YspeopleExplore tab

Ysbuys

Ysepicure

Life lessons from the farm


About DJC

The older I get, the less I know and the more inquisitive I get.

Unfortunately, despite a lifelong search, most of the answers elude me. That said, I love to ask the questions and fuel the debates that will ultimately lead us all to a better understanding of the big issues in life, the universe and everything.

They say that we spend 98% of our lives in our head. I for one would like to use that time as effectively as possible.


It was at my rural retreat, far from the madding crowd, that I had an epiphany of sorts!

I have just returned to the office after two weeks at the farm, far away from the madding crowd on the Warren River, a little over three hours south of Perth.

My bees are busy creating beautiful honey.

My bees are busy creating beautiful honey.

The farm is home to my bees, all of whom were hard at work extracting nectar from the abundant blossom and converting into the most delicious honey I have ever tasted. The farm is also the place where I read, reflect, learn and write, often for days on end.

Read more from DJC: Why I don't eat animals

Perhaps the only thing I consider as important as this is taking action after all that intellectualising.

During the second week, a good friend came down for a couple of days, providing me with the opportunity to discuss in detail -- with someone I respect for her intellect and honesty, among other things -- the issues I had been reading, reflecting on, learning and writing about.

We talked for hours and hours.  It was suggested that I was talking a great deal for a person who values his solitude in environments where no talking happens at all. The fact is, I do find solace in solitude, but I also enjoy the opportunity to debate ideas, with a bolshy woman who speaks her mind without reservation – as indeed she should.

On a number of occasions, I lamented the increasingly self-centred behaviour of the human beings that make up our community and our world.

I'm genuinely concerned about self-serving parents who smoke with their children in the car, polluting their young lungs; parents who buy their children junk food to save time, encouraging obesity; people who smoke while walking down the street, exposing others to the risk of lung cancer; drivers who throw rubbish out the window of their vehicles, polluting the environment we all share; and the wealthy who vote in favour of tax cuts, which build inequities.

To me, all of these issues are black and white. They can be addressed readily if we, as human beings, only choose to be less self-centred and place a higher priority on our responsibilities than our rights.

We hear people telling us that they have the right to smoke, but don't they also have a responsibility not to?

We often hear parents saying that junk food saves them time in their busy lives, when it may be better of them to ask if they have a responsibility to do whatever it takes to bring up a healthy child who will learn good eating habits and not become obese? We often hear the wealthy bemoan the tax they pay, taking full credit for their success, rather than full responsibility for doing what they can to help others.

Because of the self-centred behaviour of human beings, I have lost faith in humanity. While there are people I like and respect a great deal, I struggle to have any regard for the human race.

It seemed to me that anyone who questioned behaviours like those discussed here and did not realise how selfish they were being was not much of a person. I struggle to think well of anyone who continues to smoke in the car with their children in it after they've asked themselves what effect it is having on them.

But this is where my friend made an interesting point, that these people don’t ask themselves such questions.

She went on to explain that such people might actually share my perspective if they asked themselves the question and were presented with the facts. The fact is though, that many of them don't ask themselves the question. They behave as they do, day after day,  without critically evaluating their behaviour -- with some not even clear on what that involves.

I have been writing strident articles with aggressive headlines for a few years now, offering a progressive and socratic view of issues. My objective has always been to encourage change through objective, critical and lateral thinking.

As Bertrand Russell once said, "most people would rather die than think - and most people do''. But encouraging thinking is the only way I know to facilitate optimal sustainable change.

But my conversation with my wise friend suggests to me that rather than offering aggressive headlines, I should ask more questions.

I need to focus on asking the questions that people don't think to ask themselves, present some facts, and leave it to them to draw the right conclusion.

It also occurs to me that this is completely consistent with my general philosophy on life, that the answers always matter less than the questions. Questions considered genuinely encourage thinking.

Thankyou, Rebecca!

