I'll be retiring soon. Not soon enough, obviously, but I'm far closer to the end of my working life than the beginning.
I have plans, dreams, 'bucket lists', whatever, and I think about these regularly, and often articulate what I think.
This has led to me being accused several times of 'wishing my life away', a charge which I fully reject.
To be fair, this is a concept with some immediate attraction, and not a little mileage. Too many people spend their lives in humdrum jobs, and worse. They spend their working hours waiting for the end of the shift, the weekend, the holiday. They live their entire careers hating what they do for half of their waking lives (sans holidays & weekends), waiting for a few short hours of relief. That's not living, that's a life wasted. Agreed.
But to leave the discussion there is short-sighted in the extreme. And it fails to take into account any number of other factors.
Firstly, not everyone who looks to a brighter future despises the present. Would I like to be on a beach on a Greek island, sipping cold beer? Of course! Would that be better than working? Why, yes! I don't think I'm the only person to think that, and I'm sure it doesn't automatically make me someone who despises every minute of his working life. If your job is better than sipping beer on a beach then you're extremely lucky. If it isn't, then not looking forward to the latter is not a negative character trait. If you're doing a job less pleasant than Hellenistic quaffing, but you're not looking forward to retirement, then there's something wrong with you, not me.
Secondly, I like thinking. Fair enough, it's clearly not everyone's cup of tea, but it's right down my street, and this is usually not a character trait which is criticised. Prefer heavy literature to airport paperback trash? That's great. Prefer QI to Coronation Street? Fantastic! Prefer Pink Floyd to One Direction? Nice one! Thinking, generally speaking, is applauded as being better than not thinking. Thinking things through is better than doing things off the cuff. Being 'thoughtless' is a criticism, 'thoughtful' a compliment. If I think about my future as much as my past and present, I shouldn't be criticised for it.
Thirdly, isn't this something we all do? Stop and think for a moment about all of the great times of your life. Holidays, concerts, nights out with friends, whatever. A large number of these will involve at least an element, if not a great deal, of looking forward. There might be the odd person who books tickets to an event, then doesn't think about it until the evening of said event, and only enjoys the occasion itself. But these people are surely just that. Odd.
Fourthly, isn't thinking about the future the core of the self-awareness which separates us from animals? And isn't a lack of this self-awareness in humans usually thought of as a kind of mental and/or social defect? If you're not sure what this means, just google 'human self-awareness'.
And finally, there's a rather overly-simplistic idea that thinking about something nice in the future precludes a person from enjoying the present; an idea which I don't feel stands up to close examination. I started to consider my retirement in real detail around 20 months ago. In the time since then I've enjoyed nights out, holidays, friendships, concerts, and all manner of fun. Indeed, I've probably enjoyed the last 20 months more than the preceding 20. And, despite 'retiring' requiring giving up work, there are large parts of my job which I still love, and which I will certainly miss once gone.
But yes, I'm very much looking forward to retiring. And yes, I'll continue to plan, and weigh up my options. And yes, I'll continue to articulate my thoughts about this, just as I do about pretty much everything else. *
But as I sit here with a glass of beer in my hand, watching an old episode of Sherlock, and enjoying watching Mr. Biscuits (the hamster) scurry across the living room in her hamster ball (yes, Mr. Biscuits is a she), I'll reject any accusation that dreaming about the future prevents me from enjoying the now. For the simple reason that it's clearly untrue.
And if you're that person in a humdrum job, then don't stop dreaming about the future. Dreaming ("wishing your life away, apparently) isn't your problem. The job is.
So the next time you hear someone use the phrase 'wishing your life away', pity the poor, unimaginative soul making the accusation, rather than the accused.
Now, where's my pension calculator spreadsheet...
* It strikes me that, when someone tells me to stop 'wishing my life away' when I'm discussing my retirement, they're actually just fed up with hearing me go on about it, which is fair enough. But if that's the case, then surely that's how the criticism should be levelled. If someone lazily chooses to wrap up their disinterest in a second rate cliché, then it's their own lookout for leaving themselves open to the critique in this blog post.
Tuesday 24 October 2017
Sunday 8 October 2017
"I thought that this was supposed to be a democracy!"
Democracy. Great, isn't it.
But what is it?
And why is it great?
Taking the second point first, it's great for all sorts of reasons. They can be summed up like this. Where else would you want to live, other than the UK (or US, if you're American)? Chances are, you'll say New Zealand, or Canada, the Netherlands or Ireland. Or somewhere similar.
You probably won't say North Korea, Russia, Zimbabwe, or Azerbaijan.
If you could choose anywhere from the past 50 years it probably wouldn't be Franco's Spain, Pinochet's Chile, or Mao's China. And if you've said Castro's Cuba, you maybe need to do a little research.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/11/fidel-castro-s-human-rights-legacy-a-tale-of-two-worlds/
Why do we want to live in countries on the first list? Well, what those countries have in common is that they're 'free' and 'rich'. And by 'rich' I don't mean bathing in champagne, or having a gold plated Rolls Royce, I mean you never go to bed hungry, if you're ill there'll be a great health service to look after you, and you don't spend much of your life looking at any other country thinking "Why are they so much better off than me". Because there aren't any.
