Cluttered Chaos at Sunset
PDF Week 18/2016: Canon 7D, 100mm (on 100-400mm lens), 1/400, f5.6, ISO 640.
'Those Who Dance Are Considered Insane by Those Who Can’t Hear the Music'
(see http://quoteinvestigator.com/2012/06/05/dance-insane/#return-note-3913-24)
This quote, attributed to Friedrich Nietzsche, might resonate in a lot of us or make us reflect. Can it be true? Am I dreaming? What on earth made other people do certain things? It is often that we can't hear the music when others dance. Reversely, it also happens that we are dancing along our music while anonymous people are watching, reading or listening to us. They must think we have gone insane. The music is muted for them, as it is often muted for us. Is there really a 'them' and 'us' by default? Is that a natural, necessary state?
Following Australian politics a bit, I have started to realise what this music is, that some weird politicians are dancing to. Frankly, I don't like the music. It seems to be pumping statements through the loudspeakers and TV screens. The message is often that the guys outside are considered too dumb and irrelevant to be heard and respected. How would I know and be sure though, only hearing some low sound waves and the monotony of repeating tones. Half the population outside even cheers to what they can't hear properly, what they don't know and understand, and as a consequence don't really care much about.
Australia celebrated ANZAC day last week. It was also announced that our next submarine fleet is going to be built by - drumrolls - France. There was hardly any mention of the 30th anniversary of the Tchernobyl catastrophe. There was also no time to commemorate Fukoshima or reflect on diabolically located nuclear power plants in the San Andreas fault. While we could read about North Korea's provocative activities, France's nuclear testing on Australia's neighboring Pacific atolls in the past finds no mentioning.
In times, where people all over the world, start pre-ordering electric Tesla cars, when the Netherlands considers banning the sale of fossil fueled cars, it is obvious that we need clean energy. Australia is still debating whether they should continue to fight over climate change. It is roasting the CSIRO boss and forcing him to admit guilt for moving on his concentrate of federally subsidised intelligentia. Collecting data can be done by free slaves or Citizen Scientists. From the ballroom, there comes laughter. Renewable energy has copped a beating in the very recent past, is diligently worked against. Equally demonised is decentralised power generation. The grid locks to consider such options.
Scientists and David Attenborough are crying over the dying Great Barrier Reef on national and international TV. Queensland gives approval to build and operate the biggest coal mine in the world, with ports being installed and channelling ship traffic right through an allegedly fragile environment and a World Heritage site. Fly-in/Fly-out jobs are traded in for our cultural and natural environment and a more sustainable future. We chime in the crying but decide to turn our ears and eyes away for comfort.
The 'cashed-up backpacker tourism strategists' from Queensland ask to be moderate in showing and warning of the devastation at the Great Barrier Reef. We also saw the video of a "Greeny" go viral. It showed an explosive situation, the politician sitting in a boat and putting a river on fire. Fracking forces the gas out of the ground and produces bubbles in the remaining water that has not been dried up upstream by excessive irrigation yet. How can someone *peeptone* swear and blame greedy politics and industry when the bubbles burst with a big bang? Why would you light it, when sitting in the middle of it? Why would you not have documents and scientific analysis ready to prove that some greedy corporation is to blame? Especially if you don't want to be subjected to our new warfare, namely legal swatting!
Australia has a black coal record. But it hasn't got a Fukoshima or a Tchernobyl, not even a nuclear power plant. Not many people know, that the UK conducted atmospheric nuclear tests in Australia in the 1950s, as far as I know killing indigenous people happening to live in the area. Lest we forget. The country is big, and the traditional owners and the general population is often not invited to dance. They are just here to pay the bills, along with nature and future generations.
Soon, we'll have the first nuclear waste site in the country. And we'll have our submarines built by Australians under the command of the nuclear superpower France. The subs are not driven with Tesla technology like the Japanese proposed models. All Australians care about is that, obviously or allegedly, the many jobs remain or are created in the country. The decision is applauded mainly because the billions of taxpayers' money doesn't go to what some still consider the old war enemy, Japan. After all, they kill our whales, don't they.
