Shouts From Down Under

Punctuating the global life goal balloons of all writers.

Do you ever notice stuff? Well STOP! Put that thought / thoughts in your phone notebook or some other place. You can write on that stuff.

I noticed something today. Something I do and perhaps others as well do this thing. Hey, it's important!

When I end a blog entry that people have commented reads like I'm having a conversation with them personally, I always stop commenting / writing abruptly, and then there's my signature.

Well, that isn't how conversations should end, is it? You'd probably finish by saying, it has been enjoyable chatting, must go, see you later when we meet up again some time. Bye.

So, what now? What to do? I don't want to say stuff like that, you know, waffle on and be all well mannered and socially conscious. That's not really me. But politeness and being socially skilled does go a long way. It's a bit like using a wheel barrow to move dirt or whatever in the garden; easier than carrying it a shovel full at a time.
Some things lubricate life, pave the way, take most of the hard sweat out of living.

Saying the right things at the right time is part of that social lubrication, and it's something with which I'm very much a learner driver. (like most things)

To ease this terrible situation and let people know I haven't stopped talking suddenly and walked away rudely from the reader's attention, I thought I'd explain how I feel when I end a blog entry, or any other piece I write. Stories are more formal and all that, but still, this probably applies to them as well.

When I finish up my blah blah stuff, then there's the signature, or sig.

Well, maybe a sig is like a sip. A sip of coffee. If you and I were sitting at a table having a cuppa, and having a yarn (Aussie discussion usually amiable and relaxed, very pleasant too), and I finished saying my piece, then we'd sit quietly sipping coffee. Then maybe you'd say something. (Comments section at the bottom of the blog entry)



You may not agree with what I've said in the entry, and you explain why etc. That's good! That's a good thing. We all have different opinions and knowledge. Different experience. Different perspectives on life. I do want to hear yours.

Often in my life, I've been a terrible conversationalist. I know you should share the time, listen to the other person properly to the point of understanding what they said, not just lip service listening. Then and only then should you speak and say your bit.

If only everyone in the world learned this lesson better. The world would be at peace. Because people wouldn't have to rush, or talk over the top, or interrupt, or be rude, or speak without pause so the other doesn't get a word in.

If people knew they'd be given a timely and un-rushed opportunity to say what they want to say, then there would be no feeling of rushing, or forgetting what we were going to say.

There is another thing I've noticed, for some time, but today I might talk about it. Write about it.

There are all these school shootings. There are skirmishes all over the world of different sorts. Russia bombing Syria. People doing this. People doing that. Individuals making a million dollars. Another bloke building a tiny house. Protesters angry about the environment, animal cruelty, wanting soft drugs legalised for medicinal use, and many many other bits and pieces folks are doing and saying.

People are actively doing stuff and that's ok in a sense. But what is behind it all? What motivates everyone to do what they / we do?

If we nut out what the motivation is, especially in ourselves, then often it's so plain to see why that action is done. And when we understand exactly why we are doing stuff or saying stuff, then we can see if it really is worthwhile, or if it's silly, immature, selfish, delusional and vain.

Yes, and if we see and understand what and why and who, then if our reasons for doing some things is clearly stupid, and we really GET it, really UNDERSTAND this concept, then change will be automatic. In fact, we'd rush to stop doing that thing, if that thing is bad and hurtful and damaging and just plain arrogantly dumb.

Take note folks. Right now. Think about people and what we want. Think about every level, every stage of people's fortune. Think about writers even.

There are the poor folks. (Yes, almost all writers are in this category surely?) They may just want food, drink, shelter, safety, clothing, security.

There are the folks who have some of this. They are a little more fortunate. But what do they want? They get sick of handouts and charity and not belonging. They want jobs. They want a different caste. They want to decide their future and fate. They want more.

Then there are the ones who have all this empowerment. They are able to choose. And they do choose. What they choose is to get rich so they don't have to have jobs. They tell other people what to do. They get their riches and want more riches. They spend their life working towards more and more stuff, more materials, more fun, more spare time, more controlling shares in whatever company.

What then? What happens when people who've aimed for all these millions of dollars and materials, houses, mansions, cars, influence, authority, friends lists, charisma etc etc blah blah, what happens when they've GOT IT?



