Been A While

2004 seems to have been wiped off the face of the calendar in a funny way. No postings at all. Can't understand it really. Must have been busy with stuff. Well, I'm back now.

Big issues currently under discussion: Edmund Burke and the French Revolution; and obituaries in backwater newspapers from different countries.

I think Burke was right. I spent a lot of money and a lot of time completing the Human Rights degree, and I've learned a lot. In particular, I've learned that human rights is essentially bunk. I've also learned that the myth of free education is exactly that. A myth. Edmund Burke was far more on the money. Human Rights theory tells us that all men are equal; they're not. Let's take a simple thing - height. It is better to be tall than to be short. We tall people (yes, I am not short) can reach the top nuts on the top branch of the tree, and are therefore more likely to survive when the revolution comes. Let's take a more complicated thing - wealth. It's better to be rich than to be poor right? Well, it's better to have food than not, but can't go much further than that. Many of the happiest people I've met have been poorer that any. Human Rights (and International Development) Theory tells us that we should remove this burden of contentment from the destitute, and make them enjoy our rat-race. Something's not right there. And Edmund Burke wrote far too well to be a crank. Tom Paine was more likely to be the crank. And don't get me started on Marx.

On Obituaries, I've found it remarkable that certain papers in America write brief words - JOhn Smith. Plumber. US Marine. Died. - and others a remarkable CV type discourse. John Smith. Plumbers apprentice New York for three years. Plumber New Jersey through '72. Set up own plumber's business, Ill. 1979. Bought van, 1980. Bought two vans, 1982. Hired four people, 1986. And on it goes. Oh, and he left a wife, two sons and a grandchild named Clinton. Typical. Democrat voters, GOP capitalists.

Led me to thinking what other states, country papers have in their obituaries, and I'm off to have a look. That led me to thinking about what one could learn from this - what could one learn from death, as it were, about life? That lead me to thinking about writing a book about it, and that led me to thinking about writing a book about writing a book about searching for some of life's answers in the obit columns. So that's what I plan to do. Might be 2006 before there's another blog if that's the case, we'll see.

Damn liberals everywhere. I disown the party.

Anthony.