I found the graph shocking. I live in Canada and have seen the rise in homelessness and poverty, and was amazed to see how many countries are worse off than we are.
How do we turn this NeoLiberal system around so that it serves all of us, and not just the rich?
I wish I knew, Diana, but I’m quite certain that the federal government isn’t going to be the key factor. You have written about thinking globally and acting locally and I truly think that is the direction we need to go. We need to help each other within our communities - educating, supporting financially, socially, emotionally. But, also keep up the pressure on the government levels for no reason other than to let them know that there are those of us watching critically.
Hi Tara Regarding my article which my followers anticipate (LOL) is called WAGING PEACE. I just do a brief generic quote my Nelson Mandela . But I have thought this through. I came to the conclusion of a possible correlation between child poverty and the educational system. So I went to Global Partnership for Education where they assign a number- EDUCATION RANK (WT20 2024
1. South Korea (I know from experience every child goes to public school and in the evenings private schools)
2.Denmark - complete university degree-all paid for by the country
3 Netherlands
6 Japan
7 Germany
8 Finland
9 Norway
12 UK
13 China
15 Sweden
16 France
19 Canada- that did surprise me
22 Russia
31 U.S.A.
36 Italy
37 Turkey
I just thought I would run that by you. I figured with Demark 1 or 2 because university is payed for. South Korea- like I say every kid goes to public school and private. And all they do is study. I took on private tutoring for young people- mostly teenagers, and they were so stressed out from studying, they just wanted to hang out with me. If it kept up I would have to inform the parents that -sometimes I lied, and said I had too many commitments.
Canada did surprise me. With the U.S. I figured bottom of the barrel esp. in Southern States and big Cities with the Projects. Anyway, I cannot say if this is a legitimate source or not. or what Global Partner
for ED. It is just that I thought a possible correlation between the two. Thought I'd pass that along Cheers Colin
Thanks for looking into this, Colin. I agree that there is likely a connection between child poverty and post secondary education and it looks like that is the case. The sad thing is that post secondary education is trans generational often, but not always, and therefore going to university/college when your parents didn’t is tough (although I did it). What would also be interesting would be money put into primary education by these governments. After all, we know that you get more bang for your buck early in life. Thanks for your continued interest in this, Colin - I hope to get out another post soon now that I am feeling better. And, I DO look forward to your next post!! Cheers, Tara (and, yes, I was born in Britain!)
Silence is like a cradle holding our endeavors and our will; a silent spaciousness sustains us in our work and at the same time connects us to larger worlds that, in the busyness of our
Daily struggle to achieve we have not yet investigated. Silence is the soul’s break for freedom. Mary Oliver
I don’t want to end up simply having visited the world. Mary Oliver
What I want in my life is to be dazzled- to cast aside the weight of facts and maybe even to float a little above this difficult world. I want to believe I am looking into the white fire of a great mystery; to believe that the imperfections are nothing- that the light is everything- that it is more than the sum of each flawed blossom rising and fading. And I do!
And that is just the point- how the world, moist and beautiful, calls each of us to make a new and serious response. That’s the big question, the one the world throws at you every morning: ‘Here you are alive! Would you like to make a comment?’ Mary Oliver
‘Some of our most important brain regions develop during the first 5 years of life with much of this development beginning during the prenatal period. This includes higher-level functioning such as emotional control, our ability to plan and execute that plan, think abstractly about a subject, control our impulses, and interact appropriately with others. Given the importance of those behaviors, you’d think that every society on earth would value this time period in a person’s life, but that is not the case”. Tara Perrot
“Children who are truly loved, although in moments of pique they may consciously feel or proclaim that they are being neglected, unconsciously know themselves to be valued. This knowledge is worth more than any gold. For when children know that they are valued, when they truly feel valued, in the deepest parts of themselves, then they feel valuable.
This feeling of being valuable- ‘I’m a valuable person’- is essential to mental health and is a cornerstone of self-discipline. It is a direct product of parental love. Such a conviction must be gained in childhood; it is extremely difficult to acquire it during adulthood. When children have learned through the love of their parents to feel valuable, it is almost impossible for the vicissitudes of adulthood to destroy their spirit.” Scott Peck M.D.
“So, knowing all that we do about the importance of early life, and living in a time of relative prosperity- at least for most of the western world- it’s deplorable to realize that 1 in 5 children, on average, across high income and upper middle income countries in the European Union (EU) and Organization for Economic Development (OECD) live in poverty. Incredibly, within this EU/OECD group of countries, the more affluent a nation is, the more likely they are to have higher child poverty.” Tara Perrot.
