Posts in Uncategorized
The problem of pockets

G.K. Chesterton once attacked the materialist philosophy by saying “In a little while we shall have you calling the practice of wife-beating the Problem of Pokers…” And now news reaches us (from Social Studies in the July 6 Globe and Mail) that "Nepal's anti-corruption authority has come up with a novel solution to rampant bribe-taking at the country's only international airport - the pocketless trouser, Agence France-Presse reports. The authority said it was issuing the new, bribe-proof garment to all airport officials after uncovering widespread corruption at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport.” How clearly did GKC foresee it? Well, he even said “The point about communism is that it tries to reform the pickpocket by forbidding pockets.” His uncanny ability to foresee idiocy surely requires some attention to his thought.

UncategorizedJohn Robson
The world needs more smugness

In a classic "Dreamland" piece (see Roy Rempel's book of the same name from Breakout Educational Network) in today's Ottawa Citizen, former PM Joe Clark says as the world becomes more changely in its changingness, Canada should use its diversity to bring diversity out of diversity or something. Perhaps I am unfair. But here are his own words: "As the world's religious, cultural and economic divides grow deeper, our diversity and our diplomatic abilities have become more relevant. The critical international skills needed to shorten these divides include prominently the ability to draw differences together, to manage diversity, to generate trust -- the traditional and genuine signature qualities of Canada." He praises the Harper government for spending more on the military but reproaches it because "our diplomatic and development resources are being run down now as steadily and certainly as our defence resources were run down in earlier decades."

As for why we are just what this diversely diversified world of the diverse 21st century needs, he says "Let's list just five of our assets as Canadians that can be most relevant in this changing world: 1. Our diversity at home.... 2. Our ability to bridge differences.... 3. The different North America.... 4. Our multilateral instinct.... 5. Our ability to work with non-state actors...."

At the risk of a chilly reality check, here's a plan. Given how fortunate Canada has been geopolitically and historically, how minor our governance problems are compared to those in many parts of the world, let's use these five splendid qualities to overcome Quebec's alienation within Canada before we strut onto the world stage in a cloud of self-congratulation.

Or is that too much like hard work?

UncategorizedJohn Robson