‘We Are All Charlie Kirk’

‘We Are All Charlie Kirk’

In 2015, the French comedy magazine Charlie Hebdo was attacked by terrorists and twelve people were murdered. It was the second of three violent attacks on the magazine because they had dared to published cartoons of the prophet Muhammad, an insult to followers of Islam. In the decade prior, South Park had included Muhammad as a member of the Super Friends, with no violence. That episode and any imagery thereafter of Muhammad was censored by Comedy Central. The world had changed. In the wake of the 2015 attacks, political leaders and journalists marched and stood in solidarity with the...

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Anti-War Blog – “Never Again”

Anti-War Blog – “Never Again”

“Never again.” Those words were spoken in the wake of the second world war, the revelation and realisation that a sophisticated, educated and civilsed nation of people could commit atrocities of such a scale. Not merely a genocide, a regime of torture, slavery and human misery under the guise of scientific enquiry and chauvinistic supremacy. The victors of the Good war satisfied their sacrifice and accomplishments in knowing that they had conquered an evil. Myths were born. It was the feat of the greatest generation. All other wars and enemies would be judged by this one, the second world...

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Many Lives, One Suburb.

Many Lives, One Suburb.

She just turned ninety, her body withering along with her mind. She dithers and smiles, walks slowly among the isles, she is never alone when outside, she remains lonely. She has always been a pensioner, never worked. Her husband died thirty years ago, now with three adult kids. She is without want, despite wishing she had her youth back. Her middle son, in his fifties, has never worked. Now, full time carer, paid to look after his own mother. He has no kids, never married. He boasts about his pokie wins, and treats himself to a massage twice a month, each ending happy. He takes pride in his...

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Mountain of Ambition

Mountain of Ambition

This is an older allegory thing that I wrote back in early 2022   The Mountain of Ambition   Imagine if you will that upon the horizon sits an impressive mountain. It is the distant fixture that confronts you every day. So far away and yet, it stands as it has since before history. A thought popped into your mind, ‘I would love to climb to the top of that mountain some day’. It is at first a seed of an idea, until you declare it to others. The declaration becomes a mandate, one that mutates into an obsession. You do not need a reason why that you want to accomplish this feat, only...

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Anti-War Blog – Little Boy

Anti-War Blog – Little Boy

He walked nearly twelve kilometres, barefoot, hungry. Most children like him, if they are lucky eat a single meal every second or third day. When he arrived to where the wheat was being distributed, he smiled. He was happy. Grateful. He kissed the hand of the American contractor who took the above photos. Then IDF snipers shot him. Killed him along with others. The world saw it. Soon, in places like Australia, it will be harder to see such things. Aussies love government, love laws banning things. Speech, what we can see, hear, say. But, do the governments need censorship? Did the Wikileaks...

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Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go

Recently Patrick Macfarlane, my fellow, fellow at this dear Institute discussed on his Vital Dissent podcast the Kazuo Ishiguro novel, Never Let Me Go. In his books Ishiguro frequently covers memories, relationships and the human condition. Never Let Me Go, is a dystopian book on the meaning of individual life and how systems, hierarchies and society itself can value and categories people based on collective and ideological needs. I suggest listening to Patrick’s podcast for an in depth break down. I will not reveal any spoilers. Only, care to elaborate and expand on certain themes. I read...

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Rise of the ‘eKarens’

Rise of the ‘eKarens’

Social media has become an integral part of the online experience; most internet access is via a social media app. It's become the internet itself for a large group of users. The days of "surfing the web" have given way to scrolling the feeds. This relationship is a new cause for alarm: children raised on screens are becoming dependent on them, and social media has been made the scapegoat. The "mental health" of young people is an enormous concern when it comes to their social media habits. In an era where mental illness is diagnosed with greater ease and wider prevalence, the health systems...

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Based on a true story…or not.

Based on a true story, allegedly. Or maybe not. (Warning, violent content) Fourteen years ago. Give or take. He read the text message, an address. He understood where it led. The previous nights conversation with two off duty cops had been as direct as the message. He recalled the details of the conversation as he pulled on a pair of gloves, tucked a ski mask into his pocket. The location was in a suburb within a suburb, housing trust homes and where the address led to, more government owned housing. The people there were either in temporary situations, or transitioning from prison or...

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