As a child everything was absolute.
After nearly eighty years I am still adjusting to the fact
that almost everything I was told and taught was/is a lie.
I was told that scientists know pretty well everything about everything –
no doubt; in every way doctors are a superior race, and can cure almost everything;
pharmaceutical companies were not so interested in profits,
but devoted to healing us, and had a cure for almost everything.
‘Side effects’ and testing on unsuspecting humans? Not even considered.
Banks are solid institutions that keep our money safe,
help us buy the things we want, and honestly gave us
the best possible return on our deposits.
Politicians are great people.
They are ‘Public Servants’ selflessly devoted to their voters well-being.
Not only were party politics not mentioned, corruption just a warped
fantasy.
The media is there to investigate and report to us facts.
The police, there to keep us safe, and totally incorruptible.
Manufacturing companies designed and produced goods
that were marketed at the lowest possible price, and built to last
forever. Built-in obsolescence? Not even mentioned.
Religion. Only one of course – Church of England.
To get into heaven all one needed to do was to go to church every now
and again, pretend to believe whatever the preacher said, give some
money, and obey very simple rules. Other religions were just a joke.
Psychopaths – an extremely rare phenomenon.
Marriage was ‘keeping only on to one, until death do us part’
and everyone lives ‘happy ever after.’
Until long after I left school (at 14) I had never even seen a human
with a skin colour other than pasty white – except sunburn.
They were all supposed to live where they belonged – abroad.
Never heard the word ‘Jew’ and the rest of the world
were inferior foreigners, with funny habits, spoke ridiculous languages,
and were born to serve: The Great British Empire. “God Save The Queen.”
I don’t think I have ever met a person who does not/has not lied –
including myself. I don’t know what a ‘fact’ is,
We all plod along, mostly in comparative misery, complaining,
not wanting to know how things really are,
and just letting everything go along as it is.
Yes occasionally we get a revolution, but the people who take over
get equally perverted.
And, delightedly, there are some interesting, inspiring,
and wonderful people on this planet who are devoting their lives to
contributing to others. They do not see it that way.
They are just doing what they enjoy, and are happy, and indeed surprised
that they get paid for what they love doing.
So what to do? Expand our world-wide awareness?
Take a deep and careful look at our own lives?
Contribute wherever and however we can?
And not take it too seriously.