Nice piece of writing again Alex. It doesn't seem long ago we could go and see someone off at the airport and walk with them right up to the gate. We've all got a story. But, for my family we have now left beleaguered Europe and find that there are some places still way behind these measures and with not a chemtrail in sight. But, no where is perfect. Good luck to all. Blessings.
It looks like the UK is something of a testing ground for weather manipulation - in my area it's pretty much constant now, with either blanket fog or spraying until the sun goes dim/in. The pattern for a while has been a day off about every six weeks and today is a rare sunny day!
My last flight was in the early 1990's. I felt it to be a slightly dehumanising experience, even back then. What added to this being my last trip abroad was being ripped off by the hire car company.
I haven't used a train for many years; travel by train used to be my favourite method of travel. Although they're potentially great for medium to long overland journeys, the fares system is overly complex and the services unreliable.
Although the timekeeping isn't brilliant, I've found buses are easy to use and great for local travel.
There's certainly an increase for self - righteous, arrogant and condescending messaging in transport - related and other public places which insults our intelligence. This may also have a negative effect on a subconscious level. We're being systematically robbed of our individual sovereignty and our will to think for ourselves. It all harks back to control of the individual by a growing and rotten, amorphous, global entity.
Another aspect of control is causing anxiety and fear in people using transport networks, as well as in other walks of life. Excessive and inflexible bureaucracy contributes to anxiety.
Although it's limiting and inconvenient at times, I'm lucky enough to keep all this at arm's length. I say NO to a lot of what's on offer to modern society in the way of services and particularly smart technology because it's soul - destroying garbage, and lowers one's standard of life. Although it all appears cool and funky, in the long term all this wastes money, time and energy.
Congrats on saying NO to such an intrusive body search. I've recently watches a video on Youtube by the BlackBeltBarrister entitled "This Cannot Be Right!" where British Transport Police has a policy where a biological male officer with a Gender Recognition Certificate can "strip search" women. Disgraceful, to say the least. Naturally enough, there's opposition to this arrogant and intrusive policy.
Such a good and thoughtful article. I was 50 before I flew and so have no experience of the Before Times, I loved the flying but found the airport process anxiety provoking and felt like a criminal about to get caught. I particularly find the attitude of the staff hostile and threatening, and I have to manage this. Not sure how I will address the biometrics, my sister lives in France and I won’t stop visiting her. As for U.K. trains, can’t bare that see it say it sorted, for years I’ve felt there is a systematic agenda to turn our culture into a deeply fear-based non trusting culture. Back in 1996-99 I was doing a degree as a mature student, in Global Futures and only then did I discover we have an economic system rooted in scarcity and fear, which instils those qualities into the human psyche through the culture that developed from it, yet, human beings being quite lovely really, managed to maintain their trust and goodness towards each other and life, their hearts, not all the time, but most, most of the time, but now, we have systems coming into being that undermine that, a culture telling us through all sorts of mediums that we are horrible, untrustworthy etc, it makes me so so deeply sad. And yet I am also noticing, that when someone falls in the street or trips, people rush over to help no matter who that person is, and this, that right there, gives me hope. If we human beings can keep our humanity in the midst of all this nonsense that is taking place, there is hope. I got on a bus a while back, just as it was about to pull out someone ran up, but it drove off. The other week the same thing happened, a mum with her pushchair, and a few yards ahead the traffic lights were red and the bus stopped, and the bus driver opened the doors and let her on, it made me so happy, aha I thought, someone who has not let the system kill their common sense or humanity. There is hope, I thought.
Absolutely, our inherent humanity is the source of hope and something more than that - a very concrete alternative path. The more we become aware of the dark stuff, the more can actively cultivate that alternative.
As humanity moves inevitably towards a world run by machines, I am promoting the concept of "spaces for real people". We need relief from the machines (screens, wifi, muzak, phones, digital cash) and the opportunity to talk to and touch real people. Airports should have such spaces and the pubs, hotels and restaurants that provide such spaces (preferably free of plastics) should be listed and publicised. Those who wish to become "real people" (no smartphones, ear buds, credit cards.....) should find ways of recognising each other!!
Yes. This is something we need to become more aware of. Big Brother Watch is doing a create job of highlighting implications ignored by many.
Personally, I've withdrawn my cooperation with the British police. It rests on a very clear code of consent and I don't give that to police using mass facial recognition.
Absolutely! I don't use spyfi or smart technology. On the other hand I like to play with PC's and electronics in such a way that I'm only controlled by others to a minimal degree.
Just about every form of transportation has been turned into a thoroughly miserable experience. Entering an airport isn't a lot different to entering a prison nowadays. I often think it is deliberate, to condition us all into staying at home in our little boxes, leaving travel to the rich, the powerful and the privileged. How else can you explain the exemption of private jets from aviation duty taxes in so many countries.
Yes. Venturing onto constantly congested roads with seemingly never ending lane closures for roadworks etc has also been turned into a thoroughly miserable and frustrating experience
I could not agree more. I didn't focus on the roads for this piece as I've written about that extensively elsewhere. Having researched it throughly, and read the policy documents I have no doubt this is a deliberate attack on public mobility (even if those implementing it are not always fully aware of what they're doing). There's a piece by me in The Critic on Vision Zero, for example.
Nice piece of writing again Alex. It doesn't seem long ago we could go and see someone off at the airport and walk with them right up to the gate. We've all got a story. But, for my family we have now left beleaguered Europe and find that there are some places still way behind these measures and with not a chemtrail in sight. But, no where is perfect. Good luck to all. Blessings.