‘Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe; a moment that will never be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two is four and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: ‘Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may be a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work- we must all work- to make the world worthy of our children.’ Pablo Casals
‘Poverty is the worst form of violence. There is sufficiency in the world for man’s need but not for man’s greed.’ Mahatma Gandhi
‘Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings. Overcoming poverty is not an act of charity, it is an act of justice. While poverty persists there is no true freedom.’ We need to exert ourselves that much more and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful: those in command of immense market power and those who dare to fashion the world in their own vision’ Nelson Mandela
“Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself. They come through you, but not from you. And though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them love, but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies, but not their souls- for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you; for life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The Archer sees the path of the Infinite and He bends you with His might that His arrows might go swift and far! Let your bending in the Archer’s hand be for gladness: for even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves the bow that is stable.” Kahlil Gibran
“If they can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love.” Nelson Mandela
They shake their heads and they tell me that I’ve changed,
Well, something’s lost, but somethings gained
In living every day…
I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It’s life's illusions I recall
I really don’t know life
I really don’t know life at all. Joni Mitchell
I swear to god, I was writing about who knows what, and found myself typing Dreams and Schemes and Circus crowds, and I thought what is Joni doing here! I wanted to share this
Hi Tara. I have written 'The Journey' I probably already sent it to you. I got a copy of Buddha's brain-very good. thanks for suggesting it.
When we are young we feel that the path should be clear with no obstacles in our way. The only environment in the natural world where this would hold true is in an arid desert, devoid of all life. So the path disappears again and again from view. There will be many times when we simply do not know how to proceed, where to go. Again, these are the times when we push through despite the fact that we do not know where the path will lead us. These are the times on the journey of life where all we can reasonably do is to simply stand in the ground of our own life, our own being, without trying to abstract ourselves into a strategic future so that we don’t have to deal with the heartbreak of our lives; a vain attempt to escape the reality of our life. Life is complex. Each of us must make his or her own path through life. There are no self-help manuals, no formulas, no easy answers. The right road for one is the wrong road for another. The journey of life is not paved with blacktop; it is not brightly lit and it has no road signs. It is a rocky path through the wilderness. But, if we know exactly where we are going, exactly how to get there, and exactly what we’ll see along the way, we won’t learn anything.
And as we get older, there comes a point in our lives when all we can reasonably do is simply stop and stand where we are and realise that we, ourselves, are the journey- that the mere fact that we sought a path, a way through the darkness is enough. There is beauty and courage in that; the fact that we tried to seek a way through the wilderness. The most important lesson here is that the journey or path, itself, is really the goal- not some faraway abstract destination in the remote future or lofty ideas of becoming ‘enlightened’.
This is beautiful, Colin, thanks so much for sharing. Some days are more difficult than others to just 'be' and not feel the tug to 'accomplish' and 'solve', especially in this crazy world where those of us with eyes wide open are witnessing so much depravity. But, the journey is the goal, I agree, and most days I live that.
I'm so glad that you have a copy of Buddha's brain. Here are links to some academic papers that investigate the neuroscience underlying mindfulness/meditation:
doi:10.1038/nrn3916
DOI 10.1007/s12671-017-0742-x
(Unfortunately, neither above is open access but if you email me, I can share personal copies for your exclusive use)
Here is one that is open-access but maybe not as interesting:
Hi Tara I am not completely up to date with American politics per se. I know that Rumpelstiltskin is going to run for president again. We now have entered the the theatre of the absurd. In my inbox, the country was polled on how they thought Congress was working for them 12% said Yes. This is from Robert Reich who I can count on for accurate reporting along with Team Steady and Dan Rather. So there is no universal healthcare, the education system is a joke. Kids in Southern States are reading from history books showing little kids riding on the back of dinosaurs because the world is only 6.000 years old - but if you go to a Museum of natural history what do you find. The country was built by slaves, they're broke from what 12 to 14 years of constant war in the Middle East, creating a cluster of failed states. Rumplestiltskin is not the cause of any of this, but is a symptom of a failed democracy. Two Party System, the ends justify the means US versus Them- I did teach history for 10 years so pardon all the rant, but I have been saying for a long time that America is a candidate for a fascism.
It doesn't matter who wins this election. Whatever, the outcome there will be so much chaos, that eventually someone who is much smarter and less transparent will seize the reigns and restore order. It will lead to a military crackdown. to quell the violence. In that happy note, LOL Sorry
I can account for child poverty in the U.S. but other countries? take care Colin
I want to share a poem- probably you have seen it before, I lose track.
SCARED FOR THE CHILDREN
Billy skipped school again,
Looking like a fool again
What a little waste for
The taste of a big boy’s life.
Computer screens and magazines
Manufactured hopes and dreams.
Playing in a concrete box
Cause Mother’s got her shows to watch.
This is the end of the age of the innocent
One more game before they go.
This is the end of the age of the innocent.
What will we leave them with?-
I suppose we'll never know.
Processed greens and man-made meat
Running out of things to eat
Little boys having way too much fun
Playing with a big boy’s gun.
Oh, I’m scared for the children.
And on the day the last bird dies.
There won’t be a drop from their big square eyes-
An old man with his eyes like glass
Kisses the last blade of glass.