And by 'free' I mean you can criticise the government without getting locked up, vote for whichever party you like, form a new party if you don't like what's on offer, and there's probably some party or pressure group already representing your point of view. Meanwhile, you can behave pretty much as you like, as long as you're not hurting anyone else (admittedly, with some exceptions).
Rarely are other countries as well off, and when they are, they're nowhere near as free.
But some other countries do call themselves democracies. You do get a vote of sorts. So aren't they democracies too?
Yes and no. Democracy started in ancient Greece - Athens to be precise. In Athens, every citizen got to go down to the forum, they could speak if they wished, listen to others, and then vote on the issue at hand.
But that's not what we do. We don't vote on issues. We vote for people to represent us, and they vote on the issue. And with good reason. Most of us simply don't have the expertise, and certainly not the time to research, debate and vote on complex laws. Similarly, the security implications of making everyone aware of all the relevant facts all of the time are too ridiculous to contemplate.
So we're not a direct democracy like Athens. We're a representative democracy. Like the US, Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand.
And every now and then we hear of an election in some far off land where voters are intimidated, the opposition parties can't hold rallies, and the governing party censor the TV and press. They're a 'democracy' in that everyone can vote, but their freedoms often stop right there. In the same way that ancient Athens was a democracy of sorts, and Zimbabwe is a democracy of sorts, they don't tick all the boxes, even if they do 'go with the majority'. So when someone uses the word 'democracy' they usually mean something more than just 'what most people want'.
Tell someone you're talking away a free press and they'll soon say "That's not a democracy", even if most people voted for it.
So when we say 'democracy' we don't just mean that we think it's the morally right thing to follow whatever 50%+1 of the population would vote for. We mean that we like where we live, and where we live is a representative democracy which upholds personal liberties; a system which has brought us great freedom, wealth and security.
This may seem blindingly obvious. But if it does, I'll set you a challenge. Wait for the next time you hear someone saying "I thought this was supposed to be a democracy", and see if their use of that word fits the above. Because it hardly ever does.
It usually means "There's been some sort of public campaign (often tabloid-fuelled, though not always) which appears to have received over 50% support in an opinion poll, and I don't care if it infringes on anyone's freedom, or that most people don't know what they're talking about. Most people agree with me, so everyone else can shut up."
That may be a lot of things, but it isn't anyone's accurate definition of democracy.
But what is it?
And why is it great?
Taking the second point first, it's great for all sorts of reasons. They can be summed up like this. Where else would you want to live, other than the UK (or US, if you're American)? Chances are, you'll say New Zealand, or Canada, the Netherlands or Ireland. Or somewhere similar.
You probably won't say North Korea, Russia, Zimbabwe, or Azerbaijan.
If you could choose anywhere from the past 50 years it probably wouldn't be Franco's Spain, Pinochet's Chile, or Mao's China. And if you've said Castro's Cuba, you maybe need to do a little research.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/11/fidel-castro-s-human-rights-legacy-a-tale-of-two-worlds/
Why do we want to live in countries on the first list? Well, what those countries have in common is that they're 'free' and 'rich'. And by 'rich' I don't mean bathing in champagne, or having a gold plated Rolls Royce, I mean you never go to bed hungry, if you're ill there'll be a great health service to look after you, and you don't spend much of your life looking at any other country thinking "Why are they so much better off than me". Because there aren't any.
And by 'free' I mean you can criticise the government without getting locked up, vote for whichever party you like, form a new party if you don't like what's on offer, and there's probably some party or pressure group already representing your point of view. Meanwhile, you can behave pretty much as you like, as long as you're not hurting anyone else (admittedly, with some exceptions).
Rarely are other countries as well off, and when they are, they're nowhere near as free.
But some other countries do call themselves democracies. You do get a vote of sorts. So aren't they democracies too?
Yes and no. Democracy started in ancient Greece - Athens to be precise. In Athens, every citizen got to go down to the forum, they could speak if they wished, listen to others, and then vote on the issue at hand.
But that's not what we do. We don't vote on issues. We vote for people to represent us, and they vote on the issue. And with good reason. Most of us simply don't have the expertise, and certainly not the time to research, debate and vote on complex laws. Similarly, the security implications of making everyone aware of all the relevant facts all of the time are too ridiculous to contemplate.
So we're not a direct democracy like Athens. We're a representative democracy. Like the US, Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand.
And every now and then we hear of an election in some far off land where voters are intimidated, the opposition parties can't hold rallies, and the governing party censor the TV and press. They're a 'democracy' in that everyone can vote, but their freedoms often stop right there. In the same way that ancient Athens was a democracy of sorts, and Zimbabwe is a democracy of sorts, they don't tick all the boxes, even if they do 'go with the majority'. So when someone uses the word 'democracy' they usually mean something more than just 'what most people want'.