It looks like the UK is something of a testing ground for weather manipulation - in my area it's pretty much constant now, with either blanket fog or spraying until the sun goes dim/in. The pattern for a while has been a day off about every six weeks and today is a rare sunny day!
My last flight was in the early 1990's. I felt it to be a slightly dehumanising experience, even back then. What added to this being my last trip abroad was being ripped off by the hire car company.
I haven't used a train for many years; travel by train used to be my favourite method of travel. Although they're potentially great for medium to long overland journeys, the fares system is overly complex and the services unreliable.
Although the timekeeping isn't brilliant, I've found buses are easy to use and great for local travel.
There's certainly an increase for self - righteous, arrogant and condescending messaging in transport - related and other public places which insults our intelligence. This may also have a negative effect on a subconscious level. We're being systematically robbed of our individual sovereignty and our will to think for ourselves. It all harks back to control of the individual by a growing and rotten, amorphous, global entity.
Another aspect of control is causing anxiety and fear in people using transport networks, as well as in other walks of life. Excessive and inflexible bureaucracy contributes to anxiety.
Although it's limiting and inconvenient at times, I'm lucky enough to keep all this at arm's length. I say NO to a lot of what's on offer to modern society in the way of services and particularly smart technology because it's soul - destroying garbage, and lowers one's standard of life. Although it all appears cool and funky, in the long term all this wastes money, time and energy.
Congrats on saying NO to such an intrusive body search. I've recently watches a video on Youtube by the BlackBeltBarrister entitled "This Cannot Be Right!" where British Transport Police has a policy where a biological male officer with a Gender Recognition Certificate can "strip search" women. Disgraceful, to say the least. Naturally enough, there's opposition to this arrogant and intrusive policy.
I agree, we need to say NO more and more.
Such a good and thoughtful article. I was 50 before I flew and so have no experience of the Before Times, I loved the flying but found the airport process anxiety provoking and felt like a criminal about to get caught. I particularly find the attitude of the staff hostile and threatening, and I have to manage this. Not sure how I will address the biometrics, my sister lives in France and I won’t stop visiting her. As for U.K. trains, can’t bare that see it say it sorted, for years I’ve felt there is a systematic agenda to turn our culture into a deeply fear-based non trusting culture. Back in 1996-99 I was doing a degree as a mature student, in Global Futures and only then did I discover we have an economic system rooted in scarcity and fear, which instils those qualities into the human psyche through the culture that developed from it, yet, human beings being quite lovely really, managed to maintain their trust and goodness towards each other and life, their hearts, not all the time, but most, most of the time, but now, we have systems coming into being that undermine that, a culture telling us through all sorts of mediums that we are horrible, untrustworthy etc, it makes me so so deeply sad. And yet I am also noticing, that when someone falls in the street or trips, people rush over to help no matter who that person is, and this, that right there, gives me hope. If we human beings can keep our humanity in the midst of all this nonsense that is taking place, there is hope. I got on a bus a while back, just as it was about to pull out someone ran up, but it drove off. The other week the same thing happened, a mum with her pushchair, and a few yards ahead the traffic lights were red and the bus stopped, and the bus driver opened the doors and let her on, it made me so happy, aha I thought, someone who has not let the system kill their common sense or humanity. There is hope, I thought.
Absolutely, our inherent humanity is the source of hope and something more than that - a very concrete alternative path. The more we become aware of the dark stuff, the more can actively cultivate that alternative.
Spending time in Nature and with good friends will help nourish our goodwill towards others, our self - esteem and morale.
As humanity moves inevitably towards a world run by machines, I am promoting the concept of "spaces for real people". We need relief from the machines (screens, wifi, muzak, phones, digital cash) and the opportunity to talk to and touch real people. Airports should have such spaces and the pubs, hotels and restaurants that provide such spaces (preferably free of plastics) should be listed and publicised. Those who wish to become "real people" (no smartphones, ear buds, credit cards.....) should find ways of recognising each other!!
That is a great idea! I frequent a mobile/laptop free pub, and it is so calming.
Just like the Campaign for Real Ale, the SRP movement could progress simply by having an annual listing of these "calming" places. Let's get to it!
The problem with any public space is that there's nearly always surveillance.
Yes. This is something we need to become more aware of. Big Brother Watch is doing a create job of highlighting implications ignored by many.
Personally, I've withdrawn my cooperation with the British police. It rests on a very clear code of consent and I don't give that to police using mass facial recognition.
Absolutely! I don't use spyfi or smart technology. On the other hand I like to play with PC's and electronics in such a way that I'm only controlled by others to a minimal degree.
Just about every form of transportation has been turned into a thoroughly miserable experience. Entering an airport isn't a lot different to entering a prison nowadays. I often think it is deliberate, to condition us all into staying at home in our little boxes, leaving travel to the rich, the powerful and the privileged. How else can you explain the exemption of private jets from aviation duty taxes in so many countries.
That is a conclusion increasingly difficult to avoid.
The rise of 15 minute cities will also discourage people from leaving their little boxes.
Yes. Venturing onto constantly congested roads with seemingly never ending lane closures for roadworks etc has also been turned into a thoroughly miserable and frustrating experience
I could not agree more. I didn't focus on the roads for this piece as I've written about that extensively elsewhere. Having researched it throughly, and read the policy documents I have no doubt this is a deliberate attack on public mobility (even if those implementing it are not always fully aware of what they're doing). There's a piece by me in The Critic on Vision Zero, for example.
This is an excellent article.