflect my views on some particular issue. I’m going to start with my favourite band, on a topic of interest to me.
Here is Bad Religion on faith, God and atheism.
Bad Religion, as the name might suggest, are fairly critical of religion in their songs. That is perhaps an understatement! But instead of the mindless anti-religious abuse some bands have popularised, Bad Religion’s objections are considered and reasoned. This may have something to do with the bands front man Greg Graffin having a doctorate in evolutionary biology, but even before he obtained his degree the band has made intelligent philosophical statements in their music. Song writing duties are split between vocalist Graffin and guitarist Brett Gurewitz, and both musicians are equally capable of writing thought provoking intelligent lyrics.
So perhaps in the way the religious people reaffirm their beliefs through song, Bad Religion has written the perfect hymns for non-believers. However, Greg says in the song “No direction”, “no Bad Religion song can make your life complete”. They can make you stop and think though.
I’ve decided to be quite selective and only choose half a dozen Bad Religion songs, although there are of course many more to choose from. I’ve chosen no more than one from any one album, and added my interpretation of what I feel the song conveys. Enjoy. (more…)
Filed under: Philosophy, Quotes | Tags: Abraham Lincoln, al Jazeera, Benjamin Franklin, Carl Shurz, Civil Rights, Edmund Burke, Epictitus, Freedom, Goethe, Guantanamo Bay, Liberties, Noam Chomsky, Philosophy, Quotes, Sami Al-hajj, War on Terror, William Faulkner
With the news that Al Jazeera cameraman, Sami Al-Hajj has finally been released without charge or trial from Guantanamo Bay, I think perhaps it is important to reflect on what freedom really means. The current political climate has led to curtailing of civil rights and liberties in many countries, at a time when politicians are claiming to be fighting for those same freedoms. Perhaps what has angered people most in the last few years, is the blatant lying and hypocrisy from many world leaders. I think some intelligent thinkers have posed on this same idea throughout history.
Abraham Lincoln:
“Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves” (more…)
Filed under: Journalism, Philosophy, Quotes, religion | Tags: An outline of Intellectual Rubbish, Anger, Bertrand Russell, Bias, Ian Wishart, Impartiality, Investigate, Investigative Journalism, Journalism, Objectivity, Pity
Yes, more Russell. I did say I would have more of old Bertrand, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon. But I had too. Whilst reading Ian Wishart’s response to a comment I made on a blog, I actually felt pity for him. Immediately I could relate to a passage I had read from Bertrand Russell’s An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish
“…If, like most of mankind, you have passionate convictions on many such matters, there are ways in which you can make yourself aware of your own bias. If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do. If some one maintains that two and two are five, or that Iceland is on the equator, you feel pity rather than anger, unless you know so little of arithmetic or geography that his opinion shakes your own contrary conviction. The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way. Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion. So whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of opinion, be on your guard; you will probably find, on examination, that your belief is going beyond what the evidence warrants.”
In fact I encourage people to read the full essay, it is a truly thought provoking piece of writing.
When I used to read Wishart’s Investigate magazine, I used to feel rage. How could a person actually believe this stuff? Why would anyone buy this filth? It was not so much that I was angry that this man had views strongly opposed to my own, it was that it encouraged others to feel the same. I was furious that this trash’s hateful pseudo-journalistic articles would incite attacks against the communities the magazine rallies against, homosexuals and Muslims in particular. I do feel the same anger, but mainly now I feel pity for the guy. He actually believes what he says! And I suppose he believes that he has some sort of truth that the world should know, but the world won’t listen. He is the boy who cried wolf. Sure, his books will sell, but it will be the same old people, and he will never be taken seriously the general public.
But then I suppose Hitler started with a small following…
No, I’m not serious. But why are these investigative journalists always so bias? Would their work not be more credible, and they would not be open to accusation, if they attack those in power on all sides of the political spectrum?
Alright, I said I wouldn’t mention Wish-hard again, but couldn’t help it this time!
Filed under: Philosophy, Quotes | Tags: atheism, Atheist, Douglas Adams, Environmentalist, God, God Delusion, Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, Radical Atheist, religion, Richard Dawkins
Douglas Adams, the author of Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy, was a self proclaimed ‘radical atheist’ and a passionate environmentalist. He was also a friend of biologist Richard Dawkins. Dawkins’ God delusion was dedicated to Adams, who passed away in 2002. This great quote is from the beginning of Dawkins brilliant polemic.
“Isn’t it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?”
An eloquent rejection of those who seek to insert mysticism into the world.
Here’s another one that makes little sense!
“I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.”
And here’s a great observation from Hitchhikers:
“Space is big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it’s a long way down the road to the chemists, but that’s just peanuts to space.”
Can’t disagree with that!
Filed under: Philosophy, Quotes | Tags: Bertrand Russell, Philosophy, Quotes, War
This week’s quote is from one of my heroes, Bertrand Russell. Not only does most of what he has to say make perfect sense to me, he has a fantastic way with words. I think Bertrand Russell quotes are going to become a large part of this blog’s content!
“War does not determine who is right – only who is left.”
So simple and so true.
To anyone interested in philosophy, religion or mathematics, Russell is well worth a read.
What the hell! Because he is so good, here’s another, also on war:
“Either man will abolish war, or war will abolish man.”
Bertrand Russell 1872-1970 (98 years old!)
Filed under: Philosophy, Quotes | Tags: David Hume, Miracle, On miracles, Philosophy, religion
There is something about this line that I love. It seems complex yet simple in the way it argues such a fascinating thought.
David Hume on miracles, in his Enquiry concerning human understanding, in 1748:
“No testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle, unless the testimony be of such a kind that its falsehood would be more miraculous than the fact it endeavours to establish.”
Brilliant.