Banner 2
| Your rating
No ratings yet


Related stories

Women cheat on men who don't do house chores: study

Women are more likely to cheat on men who fail to pull their weight when it comes to household chores, according to a major...

Work Relationships
Originally from telegraph.co.uk
Expand
Over 5 years ago
(Love & Relationships)
Marriage is a con, serving no purpose at all.

Marriage is a symptom of ugliness

Relationships and love have astonishing value. But marriage? Pffffft, what a con!

Relationships Community Social Issues
Expand
About 6 years ago
(Love & Relationships)
By following a few commonsense rules, online dating isn't so scary after all.

How to stay safe while dating online

 

Have you found yourself single again in midlife? Thinking about online dating? Read this first.

Relationships Technology Health
Expand
About 6 years ago
(Love & Relationships)
Saying thankyou will brighten two people's day.

The power of saying thankyou

There is incredible power in saying thankyou and expecting nothing in return.

Relationships Community Health
Expand
About 6 years ago
(Love & Relationships)
Grandkids say the funniest things.

The things your grandchildren say

Children say the darndest things, don't they? Share your funny anecdotes.

Relationships Community Humour
Expand
About 6 years ago
(Love & Relationships)
Children need to know it's OK to bite, kick and scream if grabbed by a stranger.

Nine life-saving lessons to teach your grandkids

Here's how to equip your grandchildren with the tools to keep them safe from predators.

Family Relationships Community Social Issues
Expand
About 6 years ago
(Love & Relationships)
We were like chalk and cheese.

An overdue apology to my long-dead brother

The pain following your death on that remote country road runs deep. Here's why I want to sorry.

Family Relationships Loss
Expand
About 6 years ago
(Love & Relationships)
A class divided passport of the 80s.

My passport is a snapshot of an uglier time

 

You only have to look at my passport from the 1980s -- which lists me as black and bans me from travelling to South Africa --...

Social Issues India Politics Australia
Expand
About 6 years ago
(Love & Relationships)
Empty nesters, how did you celebrate winning your freedom back? Picture: Shutterstock.

Empty nesters, let's hear your stories

Alright all of you empty nesters, how did you celebrate your new-found freedom? Let's get a conversation started.

Property Relationships Community
Expand
About 6 years ago
(Love & Relationships)
Baby Joyce.

Marriage meltdown not Barnaby’s only failure

Our Deputy PM's moral protestations about our interest in his love life go directly to the character of the man.

Relationships Social Issues Politics Australia
Expand
About 6 years ago
(Love & Relationships)

Message board

Rachel, almost 3 years ago:
I am Sav
Rachel, almost 3 years ago:
Hello
Derek, over 5 years ago:
I am great
George, over 5 years ago:
What's up Thomas?
George, over 5 years ago:
Messages are now updated in real time on other browsers.
Thomas, over 5 years ago:
Hello
Thomas, almost 6 years ago:
Great!
DJC, almost 6 years ago:
Groovy!
George, almost 6 years ago:
Message board active from June 2018

Have your say!

Your Great Australians

Trending stories
They may be hideous, but geez, some toby jugs are valuable.

Is your toby jug worth a fortune?

Did you know that some of...

(Nostalgia) Over 5 years ago
The mistress is in control.

The mistress is in total control

In part five of this series...

(Love & Relationships) Over 6 years ago
Big leap forward for new Santa Fe.

Korean SUV takes another step forward

IT represents Korean car...

(Pastimes) Almost 6 years ago
Can you solve this puzzle? .

Can you guess who I am?

I'm an influential figure...

(Nostalgia) About 6 years ago
The Black Jaguar (Image uploaded to Reddit by u/althekos).

Wild animals a pictorial delight

Take a minute to escape...

(Pastimes) About 6 years ago
Weekly Poll
Photographic memories
Hizgg0vzzqvwc9xicknk
It's 35 years since the Ash Wednesday bushfires in South Australia and Victoria claimed 75 lives and more than 2500 buildings.