WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.

Menorgulating; A Kind Of Cogitation...

As last Friday's post may have indicated, I am currently in a slightly weird headspace. I recognise it. This is what tends to happen when there is a significant change working its way into the script. As with any good story, there is no hint of what is coming. I have many lofty, deep, meaningful thoughts and a heap of menorgulations. Definition? "Mind spew." So grab a cuppa and settle in - I'm off on a ramble.

Remember, dear reader, I am a philosopher. That is my essential nature. It means that thinking - the process of it - becomes my tool. It is not something that 'just happens.' It is the philosopher's task to explore and determine (as much as is possible) the meaning of things. All sorts of things. As with 'all sorts of things,' it is also true that various camps are set up where those of similar thinking congregate. Thus you will find several labels under the umbrella title of philosophy. Far from being an esoteric art, philosophy pertains to everyday life. True, it can become an avenue of intellectual gymnastics just as any subject studied at the tertiary level might, but ultimately we are all philosophers, and we all take a seat in one or other of the various camps. A clear, albeit simplistic, example is that of deciding whether one is an Atheist, Agnostic or Theist. Those, of course, pertain to a specific element of philosophy: metaphysical. The major fields of philosophy are epistemology (knowledge and truth), metaphysics (reality and being), logic (argumentation and reason), axiology (aesthetics and ethics), and political philosophy (the state and government). Within those, the branches are multifarious.



As one who naturally leaned into the camps of Realism (Logic) and Pragmatism (Epistemology), various life experiences ensured that I also had to acknowledge Mysticism (Metaphysic) as having validity. Upon being introduced to Advaita Vedanta (the Unified Understanding of All Knowledge), I immediately recognised my 'home camp'! Therein lay a sublime blend of all three named. Axiology occurs almost by default. 

The thing that stands separately, you will note, is that of politics. It is a field that definitely requires and deserves study. It is difficult to see it being of general service without the application of Ethics also... and in case anybody reading here has missed this bit of news, the current UK government (read, Prime Minister) is operating without the presence of an Ethics Advisor due to two resignations during his term in office by men who couldn't handle his approach to governance. There is something to be said, at least, for the fact that the British Gov't seeks to have such a post (though Boorish De Faffle Jinxson seems to be muttering about not bothering to replace the departed one). The following screenshot from an OECD document makes interesting reading - indeed, the whole thing does.

In the foreword of the document (it refers to itself as a book), it is stated;
In April 1998, the OECD Council Meeting at Ministerial level requested that a report be made on the implementation of the 1998 OECD Recommendation on Improving Ethical Conduct in the PublicService. This book is based on the results of the survey that was conducted in the 29 OECD countries.
(The bold and italics are my emphasis.) 

It is bad enough that many countries are falling somewhat short of expectations. Notable, though, is that India and Russia are not a part of this club. What is happening in India is little short of the stuff that was occurring in Germany in the 1930s... and - well - we all know what Russia is getting up to.

Still Raging
Though of late, as I was contemplating, ruminating, and formulating how this post might go, I had noted that all the flashy headlines of the war in the east have become almost a side column in the papers... and, as these things go, no sooner had I had that thought than the news sources themselves started to observe (and, I think, President Zelenskiy) the risk that they would fall into the background in much the same manner as other conflicts that remain in the world. It is not that we shouldn't have a focus on all news relevant to our own countries and societies - but all conflicts deserve to be acknowledged and remembered. Particularly this one in eastern Europe, for, let us be clear - while none of us sitting here reading this are hearing bombs or fighters on alert, have tanks passing our windows or are seeing streets littered with the debris of battle (including bodies), we are all being affected by these events. The inflationary factors on our households are in part due to the rush back from COVID (and don't get me started on that one resurging..), but also significantly due to restrictions and sanctions that have, quite correctly, been placed upon trade with Russia and the collateral damage to supplies from Ukraine.

Much of my menorgulating has been a reflection of such thoughts as these. One has to think these things through to decide how one is going to act on any given day. I know that I am using very much less power - not just because of budget constraints but for environmental awareness and the fact that - for now - I am tied as so many of us are to fossil fuel services for electric and natural gas. In doing my weekly grocery shop, I find what was obtainable at £20 is now up around the £30 mark, so the last two shops have been only essentials so as not to buy into the depressive cycle of 'I can't afford it.' We have become so used to easy access to stuff that we really don't need, albeit pleasant to have, and have fallen into the trap of thinking we are being deprived by not having, say, that name brand of butter over the generic supermarket product.

I have been studying alternative power options. They are not applicable to the Hutch, it being one of a set of six in a single unit, and I don't see my neighbours being up for routing out the convenience of electric and gas supply for a windmill in the back yard and solar on the roof. I know that I will have to make a move in the not-too-distant future if I want to have a lighter foothold on the environment. 

