letter to Monty Don on 'wisdom transcending personal gain'.
Dear Monty,
11/12/12 I read an article published in the States by someone called Jed Diamond. It was shared on Twitter by Philippa Perry www.curtisbrown.co.uk/philippa-perry/ . The argument put forward is that mental illness is a myth - and that the whole earth is sick and needs fixing : 'The buildings are sick, the banking system's sick, the schools the streets - the sickness is out there. '
I have seen this insidious change for myself in the last 4 decades, but the process of movement toward global insanity continues at a faster pace. Belief, love, commitment, patience, rest are all being eroded by selfishness, stress, anxiety and an inability to rest, to take stock, to think about this earth, this lung, the thing that feeds and clothes us.
The disconnect is palpable - the anxiety, stress and anger is palpable. When we become disconnected from our roots we fail to thrive.
Our roots are not connected to our genius - but to the genius of the organism of the living planet. So often we assume the planet is in our own hands to do with as we please, but I believe that it is given to us, and that this is the fundamental difference.
14/12/12 'There is no rest for the wicked' is often quoted in a glib way - but the prospect of no rest is awful. There is no rest in many parts of this world, or even in our own lives. No rest, no rest. We always have to be somewhere, to be doing something We cut one another up with words and cars and supermarket trolleys.
16/12/12 I felt so sick at the news of the quiet nurse taking her own life, and the terrible massacre at that American school. I also witnessed on the BBC Panorama how the banks treat the less well off if they get into debt. I felt so angry that a 52 year old woman with a relatively small debt as a result of getting breast cancer and having to stop work whilst getting treatment - had her home repossessed. How can that be justified?
Why are financial institutions so incapable of caring for borrowers ? Can it not be written into their constitutions to care, to use discretion to endeavour to look after the poorest in society ? Is profit truly more important than life ? If our politicians represented love in action, faithfulness and justice I may be tempted to start voting again. However, I think they believe in bowing down to the god of the economy at all costs, and are afraid of offending the rich.
Micah the prophet wrote this about 2700 years ago :
'Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds!
At morning's light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.
They covet fields and seize them,
and houses, and take them.
They defraud a man of his home, a fellow-man of his inheritance.'
Sorry Monty, soon I will write again of gardens. Merry Christmas ?
Paul.
11/12/12 I read an article published in the States by someone called Jed Diamond. It was shared on Twitter by Philippa Perry www.curtisbrown.co.uk/philippa-perry/ . The argument put forward is that mental illness is a myth - and that the whole earth is sick and needs fixing : 'The buildings are sick, the banking system's sick, the schools the streets - the sickness is out there. '
I have seen this insidious change for myself in the last 4 decades, but the process of movement toward global insanity continues at a faster pace. Belief, love, commitment, patience, rest are all being eroded by selfishness, stress, anxiety and an inability to rest, to take stock, to think about this earth, this lung, the thing that feeds and clothes us.
The disconnect is palpable - the anxiety, stress and anger is palpable. When we become disconnected from our roots we fail to thrive.
Our roots are not connected to our genius - but to the genius of the organism of the living planet. So often we assume the planet is in our own hands to do with as we please, but I believe that it is given to us, and that this is the fundamental difference.
14/12/12 'There is no rest for the wicked' is often quoted in a glib way - but the prospect of no rest is awful. There is no rest in many parts of this world, or even in our own lives. No rest, no rest. We always have to be somewhere, to be doing something We cut one another up with words and cars and supermarket trolleys.
16/12/12 I felt so sick at the news of the quiet nurse taking her own life, and the terrible massacre at that American school. I also witnessed on the BBC Panorama how the banks treat the less well off if they get into debt. I felt so angry that a 52 year old woman with a relatively small debt as a result of getting breast cancer and having to stop work whilst getting treatment - had her home repossessed. How can that be justified?
Why are financial institutions so incapable of caring for borrowers ? Can it not be written into their constitutions to care, to use discretion to endeavour to look after the poorest in society ? Is profit truly more important than life ? If our politicians represented love in action, faithfulness and justice I may be tempted to start voting again. However, I think they believe in bowing down to the god of the economy at all costs, and are afraid of offending the rich.
Micah the prophet wrote this about 2700 years ago :
'Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds!
At morning's light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.
They covet fields and seize them,
and houses, and take them.
They defraud a man of his home, a fellow-man of his inheritance.'
Sorry Monty, soon I will write again of gardens. Merry Christmas ?
Paul.
Hear, hear.
ReplyDelete