When my first dog died, and said to a friend that I'm not sure if I could get another, because the pain was so great. She then said that the pain I felt, a suffering to my bones, was a demonstration of the love that we have for our tiny friends, and a testament to the love of our household. I'm sorry for your loss, know that your pain is because you have a good heart. Unlike the person's in discussion in your articles.
When it comes to US, UK, and Canadian citizens voting for the same people, it's ultimately due to the heavy, relentless, and highly successful propaganda that they've been subjected to by their politicians and mainstream media for these past couple of decades.
And especially in the case of the US, it's also the consistent praising and uplifting of its military, such that it's ingrained into the citizens as something that's highly patriotic. Hence, a lot of people don't really question the narratives behind the wars, conflicts, and military expansion that the US political class pushes for.
I agree about the propaganda. But nowadays with a huge range of alternative media there is little excuse for ignoring the contradictions in the mainstream media narrative--other than simply not caring. We need to get people to care again.
Yeah. I feel that one main factor is that people just watch the news passively without applying critical and rational thinking.
Cause if they truly did, then sooner or later they'd realize that a number of things being said and discussed in the mainstream media contradict one another and don't really make sense.
"Being president means never having to say you're sorry."
But it means we'll be sorry for having elected him in the first place. That's why it's time to dump the duopoly that is forever beholden to the military industrial complex.
(Sorry about Jet. May happy memories of your time together give you comfort.)
Yes .as one of my commenters mentioned, Trump is not an improvement. He is different from Biden in personality but he represents the same people-- the countries owners, all 500 of them. Lavrov recently commented that he didn't expect to see any change in US policy with Trump in power. As long as people feel they have to build either Democrat or Republican, the country will continue its collapse.
Thank you for your condolences about Jet. To be a good human, one must be a good animal first .
Good question to pursue Julian. What is this killing about!
If one says you can get away with it one equates that with the antics of a mink killing a very chicken in the coup regardless of its appetite.
It’s not restricted to humans but animals as well .
Think of the slaughter of the Buffalo, the Passenger Pigeon, and now we are the midst of a human caused huge extinction of earths creatures brought about by this unanswered question.
Good article, steadfast cat you had the pleasure of sharing company with.
In case of minks, they have a kill and cache mentality-- meaning they kill is much as they can – and try to hide the extra meat. Human beings are not natural predators like minks. We are the most social of social animals and highly neotenous, which predisposes us to play rather than predation. Hunting and gathering peoples are by and large respectful of the environment upon which they depend directly. With the Neolithic 10,000 years ago and climate change, we invented "civilizations", none of which last very long-- due to their lack of environmental alienation and the need for violence to maintain social structure and hierarchy.
Very sorry for your loss. Better times ahead. Agree with most of what you say about "Mad dogs and American presidents". The US has turned towards uninhibited militarism to the detriment of the majority of its mostly ignorant and distracted citizens, but for the benefit of a select few. Won't change until there is a popular uprising.
Sadly I agree with you. Nothing changes without a popular uprising. But that will not happen until the public suffers enough pain.
Thank you also for your condolences. My other cat Ichi was first depressed; then searched for his missing friend..,.. Animals are like that. My friend in New Zealand had a pony which died and was buried on their farm. His Labrador Gracie spent a week sleeping on the grave.
Sorry for your loss Julian. Our animal friends are with us for such a short period but typically for all of their lives. They are a memento mori. Grieve for Jet and stay well
Thank you John. I had few friends as a child and adolescent and a very dysfunctional family. I got support from animals-- dogs and horses first of all-- and a way of understanding the world. I am thankful for their mentoring.
A powerful and moving essay on all fronts. The sadness and devastation of personal loss is palpable and my condolences on your loss of Jet. The sentience and spirit is strong in many of our furry friends, leaving an indelible imprint on us forever.
As for the power and propensity to bring loss and devastation to others as a matter of projection of power for its own sake -with impunity and without remorse- …”Why?” indeed. I suppose that’s the answer right there. Just because they can. No wisdom. No compassion. No just-ness. As a citizen it’s easy to feel powerless. But at the very least the first step is to stop supporting them. Voting for the lesser of two evils is no choice at all. I’ll bring my own lunch if that’s what They’re serving up.
In fact, besides Jet, I lost three good friends in the space of two months. Death is not the meaning of life – rather its denial. But it reminds us of the importance of life and the necessity to protect it. I think that is most important these days with so many people dying unnecessarily in Gaza, Ukraine and other places-- and our leaders uncaring.
