(Online chat.)
“Go on then. Tell me. Who said this:
“‘Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority. They show disrespect for elders and chatter in place of exercise. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers.’
“Don’t know? Want to guess?
“No, it wasn’t anyone you know.
“No, it wasn’t any politician. Nor a celeb either. No-one like that.
“Give up?
“It was Socrates. In the 5th Century BC.
“Sort of surprising, isn’t it.
“But I’ve said to you before, not a lot changes. Humans don’t change much. Only the trappings, the window dressing which we use to tart-up everyday life.
“No, no, I don’t think that’s depressing. For window dressing read culture. If you think in terms of cultural contexts, then they can change. And that can make a lot of difference to the everyday.
“If you want to create change, change people’s culture. It’s a mistake to focus on politics. Politicians are followers, not leaders.
“What I’m getting at is don’t imagine you’re thinking anything or saying anything that hasn’t been thought or said before. Not at root. But how you think it, the words you use and how you them – that can all be more unique. That can be a product of the time. Of the current culture. Or you can try to influence future culture. That can be your input. That can be unique to you.”
~~~~~
“A photo? I don’t know. Stones. Big stones or rocks or something. Something that doesn’t change much.”
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