A Strange Reverence

One of the persistent mysteries in life is the belief that wisdom comes with age. Why should it be implicitly assumed that just because someone is old(er) that they have some intrinsic ‘worth store’ that gives them a privileged say? Surely this is reverse discrimination, discriminating against cleverness if favour of age? Just because someone is ‘mature’ doesn’t automatically make them clever – if they were stupid when they were young surely there likely as not to be stupid when they are old? Conversely , if they were clever when they were young they are likely to be clever when they are older? Age is no predictor of wisdom but I fear its deemed politically incorrect to say as much – buyt hey, whoever said I was PC?

The 0th Law of Geography

The first law of geography (i.e Toblers) states that things close to each other (spatially) are more alike than things that aren’t. I propose a Zeroth Law (to mirror Asimov’s laws for robotics) that states:

“the further things are apart the less we care about them”

It’s really the converse of Toblers but in today’s society more apt – cyberspace may shrink the opportunity costs but lets face it, west is west and the east is... well, a foreign country. Even in our own society its clear that we care less for geographically removed or remote denizens than we do for those we are forced to trip over as we leave our front doors – non-propinquity breeds disregard, which I think is a more socially responsible way of looking at geography rather than assuming ‘natural’ variegation caused by distance decay.

Whats in a name?

A word about the title of this blog. I’ve long had the view (in sympathy with social structuralism theories I believe), that good things come to those who already have, or at least have the means of self perpetuating. Ambition and self belief are allied to life chances and experience which is fundamentally tied to social opportunities – not surprising that doctors begat doctors; traffic wardens, traffic wardens (I’m being generous and assuming they are part of society!). The flipside of ambition and self belief is of course INDOLENCE and SELF DOUBT. A constant companion of mine from the ghetto. So, hence the title.

Entry the first

I can barely be assed to do this as self doubt about whether I should or indeed need/want a blog has seeped in again...
Of course pitted against the mealy mouthed rantings of some of my erstwhile peers with on the face of it, less to say than I do, what the hey!!!

PS typos will be a feature of this blog - spell checkers are for chumps and ninny pednats with too much time.