Patriotism is a disturbing concept. Seen as a positive quality in citizens and encouraged by every government since the dawn of mankind: your absolute love for the country where you happened to be born or grow up in; your absurd pride in it; your willingness to defend it with your life; your firm belief that it is the best country in the world; your… Read More
Send in the clowns
Over millennia, this planet has seen the rise and fall of countless self-proclaimed leaders. Most of them forgotten by now, the rest of them rightly deserving our scorn and jokes. A few visionaries and idealists amongst them failed miserably and faded away with barely a footnote in history. The others – the infamous ones, the usual tyrants, incompetents and outright lunatics have always done… Read More
My god is mightier than yours
Undoubtedly, the best accomplishment that modern democracy has ever achieved was to firmly separate state and religion. Without persecution of religious minorities and most importantly – no preferential treatment for state servants regardless of their beliefs or lack thereof. It sounds splendid in theory, doesn’t it? Pity it doesn’t work in real life. Let me expound on that: To begin with, let’s evaluate that… Read More
A classic Greek fable: find yourself in this picture!
Yes, it is you, right there – with your stupid, thankful expression, so happy with your masters caring about you that you willingly leave all decision-making to them. After all, surely they have your best interests at heart? Don’t you just love that feeling of finally belonging somewhere, in a group that welcomes you with open hoofs? It was so easy to qualify for… Read More
A pictorial guide to The Influence
For a novel to attract readers and continue to captivate them, it always needs to fulfil the three Ps: a twisty Plot, a believable Protagonist and an exotic Place. The plot is there (And, oh boy, you’ve no idea just how far it’s going to take you, do you?), as well as the protagonists (or possibly antagonists, it’s up to you to figure it… Read More
Revolution, Evolution or Devolution?
There are multiple banners being waved about now, and everyone has an opinion. People are roused up to stand on the barricades and declare themselves as something or the other, as long as they choose a side. Does this really advance us as a species? Liberals versus conservatives; socialists versus capitalists; communists versus reactionaries; government control freaks versus anarchists; morons versus… other morons. They’ve… Read More
Woman is the … of the world
I would’ve used the whole unredacted line from Lennon’s song, but in the currently politically charged climate with mindless millennial morons mostly calling the shots, I refrained from it just to be on the safe side. If you don’t know the song, do look up the lyrics and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. And so the world has woken up to the plight… Read More
Totally inoffensive and politically correct
We’re living in strange times, aren’t we, when anyone’s innocuous comment or gesture can be turned into a weapon against the speaker. Not me. I’m getting on with the present programme, doing my best to stay inoffensive and continue to spout gibberish, just as most of world media these weeks. I’m even updating my vocabulary to be accepted by everyone, anywhere. And hope to… Read More
Is it worth it?
https://www.jovancic.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Is-it-worth-it-1.mp4 Whatever their scientific name may be, these reptiles thought they had found a refuge in a palm oil plantation. Obviously they were wrong. I challenge anyone to come up with a truly valid raison d’être for the existence of these plantations. Sure, it temporarily improves the lives of local people – boosting their finances, having the kids attending school, all paid by big… Read More