Restate my assumptions

Here are 11 thoughts, influenced by my travels and probably by other people's thoughts along the way:

1. There's travel, tourism and holidaying. They all have different aims and potential value. They can overlap but should not be confused.

2. Travel is just as about the people you meet and the experiences you have as the places you visit.

3. Change things and things will change.

4. When I was younger, I was often filled with enthusiasm and creativity. Somehow life has blunted, stunted and snuffed that zest and energy. Some think it's the fluoride in our drinking water ;) Whatever it is, I am certain that I want to find my 'inner child' again and I have utmost respect for people who are in touch with their 'inner child' and make efforts to put others in touch with theirs.

5. A happy relationship is based on true love and respect, not need or desire.

6. Falling in love is just as about finding your imperfect match (nobody's perfect) as it is about the chance that both people will be at a point in their life when they're ready to truly fall in love.

7. Living life with a stressed out mind is like living life with constantly clenched fists. 

8. Conflict is like a disease, it spreads from one person's unhappy mind and can infect the whole world.

9. Variety is the spice of life yet our differences can be manipulated to create divisions to promote political aims.

10. It might be easier to resolve a dispute while the disputants are getting a relaxing massage.

11. A life without humour is boring and unhealthy.

"Russia vs. The West" Trilogy (Part 3 of 3) ~ "Conclusion"

The idea of 'Russia vs the West' is a trap. It's a gimmick similar to the US War on Terror or the desire in Australia to Stop the Boats. I see these as propaganda products peddled to the masses in order to gain support for political agendas. They simplify complexity, dumb down reality and, worst of all, turn peaceful people against others whom they previously had absolutely no reason to hate or to fear.

My view of the 'Ukraine crisis' is that it is elites competing with each other to retain and expand their power, like hyenas viciously jostling for meat. By elites I mean Putin and his friends, Obama and his friends, the European elites, Poroshenko, Tymoshenko, Yatsenuk, the CEOs and business owners whose main priorities are money and influence, criminals and gangsters whose main priorities are money and influence, and anyone else involved in power struggles at the international and local levels. Selfless ideals of human rights, rule of law and democracy are, in my mind, far from this cynical reality of corruption and megalomania. 

Take a look at the phallic symbol of war above. I'm going to take Occam's razor to the causes of conflicts. I believe there is one cause, going back to when cavemen began fashioning weapons to slay other cavemen. It is about survival. It's about being the alpha male. This means territory, resources and power. It's about growing stronger and reducing external threats. I believe that things like religion, nationality, race etc are all just manufactured divisions used to justify conquest and to manipulate populations. The Rwandan genocide is a perfect example, Europeans creating an arbitrary division – Hutus and Tutsis - perhaps without sinister intent this time but with horrendous consequences. In my mind, there is only one real division in societies:

There are those who have money and power and there are those who don't.

So whenever there's a conflict between 'this group' versus 'that group', I would urge skepticism about the divisions. It may help to ask «Who is benefitting?» and how they might be influencing events, the conflict dynamics and schisms, primarily through mass media but also behind the scenes.