No respect for anyone
Why would they after what we’ve done
What an example we have set
What a planet we have left
Let’s be here for these children
Yes, I am sure I already have, but keep up the good work. It helps to have someone who cares to talk with now and then. So, I appreciate it. God, I have early Alzheimer's and it took me ten minutes to spell appreciate. Sometimes I get stuck on words. I used to have almost total recall. Anyway, stay in touch, keep up the good work. Colin
I recently looked at some statistics of child poverty in different countries, and I was stunned when I saw how Canada and the U.S.A. in particular, had such a high rate of child poverty
It appears that there is no evil that is not fostered and encouraged for the sake of making money. We live in a society where the whole policy is to excite every nerve in the human body and keep it at the highest pitch of artificial tension, to strain every human desire to the limit and to create as many new desires and synthetic passions as possible.
We are constantly driven to consumption, when everyone needs an IPhone 13- well, because they made it. It’s much more advanced and cooler than the IPhone 12.
‘It did what all ads are supposed to do: create an anxiety relievable by purchase.’ David Foster Wallace
It is difficult to navigate the world when we come from an attitude of scarcity instead of one of gratitude for what we already have; an attitude of abundance. Unfortunately, our capitalistic society, which now is the global economic model, teaches that we are always lacking and therefore need more, more, more. And we, as consumers, consume our hearts away-’sick with desire’, to quote Yeats. All the while we, in prosperous nations, continue to consume and discard, while abject poverty, disease and starvation exist in other parts of the world. (AND AT HOME)
‘Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings. Overcoming poverty is not an act of charity, it is an act of justice. While poverty persists there is no true freedom.’ We need to exert ourselves that much more and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful: those in command of immense market power and those who dare to fashion the world in their own vision’ Nelson Mandela
THE GODS THAT DARE TO FASHION THE WORLD IN THEIR OWN VISION
The net worth of Google under its parent company Alphabet is a tech giant with a 1.7 trillion market cap. Jeff Bezos is only worth about 190 billion U.S.D. Elon Musk is the richest individual in the world, clocking in at about 210 billion U.S.D. and with his acquisition of Twitter controls the conversation, and public discourse. Mark Zuckerberg is worth only a mere 165 billion, and there are other individuals who control the resources and wealth of the world.
Seriously, think about it! We don’t know that we want something until someone makes it, shows it to us, and then convinces us that we need it. And once something is out there on the market, there is no better determinant than who will buy it, than algorithms. A computer is much better than a human at triggering Pavlov’s dog syndrome; far exceeding the wildest dreams of ad executives and marketing departments. In fact, the whole economic model is not to find out what people need and/or want, but to create something totally new and then convince them that they have to have it. Not only are we told what we need to have in terms of material goods, but also what our belief systems are: who we need to fear, to hate, which political party to support, and which God we need to believe in.
So that's another angle that I am exploring. When I see problems like these, child poverty and homelessness I always look carefully for a reason. Now reason doesn't mean a solution. There are some things we can't control. I keep preaching the same message to those who are looking for who to blame and using a logarithm feed them their daily dose of confirmation bias. LOL It's true though-sadly. I may have told you already that I became a grandpa about 14 months ago. But he along with my son and his wife live in Luxembourg so I haven't seen him yet- not until June. My son and now grandson are the only family I have. But I worry constantly about the world they will inherit.
Thanks for your comments, Colin! I will digest and respond more soon. It’s awful to think that everything we do in the west is for profit. It’s certainly not healthy for anyone, children most of all.
Yes, we need to be there for the children. You really have to follow up on this correlation between governments of higher income and child poverty. In the U.S. could it be the fact that you get the money to run for election from lobbyists from the N.R.A. , fossil fuel multinational companies like BP, Exxon, Chevron, etc. and after you get elected, they are the ones you serve? That's pure speculation. War and Armaments Manufactures also take up the money. I just finished an article. I will share some
On January 17, 1961, Dwight Eisenhower, the President of the United States after serving two terms in office, gave his outgoing address to the American public on national TV from the Oval Office. He made it short but sweet. Keeping in mind that Eisenhower was the General in charge of the Allied Invasion of Normandy in 1944 that finally ended World War Two, he had some serious credibility because of his military career. This makes what he said all the more ominous:
‘Now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defence; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. Yet, we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. In the councils of government we must guard against the unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.’ Dwight Eisenhower
Boy, he really saw the writing on the wall, didn't he? Another idea that I am following is capitalism and consumption. You don't have to be a democracy to capitalism as in China, for example.
Incredibly, within this EU/OECD group of countries, the more affluent a nation is, the more likely they are to have higher child poverty. I haven’t had a chance to look into this in great detail, but my first thought about this relationship is that the governments of higher income countries, such as the US, are more disconnected with society and the people they are supposed to represent, leading to an erosion of social programs that would counter child poverty.