Scott Horton is my favourite political podcaster. Blocked & Reported covers the social angle. Radiolab covers the wonders of our world. Between those three, everyone's life would be educated, moral and enriched.
Regards drones, Trump was the worst because he changed the rules do that he wouldn't have to make the final decision on each assassination, and thus be responsible.
I think it's hard to compare Obama and Trump. Trump appears to have carried out more airstrikes in four years than Obama did in eight. I think you're correct. Trump didn't want to take responsibility. He preferred to leave it up to the military and not publish details. Obama publish numbers-- but the statistics were really fake . But he didn't want to take responsibility either. His methods of evading responsibility were different but no less reprehensible. I would suggest that the military was the driving force for the increased use of drones, partly because militaries drone technology and training programs were developing and maturing. Military-industrial complex was naturally eager to see its products used. More money invested in development. More money generally.
"…before any strike is taken, there must be near-certainty that no civilians will be killed or injured -- the highest standard we can set. Barak Obama".
That is utter nonsense, for a start. What, exactly, is a "civilian"? Presumably anyone other than a signed-up, paid, uniformed soldier, sailor, airman or terrorist (sorry, "member of special forces"). Is a CIA or MI6 agent who is spying in order to enable more people to be killed? How about a goatherd or school child who has seen her parents and the rest of her family dying in agony after a bomb or rocket strike? How can any Palestinian be other than a civilian when, according to Western governments, there is no Palestinian state to have armed forces?
As a wise man said, a suicide bomber is the poor man's air force. As well as needing far more courage and conviction than an air force pilot who sits in a comfortable cockpit dropping bombs on people whose dead bodies and hideous injuries he will not have to see.
The French Resistance were all civilians, as were partisans in the USSR.
I can't really find the right words for the Obamas. "Uncle Tom" doesn't really capture it, as the Deep State is colour-blind (apart from gold and silver). They masqueraded as the rescuers of the poor, the oppressed, and minorities - then let them down heavily as soon as they were in power. Disgusting.
We do like to play with living. I think our abstract brain creating these virtual
Civilizations has a serious flaw in its make up .
Violence!
Returning to who we really are is looking like fun for the young by going “feral.”?
Thanks Julian .
When my first dog died, and said to a friend that I'm not sure if I could get another, because the pain was so great. She then said that the pain I felt, a suffering to my bones, was a demonstration of the love that we have for our tiny friends, and a testament to the love of our household. I'm sorry for your loss, know that your pain is because you have a good heart. Unlike the person's in discussion in your articles.
When it comes to US, UK, and Canadian citizens voting for the same people, it's ultimately due to the heavy, relentless, and highly successful propaganda that they've been subjected to by their politicians and mainstream media for these past couple of decades.
And especially in the case of the US, it's also the consistent praising and uplifting of its military, such that it's ingrained into the citizens as something that's highly patriotic. Hence, a lot of people don't really question the narratives behind the wars, conflicts, and military expansion that the US political class pushes for.
I agree about the propaganda. But nowadays with a huge range of alternative media there is little excuse for ignoring the contradictions in the mainstream media narrative--other than simply not caring. We need to get people to care again.
Yeah. I feel that one main factor is that people just watch the news passively without applying critical and rational thinking.
Cause if they truly did, then sooner or later they'd realize that a number of things being said and discussed in the mainstream media contradict one another and don't really make sense.
"Being president means never having to say you're sorry."
But it means we'll be sorry for having elected him in the first place. That's why it's time to dump the duopoly that is forever beholden to the military industrial complex.
(Sorry about Jet. May happy memories of your time together give you comfort.)
Yes .as one of my commenters mentioned, Trump is not an improvement. He is different from Biden in personality but he represents the same people-- the countries owners, all 500 of them. Lavrov recently commented that he didn't expect to see any change in US policy with Trump in power. As long as people feel they have to build either Democrat or Republican, the country will continue its collapse.
Thank you for your condolences about Jet. To be a good human, one must be a good animal first .
Good question to pursue Julian. What is this killing about!
If one says you can get away with it one equates that with the antics of a mink killing a very chicken in the coup regardless of its appetite.
It’s not restricted to humans but animals as well .
Think of the slaughter of the Buffalo, the Passenger Pigeon, and now we are the midst of a human caused huge extinction of earths creatures brought about by this unanswered question.
Good article, steadfast cat you had the pleasure of sharing company with.
