Another month older – wiser? Who can say? As we prepare for a long hard winter ahead, this month at the Gateway there’s loads to reflect on, perhaps even something to learn from.
We have J.M.Barrie’s address ‘This Entrancing Life’ which he delivered on becoming Chancellor of Edinburgh University in 1930. All but forgotten of course, but he has some really interesting and important things to say about education and society. Juxtapose that with the final part of Leatham’s ‘The Most Important thing in the world’ which reminds us that Capitalism isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and there are more important things than money, and you won’t have wasted the time it’s taken you to read both pieces. To continue your free (in all senses) education on Gateway you might delve into the history of the Peasant’s Revolt and, perhaps a bit more locally, the history of Turriff. Beyond that, the Orraman comes to some conclusions in the ongoing battle for Scots culture. What more could you want? This month in 2017 we’ve had party conferences and really seen how the media can turn and twist any and everything round to the way they want. While the mainstream media bay for her blood, calling her weak and predicting her demise, here at the Gateway if we are to make predictions it is that Theresa May is going nowhere any time soon. As Orraman suggests, we need to watch out not for bread and circuses but for adult colouring books. A prime minister coughing through a speech is not, I repeat NOT more important than the events going on in Catalonia folks. The internet, that purported great democratiser, has become, via social media, more than anything a soma for the masses. Be afraid, be very afraid. In the virtual world you are your data and for most practical purposes nothing more. So perhaps step away from the smart phone apps, stop posting selfies and pictures of cats and use the technology for something sensible instead of as yet another distraction from using your brain. Just a gentle wee piece of advice. Rab Christie Comments are closed.
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June 2018
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