A quote from the Unicef report refers directly to the effects on children that lack housing, adequate sustenance, education, sanitation:
These deprivations have consequences that can last a lifetime. Research shows that children in poor families are less likely to complete a good education. In some countries, the research indicates that life is eight to nine years shorter for a child born in a poor area than a child born in wealthy area.
My God, this a very thoughtful and eye-opening phenomena.
‘Children who are truly loved, unconsciously know themselves to be valued. This knowledge is worth more than any gold. The feeling of being valuable is essential to mental health and is the cornerstone of self-discipline. It is a direct product of paternal love. Such a conviction must be gained in childhood; it is extremely difficult to acquire it in adulthood. Conversely, when children have learned through the love of their parents to feel valuable, it is almost impossible for the vicissitudes of adulthood to destroy their spirit.’ Scott Peck
Child Poverty is Unacceptable, especially in nations in North America. I was surprised by Canada's numbers, not surprised by the U.S. Did you get my note on Nelson Mandela's response to poverty?
This is important work, and I wanted to know if I could use some of your research in my next article?
I would certainly quote you as the source. I've written so many history essays that it is normal to do so.
Thanks, Colin, and I agree. There are no more important people in any society than the children - opposite to most western society thinking. I would be honoured for you to share any of this. The more we get that general point out the better.
‘Poverty is the worst form of violence. There is sufficiency in the world for man’s need but not for man’s greed.’ Mahatma Gandhi
‘Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings. Overcoming poverty is not an act of charity, it is an act of justice. While poverty persists there is no true freedom.’ We need to exert ourselves that much more and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful: those in command of immense market power and those who dare to fashion the world in their own vision’ Nelson Mandela
Those who dare to fashion the world in their own vision.
The net worth of Google under its parent company Alphabet is a tech giant with a 1.7 trillion market cap. Jeff Bezos is only worth about 190 billion U.S.D. Elon Musk is the richest individual in the world, clocking in at about 210 billion U.S.D. and with his acquisition of Twitter controls the conversation, and public discourse. Mark Zuckerberg is worth only a mere 165 billion, and there are other individuals who control the resources and wealth of the world.
Seriously, think about it! We don’t know that we want something until someone makes it, shows it to us, and then convinces us that we need it. And once something is out there on the market, there is no better determinant than who will buy it, than algorithms. A computer is much better than a human at triggering Pavlov’s dog syndrome; far exceeding the wildest dreams of ad executives and marketing departments. In fact, the whole economic model is not to find out what people need and/or want, but to create something totally new and then convince them that they have to have it. Not only are we told what we need to have in terms of material goods, but also what our belief systems are: who we need to fear, to hate, which political party to support, and which God we need to believe in.
I'm sorry Tara, I see now that the messages were being posted, so you got one twice, even. I would like to leave you with one short poem that I wrote, then I will leave you in peace.
“Look man, we’d probably most of us agree that these are dark times, and stupid ones, but do we need fiction that does nothing but dramatize how dark and stupid everything is? In dark times, the definition of good art would seem to be art that locates and applies CPR to those elements of what’s human and magical that still live and glow despite the times’ darkness. Really good fiction could have as dark a worldview as it wished, but it’d find a way to both depict this world and illuminate the possibilities for being alive and human in it.” I have a million quotes in my docs and this one Anon- But I know it's David Foster Wallace. I recognize his voice. Now, he is talking about writing fiction here, but nevertheless, I feel that I have to write about the darkness of the times we live in- but Quote: ("Both depict this world and illuminate the possibilities of for being alive and human in it.: Unquote:) That is what I need to write next, I believe, or soon. I mean guys something good in the world must have happened in the last 24 hours, some gesture of kindness, some information that is useful like yourself and Dr. Lucy McBride. There has to be 'hope' at least a glimmer of it. Well, what's the charge for this psychotherapy??? LOL Keep up the good work Tara and thank-you Colin
Hi Tara,
I found the graph shocking. I live in Canada and have seen the rise in homelessness and poverty, and was amazed to see how many countries are worse off than we are.
How do we turn this NeoLiberal system around so that it serves all of us, and not just the rich?
I wish I knew, Diana, but I’m quite certain that the federal government isn’t going to be the key factor. You have written about thinking globally and acting locally and I truly think that is the direction we need to go. We need to help each other within our communities - educating, supporting financially, socially, emotionally. But, also keep up the pressure on the government levels for no reason other than to let them know that there are those of us watching critically.
I agree, Tara.
Hi Tara Regarding my article which my followers anticipate (LOL) is called WAGING PEACE. I just do a brief generic quote my Nelson Mandela . But I have thought this through. I came to the conclusion of a possible correlation between child poverty and the educational system. So I went to Global Partnership for Education where they assign a number- EDUCATION RANK (WT20 2024
1. South Korea (I know from experience every child goes to public school and in the evenings private schools)
2.Denmark - complete university degree-all paid for by the country
3 Netherlands
6 Japan
7 Germany
8 Finland
9 Norway
12 UK
13 China
15 Sweden
16 France
19 Canada- that did surprise me
22 Russia
31 U.S.A.
36 Italy
37 Turkey
I just thought I would run that by you. I figured with Demark 1 or 2 because university is payed for. South Korea- like I say every kid goes to public school and private. And all they do is study. I took on private tutoring for young people- mostly teenagers, and they were so stressed out from studying, they just wanted to hang out with me. If it kept up I would have to inform the parents that -sometimes I lied, and said I had too many commitments.
