The lost undertaker, Canberra

(Image source: here )

Going through an internet loop, I came across an article 'Mysterious undertaker riding a coffin appears on Australian lake' and was thunderstruck when I read that the 'Australian lake' in question was Canberra's very own (man-made!) Lake Burley-Griffin.

Was a literary archetype (Villain? Hero? Friendly reminder that death comes to us all?) here in the country's capital the whole time I've lived here? Did he float in from another state? And that most silly question people ask 'why would he do this, what does he want?' apparently when Mashable tried to contact a person they speculated was 'The Lost Undertaker' as he has come to be known, they received this email, apparently not from the figure they thought might be him.

'Unlike Superman, Robin Hood, Zorro, Spiderman, Batman and Wonderwoman, who all revealed their identity to the detriment of their purpose; The Lost Undertaker wishes to hide his true identity. His purpose is to give hope to the oppressed and put the fear of God into the oppressors, villains and rogues that surround us all.'

I for one kind of love this! This obsession people have with 'knowing' who people are dilutes the magic and perhaps the message (The Stig comes to mind). A solitary figure paddling around in the misty morning is an image many won't be able to remove from their mind, particularly when around the lake.

(Image source: here )

(Image source here )

(Image cource here )

(Image source here )

Some of the people in the linked articles talked to him:

“We asked 'coffin man,' 'Where are you going'? His response was, 'To Queanbeyan cemetery as I have a 3 p.m. grave site to prepare,’

The imagery and mystery he has managed to conjure is bang on, especially if he just wants to (perhaps, merely my own speculation) remind us all that in the end, death comes to us all.

(Image source here )

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CODA: And maps and plans

A very beautiful animated short well worth your time to see

Wonderful! By And maps and plans

Sourcce: Youtube, as above

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Finally accessible lofty academic ideals...

(Source: School of life Youtube channel, link below)

The School of Life Youtube channel, here, is one of my favourite internet pit stops. In my weekly round up of trying to understand world events, and not be crushed by them, the School of life has a great narrative, a philosophical, slightly melancholy, but most importantly- an understandable narrative.

Though still a student (people love boxes and labels and people to put in the boxes with labels!) I find it frustrating and to be perfectly frank- annoying- how lofty academic ideals are held up on a pedestal, accessed by only the smartest most wonderful academics. NO! This is one of the places where the internet demonstrates its charm, in an age of information, ignorance is a choice.

The internet connects us with many dialogues, many ideas, many idealists. It can be an important tool (and at times, a weapon) of trying to further understand the world we are in. Many great works of art, literature, music and social commentary are at our fingertips. 

We can share a laugh with others: (Source: Sassy Socialist Memes, via their Facebook page)

We can access history, PDF's of books, documentaries. Philosophy, history and politics are for everyone, and for those with a greater interest, finally these academic ideas which remained so high on a much-praised shelf of inaccessible academia, are being widely proliferated for anyone to see.

Of course, though one must navigate a few crazy keyboard warriors and find primary sources and verify their facts, as the dark side of the internet is that any ridiculous view, no matter how extreme will be shared by someone else with an internet connection.

I love the work the School of Life Youtube channel showcases, finally 'big ideas' are broken down and shared in an arena where perhaps we can share a sense of perspective.

Images as credited

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Fearful for meaningful future employment

(Banksy above)

I am genuinely obsessed with this video:

Courtesy of CGP Grey. 

BUT! Check this out:

The novelty may seem great, and I am sure it's kind of like self-serve at the supermarket or people don't see it too differently, but is anyone else out there scared from a meaningful employment future if jobs, particularly jobs that are relied upon due to their lower skill set (not a judgement, as someone who has been a bartender and a checkout chick, I am well aware of how patronising society at large can be at times, it's not the job, it's the assumption from some that you can't do anything else) become increasingly robotised and computerised, where does that leave the 'unskilled' sector of the labour force?

Sure, new jobs are being created, and many reports have come out saying that the jobs our kids will be doing are not even known yet, but what happens if automation catches up at a much higher rate than we realise? Specialisation isn't the economic sanctity it was once revered as, all jobs are mildly at threat.

I must sound like a fringe dwelling whackadoo, but there are a lot of people out there starting to speak up about the threat of automation, I just hope we can realise this and move appropriately and progress appropriately to accommodate

What a world! 17 years of education potentially rendered useless by some plastic, wires and programming, going to read Sartre to comfort myself!

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Opinion Peace and Moral Absolutism

^ Does anyone else wonder if there will ever be such a thing, particularly on social media, as "opinion peace". The whole point of civil society is we can express different points of view without fear of retribution. Of course this means the right to conflicting opinions, but with the genius/stupidity of the design of the 'share' button, I wonder how many people stop and question the rhetoric or reductionist logic behind things that they sometimes post.

Some of the things I see that people clearly have not even begun to try to understand the 'bigger picture' behind something, results in an un-follow at the least. Some of the memes that get circulated are so simplistic and people seem to believe it's an accurate portrayal of sentiment, or a proper argument, when it is everything but. 

