Sunday 9 February 2020

May you live in interesting times

While in Oslo, we stumbled across this familiar face. The fearless girl. At first she seemed to be standing in the middle of the sidewalk, staring at nothing. Not facing off with the ferocious bull like in New York.

The plaque nearby added little to explain.


However, with a little more investigation, we discovered she was staring down something much bigger than a charging bull or even sexism. She was staring down the government, because she faces the Norwegian parliament, Stortinget.

We are seeing a rise in child activists around the world, teenagers doing what the adults should be doing. We ought to be ashamed.

The Norwegian Government, when it made it's wealth in oil, created a Sovereign Fund to look after it's people. It invests a mere 4% of it in the country each year. The Norwegian Government is also investing in preparing and adaptation for climate change, with the future safety of the people in mind. It is something we would do well to learn from.


Our government seems a little more focused on the well being of the MPs and less on the people of the nation. More alarmingly, there is damaging legislative and environmental changes heading our way which will alter and damage our way of life, quite possibly forever.

Perhaps we need to learn from this fearless Norwegian girl? Perhaps we need to take a stand against corruption or at least demand full transparency, even if we voted for their tax reform or some other policy? The tax paying people of Australia deserve better. We deserve our tax dollars to make Australia a better place to live, not just for the few in power, but for the many. Better schools, better hospitals, proper infrastructure, a well funded Medicare and so on.

With the state of the country and the economy both in rapid decline, it's now up to us to try to repair the damage. We need to put this government on notice that we won't turn a blind eye anymore. The apathetic Australian needs to state what is acceptable. People treat you the way you let them, we need to stop letting them treat us like fools.

You are still a loyal Liberal or National voter if you demand a Federal ICAC, for this is not aimed solely at the LNP. The rot won't stop with the next election. It won't stop with a change of power. It won't stop, unless we make it stop. Our politicians on both sides of the fence have shown us that they need someone to keep them in check. We are stupid if we think otherwise, as repeated behaviour only emboldens them all. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, as they say. There needs to be a non political body to keep watch with the tax payers interests at heart.

There is an old curse, usually referred to as a Chinese curse, though it's apparently not Chinese.

May you live in interesting times.

We are living it and perhaps we need to live a little more fearlessly. We need to let them know they are being watched and we expect more. Our future depends on it.

Linking with #Lifethisweek #OurWorldTuesday #WednesdayAroundtheWorld #MCOW #TravelTuesday

21 comments:

  1. Those Scandinavians know what's what! Here's to living fearlessly!

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    1. Seeing the difference in mentality was really jaw dropping. We are so backward by world standards at the moment. It was weird to see how abnormal our 'normal' is, when having outsiders tell you about it.

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  2. what a powerful statement this statue is making! There definitely does seem to be a rise in child activists around the world right now!

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  3. I thought I recognised that girl! When you mentioned the bull I remembered that I'd seen her in New York as well. I like the message that she's sending to Norway's government though, and you're so right, we could/should all take a leaf out of that book and stop being so complacent and bored by our government's actions. #Lifethisweek

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  4. How wonderful. I've just been reading about Finland's new leader and cabinet and some of the initiatives there. Perhaps we need to move!

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    1. I love Finland. Look into what Iceland's PM did last week. I watch that with interest....

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  5. Great post and superb statue. At least the kids who are emergent leaders are getting noticed.

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  6. Love this message. This is a bi-partisan issue not a party related one. I'm embarassed to realise how backward we are in terms of things that we really should be more progressive in.

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    1. Well said, Jo! Lydia, thank you for sharing more about The Fearless Girl this week. We all need to live more fearlessly .. I'm looking at myself here first as well.

      SSG xxx

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    2. In Norway it was made really clear to me by a few people how out of step we were and then last night some English people (politely) told us how the English media had pretty much implied the bushfires were our own fault and we could have done more to prevent them (which was the same in Norway but more aggressive). Ditto with the world reaction to our Anti - gay push. We're becoming so out of step with the rest of the world...

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  7. Hello, great message and very true, Love the statue of the Fearless Girl. Enjoy your day, wishing you a great new week!

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  8. I'm not sure future generations will ever forgive our generation for being slow to accept climate change. I like the statue of the Fearless Girl.

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  9. What a beautiful sculpture. I have not seen one in person yet.

    Worth a Thousand Words

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  10. What a great statue and sentiment Lydia, it's always interesting seeing ourselves from the perspective of others and I understand that we can be found wanting. Go fearlessly #lifethisweek

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  11. We all could take a cue from her!

    I'm so glad to see you at 'My Corner of the World' this week!

    My Corner of the World

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  12. I would like to think I had that little girl's confidence but I really don't. However you are right about our apathy. I do think in some ways it is because there is really very little difference in either party. All white men mostly. Sigh. Thank you for linking up for #lifethisweek. Next week is 7/51 T: Telling Self-Care Stories #1. 17.2.2020. Hope to see you there AND the next 10 prompts are on the home page now! Denyse.

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  13. That statue surely makes a statement.

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  14. I did not really know that Australia now has the same problems with “leaders” that we here n the USA have. We also are certainly not a leader among nations any more.

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