Grumpy Old Man!

Well let's face it - everything's relative isn't it! (Rhetorical).

Grumpy? Well, increasingly so I fear as the world order changes to one that instead of being inclusive seems to revel in introspection, intolerance and isolation; a lack of compassion and, as I have said before, a lot of people with a sense of entitlement. Old? Only some days - but in general not really, and now that Li Ka Shing has set a new benchmark for retirement ages I've got a while to go. Man? Yeh, well, that's what I put on official forms.

I have a page on Wikipedia, and I sometimes wonder whether anyone bothers to look at it. I don't, not these days anyway - mainly because it is out of date and was in some cases inaccurate, so I used to look at it to see if anyone was "tinkering" with the information. I didn't put it there in the first place (and I don't know who did), and I cannot correct it because the information apparently comes from self-published sources, whatever they are. I am still compos mentis enough to know what I am doing, so heaven knows why I can't amend this "false information". And yet I still get asked to make a contribution to keep Wikipedia going, so why the heck should I? Anyway, there is a phrase at the end of the page that reads "...and he intends to remain in Hong Kong". Really?

As often happens in life, things change. These days, actually, a little too often it seems. We live in a disposable society with the things we buy to wear; with the jobs we have for three years and then move on; with the relationships that are supposed to be for life but which end up on the scrap heap after a few years because one or the other person got "bored" or they had an argument. Life itself seems to be a pretty disposable commodity these days - look at Syria at present, Da'esh - beaten temporarily perhaps, but coming to a community near you unless (or perhaps even if) you are vigilant; schools in the USA, until they do something about the gun laws, and I applaud the students who have found their voice. I sincerely hope they keep their interest, and use their votes when they have them.

Let's face it - even if the above is not enough, there are a few other things I get grumpy about.

Back in the day when I tried my hand at singing folk songs, and admittedly I was far better in the shower where no-one else could hear me, there were all sorts of things to sing about, but I would be much more careful about singing Tom Paxton's songs "Natural Girl" or "My Lady's a Wild Flying Dove" today, in case I offended someone. And open a door for a lady today, when I might get a string of abuse for being courteous, or walking on the outside of a woman to afford protection from cars that splash or drive off the road - forget it! Well, actually, I cannot forget it because despite the strident voices - and I am the first to admit that there is plenty to be strident about when properly focused and directed (I am not totally insensitive) - the majority of people that I am fortunate enough to know DO still like to have life's little courtesies observed. 

But back to Hong Kong.

Do I intend to remain here and anyway - who actually cares what I intend to do? I may stay in Hong Kong, I may not. There is still much to do, a lot to see. While I have something of a brain left and can contribute - I want to think I can be useful. But rather than spending my time left on this earth being grumpy and getting fed up with people who I may consider to be stupid - even when others do not - why not just try for once to be a decent human being. Tolerant of others, although not standing for irrational impositions. Understanding another point of view and stating clearly your own but recognising that you are not always right. (Hard one for me!!). Or as someone considerably more eloquent of word than myself wrote in an article I read the other day " ... there isn't much alternative to being kind-hearted in thought as well as action".  I would like to help guide my grandchildren down the modern pathway that is opening up in front of them. A totally different pathway from mine - and I would be wrong to try and mould them in an old-fashioned way.

Maybe I'm just grumpy because I see an end to all of this. We have more than a smattering of self-important and senseless politicians in it for themselves and not their constituents, and certain world leaders trying to gain an upper hand here, or an advantage there. People trying to impose their own will on an unwilling public through persuasive oratory, and ultimately on an unwilling world. Forget the warmongers, the land grabbers, the power hungry - think more about our resources that are getting stretched. Water is becoming more scarce and unless things change soon and we find some answers, we are going to have wars over those resources. 

The students in America are standing up for what they see is wrong with their gun laws. Perhaps we need a few grumpy old men to use their wisdom and common sense to try and turn this enormous global tanker away from destruction ... but it's not going to happen, is it?

Comments

[John D]

Let each of us get on with each our own path through life, to the best of our own individual inclinations and abilities, without trying to live life for any other person, and without trying to second-guess anyone.

From that point of view, keep going David: you provide an interesting and well-seasoned commentary.

Kind regards.

[know jack shit, politely put]

Hi David,
Skal/cheers to 2018, and good runes for the year ahead, 'Wine enters, secret goes out', or 'in vino veritas'!
There is something to be said for the Vikings mentality or lack thereof.

Lets ban guns, knifes, pen knifes, ropes, pointy things, and so on... Lets ban planes, they may cause fatalities, or cars, etc. In essence maybe the problem may basically be, a lack of realistic perspective in a real world, this was not a issue a generation or two back. Or the 'nub' of the problem, is a real time lack of moralistic perspective in the world today, or am i just an old viking, or less than pc zombie?
Compromise and factual thinking eventually rule the day, whatever our opinions are.