It's difficult: by staying silent are you 'letting them get away with it' or by arguing/ defending a point, are you egging them on and just giving them a power-trip and thus a platform soap box to preach their disdain? Social media is seemingly distorting this line between what is and isn't acceptable to shove in people's faces.

Much of the terribly reductionist nationalistic racist crap that circulates, I wonder if people pick up on the fact that this does come back to them, this safe distance between a post on your computer and actually telling someone to their face you think their religion or lifestyle is not acceptable- any coward can push a button and be a keyboard warrior. Some of the nationalistic rhetoric I see posted, I wonder if people would have the courage to say that to someone's face, if so I would be horrified.

Social Media isn't a great place for Moral Absolutism. Moral absolutism is in itself troubling enough, but to pit vague on-line friendships in the camps of "with me" or "against me" is a good way for no one to care about any of what you have to say.

It's just difficult. Everyone wants to feel like their views matter and that they're important, and informed on the world around them, the difficulty is that not many people question their base assumptions, and let memes do the talking that perhaps should be engaged in face to face, instead of enraged 'viewers' who simultaneously feel connected and disconnected.

When you think abstractedly and question everything naturally, it's hard to ignore the massive world of general ignorance the internet has given us access to, at our angry and dependent fingertips....

All pics from Tumblr

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Some more Leunigs for you

The last one is probably my favourite, a glimpse of hope for those who move away from how our world tells us we must be, whilst overlooking all the problems humanity faces in keeping with an unjust system

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All from the appreciation Tumblr

10 for today

A German Danse Macabre from the 18th century. Everyone is taking part in the 'Danse Macabre' (dance of death) from the lowliest peasant to the royal family. No one escapes the dance of death.

A clock from the German town of Augsburg, 1640. The figure is wearing a funerary wreath, and is holding an arrow, the tip of which displays the time.

News from Nowhere. William Morris is pretty kickass

Mihoko Ogaki site here brilliant sculptures releasing starlight from corporeal forms, so beautiful

Michal Trpak sculptures. Truly brilliant! More here at his wonderful website

BRILLIANT!!! See here! Edible delicious Momento Mori's! What more could you want in cake?

In Finnish, Northern lights are called “Lights of the Fox”. It comes from the old beliefs, that says the lights come from the fox tail hitting the snow.

Artist: Linda Piekäinen, Link on artist's page: https://www.facebook.com/artbypiekainen

Read more about the brilliant Beltane here we need more festivals and feast days, they should be brought back! Tom Hodgkinson, editor of the Idler and writer of some of my favourite books, champions the treasuring of old world customs and festivals. If I lived in the UK, I would never stop obscure festival-ing.

The strange tale of the green children of Woolpit, folklore? real? Decide for yourself here

And the dancing plague of 1518! What a brilliant piece of history this is! More here. History that seems to border on the edge of myth and myth that seems to have genuinely been a part of history, is one of my favourite spheres to exist in mentally!

What about you? :)

All pics from Tumblr unless linked to site

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Crisis of Meaning in the 21st Century: Part Two

 In a time of increased connectivity, how are people who feel disconnected from society meant to play a role in a confused system that they do not wish to participate in.

There is a 'crisis of meaning' that is palatable some days.

Status, social media and the ideas of success and failure prevail in all countries, but in industrialised or 'developed' countries, there is a sharp increase in suicides and social problems. How are we to assign meaning, or bring it back on our own terms, not just as individuals, but collectively so we begin to see a narrative that does not include just ourselves.

I will not pretend to have any answers, who does for such structural and social inequity.

The above chart perfectly demonstrates the onset of the existential crisis. 

What an eye-opener studying politics can be. I recommend it for those who are civic minded, I do not recommend it for people who believe the system is justified, perfectly balanced and working.

How is anyone meant to have a proper think about meaning and meaninglessness when the greats of the 20th century (well, those of prominent cultural influence and acceptance) offer polarised views?

One negative side effect of the industrial revolution was that it displaced many workers. Many people had to be a 'jack of all trades' or specialised in one thing above their other skill sets, which got completely replaced by machines. Automation and increases in technology are growing by the second, there are a series of videos available about robot bartenders. Many jobs will be replaced within a few technological generations, it will be interesting to see how quickly people allow machines to take even more jobs. The idea of working less with machinery around, in terms of the modern work week, is a myth. Poor Adam Smith actually had quite strong humanist views, and his economic papers got cherry-picked by economists and people who push for growth for growth's sake.

How are people meant to find meaning with their lives if they can't find meaningful work. We must define success in our own terms, and remember that comparison is the thief of joy.

If you start to talk to people about how machines are evolving rapidly, they just think you're a fundy whackjob, paranoid about Skynet. When firms adopt technology that decreases human costs to their business, and increases profit over employment, legislators will undoubtedly have an interesting time.

A great pictographic from Lapham's Quarterly, from here

This whole post is mainly a series of fracture thoughts, as I am sure is apparent. It is just demonstrative of the nature of the direction a large part of the world is heading into, the championing of technology and growth for growths sake, whilst ignoring the endemic social problems in their own backyard. We may have great innovation, but we have a growing suicide rate. We may have low funemployment levels, but technology is replacing jobs very quickly.

Confused?

Me too.

All pics via Tumblr

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