There are days when Spring has not arrived. It is cold rain and windy, a time for watching a video in front of the woodstove. This week, we watched two movies:
Klaus and Shirley recommended the first; Edward recommended the second.
A Philosopher in Poland looks at the events of the Second World War and the freedom of the Polish people. Seaspiracy looks at the global exploitation of the oceans: the killing of whales, sharks, tuna indeed it deals with all marine species. Both films provide a sobering perspective on today’s society.
A Philosopher in Poland raises the question of nation states. This is particularly poignant given the time of COVID. What lessons can/have been learned from the Second World War? It would be interesting to see similar documentaries on other countries e.g.Russia, China, the United States. And, at the local level, Canada and Nova Scotia.
The same is true for Seaspiracy given the Canadian (Nova Scotia) approach to the management of natural resources. What is happening off the coasts, in terms of the fishing industry? Canada is bounded by three oceans.
Looking for answers, I happened upon a short essay in Wendell Berry’s book Home Economics, titled ‘A Nation rich in Natural Resources’, p 133-136. It was helpful. (also, see HERE)
”Indeed, once our homeland, our source, is regarded as a resource we are sliding downwards towards the ash heap or the dump”.
The ‘icing on the cake’ was the recent Guardian Weekly, March 26, 2021. It included two items on the United Kingdom. Edward Docx ‘Send in the Clown’ Making sense of Boris Johnson and Priyamvada Gopal ‘Why can’t Britain handle the truth about Churchill?’
Both articles led to a reflection on the post-war era in England. My time was 1945-1969. I arrived at the University of Western Ontario to start graduate work in Geography, over fifty years ago. Canada is now my homeland.
Acknowledgements
Edward and Klaus/Shirley for their viewing recommendations. Edward added the graphics. Heather shared the viewing.
Postscript
NEW SUBWAY CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENT IN COPENHAGEN DENMARK
Details HERE.
References
The 100 year March: A Philosopher in Poland. Stefan Molyneux, host of Freedomain Radio
Seaspiracy on Netflix
Wendell Berry, 1987, Home Economics: A Nation rich in Natural Resources, p.133-136, North Point Press
Ernest Blair Experiment 