In case of minks, they have a kill and cache mentality-- meaning they kill is much as they can – and try to hide the extra meat. Human beings are not natural predators like minks. We are the most social of social animals and highly neotenous, which predisposes us to play rather than predation. Hunting and gathering peoples are by and large respectful of the environment upon which they depend directly. With the Neolithic 10,000 years ago and climate change, we invented "civilizations", none of which last very long-- due to their lack of environmental alienation and the need for violence to maintain social structure and hierarchy.
Very sorry for your loss. Better times ahead. Agree with most of what you say about "Mad dogs and American presidents". The US has turned towards uninhibited militarism to the detriment of the majority of its mostly ignorant and distracted citizens, but for the benefit of a select few. Won't change until there is a popular uprising.
Sadly I agree with you. Nothing changes without a popular uprising. But that will not happen until the public suffers enough pain.
Thank you also for your condolences. My other cat Ichi was first depressed; then searched for his missing friend..,.. Animals are like that. My friend in New Zealand had a pony which died and was buried on their farm. His Labrador Gracie spent a week sleeping on the grave.
Sorry for your loss Julian. Our animal friends are with us for such a short period but typically for all of their lives. They are a memento mori. Grieve for Jet and stay well
Thank you John. I had few friends as a child and adolescent and a very dysfunctional family. I got support from animals-- dogs and horses first of all-- and a way of understanding the world. I am thankful for their mentoring.
A powerful and moving essay on all fronts. The sadness and devastation of personal loss is palpable and my condolences on your loss of Jet. The sentience and spirit is strong in many of our furry friends, leaving an indelible imprint on us forever.
As for the power and propensity to bring loss and devastation to others as a matter of projection of power for its own sake -with impunity and without remorse- …”Why?” indeed. I suppose that’s the answer right there. Just because they can. No wisdom. No compassion. No just-ness. As a citizen it’s easy to feel powerless. But at the very least the first step is to stop supporting them. Voting for the lesser of two evils is no choice at all. I’ll bring my own lunch if that’s what They’re serving up.
Thank you for the comment.
In fact, besides Jet, I lost three good friends in the space of two months. Death is not the meaning of life – rather its denial. But it reminds us of the importance of life and the necessity to protect it. I think that is most important these days with so many people dying unnecessarily in Gaza, Ukraine and other places-- and our leaders uncaring.
I'm so sorry for your loss of Jet.
Thank you for your kind words.
Sorry to hear about Jet.
Thank you.
Scott Horton is my favourite political podcaster. Blocked & Reported covers the social angle. Radiolab covers the wonders of our world. Between those three, everyone's life would be educated, moral and enriched.
Regards drones, Trump was the worst because he changed the rules do that he wouldn't have to make the final decision on each assassination, and thus be responsible.
I think it's hard to compare Obama and Trump. Trump appears to have carried out more airstrikes in four years than Obama did in eight. I think you're correct. Trump didn't want to take responsibility. He preferred to leave it up to the military and not publish details. Obama publish numbers-- but the statistics were really fake . But he didn't want to take responsibility either. His methods of evading responsibility were different but no less reprehensible. I would suggest that the military was the driving force for the increased use of drones, partly because militaries drone technology and training programs were developing and maturing. Military-industrial complex was naturally eager to see its products used. More money invested in development. More money generally.
And we ain't geniuses, just retelling their tradition.
"…before any strike is taken, there must be near-certainty that no civilians will be killed or injured -- the highest standard we can set. Barak Obama".
That is utter nonsense, for a start. What, exactly, is a "civilian"? Presumably anyone other than a signed-up, paid, uniformed soldier, sailor, airman or terrorist (sorry, "member of special forces"). Is a CIA or MI6 agent who is spying in order to enable more people to be killed? How about a goatherd or school child who has seen her parents and the rest of her family dying in agony after a bomb or rocket strike? How can any Palestinian be other than a civilian when, according to Western governments, there is no Palestinian state to have armed forces?
As a wise man said, a suicide bomber is the poor man's air force. As well as needing far more courage and conviction than an air force pilot who sits in a comfortable cockpit dropping bombs on people whose dead bodies and hideous injuries he will not have to see.
The French Resistance were all civilians, as were partisans in the USSR.
I can't really find the right words for the Obamas. "Uncle Tom" doesn't really capture it, as the Deep State is colour-blind (apart from gold and silver). They masqueraded as the rescuers of the poor, the oppressed, and minorities - then let them down heavily as soon as they were in power. Disgusting.
Mijn condoleances Julian...🙏
Sander
Thank you Sander.
Je vous présente mes sincères condoléances pour JET. Joe
Merci, Joe.