Shouldn't we all be a 'black knight'.

I am a resilient man, I didn't survive nearly 40 years of hardship not being resilient, but even I have my moments akin to a persons sugar levels crashing, sometimes, too often lately, my optimism level crashes and it feels like the world is falling in on me.

 

My preferred tonic for that at moment is to blast some music that I really enjoy loud, through my earphones until my mood lifts, but I did wonder, could I not be more like the 'Black Knight' and challenge my perceptions much more vigorously?

 

(for those younger readers who don't know what I'm on about, please watch this clip)

 

Seriously, what can we not learn from the Black Knight? We lose our job, "Tis but a scratch", we lose our home because we can't pay the mortgage, "I've had worse", Arguments with whoever, "Come on you pansy", You go through divorce, "Oh! Had enough have we? Come back and take what's coming to you, you yellow bastard! Come back here and take what's coming to you! I'll bite your legs off!"

 

As Ed Miliband and co. can tell you, it's all about the spin doctoring and turning negatives in to positives. We should all aspire to be more like Monty Python's 'Black Knight' and if you need a reminder to cheer yourself up, always look on the bright side of life.



Why I reject the cultural climate

In conversation today ( a real one too, none of that text/email/facebook/ whats app &c malarkey) we got talking about the culture of today (Don't I always end up talking about culture?) and how if we don't have the latest smart phone, twitter, facebook, &c, we are deemed to be some alien sub-species that people read about in very old history books.

 

I was lucky enough to be born in an age before Internet even existed. I used to play outside, in the sun! If it was snowing, I threw snowballs! I knew my neighbours and most of them were my auntie!

 

Unfortunately I chose to write as an expression of my art and seemingly to get 'stuff' out 'there' you need social networking sites to push yourself forward. Saying that I try to follow the cultural climate as little as possible.

 

Talking heads telling us what 'art' is, how to dress, what phone, what laptop, what to eat, drink, think! We're walking blindly down a slippery slope to Orwell's '1984' and it is the minority that are rebelling against it.

 

I have an old Nokia that doesn't even have a camera, I do have an Ipod, but it is ancient and very handy for the gym. I have a P.C. but not an Ipad. There are certain things we 'need' which has meant when essential, I have moved with the times, but in the main I always keep in mind this analogy:

 

If I'm stranded on a desert island, do I really care if I have the latest brand phone, designer clothes, poshest house, eye wateringly expensive car, or any other frippery. I reject this materialist culture with a passion and if people want to get snarky about it, who cares, my kids are on a collision course for the pain of materialistic greed, someone has to take a stand and it may as well start with me!



Decaying standards



And so to competition. ‘The emphasis on competition in modern life is connected with a general decay in civilised standards, men and women appear incapable of enjoying the more intellectual pleasures. The trouble arises from the generally received philosophy of life, according to which life is a contest, a competition, in which respect is to be accorded to the victor.’ - Bertrand Russell.

 

Having spoken to quite a few graduates over the last few weeks, I have found a definitive decline in civilised standards. A - Level journalists working at cafe's while they complete their degree, that can't spell 'Broccoli' among other exotic words that you could imagine a student may grasp basic spelling of.

 

Students and graduates that have never read a 'classic' novel, in fact some purport never to have read anything other than a magazine, aside from books they were forced to read at school. Take a walk through a forest, for pleasures sake, they could not identify one bird or flower, after all, 'What use would such knowledge be? It could not add to anybody’s income.’ The art of conversation, the art of intellectual learning for it's own sake is lost on the current generation.

 

This is a culture of competition, earn more, accumulate more, show off more and being intellectually dense is acceptable as long as you are clever in the money accumulation stakes. Competition, competition, competition!

 

People seem not to enjoy the pleasures of intellectual conversation any more. Commenting on the beauty around us, discussing the latest book we have read that requires even a modicum of thought, or even a bolstering comradeship, rather we have gone the way of the Snark.

 

‘Snark’ – a contraction of ‘snide’ and ‘remark’. Writes Denby in the book of the same name, 'Great satire, he says, implies a better world. Great criticism attempts to reform what is criticised, even if this is hopeless. Snark merely attempts to destroy.' 'When we listen to politicians attacking each other as a means of avoiding the necessity of telling us what they would do instead, we’re victims of Snark.

 

The Internet, social networking, open-plan offices and text messaging have greatly expanded the possibility of amateur Snark, and many of us are very good at it. Just remember: Snarking says more about the Snark than it does about you.

 

Here’s an idea for you… Snarkers have no defence against confidence. When someone rudely dismisses your new job by making fun of the pathetic salary, remind yourself that the money wasn’t why you took it. When someone ridicules the way you dress, remember that they probably envy your self-confidence.

