It seems to me that Dickens had it right. We live in a bipolar world. Your life and the lives of your children depend on good fortune and the world in which you live. It is either the best of times or the worst of times:
It is the age of wisdom, it is the age of foolishness, it is the epoch of belief, it is the epoch of incredulity, it is the season of Light, it is the season of Darkness, it is the spring of hope, it is the winter of despair.
And that is why, at Christmas, my thoughts always return to A Christmas Carol. Scrooge was the arch-typical Neo -Conservative. Dickens knew him well. But he also knew that redemption was in each person's grasp. And that is why, at the end of the tale, Scrooge
became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him.
After all, the point of life is not to have everything, but to have enough -- and to make sure that others have enough. That is not the attitude of our present masters. But Scrooge -- and Christmas -- remind us that there is always hope for a better world.
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas I thank you for the effort you make to keep us infomed. Dave again thanks
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Anon.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Owen, and thanks for the message of hope. May the winds of change begin to blow in 2014.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you and yours, Lorne. May 2014 make us a better nation.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Owen. Thank you for another year of great posts.
ReplyDeleteHave a very Merry Christmas, Karen. And thanks for reading.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your dedication, to the people of this country. We appreciate your keeping us informed, more than you can ever know.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful x-mas.
Merry Christmas, Anon. I'm just a retired teacher who likes to write.
ReplyDeleteBut it is heartening to know that some people like to read these posts.
Hey Owen, have a holly jolly Christmas.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpCtnj9kZ9Q
Thanks for all the great posts.
It is the spirit behind American Psycho that is so dangerous, Anon.
ReplyDeleteThe question is: Do we understand that? Or do we admire it?
"It is the spirit behind American Psycho that is so dangerous, Anon."
ReplyDeleteI view 'American Psycho' as being an impressive work of satirical art. A work of art intended to educate. But isn't that the purpose of all works of art?
It should be the purpose of art, Anon. But that doesn't always happen. As Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote, some people "learn much amiss."
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Owen. I've really enjoyed our exchanges of the past year.
ReplyDeleteMoS
Unfortunately Owen, corporations are now classed as people, for all intents our economy is run by entities devoid of the human failing of compassion. We have all been afraid of the robot overlords, I think they have arrived.
ReplyDeleteI wish you the best, and Merry Christmas.
The robot overlords -- being robots -- are convinced that they have been relieved of responsibility, Filcher.
ReplyDeleteThere is always a time when accounts are tallied. And the robots will be held accountable.
As have I, Mound. And I look forward to more in the New Year. Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and best wishes for a healthy and happy New Year for you and your family, Owen.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for all your great blogging. I appreciate it very much.
Merry Christmas, Bejiing. I always look forward to and enjoy your comments.
ReplyDelete