Have you noticed how movies set in the future unfailingly paint a picture of a burnt, bleak and desolate place? I wonder if β in the same way the once confronting and seemingly exaggerated senseless violence portrayed in A Clockwork Orange has become a daily reality today β a desolate, desperate, anarchic, dog-eat-anything world, a kind of global Mogadishu, might actually be our future. Nevertheless, I believe the world would be a better place if those in charge were soft centred and made plans accordingly.
It seems to me the best way to move anything is to push in the same direction. But given the nature of politics and self serving, entrenched, incompetent and often corrupt behaviour of elected representatives throughout history, I have no idea how this could be achieved short of revolution followed by a benign dictatorship, if such a utopian state were even possible. If you believe the polls, Australians agree on some things but are divided about issues like global warming and illegal refugees.
And the recent election seems to suggest that the majority of Aussies prefer a hard line approach to both. Part of me says there is a genuine desire for greater compassion in society, that we are all sick and tired of the incompetent, profligate and self serving behaviour of governments and certain elements within big business β that we long for a kinder and more humane world.
Has universal compassion and concern for our world and humankind in general been replaced by self-serving myopia? Have we hardened in our hearts, or have we just lost heart?
Given the lack of leadership and vision, back flipping and hypocrisy that permeates every level of government from your local council to Washington DC, is it any wonder we are strapped by chronic cynicism? If you were a teenager today who would you be looking up to? Who would you follow? Whose vision would capture your imagination and ignite your passion?