Embrace your inner Hedonism

 



Better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a pig satisfied? I suppose that does have some validation, up to a certain point. But let's look at it from a pigs (or any animal for that matter) view point. Pigs in general get to roll around in mud, they eat pretty much anything, including human beings if you let them, they tend to have a pretty groovy lifestyle, eat, sleep and sure, at some point they get slaughtered for sausage and bacon, but, from what I have seen, they have a pretty happy, stress free existence during their lives, you could even go so far as say they embrace their inner hedonist, even if it is by default.

 

What you don't often see is a pig whining, bitching, moaning, unable to sleep because they're stressed out, always rushing about full of 'busy' when in fact they're not really busy at all. Pigs have a simple life and they tend to enjoy it and they certainly wouldn't thank us for the intellect to be able to start sweating and stressing about life's problems, about whether there actually is life after death, which political party to vote for or even keeping up with the Joneses. (I can only hope no one reading this has read 'Animal farm' or my whole case is destroyed before it gets traction ;)

 

So why can't people be more like pigs, what real benefit do we derive by trying to be a Socrates dissatisfied, when we can all be pigs satisfied? We can spend our lives chasing 'things' we feel will make us 'happy', new skills for better paid jobs and promotions, to get more money to buy more things. Even George Orwell in his magnificent book, 'Down and out in Paris and London' will tell you "The more money you have, the more problems you have."

 

But can't we be 'intelligently happy'? Of course we can, a pig enjoy life to the full and then is killed to feed the masses. Socrates was also killed, this time with Hemlock, but he didn't feel the need to bitch and whine to resolve his problems. Despite his refutations, he was a very clever chap, the mouthpiece and teacher of Plato. His 'ideas' are bulletproof over 2000 years on and he had probably a lot more to grumble about than modern day man.

 

So yes I would say we can be intelligent, or at least strive for intelligence, and be happy and not stress and worry about every tiny little thing. We could stress about what happens after we die, what is the point of life, does God really exist, why are we here, how long can we hide from the Provident lady, &c, but, will we find any answers? Will we really be any happier after pondering such deep and philosophical questions, or just wasted another half hour of our preciously short lives.

 

I say we all start embracing our inner Hedonism, instead of pondering the unknowable how about wondering what you could have for lunch. Then think about that friend you haven't seen for ages because work and 'busy stuff' keeps getting in the way of meeting up. How about you text them and ask if they fancy meeting up for a meal at the new restaurant that's just opened in town. It gives you time to relax, catch up in good company and chew the fat about what each of you have really been doing the last few weeks you have been incognito.

 

In fact, why don't you call them now, right after you finish reading this post? It's not like you have anything better to do right? And it might just make two people very happy.

 



Why I gym

Yesterday I asked the question of a friend, "Why Gym?" (or any form of exercise really). Why put ourselves through the pain and torture of getting some magical term of 'fit'? The reply was a genuine "I enjoy it". That's great for those that genuinely derive pleasure from vigorous exercise, but if exercise is for life, I honestly don't feel like going down the gym when I'm 77 years old, hammering away at the cross trainer. I'm struggling to stay motivated for my 'fit for 40 challenge' never mind life!

 

Of course I always keep in the back of my mind what Aristotle said (Maybe Socrates or Marcus Aurelius, certainly someone from the classical period), that we must be of both healthy body and healthy mind. To neglect the exercise of either would be detrimental to our health.

 

'Rather Socrates dissatisfied than a pig satisfied' I totally accept that, but killing yourself with vigorous exercise in the vain attempt to clutch a few straws of life, so we can stay trapped here on earth for a few more years in old age, that's a lot harder to handle. Sure I do understand the benefits at core, but it's no way as motivating as the Socrates quote is for self education.

 

I hold my hands up, I love the cross trainer, but I hate the treadmill with a passion. In fact me and running just don't get along at all, however, have a raw steak hanging out of my back pocket and a 3 day starved German Shepherd let off it's leash, no doubt I could run far and run fast!

 

So we need to find our personal motivation and for me it has to be 'heart healthy' over vanity of looks any day. Sure I want them to have a fit dad they can run around the park with, a Dad that can be around 'healthily' not crippled and diseased expecting my children to look after me because I couldn't be bothered to take care of myself. No doubt I can spare an hour or 2 a day to get 'fit', whatever your personal definition of that word is.

 

And the best thing about technology is, you can listen to your favourite radio 4 podcasts or numerous audiobooks as you work out, combining the best of both worlds and tipping your hat to the greatest the classical period had to offer us.