Because humankind shares a degree of collective memory, the religions and heroic myths of all cultures, tell essentially the same stories; the human psyche still contains these primordial symbols and images – one of which is the annual departure and return of the sun. Stonehenge, around 5,000 years old, is pointed precisely at the winter solstice sunset (which will be on Tuesday) – each year heightens my awareness of this pivotal event. 1600 years ago, Christmas was transplanted into this momentous week; new sun, new birth, new hope, new year; our ‘festival of renewal’ has powerful symbolism.
My own rituals of renewal are modest and mundane, but a two-week holiday as this time seems absolutely right. I’ll pause this column and a few other tasks – a rest. I’ll exchange Xmas cards with a few households I rarely see but remember fondly. The depressing orgy of Xmas consumption, at my age, I can mostly ignore. Our family Xmas lunch is special; an annual glimpse at the next generations – their gifts and aspirations. Another renewal ritual for me is a ‘clear-out’ of past detritus – never as rigorous as I intend. There’s a vague expectation that holidays, even around the house, will ‘recharge our batteries’; sometimes the changed patterns can deliver a new perspective on our lives – a new insight.
Since long before recorded history, our ancestors celebrated the annual return of the sun; we feel it now, the same deep impulse to turn away from the darkness – towards the building light. A guid new year to one and all.
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Waiting on Omicron to reveal the severity of its threat, we would have preferred to lay low – then, with the info, react proportionately. Seven days from now will be Xmas Eve – I honestly don’t know whether to be ironing my shirt for a party, or buying in essentials for another lockdown. This is not a complaint, it’s no-one’s fault, but it faces us all with very uncomfortable decisions about levels of exposure during our festive season. The most common rumour circulating is that Omicron is a bit of a pussycat – getting it is unimportant; but when things sound too good to be true, we should beware. When you come down to it, we all have to decide for ourselves.
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Most voters, including his own party, now know that the PM is not fit for office; while he may hang on a while, he can’t recover from recent lies and judgements. Once again, I agree with John Harris’ take – that Johnson’s particular irresponsibility is part of an English public school contempt for the rest of us – taking us for fools.
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Whistleblower Frances Haugen told us that Facebook regularly puts shareholder benefit before the public good; this openDemocracy article argues that we, therefore, need to establish common ownership and democratic control of the digital infrastructure; James Muldoon refers to his new book Platform Socialism as a model for the future. I believe it’s only a matter of time.
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Since Thatcher’s election in 1979, about half the land owned by public bodies in the UK has been privatised, our common wealth sold off; social rented housing has declined from 31% to 18% of stock. This Conversation article looks at other consequences, and how the model of Liverpool’s land commission can lead the fight against urban land grabs.
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At this time, UK citizens are understandably concerned with our own Omicron survival – but we should be aware that our Govt is currently protecting Big Pharma patents ahead of millions of lives. This article by Prof. Anthony Costello argues that ‘anyone standing in the way of saving lives, for private profit, should be held responsible’. I fear we’re going to look back at this with shame.
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This passage is from ‘Soliloquies of a Hermit’ (1918) by Theodore Frances Powys – my festive sign-off.
“There was a time when I thought something wonderful would happen to me – now I believe that the most wonderful thing is that nothing wonderful happens. We are just as we are – nothing else – but are we not wonderful enough? By only hearing the wind howl in the chimney, I am filled with all the harmony of music. By eating bread I am fed with the whole goodness and fullness of the earth. And when the silent mood comes, the calmness of immense seas and eternal spaces fills me… I know now that the things of greatest value can be had for the asking – that the centre of life is always near – it is only the outer parts that are far off – hard to understand”.
