Deciding what to do next

Planning for the future with any degree of certainty is something only Paul Atreides and Palpatine might have enjoyed (if they existed). For the rest of us uncertainty is a part of every day life. Not knowing what's around the next corner and being aware that even our best guesses can prove to be little good in the long run.
Today I had a History seminar were one of the topics under discussion was modernity and post-modernity. We were attempting to define what these things actually were, something we couldn't hope to do in an hour given that years of scholarly work has failed to provide a definitive answer. However it got me thinking about the future.

What happens next? We can fly around the world in less than a day. (A lot less if you could still fly on a concorde.) We can communicate instantly with anyone. We can destroy the planet a dozen times over. So were is humanity headed next?

Bringing us back to the present. Let's think how difficult it must be to plan for the future as a politician. For instance the Tories massive cuts. I happen to think they are unecessary but they would argue that they are preparing for the worse. What happens if there's another economic downturn? And we are still saddled with all this extra debt? No one can know for certain what will happen next year. (Just to mention we are always in  debt, that is how governments work.)

And what about our own lives? Even when we could plan for the future we rarely do. Looking beyond the here and now can be very difficult. Get a job and have money for fun in the future? Save for a car or get smashed tonight? Enjoy sex without a condom now or avoid a baby nine months from now?

Tricky questions. Even when the answer is obvious, it can be hard to do what we know is right. Especially in the heat of the moment. Bringing us back to politics lets look at Obama. As President he faces tough decisions every day and is constantly torn between being a politician and a statesmen. For instance, when dealing with nations like Iran and China he know's it's best to be cautious and slowly forge stronger ties but the American public wants him to appear to be decisive and strong. Even is this would lead to disaster. So Obama can concentrate on winning the next election or look to America's future.

I've often said "Be Causal. Be Happy." A statement I certainly apply to my own life and would encourage anyone to apply to there's but I'm forced to also think there always an exception. Your future.

If you don't plan for it, who will? There's time yet but how much? For a lot of people University is just a delaying tactic. If I stay in education I don't have to make any really tough decision, is what we think.

So. Look ahead. Think just a little about were your headed in the next couple of years. It's the only way to guarantee your happiness. And happiness is what we are really after. The true meaning of life if you will. Don't let it slip through your fingers.

Pragmatism

Being good is really overrated. Nice people get trampled. Moral people are just irritating. Worst of all nothing ever seems to get done.Pragmatism is the only way forward but inevitably this leads to evil deeds, good intentions or no.

So what to do? Be good or bad? Machiavelli would tell us be bad so long as you win. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niccolò_Machiavelli) The CIA would certainly seem to agree but lets not get carried away with politics right now.

In our own lives being selfless is pointless, being selfish is sometimes very necessary. However the most important part of being pragmatic is not to go to far. Be nice and nasty. Put yourself first but be prepared to help your friends. In essence do whatever is best, don't be ruled by emotion and remember to make sure your always smiling.

Be causal. Be happy.

Being casual

Today's topic is chilling. Being laid back. And, in general, not being an absolute mental. What inspires this train of thought, beyond it being a life philosophy, is a story I recently heard about John McCain.

For the truly ignorant among you McCain was the Republican nominee for President against Barack Obama last year. Obviously he was beaten and now his Holiness Obama has the top job. Part of his campaign for Presidency was his staunch opposition to gay marriage. However it has become blatantly obvious his own family seriously disagrees with him, his own daughter is gay and wishes to marry and his wife recently appeared in a campaign to remove the ban on same sex marriage in California.

A question that springs to mind is: why can't McCain let it go? Why does it matter? Does it make any difference to anyone? Of course not but McCain and people like him worldwide insist on opposing it and getting all worked up for no reason. Instead of allowing everyone to be happy they would rather cause confrontation and discontent.

Doubtless this divide in opinion causes no small amount of family argument. But instead of supporting his daughter or simply letting her and other gays across America get on with there lives he insists on vigorously opposing same sex marriage.

So if McCain would just relax if everyone could be a little more casual about others choices wouldn't we all get on much better without trying to intrude in peoples preferences or interrupt the flow of life? The same can naturally be applied to virtually everything. From relationships to your choice of cake (an incredibly serious issue) being casual helps everyone.

So be casual. Be happy.