Strange thing Human Nature. As my father used to say 'Everyone's funny except me and thee and thee's a bit peculiar'.
Yes - in the main we have all got two arms, two legs, a head and a body and all the dangly bits that Nature added to make certain we don't die out as a species. But there the similarity ends.
Reading The Times this morning over my "after breakfast" coffee just endorsed this view. Do you remember the (very good) 1995 TV adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice"? If you watched it and you are a woman then I hardly think you need reminding of the moment when Mr Darcy walked out of the lake towards Elizabeth with his very wet fancy shirt sticking to his body. (Pause here while I compose myself - I might be 91 but some things keep going to the bitter end).
But what endorses my view on Human Nature is that at a Sale in London this week that same shirt (dry and just an ordinary rather fancy shirt but without Colin Firth inside it)was bought by somebody (wait for it) for £25,000!
If you had £25,000 going spare what would you do with it? Invest it? Buy Premim Bonds? Give it to a needy friend? Give it to your child towards a deposit on his/her first home? Buy a new car?
I could go on with that list for ever couldn't I? Money buys THINGS. Money doesn't stop wars. Money doesn't stop young people dying. Money doesn't stop Homelessness or people starving all over the world. There is truth in the statement that 'the rich get rich and the poor get poorer'.
And would you believe that just because Victoria Beckham had to use 'Cool Crutches' when she went to the Paris Fashion show, same black 'Cool Crutches' searches rose by 350 % and sales increased by 70%.
Try explaining that to a starving Palestinian, or a homeless young man sleeping under a leaking shelter on a pouring wet night, or a man or woman from Afghanistan who has struggled across half the world and is crossing the Channel as I write this, in a boat not much more seaworthy than a child's plastic paddling pool.
Human Nature has a lot to answer for.
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35 comments:
And that shirt...to appease USA sensibilities, he had to wear a specially designed under vest so that none of the details of his body shape would show....
Yes, they can find money for war but not peace...every single one of them
As gz says, seemingly money can be found for war but not for peace. My heart sinks a little lower every time some worthless souvenir worn or used by a 'celebrity' sells for ridiculous money. I just don't understand the need to own that sort of thing for that sort of money.
If only all spending on wars, space travel and the like could be stopped for at least a year and all billionaires had one million pounds/dollars confiscated, so much could be done to provide everyone on the planet with clean drinking water and enough basic food to eat. I doubt we will ever all live in peace with each other, but at least people could have some basics.
There is no understanding it. Like fads that people go crazy over, and then a year later the stuff is in the thrift stores. Thankfully I have never suffered from celebrity worship. It's foolish and such a waste.
A friend of ours is a member of a Native tribe here in the US. The tribe owns some businesses, and for each child born a fund is started. The profits from the businesses are shared into these funds so that by the time the child is 21 there is upwards of $100,000 waiting for them. Then for the rest of their life they get a monthly check. Socialism? Yes, but eveey member of that tribe has a basic income and enough money when reaching adulthood to get a start on life. If only all communities could share resources like this, how much better this world would be.
Oh Pat, you made me laugh (hunky Darcy) and think in this post! Yes, the excesses around us confound me. If I did have loads of money, it wouldn't be for boats, or
useless crap like "fashionable" crutches. I would be giving it to causes that so need it, animal shelters, homeless shelters, food banks and the likes. Sometimes, though, the never-ending need makes me feel as though I am bailing water with a thimble. Has anything really improved? Are there less hungry or homeless? Fewer stray animals? I think that ever since humans crawled out of the primordial ooze, we brought with us our worst aspects as well as our best. Maybe we cannot escape the laws of physics, even in our humanness, that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. I just don't know.
I have no answers but people spend a lot of money on ridiculous things.
You are so spot on, Pat. You keep me thinking in a world where I’d simply like to shut the shutters on many days or if I venture too closely to the daily news. Money to burn or throw away like you mention just seems so disrespectful to life. So sad. So for now I’ll go see if I can find a replay of that hunky Mr. Darcy. Thank you.
Good morning dear Pat. I was so pleased to see a post from you as you always help me to "put my thinking cap on" We are not wealthy but we are comfortable. We would never dream of buying something ridiculous as you and your readers here share. I have no desire to own something just because someone wore it or once owned it - that seems insane to me! As for helping those in need we try to give directly if possible as many organizations in the USA pay big money to those in charge of charities while little gets "down" to those that truly need it.
Jackie
Pat, your recent postings have been a tad opposite to me, perhaps it's just you rounding up all the best parts of a long life.
A life that seems to have started with a sheltered childhood, with perfect parents, going to church, classical music, (both playing and listening to), no appparent teenage wild years where you took a few risks and experimented a bit, (did you ever get drunk), then two perfect husbands and perfect marriages.
Despite all the similarities we all share, as you state, the inequities are there as well. It is disheartening to see the huge contrasts in standards of living. Nobody should live at or below poverty level. Full employment combined with programs to achieve this are key going forward. I am afraid there will always be stupid money around and people with it will spend it on whatever they fancy as your post shows.
