Following insights on the structure of human life from Dr Michael Macklin, Dr Neil Peach wrote:
“I can add some less remarkable points.”
- There is a predisposition in many social settings to avoid the political because – the small p and the capital P are conflated.
- Many genuine political discussions proceed without referencing the ‘idea’ of politics.
- This can arise because social mores and language can sometimes impede one another.
- There is also a very clear habit in our community where language is not something that is applied with an awareness of its shifting meaning.
Our language at one point is seen as fixed but it can never be anything but moving. - We can be self conscious without being conscious of the implications of our languaging.
- At the heart of politics is Pizzorno’s notion of ‘participation’.
- Which means we are compelled to ongoing discussion where meaning is always shifting.
- This requires us to move around in the shifting sands of language with an eye towards where we can find the potential for collaborative action.
A drive towards what we can agree on or what Deleuze refers to as the ‘and’, … - This means we are forced to stay ‘forever young’ along the lines of Robert Zimmerman’s hopes…….
May our hands always be busy
May our feet always be swift
May we have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May our heart always be joyful
May our song always be sung
And may we stay forever young
This of course is propounded in wistful hope.
Featured Image: The choices in the political perception.
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Neville Buch
Professional Historian at Professional Historians Association (Queensland) Inc.
Neville Buch (Pronounced Book) Ph.D. is a certified member of the Professional Historians Association (Queensland). Since 2010 he has operated a sole trade business in history consultancy. He was a Q ANZAC 100 Fellow 2014-2015 at the State Library of Queensland. Dr Buch was the PHA (Qld) e-Bulletin, the monthly state association’s electronic publication, and was a member of its Management Committee. He is the Managing Director of the Brisbane Southside History Network.
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