OffLine
For sustainability --> villages not motorways and car parks --> eco-friendly gadgets --> small cars, fast bicycles and a smaller footprint for humanity on this planet...Hi, I'm Rob, and this is a wandering diatribe of sorts, focused on the authentically human and existential tragedy that is my life. Expect to read my views on life, modern life, gadgets, cars, bicycles and sustainable business practices - yes, really - as I suck you into the vortex. But this blog could just as well be about music, mythology, philosophy, photography or art.
You can check the lot out right here.
Whatever fits: if it has a recommended torque setting, can be imagined or digitised, it's in.
| We do try to cover our costs by selling mugs, teeshirts, hats, bags, stickers and images... | ||||
 The A2W large mug! |
 The GTVeloce mug! |
 OODB large mug! |
 The Tipo116 large mug! |
 Yet another mug! |
Monday, August 11, 2008
Where was I?
Last time I checked I was looking at Le Tour de France on TV, and now I'm watching the Olympics from China. And I'm wondering where I - or perhaps we - all went...? Have we tuned out of our own lives and into vicariousness? Are we all simply living our lives through the lives and achievements of others? Well yes and no, of course. We do this all of the time - we work and play and grow as individuals, yet we fall into a collective stupor over "big events". Not everyone, nor all of us all of the time. But generally most of us fall at some time for the spectacular, the bright and colourful bells and whistles that surround our lives - be it sport, art, music, literature, organised religion, online computer games or new year's eve fireworks. We shrug off our own selves and look at another person's life, even to the extent of investing emotion into their success, or not.
Which is all perfectly normal, but it does beg the old question, are we being used? Indeed it raises a few questions in my mind. Is this simply what the Romans called 'bread and circuses'? Are we left mildly amused and fairly satisfied by all of this "entertainment", or does it actually ring hollow? Is it all a nice diversion from harsh realities like the credit crunch, global warming, war and drought, or something more sinister and manipulative? Not that I'm suggesting there's a conspiracy, it just seems convenient sometimes that our economic system supports these massive "events" yet fails to look after the homeless, the impoverished, the starving or the oppressed.
Just my happy little thought for the day.
Labels: bread and circuses, Global warming, poverty
Archives
September 2004 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 December 2005 January 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 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
