Guns and alcohol

A new law has been passed to allow people in Arizona to bring their guns into bars and restaurants. The new law is supported, as you would expect, by the NRA.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33074414/ns/us_news-life/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31683427/ns/us_news-life/

While people carrying guns are not allowed to drink alcohol in these bars, there is surely something wrong here?

The American attitude to guns is what it is - people demand the right to carry / own a gun to protect themselves. This is a cultural thing, most prominent in certain areas - and whether you agree or disagree, it's a fact - much like the English like to play cricket and lose and the French like to write philosophy and be depressed. American politicians will naturally support the right to carry guns because they, as American citizens, will also share the desire. OK - agree or disagree it's a fact. But surely allowing guns to be carried in places where the social facilitator leads, in excess, to bad judgement, emotional inconsistency and physical impairment, this new law is surely insane.

I believe in the right to choose but politicians are there to help ensure our choices fall within a responsible framework. Do these politicians know nothing? Have these politicians not seen Bowling for Columbine?

Be like water

Here is a quote from the Daodejing (Edmund Ryden translation). In the spirit of this wonderful philosophy, I will make no comment and leave that to your interpretation...



Chapter 8

The highest goodness is like water:
Water benefits the myriad things and rests in the places everybody detests.

Therefore,
It is close to the Way.

Dwelling aims to be earth-bound;
Thinking aims to be profound;
Giving aims to be like heaven;
Speaking aims to be trustworthy;
Governing aims to be correct;
Accomplishing aims to be capable;
Undertaking aims to be timely.

Only through not competing will there be no disaster.

Can we have too much choice?

A few years old now and we still haven't learned anything... In this video psychologist Barry Schwartz says we have all become so anxious due to the amount of choice we have now. In the old days, there was coffee or tea... Now, well, there's no such thing... Because of this, we have no idea what we want anymore so we become disoriented, frustrated, unsettled, perplexed and, most importantly, anxious. We have a responsibility to make things simple for people. Simplicity leads to understanding whereas complexity leads to confusion.

Our responsibility: Obama

Barack Obama talks about responsibility. After a decade of personalisation, the need for instant gratification and the falsely instilled belief that our actions are always right, it was refreshing when Obama raised these thoughts on responsibility. A little bit of introspection can go a long way. Slow down, think, ask what you can do to make your immediate world a better place. How can you change your ways? This is your responsibility. By making changes to your life, you can help change the world.

Brick walls

"Brick walls are there for a reason. They let us prove how badly we want things."

This is a quote from Randy Pausch. While diagnosed with terminal cancer, he gave a thoughtful and uplifting talk on chasing your childhood dreams. Here is the link:



There are so many inspiring insights in this talk. But I really like the Brick Wall quote. I use the brick wall as a filter for everything I want. If it fails the 'Randy' test then I don't mind if I'm blocked. If it passes the 'Randy' test then I do what it takes (patiently, and sometimes passively waiting for the planets to align) to climb over the wall.