Entitlement and community

Wealth changes people, that is now clear.  Some of the entitled have been too entitled to take precautions against this virus. Think of Boris boasting about shaking hands. Many put others at risk without qualms, like the golfing couple whose names are circulating on social media.  They knew they were infected but travelled to south Australia and took to the golf course anyway.  The entitled seem able to subvert normal processes with apparent ease, like the well connected folk on the Ruby Princess cruise ship. They didn't want to be locked in quarentine so the whole ship was allowed to dock and passengers disperse without any restrictions, resulting in the virus being spread far and wide in Australia. Under duress themselves, this sort of process corruption enrages people.

Sometimes it is odd comments by friends that cause one to do a double take. A friend who is newly wealthy (not super rich but well off enough to be able to stop work) commented that he is put out by having to change his plans for the winter.  I didn't have much sympathy.

On the other side are those who have never been entitled. As time goes on and people recover from the initial panic, there are signs of community caring everywhere. I was looking out the window just now, watching a neighbour (or perhaps their employee) maintaining the verge  in front of their house. He saw me watching and waved. I waved back. Normally people might nod and look away. I looked again and saw him making for my side of the road. We spoke though the window ...he wanted to know if I was ok and was I enjoying it here in my new home. Turns out his home is down the road but he is often at the house of the neighbours - probably family I would think.  so now we know each other's names - that is a good beginning to neighbourly relations. The interaction left me feeling very positive about the world.

On my walk this morning. : Tibouchina - Purple Glory Tree.

What is of more value than trust?

People worry that computers will eventually control mankind but we should be worried about ourselves, not computers.  We have created systems that no one seems to be able to control and these systems give no value to the things that really matter, such as trust and community.

You used to be able to trust banks; now they need controls which we seem unable to enact. Will we survive them?   We used to trust research organisations. Now the CSIRO is mired in scandal and its money-minded managers will find out just how valuable trust actually was. Can they survive the damage? 

The Australian Government is withdrawing funding for art schools and opera Australia has taken to putting on musicals. Are we headed for another dark ages? Do we care?

It is time to start caring about things again, and fighting for the things we care about. Culture for example.The Australian Chamber Orchestra has a wonderful outreach program in schools ... but they are having to defend music from attacks by people who should know better). A small theater has opened in Newtown, putting on wonderful stuff but they are struggling.

Lets get on our hind legs and support them and other local organisations who care.Forget the Olympics, lets bring back sport and music programs to schools. Find ways to keep small and medium firms in family ownership to protect them from merger-manics who stop making the products we like because they don't make enough profit. Support our local farmers.