Melancholic Derivations

July 16, 2005

Inconsequential Fury

The bomb blasts which ripped through central London on the 7th of July must have done more than just rip a hole through the resolve and hearts of British politicians. All of a sudden, Londoners are beginning to put on fake smiles, fake shows of determination and all too pathetic attempts to make it seem like life goes on. In truth, it doesn't. London has been tainted by the smear of discriminatory radicalism, joining the ranks of Madrid, New York and countless other Western capitals. Britain has paid the price, not for its siding with the United States in the War on Terror, but for its democratic and free society. The pinnacle of Western civilisation it claimed to be, shattered under the exposed failings of its free system. The chaos which ensued merely a precipice of what is to come.

Most articles and blogs which I've come across in the past week blame the War on Terror for the bombings. They place the responsibility of the problem squarely on the shoulders of Bush, Blair and Howard. They pin the tail on the behinds of these politicians, calling for their resignation or removal from the government. These people are short-sighted. Without brave men as these to lead the War on Terror, the world would face an imminent threat to security. Radicalism and fundamentalism, a dangerous combination would threaten to spill over into rational and modern societies, rendering nowhere safe or habitable. You might say that these men hide behind their troops and security forces, only calling and directing operations. But in their shoes, would you be able to handle the daily stress of public opinion, international relations, cabinet politics and now, a threat so insidious and hidden from sight that to ignore it would place your country in peril? Most fail to understand and empathise with the daily hardships Bush, Blair and Howard face constantly. They are quick to jump on the bandwagon, calling for sackings, impeachment and whatnot.

The real failing in Western society is not the problem of poor leaders. It is the problem of freedom. Freedom as a concept is a sticky one, a double-edged sword if you will. People enjoy freedom and yet, when drowned in it for excessive periods, find themselves unable to control primal urges. Freedom in my opinion, can only be entrusted to those who are deemed suitable to enjoy that freedom. The rest, like herd in a sheep pen, must be goaded and told what to believe. Pride in nationalism must be built, which will serve to keep out 'dirty' ideas like radicalism and religious fundamentalism. A lack of freedom snips off the problem in its bud. People who do not experience freedom do not know what it is and will ultimately be content living in a totalitarian society. The United States, Britain and all democratic Western nations will ultimately be susceptible to terrorists, all because of the freedom they permit their citizens.

Without determined men who are all out for these terrorists, the world would face an impending crisis. A crisis of confidence, leaving the global situation one which would hardly be conducive for economic prosperity. It is when people are told what to believe, when a good national lie is fabricated for them to subscribe to, only then will we be able to cut off the problem of religious fundamentalism. Till then, the wails of the innocent civilian will suffice.

"How do you fight an enemy you can't see; an enemy that resides in people's souls?"

Traveller fell apart at 11:14 AM

July 05, 2005

The Case For Control

It's been a different week from the one that went by previously. I know I've been whining about how there's been nothing absolutely to accomplish during this short winter break. The past week, however, has left me gasping for breath. I've been busy mostly preparing for her birthday surprise, shuttling back and forth within my biological clock, trying desperately to set it right due to the irregular hours I've been keeping. Not that I'm complaining however, working at Phil's has been a pleasure really. Sometimes I do stop to wonder, however, if I'm eventually going to run myself down due to fatigue.

The hectic week however, hasn't stopped my thoughts from wandering. The past week witnessed a massive strike along Swanston Street and many parts of Melbourne Central, bringing traffic to a virtual standstill. And it's in times like these I stop to wonder whether democracy is worth it? After all's been said and done, everything about equality, constitution, recognition of personal worth, is democracy even a viable option? When people possess too much freedom, they will almost ALWAYS abuse that power. It's a proven fact. Can we trust the power to protest in the hands of uneducated construction workers or industrial labourers? Sure, we did. And look at the aftermath. Millions of dollars lost in economic value of the worktime lost, and millions more in the commuters who were affected by the shutting down of Melbourne Central. Is this what we have been striving for? An equal, democratic and yet inefficient and powerless society? Democracy has failed us, it has placed too much power in the hands of those who do not deserve it. And all this time, it hides under the guise of being a spokesperson for the people. The question is, at what cost for the general well-being of the country?

It's a well known fact. Geniuses come in the minorities. And these geniuses are the ones who propel countries to great endeavours, who drive the nation towards prosperity. The masses are simply a faceless, mindless horde who want to be controlled. The general population needs to be told what to believe, what to strive towards. Given too much autonomy, they become disorganised and chaotic, each only working towards his personal gain. And the result? An inefficient and directionless nation, crippled with bureaucracy and corruption. Individual differences must not be stamped out but controlled, creativity must be encouraged but within confines. Each person needs to believe that they contribute to society, even if they really don't. Those who bog down the economy with meaningless and damaging strikes must be rounded up and executed publicly, all in a show of government might. After all, why elect a government if we become eventually reluctant to hand over the reins of control?

But dictators are also prone to mistakes and corruption. That is a sad fact. And I fear that unless the world sees a 'perfect' dictator take control, it will forever find itself spiralling down that unnerving path towards democratic destruction.

