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| www.helenhollick.net |
Hello! Thank you to all who have joined the ‘please remind me about your newsletter’ email list (if you have stumbled upon this post and wish to have your name added, see below for details.)
This month's topic:
POWER...
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| Wind turbines - personally, I rather like them |
I was going to talk about Christmas, it being December, but snuggled in bed last Sunday morning I got to thinking about a different subject. Power.
What started this train of thought, and why I was still snuggled (reading on my Kindle) was because of a lack of power. Storm Bert had been making itself a nuisance since the previous evening, by 5 a.m. it had woken me up rattling the windows and the noise sounding like an express train hurtling through the trees. A few alarming flashes outside and then... power cut. It’s amazing how dark it is when there is no light at all, not even the faint glow from the wi-fi booster, or the two little lights from the rooter extension thingy which powers the new telephone system. (Which, of course, with nothing to power it, will not function.)
The main phone, downstairs on my desk should work via batteries, but that meant going downstairs in the dark, nor was I certain whether, without mains power, my stairlift would operate. I could have tried it but what if the battery back-up only enabled one trip up/down? I can’t manage the stairs now, not until I get a new hip. (So I also function on debilitated power of sorts!)
Fortunately I had recharged my kindle, and I’m thoroughly enjoying re-reading my Sea Witch Voyages (because I need to refresh what has already happened in the series in order to get on with Voyage Seven, Jamaica Gold). I’m up to Bring It Close – and excuse the self-trumpet-tootling – blimey it’s good!
Husband got up about 8 a.m. and lit the woodburner, which generates enough heat on top to very adequately boil a kettle. So nestled in bed with a piping hot morning cuppa, I got to thinking about other sorts of power. People Power. The Good, The Bad and the, as far as personality goes, Ugly.
People Power when in the form of peaceful marches and protests can be effective-ish. Those of us who remember the Maggie Thatcher years here in the UK recall the protests against the unworkable Poll Tax (it got kicked out, along with Thatcher.) Will the latest Farmer Power against Inheritance Tax on working farms be of any benefit? Sadly, I doubt it as too many people (including our present government, think of farming as a rich man’s game – all the private land and big houses? Most farms are family businesses, passed from one generation to the next with the purpose of providing us with FOOD and doing what can be done to put right the mess of climate change. (Personally I think a solution would be no inheritance tax as long as the farm remains a working farm and is passed to a next generation to keep it a farm– pay full tax if it is sold for ANY other purpose.)
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| North Devon farmland |
Then there is the disquiet about ‘The Donald’s’ intentions. How these pans out we’ll have to wait and see (although I have a feeling that a lot of people are going to be very disillusioned within a few months.) So, all Political Power is possibly one of the main concerns, when greed takes over. Greed for money, greed for status, greed for ‘I want it MY way’, and greed for superiority. Names to insert here, I guess, include most of the Emperors of Rome, a good few of the Catholic Popes, Henry VIII and his lot of Cronies, Charles I, Oliver Cromwell? Although I’m not sure how much of his bad reputation is subsequent scapegoating? Was ultimate power because of his religion his motive? And when there’s no one to have the courage to say no, (or admitted, the necessity for self-preservation).
Then there’s the other obviouses: Hitler, Stalin, Putin etc. Power Seekers who sent or send thousands into the depths of misery – or worse through their own arrogance for utmost control.
The Power need of the bully, whether at a personal, religious or political level; and I include the Fake News and Conspiracy Theory lot here. We all have our own opinions, but decent people either agree to disagree or keep opinions to themselves. How long, I wonder will the boot-lickers currently being included in the power of running the USA, remain in favour? I give Musk a maximum of six months before there’s a massive falling out. I won’t say Musk craves power in the sense of leadership (he’s not a political dictator (I don’t think?) ) but he is a self-opinionated bully in the sense that he has so much money he can get/do whatever he wants, whatever the consequences. Which might be interesting when both he and his current Best Mate vie for ‘my way’.
Crime is power. Punishment for crime is power. Control is power. Power, sadlu, more often than not, corrupts. Excessive misogynistic, racist, sexist, superior controlling want is the fuel that feeds the desire for Power. No matter who or what is in the way,m with over-the-top, chuck teddies out the cot temper tantrums in order to get it.
The Power of the Celebrity, or the rich Boss. Jimmy Saville, Rolf Harris, Al-Fayad. (None of whom I liked.) All of whom no one said 'no' to because of various reasons. Maybe the one good thing to come out of all this is that we are realising we should – and can – say no. As long as these power people get stopped from continuing to use their disgusting perch of power, that is. (Not happening with certain people alas... Get elected as President and get away with it. Frankly, ladies, it's time more of you stepped up to protest – use your power!