Canada did surprise me. With the U.S. I figured bottom of the barrel esp. in Southern States and big Cities with the Projects. Anyway, I cannot say if this is a legitimate source or not. or what Global Partner
for ED. It is just that I thought a possible correlation between the two. Thought I'd pass that along Cheers Colin
Thanks for looking into this, Colin. I agree that there is likely a connection between child poverty and post secondary education and it looks like that is the case. The sad thing is that post secondary education is trans generational often, but not always, and therefore going to university/college when your parents didn’t is tough (although I did it). What would also be interesting would be money put into primary education by these governments. After all, we know that you get more bang for your buck early in life. Thanks for your continued interest in this, Colin - I hope to get out another post soon now that I am feeling better. And, I DO look forward to your next post!! Cheers, Tara (and, yes, I was born in Britain!)
Silence is like a cradle holding our endeavors and our will; a silent spaciousness sustains us in our work and at the same time connects us to larger worlds that, in the busyness of our
Daily struggle to achieve we have not yet investigated. Silence is the soul’s break for freedom. Mary Oliver
I don’t want to end up simply having visited the world. Mary Oliver
What I want in my life is to be dazzled- to cast aside the weight of facts and maybe even to float a little above this difficult world. I want to believe I am looking into the white fire of a great mystery; to believe that the imperfections are nothing- that the light is everything- that it is more than the sum of each flawed blossom rising and fading. And I do!
And that is just the point- how the world, moist and beautiful, calls each of us to make a new and serious response. That’s the big question, the one the world throws at you every morning: ‘Here you are alive! Would you like to make a comment?’ Mary Oliver
==============================================================================
Because you are the doer and the need.
Because you are the thinker and the thought-
Because you are the helper and the need,
And the cold doubt that brings all things to naught.
Therefore, in every gracious form and shape,
The world’s dear open secret you shall find,
From the One Beauty there is no escape
Nor the Sunshine of the Eternal Mind. Eva Gore Booth
Have a great weekend! Colin
I have always loved this poem. he takes a bottle of wine out into the garden and although he is alone, he doesn't feel that way.
THE LITTLE FETE
I take a bottle of wine and I go
to drink it amongst the flowers.
We are always three: counting my
My shadow and my friend the shimmering moon.
Happily, the moon knows nothing of drinking,
And my shadow is never thirsty.
When I sing, the moon listens to me in silence,
When I dance, my shadow dances too.
After our festivities, we must depart.
This sadness I do not know.
When I go home, the moon goes with me,
And my shadow follows me. Li-Po
CHILD POVERTY IN RICH NATIONS
‘Some of our most important brain regions develop during the first 5 years of life with much of this development beginning during the prenatal period. This includes higher-level functioning such as emotional control, our ability to plan and execute that plan, think abstractly about a subject, control our impulses, and interact appropriately with others. Given the importance of those behaviors, you’d think that every society on earth would value this time period in a person’s life, but that is not the case”. Tara Perrot
“Children who are truly loved, although in moments of pique they may consciously feel or proclaim that they are being neglected, unconsciously know themselves to be valued. This knowledge is worth more than any gold. For when children know that they are valued, when they truly feel valued, in the deepest parts of themselves, then they feel valuable.
This feeling of being valuable- ‘I’m a valuable person’- is essential to mental health and is a cornerstone of self-discipline. It is a direct product of parental love. Such a conviction must be gained in childhood; it is extremely difficult to acquire it during adulthood. When children have learned through the love of their parents to feel valuable, it is almost impossible for the vicissitudes of adulthood to destroy their spirit.” Scott Peck M.D.
“So, knowing all that we do about the importance of early life, and living in a time of relative prosperity- at least for most of the western world- it’s deplorable to realize that 1 in 5 children, on average, across high income and upper middle income countries in the European Union (EU) and Organization for Economic Development (OECD) live in poverty. Incredibly, within this EU/OECD group of countries, the more affluent a nation is, the more likely they are to have higher child poverty.” Tara Perrot.