Traveller fell apart at 3:49 AM


	Now Spinning Heroes Theme - Heroes Soundtrack The Protagonist joel \| content \| driven \| focused \| motive-oriented \| cynical \| analytical \| God-fearing \| jaded \| Frequent Reads Ben Christie Christine Davina Eugene Jasmine Jeremy Jo-ann Kay-Lene Mac Tammy Vivek Past Rants January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 Tap My Shoulder		July 16, 2005 Inconsequential Fury The bomb blasts which ripped through central London on the 7th of July must have done more than just rip a hole through the resolve and hearts of British politicians. All of a sudden, Londoners are beginning to put on fake smiles, fake shows of determination and all too pathetic attempts to make it seem like life goes on. In truth, it doesn't. London has been tainted by the smear of discriminatory radicalism, joining the ranks of Madrid, New York and countless other Western capitals. Britain has paid the price, not for its siding with the United States in the War on Terror, but for its democratic and free society. The pinnacle of Western civilisation it claimed to be, shattered under the exposed failings of its free system. The chaos which ensued merely a precipice of what is to come. Most articles and blogs which I've come across in the past week blame the War on Terror for the bombings. They place the responsibility of the problem squarely on the shoulders of Bush, Blair and Howard. They pin the tail on the behinds of these politicians, calling for their resignation or removal from the government. These people are short-sighted. Without brave men as these to lead the War on Terror, the world would face an imminent threat to security. Radicalism and fundamentalism, a dangerous combination would threaten to spill over into rational and modern societies, rendering nowhere safe or habitable. You might say that these men hide behind their troops and security forces, only calling and directing operations. But in their shoes, would you be able to handle the daily stress of public opinion, international relations, cabinet politics and now, a threat so insidious and hidden from sight that to ignore it would place your country in peril? Most fail to understand and empathise with the daily hardships Bush, Blair and Howard face constantly. They are quick to jump on the bandwagon, calling for sackings, impeachment and whatnot. The real failing in Western society is not the problem of poor leaders. It is the problem of freedom. Freedom as a concept is a sticky one, a double-edged sword if you will. People enjoy freedom and yet, when drowned in it for excessive periods, find themselves unable to control primal urges. Freedom in my opinion, can only be entrusted to those who are deemed suitable to enjoy that freedom. The rest, like herd in a sheep pen, must be goaded and told what to believe. Pride in nationalism must be built, which will serve to keep out 'dirty' ideas like radicalism and religious fundamentalism. A lack of freedom snips off the problem in its bud. People who do not experience freedom do not know what it is and will ultimately be content living in a totalitarian society. The United States, Britain and all democratic Western nations will ultimately be susceptible to terrorists, all because of the freedom they permit their citizens. Without determined men who are all out for these terrorists, the world would face an impending crisis. A crisis of confidence, leaving the global situation one which would hardly be conducive for economic prosperity. It is when people are told what to believe, when a good national lie is fabricated for them to subscribe to, only then will we be able to cut off the problem of religious fundamentalism. Till then, the wails of the innocent civilian will suffice. "How do you fight an enemy you can't see; an enemy that resides in people's souls?" Traveller fell apart at 11:14 AM July 05, 2005 The Case For Control It's been a different week from the one that went by previously. I know I've been whining about how there's been nothing absolutely to accomplish during this short winter break. The past week, however, has left me gasping for breath. I've been busy mostly preparing for her birthday surprise, shuttling back and forth within my biological clock, trying desperately to set it right due to the irregular hours I've been keeping. Not that I'm complaining however, working at Phil's has been a pleasure really. Sometimes I do stop to wonder, however, if I'm eventually going to run myself down due to fatigue. The hectic week however, hasn't stopped my thoughts from wandering. The past week witnessed a massive strike along Swanston Street and many parts of Melbourne Central, bringing traffic to a virtual standstill. And it's in times like these I stop to wonder whether democracy is worth it? After all's been said and done, everything about equality, constitution, recognition of personal worth, is democracy even a viable option? When people possess too much freedom, they will almost ALWAYS abuse that power. It's a proven fact. Can we trust the power to protest in the hands of uneducated construction workers or industrial labourers? Sure, we did. And look at the aftermath. Millions of dollars lost in economic value of the worktime lost, and millions more in the commuters who were affected by the shutting down of Melbourne Central. Is this what we have been striving for? An equal, democratic and yet inefficient and powerless society? Democracy has failed us, it has placed too much power in the hands of those who do not deserve it. And all this time, it hides under the guise of being a spokesperson for the people. The question is, at what cost for the general well-being of the country? It's a well known fact. Geniuses come in the minorities. And these geniuses are the ones who propel countries to great endeavours, who drive the nation towards prosperity. The masses are simply a faceless, mindless horde who want to be controlled. The general population needs to be told what to believe, what to strive towards. Given too much autonomy, they become disorganised and chaotic, each only working towards his personal gain. And the result? An inefficient and directionless nation, crippled with bureaucracy and corruption. Individual differences must not be stamped out but controlled, creativity must be encouraged but within confines. Each person needs to believe that they contribute to society, even if they really don't. Those who bog down the economy with meaningless and damaging strikes must be rounded up and executed publicly, all in a show of government might. After all, why elect a government if we become eventually reluctant to hand over the reins of control? But dictators are also prone to mistakes and corruption. That is a sad fact. And I fear that unless the world sees a 'perfect' dictator take control, it will forever find itself spiralling down that unnerving path towards democratic destruction. Traveller fell apart at 3:49 AM