I'm going to look up the Darcy "shirt scene" immediately. It will put a little light into an otherwise grey morning.
So very true - unfortunately......I'm w/ you Pat. Hugs from the base of the mini-mountain in Maine.
My parents attended church and belief in God included belief in being
good to those in need.I could write paragraphs
about my mother's caring for the less fortunate. Their example led me to donate a portion of my income to trustworthy charitable organizations.I have those funds automatically withdrawn from my bank account each month so food,clothing and shelter is given where it's needed before I consider frivolous
purchases like something to decorate my home.My telling you about this isn't to show how "nice" I am, it's to show how easily sharing can be part of life.
It's a joy to see a new post from you, Pat,thank you for sharing your views with us, -Mary
What a breath of fresh air this post is! Loved your father's words and your witty words of what we all have in common (or most of us).
You're not alone in pondering how so many of the very rich can be so self-centered and of so little help to their fellow people and the planet and why too many politicians are for sale to greedy corporations that rape the planet. From our little bit, we share with Heifer International that sends live animals to needy communities and with Habitat for Humanity that uses donations and volunteers to build homes for people to live in. I make and donate quilts. It's a little, but that's more than nothing.
Write on!
Hugs!
I agree Pat. Interesting comments too. - Pam.
I don't understand wasting money on things like that, not when money can actually be used to make some people's lives better.
To be honest, I think pigeons are more altruistic than humans, sadly.
Derek - no drugs around when I was young - not where i lived anyway. Yes I got drunk once and my husband had to stop the car for me to be sick down a drain on the way home (and outside my old High School too!!) I did have my moments Derek but not any I care to share.
I like the ending of your post. Lots to think about.
It's very comfortable and fits perfectly. I hope to try it out in the lake tomorrow. Would you then like me to pop over to Leyburn?
What a brilliant post Pat! Your summary of money is possibly spot on, but where does that leave our human nature for hope for an end to starvation, wars and homelessness?
I will never understand the draw of 'celebrity'. This was a very poignant post.
I do think that we all choose our own roads in life. Some want fame and riches, others want a comfortable quiet life, and some even want to do nothing at all and then complain about it. To each his own!
With all the seriousness of your post (and I fully agree about Human Nature and what you say about money), Tasker's comment made me nearly spill my muesli as I was laughing out loud.
With our ability to inflict pain and death on each other, it is a wonder that we as a species are still around and have not yet become extinct.
And we all know the planet would be MUCH better off without us.
Having said that, I do love life, and have of course every reason to be grateful for what makes my life so good.
How right you are. I often think the same when vast sums of money are spent on restoring a derelict building, or launching a space craft, etc. Money which would make such a difference to the NHS, improving various other services, and so on. We are a strange species and seem to have lost our way at present. Hopefully times will change and we will get back on track one day.
My grandmother used to speak those same words your father did.
Tasker - Please do pop over Tasker = I am always at home these days and Semerwater is not far away - you could try it out there (or perhaps lend 'it' to me to try out. PS What is IT - do tell.
Thankss everyone. If I get an idea for a post I just sit down and write it - otherwwise these days I am content just sitting and thinking. But I love the contact with you all.
TASKER Have jusr re-read my post!!! So it was you who bought the shirt!!! Oh do try it out in Semerwater - we'll all sit on the shore and wait for you to 'emerge' and have a communal swoon!PS i'll bring the smelling salts.
To Heather: Have we ever been "on track"? Our entire history as a species is one of violence, but there is also that other side to us; creativity, kindness, curiosity and a will to live, no matter the circumstances. How else did we spread across (almost) all the planet with our settlements, even in the most inhospitable places!
As for money spent, for instance, on space craft or renovating a historical building etc.: That money is spent right here on earth. It provides work and an income for many people, and benefits also those not directly involved with it, even though we don't always (immediately) see those benefits.
Like Librarian I too laughed out loud when I read Tasker's comment.
Pat, I have been a follower of yours for a long time, but never commented before, however, I felt I should say that regarding the shirt it has been purchased by a museum in my home town here in West Yorkshire, with money from a fund that is made up of charitable donations. It will join other costumes, such as those in'gentleman jack' of Anne Lister fame, and others, which brings tourism into our part of the world. This has just been reported in our local press. Just wanted to put the record straight. My very best wishes to you and please keep up your blog I love it.
Thank you, I came in here to say just that! So many judgments without the facts!
Hopefully that tourism will help your small community's economy
I enjoyed this post as I do all your posts, and glad to see Tasker bought the shirt, and it looks like he will visit you wearing it. Good fun. Oh, well the shirt was apparently purchased by a museum. The words spoken by your father are amusing, I will try to remember them for future use.
Librarian Thank you for your comment on creating work for folk and on the way money is spent is exactly how I fwwl.
Thanks as usual - you keep me going.
I love your humanity and breadth of compassion.
On all issues you are fair, kind and tolerant.
Thank you
Sue
You are an optimist pat
It shines through everything you touch
I wish I could bottle you
And I would anoint myself with you daily
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