An Odyssey For All Eternity

In times like this
One can’t help but agree with Livy
That the most stable & long-standing empire is that in which subjects take pleasure in obeying

This appears to be the state most citizens of the world are in
Or at least it seems to me
That we care very little for civil liberties
Only when it serves our egos and imagery

On social media – feeds full of trivialities
On the telly – doomsday bulletins, crisis after crisis
On computer screens – conspiracies about digital IDs and 5G…

Reminds me of that 80s film They Live
Most things considered and in all seriousness
One can foresee those who live into the future say, or their offspring hear/read
That once upon a time there was a phenomenon called covid-19

But hardly did society stop to think
That perhaps as part of the great odyssey we call existence
Our collective consciousness is, as history has time and again revealed
Shaped by desires common to all humanity – fundamentally

Whether that be greed or a propensity for logical fallacies
Our impressionable human qualities, abilities and sensibilities
Have made us the most sophisticated of all the species
If human assessment is anything to go by
Yet, to the rest of nature we just might be
The most disruptive force there is or ever was
For all eternity

Sentiment vs Common Sense

To understand cause and effect
One has to research

To occupy land
One has to pay tax

To influence change
One has to earn respect

For it matters not so much the consequence
If one doesn’t understand the intent

Matters little what one’s post code reads
If one’s name is not on the title deed

Matters less what one says
If the message falls on deaf ears

Capital & Custody

To ensure lasting success, proper self-custody of your financial assets is vital

But that requires self-control and the ability to assess and mitigate risk

So if becoming wealthy is top of your priority list

Learn not only how to acquire and keep possession, but also how to multiply and earn maximum interest on your capital

in the beginning is truth

Grasping truth is the easy part

Because truth speaks to nature

And all things are of it

Accepting implications of said truths however

Demands more than a change of feelings

It requires discarding old ideas around perceived stature

It prompts new beginnings

Good Stuff

good credit begets goodwill and therefore keeps one in good standing
it’s a show of dependability that dresses up future uncertainties

good merit warrants good understanding
it’ll transcend a bestower’s affinities if the performance upon which it’s conferred addresses difficult challenges

a good marriage like any business arrangement will last as long as it maintains mutual benefit
it’ll survive tides high and low if partners through the swings can still live out their romantic fantasies

a good cause is devoid of miscarriage of justice and often needs no defending
it garners the support of citizens as long as it doesn’t exploit the public’s proclivity to promulgate charitable activities

On impetus

Inspiration comes from within and motivation from influences outward
So we ought to find first our highest values before springing into action
In order that the pursuit of purpose is held in high regard
That way we can move in the right direction
Inspired and motivated to work hard

Growth Synthesis

Commitment to creativity can help overcome inaction and passivity

But it is discipline that builds courage and confidence in one’s abilities

Likewise, drive and determination can boost productivity

But it is the dedication to progression that often transforms entire industries

Of Action & Condition

Satisfaction is felt in the momentary negation of future expectation
And elation comes from instant appreciation not tomorrow’s benefaction

A nation’s joyous celebration shouldn’t be reserved for conquest and annexation
But experienced each time fair concessions are entered into with other sovereign nations

Effective action is full of conviction and devoid of hesitation
While the best communication is unhindered by limitation in comprehension

Sketch for a Theory of Persistent Passions (vii)

a certain degree of privation is necessary for motivation

just as longing and desire too are often strong calls to action

so the key to persevering, is focusing on trajectory and not position

because even the achievement of a set goal won’t give quite the same satisfaction as that from the pursuit of a passion

In the net

In a social network economy
Where the business model for major platforms is arbitraging users’ attention
And where stakeholders benefit from app user addiction
Which means users’ attention has to be captured perpetually for the value proposition to flourish
In such an ecosystem, one feels there’s justification for the concerns

When user attention is bought by big tech and instantly sold to advertisers with the highest bids
In a social media market where arbitrage opportunities are always open
And where they are in fact preserved and propagated

But at what cost?
What are the consequences of hacking users’ neurocircuitry to intercept rational thinking and sound judgement?
What will happen to a civilisation whose decisions about what to seek from life
What to enquire about the world
And even how to utilise time are influenced by forces not commonly understood?
And how will online data privacy be guaranteed to users of products that are paradoxically meant to deliver highly personalised service?