That's the crazy thing. Once they have it, while it is nice to be healthy, eat well, have no financial worries, and all that, and not be lonely, or perhaps be very lonely, then they want something else. They want simplicity. They want peace and quiet. They want less responsibility. They want to have less guilt for all the poor starving people.

They donate to charities, perform concerts, go on religious crusades, give their time for the poor village folks of outer Mongolia, maybe set up a few organisations that will sponsor those wide eyed pleading children with the distended stomachs and terrible scenery in the background. They do all this. But wait, there's more. They don't have the guilt now, and their conscience is clean, plus, BONUS! CHA CHING! They feel saved. Their God beams down benevolently on them because their comfortable life must be the right one right? They've paid their dues to humanity, given away millions to the underprivileged, and done many other amazing things to salve that need in their hearts.



Nope. They now want something else. They want to leave their mansions, millions and mandates. They want to get away from it all.

So they move on to the greatest status of them all.

Tiny homes. They build something so frugal and so global footprint-less, that all their environmental guilt, all the scourge of feeling responsible for the earths problems goes away now because they don't contribute to one iota of pollution or waste more than necessary for life. They don't even have running water or electricity. (Ok maybe just one small solar panel USB port to charge their iPhone)

They are living the ultimate non-humanity threatening life. They have chosen this. They are the god of their own destiny and great goodness fashion statement.

Hey, I'm not really knocking any of these people, and not jealous. (cough cough)

But then the guy living in the underground tiny house, eating nuts for protein and only paying a small amount for the use of the land from its owner; this guy will want something else, given enough time.

If everyone recognised this never ending cycle of desire, want, purpose, goals, satisfaction, compromises, ego massaging, arrogance, stubbornness, one eyed viewing, and human fallibleness, wouldn't people realise that what they want, and aim for, often without thinking how ridiculous and pointless their existence becomes; what they're after is constantly out of reach. If people saw it from above them, would they change?

What is it people search for?

Isn't change the thing people aim for?

Whatever position people currently hold in life, aren't our aims to change it, improve our lot, get to the place where we KNOW we'll be happy, satisfied, at peace, contented and able to enjoy the best life possible?

You know, I can't see anything wrong with any human endeavour if no harm comes to others. That's the key. We all have a right to choose.

But we don't have any right to muck up other people's chances. And that's why it would be beneficial to everyone if we stepped back from those goals in life that seem so vital to us. What is it that really motivates us? Do we feel we'll be better people, or be more satisfied with being famous, being considered the master of whatever it is we do?

If you get the chance, check out Ronnie O'Sullivan playing a snooker tournament. Here's a man so good at what he does that he struggles to find real competition. It seems obvious that he enjoys immensely when really challenged by someone as brilliant as he. But what then? What will be his next goal?

People. It is delusional thinking that any of this stuff makes us a greater person, in the sense of being better than others. Really. We still die. We still age. We still sit on the toilet (colostomy exceptions) We still can't discipline our tongues, our thoughts, our purpose better than anyone else. At the end of the day we still can't rectify global problems or fix humanity.

Nevertheless, we have to have goals or we'd all sit around in depressed stasis waiting to die of boredom and old age related ailments. We'd yawn to death.

But be cautious of what motivates you, particularly in writing. What motivates me in writing? I'd like to be able to help people live real lives, not delusional ones that cause ignorant harm to others, or deliberate for that matter.

Instead of ending this blog entry suddenly, rudely and unacceptably, I decided to do it properly for once. Good bye dear readers. I hope you have a safe and purpose filled time, the rest of today's hours left to you. I hope you don't read a boring novel. I hope no one steals your Timtams, or decides to shout at you. Shouting should be left to the man who shouts from down under.(moi)

*Au revoir dear people. I bid you farewell until the next blog entry. (*shakes hands and turns, walking away into the sunset of computer time that has only 7 minutes left on the timer- online centre)

Sparky




*By the way, this is a one-off, in case anyone thinks I've become permanently sociable and skilled in the art of being nice, instead of a grumpy, bipolar writer who can't stand more than 30 seconds of small talk.

SIP.