2018: At the Gates of Hell?

Photo: By Jean-Pierre Dalbéra

A few days later than advertised I thought it was time to put fingers to keyboard once again. I can hardly say pen to paper as so few of us do that anymore. In fact The Daily Telegraph reported a couple of days ago that the young generation were "embarrassed" to send "thank you" letters as they were afraid of misspelling and thought their handwriting was dreadful. The shame.

But seriously we don't "write" in the traditional sense anymore. We type. We don't send letters, just e-mails and PM's. We don't even need to go out to talk to our mates anymore. Everyone (except this blogger) has one of those mobile telephone things or can talk to loads of people all at once on Facebook as well as antagonise people we don't like.

My dislikes are political rather than personal but I have found my views and approach to politics is changing. In part because I now read a greater range of political views and factual content than I could before the advent of the Internet and find my tolerance levels varying on the subjects I choose to discuss, blog or when feeling a little belligerent rant about!

Al of us are prone to these changes and as social media expands with more members of wider society commenting on political and social affairs than ever before we are faced with an avalanche of opinion, some true, some false, some requiring taking sides, most forcing us to take a side. The demand of the internet is ever endless.

This year more than ever has been a challenging one. In part due to the fact that this time last year I was in intensive care, in pain and paralysed. I got worse in the new year losing 40% of my body-weight and virtually giving up until with the help of doctors and the encouragement of nurses and physios I learnt to talk, eat and eventually even walk again. I am deeply indebted to the NHS which is and always should be there for all of us, our families and friends to use. 

Free at the point of entry and part of the welfare state that is necessary to prevent those too ill or incapable of falling into abject poverty and despair. The one we have is far from perfect and there will always be demands for more no matter how much money is spent on these services.

The key to that success will be a stable and strong economy based on profitable businesses with workers paid a fair wage and taxes paid by all to ensure our safety net including protection from criminals, terrorists and would be invaders are kept at bay.

This country has a rich history which we should be mostly proud of. Britain has made mistakes, taken wrong turns and not always been the good guy but it was the Royal Navy that was instrumental in suppressing the slave trade despite our earlier participation. We need make no apologies or be asked for any for the actions of our forefathers.

The emergence of those wishing to re-write history, pull down statutes and make us feel bad about ourselves have been loud in recent years. Our universities have been centres of suppression of ideas rather than stimulating the necessary debate we need as a nation and humanity to move forward, The past is set in stone. The future is not.

Social media has seen people tear each other apart mostly over Brexit but over censorship trans vs women's rights. The bullies have the upper hand. The opposition party in the UK has become a breeding ground for racism, misogyny and intolerance as the monster around the false messiah takes hold.

Whilst I continue to recover society is becoming ill around me. Intolerance, hate, intellectual bullying both real and subliminal as people become afraid to speak out lest they commit the ultimate offence, to offend someone, somewhere and be denounced for hate speech.

Sometimes it's necessary to take it on the chin or as a Christian might put it turn the other cheek. But there are those who seek to stop us from having a free and open society. The Marxists are rising on the left hiding in plain site behind Corbyn's apron. 

Further to the right there are those who think they are hard done by because they feel forgotten. the white working class, now probably the bottom rung in politicians priorities as they race to be politically correct adding women to their list of victims of the new fascism of political correctness. Big Brother is growing.

This has not been a good year for me, you or for politics in general. The political classes have let us down badly. From Brexit to the demands of the trans-males society is in a mess. There is little hope for change as the current generation of politicians are too useless or cowardly to act. A plethora of new parties have sprung up offering Utopian and bizarre solutions that will satisfy only a small section of society . 

A democratic secular future where discussion is open and free from coercion is the aim we should all have. It may never be reached but should always be striven for. No story, no politician, no holy book should be exempt from a critical appraisal. Those that threaten violence when their ideologies and theologies are opposed or satirised are just weak like ultimately all bullies are.

The fight is on for the individual. Let's make the 21st Century about the rights of mankind. These trump all politics, all religions. Utopian? Perhaps. I live in greater hope than before. Perhaps facing my own mortality has shown me there is nothing else to fear and gives me the strength to take up that fight.