What makes for a more fulfilling life?

The recent discovery of water on Mars has brought into perspective that a manned mission may contaminate the results of any discovery of life. Perchlorates and cosmic radiation are still barriers to a lengthy mission. Is it more important to have realistic expectations of Mars or a vision of solving problems to which we do not yet have answers?

Answers are almost always too safe.

In the mid 1970’s I heard a bureaucrat [Bob Lansdowne] argue that social change came from shifts in compassion or compulsion-he was discussing our relationship with Indonesia and argued that compassion was in short supply. He was suggesting that huge disparities in income and wealth in an increasingly open and global environment were a recipe for instability and conflict–and that we should be afraid of the consequences of failing to address it. His concern is even more relevant today.

I’m asking because it is a question, after standstill discussions with peers — some for; some against — I cannot clarify to myself what I believe. To have this question answered would not only put my mind at ease, but influence how I see the world and go about my life.

As the boomers get older, aged care will become a key economic issue. Automated systems will also become more sophisticated. We will have to make ethical decisions regarding what industries should be open to the disruption of automation.

Living with mental illness (my own and that of my husband), I am bombarded with jingoistic slogans like ‘R U OK?’, parroted by gurus of ‘Mindfulness’, and by their minions who wave yellow balloons in my face, or consultants who advise employers to host endless parties, or feign empathy in exchange for docility, or friends who assume we need an ideological revamp. If wellbeing crusaders really cared how we felt, they would be quieter and let us have our contemplation; or ask a complete sentence with rounded vowels, including the last two letters of ‘you’. If a person cannot ask ‘How are you feeling?’ without abbreviating it into an acronym, clearly they have no time to hear us. If we had the power to define mental health, perhaps it would differ from current expectations? Who would the ‘sick’ ones be then?

Behind every story in the media that makes me want to cry I can trace the instigating issue to greed and lust for power/control by entities (corps and gov) and individuals who seem classically sociopathic. The way we have decided to perceive success seems to lead inevitably to the ones most lacking in morals, ethics or care for others to be hailed as leaders. I am tired of the cruelty. I would like to see what we could achieve if kindness and social wellbeing were the goal instead of greed.

This is important for the elimination of racism, violent behaviours, rates of imprisonment, and increased government transparency and ownership.

While I think it goes to the heart of Judaeo-Christian belief and may therefore be relevant to anyone in our society, I mainly think it might annoy Rob Delaney.

What will sustainble farming look like and which cuisines will dominate flavour wars?