All this made me think on the good use of power, or maybe status, in this context, would be more accurate? I personally think Michele Obama was on the right course? Though Republicans will not agree. Obama’s presidential nomination acceptance back in that pre-election summer was an eye-opener for me. I was travelling from west to east of the US by train. The racist hatred in Middle America was awful. As also, was the unbelievable ignorance! (Encountering someone who had no idea that London was nowhere near Warsaw. Or thinking that the train went all the way under the Atlantic... *eye roll*.) And time and again being told that to bring free medical care to ordinary people was akin to communism/socialism. Ergo, we here in the UK, because of our free National Heath system are all socialists are we? (And no, I realise ‘free’ isn’t exactly free – it’s paid for via taxation and is currently very broken, but that isn’t my point.) Need a hip replacement... OK the waiting list is long, but you don’t have to be rich to get one. Watch this space, I’m expecting my free medical care new hip some time soon.
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| the power of our characters? |
As authors (those of you reading this, or maybe even enthusiastic readers...) are we under the Power Spell of our characters? OK, supposedly they are fictitious people, they don’t actually exist... tell that to some of us! I know of several characters (mine included) who are very, very real to their creators – and by heck do they rule us with their demands, which vary from writing a scene completely different from how we intended, to constant need to be noticed. Children are easier, at least you can put children to bed and go off and watch TV in peace... Characters constantly nag. Even in your sleep.
What I was thinking, though... is there anyone who used ‘power’ for the benefit of good, not for personal gain? Ghandi maybe? Mother Theresa? I’ll not include other religious names, because the majority of famous names (Saints for instance), while probably decent people, all had the single aim of converting others to their way of thinking. By the time you get to the Fanatics (of any religion) you get to coercion, fear-mongering and outright bullying. The power of coercion, related by threats of fear.
So, I’ve come up with just two people who are in a position of ‘power’ whom I admire. One, I’ve admired since the 1970s, the other I’ve only recently realised. The first is the Princess Royal, Princess Anne. She works hard at her job, regards her duties as her job and goes about doing her job without fuss or ‘look at me, look what I’m doing ... aren’t I wonderful?’ My admiration for her became complete when she competed in the Equestrian Olympics. OK, so she could afford good horses, good trainers, but no amount of money can give you GUTS!
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| Princess Anne competing in a 3-day event (pic from Wikipedia) |
And the second is our Queen Camilla. Don’t gasp. I find her to be dedicated, sincere and determined. She calls a spade a spade, is devoted to Charles (frankly he should have been allowed to have married her in the first place!) and like Anne, goes about her duties with full commitment. And what made me realise her genuine compassion and determination to ‘do something’? ... Her resolve to do what she could to bring to attention the plight of thousands of women caught up in the horror of domestic violence or abuse.
I know a few people – one very close to me – who has been the victim of domestic abuse. The initial charm of the guy, courteous, apparently caring and thoughtful, no hint of the true character. Then, once they’ve got their own controlling way (usually as soon as the marriage vows have been made) that’s it... it starts. Believe me, it takes an enormous amount of courage to go against that consuming, terrifying power that these men have. (Usually men, but not always.) Too many, far too many, women kid themselves with false excuses – it’s hard, very, very hard to endure violence whether verbal or physical, but even harder to find the courage to get out, especially if there’s nowhere safe to go.
Queen Camilla has dedicated herself to doing what she can to help, giving unequivocal support to changing the law and supporting safe refuges. I was in tears watching her in a recent documentary on TV. Well done that wonderful woman for coming up with the idea to ensure that everyone who has to go through the embarrassing indignity of intrusive medical examination after rape, has a new, just for themselves, little bag of toiletries – soap, shampoo, toothpaste and such. It sounds such a little thing – but think about it, it isn’t!
To use a position of power to genuinely help those who need genuine help? Well, thank you Your Majesty, I think you’re magnificent.
lege feliciter (and Happy Christmas!)
(read happily)
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'Characters constantly nag. Even in your sleep.' Oh, how true! A thought-provoking read, and happy Christmas to you too, Helen!
ReplyDeleteAn interesting read, and I am glad you veered off from a debate re offshore vs onshore wind power, however relevant. I had no idea about Queen Camilla's work for the abused, and agree with you: a worthy cause. And like you, I'm just waiting for Egotistical Elon and Equally Ego Donald to blow up.
ReplyDeleteExcellent subject 'power' is. Of course I am one of those few Americans who fully support a national healthcare system much like what you have in the UK. And you know how I feel about Teflon Don and his ilk. I can only hope that America will survive his reign of debauchery.
ReplyDeleteThis childhood chant comes to me a lot these days! Liar, liar pants on fire, nose as long as a telephone wire!
ReplyDeletePolitics was always nasty but does seem to be getting nastier. I knew very little about Obama, but he did come across as a nice kind of chap. And yes, I've also warmed to Camilla. I won't go into most of our more recent politicians. The less said about any of them, the better. It seems to me, any real care or concern either is limited to the ones who don't fly so high (maybe the good ones can't bring themselves to place knives in others' backs to climb on) or else, it's been well filtered down by the time they reach the depths ( I was going to say heights, but depths sounds murkier and thus more appropriate) of their careers.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on almost all of this, Helen, and also with our fellow authors above. The scariest power for me, however, is the verbal poison of social media addiction that affects younger people and far too many weak-minded older people. As you say, agreeing to disagree is the best way forward in most situations. But that implies respect...
ReplyDelete