We need clean energy. How amazing that we can hear hardly anything about how to achieve that. Opinion leaders don't seem to own shares of potentially leading industrial complexes yet. At least, Panama papers (who saw them anyway?) didn't reveal much comPELLing evidence of abuse in Australia. There is one huge issue with solar, wind and other clean energy. They can (and will) be produced decentralised. They not only mark the end of fossil fuel. Energy conglomerates will have to find new ways to maintain their control of the big business. As much fun as it is at the moment, buying, shutting or slowing down alternative energy solutions is not a long term solution.
The question is whether we'll soon hear the music that is being played behind thick walls. Will the communication with weak signals be soon replaced by clear statements. I would not be surprised if - in times when other nations leave nuclear power behind - Australia proudly announces plans to have fossil fueled power plants to be replaced by nuclear production of energy, the National Broadband Fusion project maybe.
Beware! Even if there is an accident involving nuclear power, who cares? Couldn't we all just witness in the media how wildlife and nature is starting to strive when people are forced to leave their contaminated homes? Maybe Australia should build a nuclear reactor right in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. Maybe at Lizard Island, where all our most competent and licensed marine biologists could be joined by nuclear scientists. They could have a ballroom playing their music. In case of an accident, they could get relief and a nice tan in swimmers and bikinis on a beautifully rich atoll. Snorkelling in heavy water, they could fuse with teeming marine life and never seen before creatures. It doesn't get any CRISPR than that. There is not even a need to describe existing marine species, e.g. non-prioritised nudibranchs, when new ones can be created.
Admittedly, I can't hear the music, but I can see the figurines moving to a distorted rhythm. There is undoubtedly loud music, maybe punk rock. I never liked aggressive music, lyrics and pogo dancing. My own music style is boring, my dancing style virtually nonexistent. I'd love Australia to be able to communicate openly and plan a future based on common sense and decency, beyond greed, exploitation and pretention.
Politicians should care about providing legal and infrastructure framework that allow for jobs. They should neither create them nor in the case of ecological marine exploration and education destroy opportunities. Why doesn't Australia stick to what we have (not talking about Antarctica) and what we are good at (not only talking about repairing Ford and Holden cars and fishing)?
What industries does Australia want to be known for in the future? In my opinion, we have all the ingredients for a prosperous future, including the energy sector. We have decent and hard working people. If we manage to build (and not just pretend to have or import) real skills in creating a good mix of industrial and postindustrial value chains, Australia and the world might profit. Put alternative power generation and reasonable power usage and distribution on the agenda, make coal and nuclear power the alternative and declare it a dead end to be out-phased. Tackle the challenges fairly and openly, not within the ballroom that determines and distributes profits to a few star dancers and the costs to the listeners and hosts.
I am glad, I don't clearly hear the music yet. And I am sure that many people can't follow and wonder what dance I am dancing. The photo 'Cluttered Chaos at Sunset' was taken at the Queensland Sunshine Coast. We had a great time, eating fish and chips at the marina. The boats that we had photographed in the afternoon fishing in or at the edge of marine protected zones (I assume legally) were hauling their catch, even offering us crabs - fresh and cheap. The light was beautiful and I tried to show the cluttered chaos of the marina when boats and the sun went to sleep, a glimpse of hope and energy on the horizon.
Photo Discussion Friday is still open for photos of the public to be discussed or presented. This should not become my own forum. It should be about photography not about politics. However, I do admit that I enjoy mixing photography, art and politics. Art will become more important in the future. It always did when the freedom of speech was bound to be restricted and when humans and nature were exploited excessively, and when people were keen on selfies rather than relevant portraits and reflections of society. There are brilliant people who are starting to come out of hiding, presenting great ideas. Life can be short, so why not dance your own dance!
Enjoy your weekend!
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