‘Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe; a moment that will never be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two is four and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: ‘Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may be a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work- we must all work- to make the world worthy of our children.’ Pablo Casals
‘Poverty is the worst form of violence. There is sufficiency in the world for man’s need but not for man’s greed.’ Mahatma Gandhi
‘Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings. Overcoming poverty is not an act of charity, it is an act of justice. While poverty persists there is no true freedom.’ We need to exert ourselves that much more and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful: those in command of immense market power and those who dare to fashion the world in their own vision’ Nelson Mandela
“Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself. They come through you, but not from you. And though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them love, but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies, but not their souls- for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you; for life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The Archer sees the path of the Infinite and He bends you with His might that His arrows might go swift and far! Let your bending in the Archer’s hand be for gladness: for even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves the bow that is stable.” Kahlil Gibran
“If they can be taught to hate, they can be taught to love.” Nelson Mandela
Wonderful quotes, Colin! 🙏
Moons and Junes and Ferris Wheels
The dizzy dancing way that you feel
As every fairy tale come real
I’ve looked at love that way
But now it’s just another show
And you leave ‘em laughing when you go
And if you care, don’t let them know,
Don’t give yourself away.
I’ve looked at love from both sides now
From give and take and still somehow
It’s love’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know love
I really don’t know love at all.
Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say, ‘I love you’ right aloud.
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I’ve looked at life that way.
Oh, but now old friends they’re acting strange
They shake their heads and they tell me that I’ve changed,
Well, something’s lost, but somethings gained
In living every day…
I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It’s life's illusions I recall
I really don’t know life
I really don’t know life at all. Joni Mitchell
I swear to god, I was writing about who knows what, and found myself typing Dreams and Schemes and Circus crowds, and I thought what is Joni doing here! I wanted to share this
Hi Tara. I have written 'The Journey' I probably already sent it to you. I got a copy of Buddha's brain-very good. thanks for suggesting it.
When we are young we feel that the path should be clear with no obstacles in our way. The only environment in the natural world where this would hold true is in an arid desert, devoid of all life. So the path disappears again and again from view. There will be many times when we simply do not know how to proceed, where to go. Again, these are the times when we push through despite the fact that we do not know where the path will lead us. These are the times on the journey of life where all we can reasonably do is to simply stand in the ground of our own life, our own being, without trying to abstract ourselves into a strategic future so that we don’t have to deal with the heartbreak of our lives; a vain attempt to escape the reality of our life. Life is complex. Each of us must make his or her own path through life. There are no self-help manuals, no formulas, no easy answers. The right road for one is the wrong road for another. The journey of life is not paved with blacktop; it is not brightly lit and it has no road signs. It is a rocky path through the wilderness. But, if we know exactly where we are going, exactly how to get there, and exactly what we’ll see along the way, we won’t learn anything.
And as we get older, there comes a point in our lives when all we can reasonably do is simply stop and stand where we are and realise that we, ourselves, are the journey- that the mere fact that we sought a path, a way through the darkness is enough. There is beauty and courage in that; the fact that we tried to seek a way through the wilderness. The most important lesson here is that the journey or path, itself, is really the goal- not some faraway abstract destination in the remote future or lofty ideas of becoming ‘enlightened’.
This is beautiful, Colin, thanks so much for sharing. Some days are more difficult than others to just 'be' and not feel the tug to 'accomplish' and 'solve', especially in this crazy world where those of us with eyes wide open are witnessing so much depravity. But, the journey is the goal, I agree, and most days I live that.
I'm so glad that you have a copy of Buddha's brain. Here are links to some academic papers that investigate the neuroscience underlying mindfulness/meditation:
doi:10.1038/nrn3916
DOI 10.1007/s12671-017-0742-x
(Unfortunately, neither above is open access but if you email me, I can share personal copies for your exclusive use)
Here is one that is open-access but maybe not as interesting:
doi:10.1080/08897070903252080.
Hi Tara I am not completely up to date with American politics per se. I know that Rumpelstiltskin is going to run for president again. We now have entered the the theatre of the absurd. In my inbox, the country was polled on how they thought Congress was working for them 12% said Yes. This is from Robert Reich who I can count on for accurate reporting along with Team Steady and Dan Rather. So there is no universal healthcare, the education system is a joke. Kids in Southern States are reading from history books showing little kids riding on the back of dinosaurs because the world is only 6.000 years old - but if you go to a Museum of natural history what do you find. The country was built by slaves, they're broke from what 12 to 14 years of constant war in the Middle East, creating a cluster of failed states. Rumplestiltskin is not the cause of any of this, but is a symptom of a failed democracy. Two Party System, the ends justify the means US versus Them- I did teach history for 10 years so pardon all the rant, but I have been saying for a long time that America is a candidate for a fascism.
It doesn't matter who wins this election. Whatever, the outcome there will be so much chaos, that eventually someone who is much smarter and less transparent will seize the reigns and restore order. It will lead to a military crackdown. to quell the violence. In that happy note, LOL Sorry
I can account for child poverty in the U.S. but other countries? take care Colin
I want to share a poem- probably you have seen it before, I lose track.
SCARED FOR THE CHILDREN
Billy skipped school again,
Looking like a fool again
What a little waste for
The taste of a big boy’s life.
Computer screens and magazines
Manufactured hopes and dreams.
Playing in a concrete box
Cause Mother’s got her shows to watch.
This is the end of the age of the innocent
One more game before they go.
This is the end of the age of the innocent.
