Bernard wrote:But these are the best things! Our generation hasn't seen the savagery that war, pestilence and famine can incur overnight upon a people. We have it incredibly good mostly.
Yeh, I work on a coffee farm managing the milling operation and we'll soon be starting roasting, so I'm gearing up for that. Its quite complex to roast coffee well. My wife just threw my sons sword at the TV and its stuffed so I'm looking forward to getting the novel I ordered last week in the mail: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO9hF_aNelw
They haven't had to experience those things first hand, on the whole. But it continues elsewhere (in their name?) and they are aware to a certain degree of that. Though it is probably considered as a norm (it's always been like this). It has been in the West quite peaceful and in that time we have been entertained (shaped) into a new form. We are coming out of this period of relative peace (dead peace) into something darker and more dangerous. The present culture is not one of educate and enlighten the citizenry but its opposite. It is preparing the ground for bleak times. Just listen to popular music now as an indication of the sorry state. Divide and rule is being played out on the tv. Our epoch is visionless (as far as the people are concerned). Times are not good, and so I say to myself what is art, and what can it do. I believe it to be both powerful and weak, this is its strength. Of course hanging out with friends and playing football is great but I am also interested in where the world is going and what can one do to nudge it in a direction not planned by the power. It is a project.
It sounds like you have a good job there, and that you are interested enough for it to keep your attention. I'm going to savour the image of a sword stuck through a tv set, I like that very much. The tv is dead. Enjoy the novel it looks topical.