Tell someone you're talking away a free press and they'll soon say "That's not a democracy", even if most people voted for it.
So when we say 'democracy' we don't just mean that we think it's the morally right thing to follow whatever 50%+1 of the population would vote for. We mean that we like where we live, and where we live is a representative democracy which upholds personal liberties; a system which has brought us great freedom, wealth and security.
This may seem blindingly obvious. But if it does, I'll set you a challenge. Wait for the next time you hear someone saying "I thought this was supposed to be a democracy", and see if their use of that word fits the above. Because it hardly ever does.
It usually means "There's been some sort of public campaign (often tabloid-fuelled, though not always) which appears to have received over 50% support in an opinion poll, and I don't care if it infringes on anyone's freedom, or that most people don't know what they're talking about. Most people agree with me, so everyone else can shut up."
That may be a lot of things, but it isn't anyone's accurate definition of democracy.
How to get from the Skiathos Palace to Koukounaries resort by foot
If you're not a regular visitor to Skiathos, please ignore this post.
"Steve," people say (so I know who they're talking to) "How do I get from the Skiathos Palace hotel to Koukounaries by foot? That's the tavernas at the resort, not the beach. The road is long and winding, with no footpaths and blind corners aplenty. It looks like quite a trek, not to say dangerous. Isn't there a quicker, safer way?"
Yes. Yes, there is.
Come out of the bottom of the drive from the Palace. Cross the road, and immediately before the crash barrier there's a pathway down to the beach.
Go down the pathway, until you reach the beach. Then walk past the bridge and small shop on your left. In front of you you'll see some green gates which lead to the nature reserve. Go through these, and follow the path. You'll find a gate at the end next to Bus Stop 23, opposite Stamelos and the supermarket.
Ten minutes walk from the bottom of the drive, tops.
"Steve," people say (so I know who they're talking to) "How do I get from the Skiathos Palace hotel to Koukounaries by foot? That's the tavernas at the resort, not the beach. The road is long and winding, with no footpaths and blind corners aplenty. It looks like quite a trek, not to say dangerous. Isn't there a quicker, safer way?"
Yes. Yes, there is.
Come out of the bottom of the drive from the Palace. Cross the road, and immediately before the crash barrier there's a pathway down to the beach.
Go down the pathway, until you reach the beach. Then walk past the bridge and small shop on your left. In front of you you'll see some green gates which lead to the nature reserve. Go through these, and follow the path. You'll find a gate at the end next to Bus Stop 23, opposite Stamelos and the supermarket.
Ten minutes walk from the bottom of the drive, tops.
There's Not Enough Room on Facebook
Every now and then I find myself discussing something on Facebook, wishing to express myself, make a complicated point (well, make a point that's not extremely simple), argue a case, and there's just not enough room.
Recently I was in a discussion with someone - it could have been about Brexit, though it might have been something else - and they said something like 'that's democracy'. As if one win in one vote at one point in time was the entirety of what 'democracy' means.
Having just completed a whole scheme on democracy for work, I was more aware than ever that this isn't the case. As they say, it's a little more complicated than that.
But it's not really possible to go into the carefully balanced intricacies of just what western liberal democracy is in a Facebook post. Indeed, look at today's posts here at Yorkshire Mouth and you'll find one on democracy. Could you imagine that in a post at Facebook?
And Facebook isn't the only place. I find myself on all sorts of social media where there just isn't room to make a point, or it would completely sidetrack the discussion.
So, to be clear, this isn't particularly a blog to 'follow' (but feel free). It's a place for me to write things in a little more detail, and then link to.
As such it will doubtless be an intermittent, rarely updated, miscellany of posts concerning just about anything. How I'm thinking, food, cinema, music, politics, philosophy, or whatever has come up.
And if you disagree? That's fine, but do it elsewhere. There's always Facebook, or you could create your own blog.
Happy reading.
Recently I was in a discussion with someone - it could have been about Brexit, though it might have been something else - and they said something like 'that's democracy'. As if one win in one vote at one point in time was the entirety of what 'democracy' means.
Having just completed a whole scheme on democracy for work, I was more aware than ever that this isn't the case. As they say, it's a little more complicated than that.
But it's not really possible to go into the carefully balanced intricacies of just what western liberal democracy is in a Facebook post. Indeed, look at today's posts here at Yorkshire Mouth and you'll find one on democracy. Could you imagine that in a post at Facebook?
And Facebook isn't the only place. I find myself on all sorts of social media where there just isn't room to make a point, or it would completely sidetrack the discussion.
So, to be clear, this isn't particularly a blog to 'follow' (but feel free). It's a place for me to write things in a little more detail, and then link to.
As such it will doubtless be an intermittent, rarely updated, miscellany of posts concerning just about anything. How I'm thinking, food, cinema, music, politics, philosophy, or whatever has come up.
And if you disagree? That's fine, but do it elsewhere. There's always Facebook, or you could create your own blog.
Happy reading.
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