What will we leave them with?-
I suppose we'll never know.
Processed greens and man-made meat
Running out of things to eat
Little boys having way too much fun
Playing with a big boy’s gun.
Oh, I’m scared for the children.
And on the day the last bird dies.
There won’t be a drop from their big square eyes-
An old man with his eyes like glass
Kisses the last blade of glass.
No respect for anyone
Why would they after what we’ve done
What an example we have set
What a planet we have left
Let’s be here for these children
Yes, I am sure I already have, but keep up the good work. It helps to have someone who cares to talk with now and then. So, I appreciate it. God, I have early Alzheimer's and it took me ten minutes to spell appreciate. Sometimes I get stuck on words. I used to have almost total recall. Anyway, stay in touch, keep up the good work. Colin
I recently looked at some statistics of child poverty in different countries, and I was stunned when I saw how Canada and the U.S.A. in particular, had such a high rate of child poverty
It appears that there is no evil that is not fostered and encouraged for the sake of making money. We live in a society where the whole policy is to excite every nerve in the human body and keep it at the highest pitch of artificial tension, to strain every human desire to the limit and to create as many new desires and synthetic passions as possible.
We are constantly driven to consumption, when everyone needs an IPhone 13- well, because they made it. It’s much more advanced and cooler than the IPhone 12.
‘It did what all ads are supposed to do: create an anxiety relievable by purchase.’ David Foster Wallace
It is difficult to navigate the world when we come from an attitude of scarcity instead of one of gratitude for what we already have; an attitude of abundance. Unfortunately, our capitalistic society, which now is the global economic model, teaches that we are always lacking and therefore need more, more, more. And we, as consumers, consume our hearts away-’sick with desire’, to quote Yeats. All the while we, in prosperous nations, continue to consume and discard, while abject poverty, disease and starvation exist in other parts of the world. (AND AT HOME)
‘Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings. Overcoming poverty is not an act of charity, it is an act of justice. While poverty persists there is no true freedom.’ We need to exert ourselves that much more and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful: those in command of immense market power and those who dare to fashion the world in their own vision’ Nelson Mandela
THE GODS THAT DARE TO FASHION THE WORLD IN THEIR OWN VISION
The net worth of Google under its parent company Alphabet is a tech giant with a 1.7 trillion market cap. Jeff Bezos is only worth about 190 billion U.S.D. Elon Musk is the richest individual in the world, clocking in at about 210 billion U.S.D. and with his acquisition of Twitter controls the conversation, and public discourse. Mark Zuckerberg is worth only a mere 165 billion, and there are other individuals who control the resources and wealth of the world.
Seriously, think about it! We don’t know that we want something until someone makes it, shows it to us, and then convinces us that we need it. And once something is out there on the market, there is no better determinant than who will buy it, than algorithms. A computer is much better than a human at triggering Pavlov’s dog syndrome; far exceeding the wildest dreams of ad executives and marketing departments. In fact, the whole economic model is not to find out what people need and/or want, but to create something totally new and then convince them that they have to have it. Not only are we told what we need to have in terms of material goods, but also what our belief systems are: who we need to fear, to hate, which political party to support, and which God we need to believe in.
So that's another angle that I am exploring. When I see problems like these, child poverty and homelessness I always look carefully for a reason. Now reason doesn't mean a solution. There are some things we can't control. I keep preaching the same message to those who are looking for who to blame and using a logarithm feed them their daily dose of confirmation bias. LOL It's true though-sadly. I may have told you already that I became a grandpa about 14 months ago. But he along with my son and his wife live in Luxembourg so I haven't seen him yet- not until June. My son and now grandson are the only family I have. But I worry constantly about the world they will inherit.
Thanks for your comments, Colin! I will digest and respond more soon. It’s awful to think that everything we do in the west is for profit. It’s certainly not healthy for anyone, children most of all.
Yes, we need to be there for the children. You really have to follow up on this correlation between governments of higher income and child poverty. In the U.S. could it be the fact that you get the money to run for election from lobbyists from the N.R.A. , fossil fuel multinational companies like BP, Exxon, Chevron, etc. and after you get elected, they are the ones you serve? That's pure speculation. War and Armaments Manufactures also take up the money. I just finished an article. I will share some
On January 17, 1961, Dwight Eisenhower, the President of the United States after serving two terms in office, gave his outgoing address to the American public on national TV from the Oval Office. He made it short but sweet. Keeping in mind that Eisenhower was the General in charge of the Allied Invasion of Normandy in 1944 that finally ended World War Two, he had some serious credibility because of his military career. This makes what he said all the more ominous:
‘Now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defence; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. Yet, we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. In the councils of government we must guard against the unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.’ Dwight Eisenhower
Boy, he really saw the writing on the wall, didn't he? Another idea that I am following is capitalism and consumption. You don't have to be a democracy to capitalism as in China, for example.
Yes he did! I will have to read more of Eisenhower. My history is weak but I am trying to improve.