However, I also need that move for the sadhvi in me - the roving philosopher needs to be unbolted from this very static, almost rock-like existence that has befallen her. It is as if I am in a waiting room - a holding pattern before landing. As stated at the start, I know this sensation. It builds within, with all kinds of planning going on in the background and then when the time comes, BOOM! 

Then again, I also despair of the possibility that I may be here this time next year with nothing changed at all. Now that is a depressing thought...



13 comments:

  1. I like what you said ... and I like what aristotle saw many many moons ago....

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  2. In my 77 years, I lived in 22 different 'homes'. I dislike change in my life routine, but love to MOVE to other places. after a couple of years in one place, I want different space. Maybe your BOOM that is on the way is simply the desire to do/be/live somewhere else. I say think about where you would like to live and then come up with a plan to make it happen. I married a ROCK, once he is In Place, he will not be moved. I moved in a house he owned when we married and 4 years later we moved here and have been here for 33 years. I tried many many many times to get him to move. he refused. there is nothing wrong with where i live and I am happy here, I just like different living spaces.
    about Politics and philosophic, I read all of it. this is all I can say and it is my own humble opinion. Everyone has an opinion, to them it is the right one, that applies to ethics, to all things. On all subjects we either agree or disagree, and everyone thinks their thoughts are the right thoughts. we have on going problems between Bob and I because on almost every thing we think differently. when he says thats a fact, I say no, that is your opinion of the facts. even simple things. like he hates Ford cars and loves GM cars. that means Ford are not good cars... In my case I do know that others have differrent thoughts and am willing to not argue about them. he is not. i am rambling. good luck with your cogitation on the Big Boom

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    1. Hari OM
      Ramble away, that's what I'm here for! LOL - and that's the thing - it all comes down to personal view; difficulties arise when people do not know how to debate without getting irate. As soon as emotion enters the equation (and it's almost impossible for most folk to avoid it) then things can become murky. We find our 'camps'... and the problems can then be exacerbated as we only ever get reaffirmation of views rather than an expansion and exploration... hey ho.

      Yes, I do anticipate there will need to be a move - or I bite the bullet and upgrade the Hutch so that it feels like I moved!!! Watch this space... Yxx

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  3. So many thoughts, so much for you to take into consideration- must this be an individual move, are there any communities you could ‘join and live with’ who share your values or is that too far fetched an idea

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    1. Hari OM
      Not far-fetched... and to do that I would have to either return to India or Australia... and, frankly, that is financially and physically beyond me now. That said, being 'sadhvi' also means a tendency to the ascetic, solitary life; which is pretty much how I have lived throughout these first 63 years and is proably how I will be seeking to live however many remain. Yxx

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  4. YAM you gave us so much to ponder and wonder. You are a very deep thinker...
    Hugs
    Cecilia

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  5. I'm looking forward to finding out how your thoughts develop, and whether your decide to 'stick' or 'twist'!
    Cheers, Gail (who definitely likes to feel she is moored to a particular place, from where she can sally forth but always return.)

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  6. We are so happy nestled into our wetland. I sure you find that which gives you peace.
    Coincidentally, someone just popped in, asking if our place was for sale. We are hoping to go out feet first from here. JB's had a cough for 6 months, and I just don't know what is up with that. All the best. XX
    (ツ) from Cottage Country , ON, Canada!

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  7. Yam, I need to figure out how to get you a five window schoolie with 400 whatever units of solar on the roof and a composting toilet. Do you have BLM land in Scotland to live on for free?

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    1. Hari OM
      Oh, Joanne - you are so close!!! I am definitely considering van life - but have to await the settlement of dad's estate to see whether I can make that turn in the road of life... A Skoolie wouldn't quite work on the sheep tracks of Scotland, but a standard panel van would be fine. And yes, Scotland has many places for free camping and boondocking... YAM xx

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  8. I prefer to pursue my native spirituality and don’t consider my personal spiritual practices and beliefs as a form of “religion” like most Christians do. These spiritual beliefs and practices shape a part of my well-being. I have not been to a Pow-Wow in a long time, thanks for your thought! That have made me realize that I too need to work on my spirt! Yamini, you ROCK!

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  9. The times , they are a-changing:). We have much the same line of thoughts here with many of the same issues. Thanks for the thought-provoking post.

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  10. In the city where we live we have to option to choose the source of our electric power. We chose wind. Pa a few coin more a month but that is doing what we can. In the US we hear mostly about the Trump hearings, mass shootings, and overturn of Roe v Wade. I try to not even listen. namaste, janice xx

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