Incredibly, within this EU/OECD group of countries, the more affluent a nation is, the more likely they are to have higher child poverty. I haven’t had a chance to look into this in great detail, but my first thought about this relationship is that the governments of higher income countries, such as the US, are more disconnected with society and the people they are supposed to represent, leading to an erosion of social programs that would counter child poverty.
A quote from the Unicef report refers directly to the effects on children that lack housing, adequate sustenance, education, sanitation:
These deprivations have consequences that can last a lifetime. Research shows that children in poor families are less likely to complete a good education. In some countries, the research indicates that life is eight to nine years shorter for a child born in a poor area than a child born in wealthy area.
My God, this a very thoughtful and eye-opening phenomena.
‘Children who are truly loved, unconsciously know themselves to be valued. This knowledge is worth more than any gold. The feeling of being valuable is essential to mental health and is the cornerstone of self-discipline. It is a direct product of paternal love. Such a conviction must be gained in childhood; it is extremely difficult to acquire it in adulthood. Conversely, when children have learned through the love of their parents to feel valuable, it is almost impossible for the vicissitudes of adulthood to destroy their spirit.’ Scott Peck
Child Poverty is Unacceptable, especially in nations in North America. I was surprised by Canada's numbers, not surprised by the U.S. Did you get my note on Nelson Mandela's response to poverty?
This is important work, and I wanted to know if I could use some of your research in my next article?
I would certainly quote you as the source. I've written so many history essays that it is normal to do so.
Thanks again for your work Colin
Thanks, Colin, and I agree. There are no more important people in any society than the children - opposite to most western society thinking. I would be honoured for you to share any of this. The more we get that general point out the better.
‘Poverty is the worst form of violence. There is sufficiency in the world for man’s need but not for man’s greed.’ Mahatma Gandhi
‘Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings. Overcoming poverty is not an act of charity, it is an act of justice. While poverty persists there is no true freedom.’ We need to exert ourselves that much more and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful: those in command of immense market power and those who dare to fashion the world in their own vision’ Nelson Mandela
Those who dare to fashion the world in their own vision.
The net worth of Google under its parent company Alphabet is a tech giant with a 1.7 trillion market cap. Jeff Bezos is only worth about 190 billion U.S.D. Elon Musk is the richest individual in the world, clocking in at about 210 billion U.S.D. and with his acquisition of Twitter controls the conversation, and public discourse. Mark Zuckerberg is worth only a mere 165 billion, and there are other individuals who control the resources and wealth of the world.
Seriously, think about it! We don’t know that we want something until someone makes it, shows it to us, and then convinces us that we need it. And once something is out there on the market, there is no better determinant than who will buy it, than algorithms. A computer is much better than a human at triggering Pavlov’s dog syndrome; far exceeding the wildest dreams of ad executives and marketing departments. In fact, the whole economic model is not to find out what people need and/or want, but to create something totally new and then convince them that they have to have it. Not only are we told what we need to have in terms of material goods, but also what our belief systems are: who we need to fear, to hate, which political party to support, and which God we need to believe in.
Hi Tara. I see that you recommended me to your subscribers. Thank-you so very much.
THE ECLIPSE
I stood out in the open cold
To see the essence of the eclipse
Which was its perfect darkness.
I stood in the cold out on the porch
And could not think of anything so perfect
As man’s hope of light in the face of darkness. R. Eberhart
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never, never, stops at all. Emily Dickinson
I think we need to ratchet down the panic index a little and allow some room for our humanity and our hopes and dreams. Thanks again Colin
Thanks, Colin, I agree!
I'm sorry Tara, I see now that the messages were being posted, so you got one twice, even. I would like to leave you with one short poem that I wrote, then I will leave you in peace.
Yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow only a vision,
But today well-lived
In the present moment
Makes all of our yesterdays
full of beautiful memories
And all of our tomorrows
Visions of hope. Colin
“Look man, we’d probably most of us agree that these are dark times, and stupid ones, but do we need fiction that does nothing but dramatize how dark and stupid everything is? In dark times, the definition of good art would seem to be art that locates and applies CPR to those elements of what’s human and magical that still live and glow despite the times’ darkness. Really good fiction could have as dark a worldview as it wished, but it’d find a way to both depict this world and illuminate the possibilities for being alive and human in it.” I have a million quotes in my docs and this one Anon- But I know it's David Foster Wallace. I recognize his voice. Now, he is talking about writing fiction here, but nevertheless, I feel that I have to write about the darkness of the times we live in- but Quote: ("Both depict this world and illuminate the possibilities of for being alive and human in it.: Unquote:) That is what I need to write next, I believe, or soon. I mean guys something good in the world must have happened in the last 24 hours, some gesture of kindness, some information that is useful like yourself and Dr. Lucy McBride. There has to be 'hope' at least a glimmer of it. Well, what's the charge for this psychotherapy??? LOL Keep up the good work Tara and thank-you Colin