Short Stories

Have you ever thought about what ideas you use to think of other ideas with? For example, Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, that all life is related and has descended from a common ancestor, is an idea that has been used to think of other ideas with. Darwinian evolution is a method of explaining changes. His ideas dismantled the notion that humans were miraculously special. Over time, there was room for variation that transformed the beliefs people had about themselves.  For Darwin, the idea of variation existed in random mutations that produced adaptive changes to form new life - a concept of natural selection for environmental adaptation. But the ‘mutation’ from his discipline was the beginning of something new in society, without losing any of its original quality; the new ideas people had about themselves as a species. That’s why it is relevant which stories tell stories, which concepts think other concepts or which systems systemise systems. They can lead to meaningful ins...

I recently learnt about Het Groene Boekje (The Green Book) which was produced in the Netherlands during the early 1950s. The book is a glossary of the Dutch language that defines the official spelling of Dutch words. It was created by the Dutch government for institutions to use, including schools. It has had some revisions over the years. For example, pannekoeken (pancakes) is no longer the right way to write or say the word. It’s now panne n koeken (pan s cakes) because there is no one universal pan that makes the pancakes, so the word has changed to reflect that concept. It seems nonsensical to me. This made me think, who else has a set of official rules for language? France has the Académie française, or the French Academy, which was formulated in the late 17th century and refers to the French council for matters pertaining to the French language. Then I thought about language affecting culture; is this one way to centralise a country and a nation? Is this how we internalise contro...

I attribute my restlessness to a book I’ve been reading about brain surgery by Henry Marsh. It’s raising an episode of existential angst in me but in a good way. Marsh’s experience as a neurosurgeon takes a raw look at what it is to be human. I sympathise with Marsh’s patients and admire his talent for sharing stories that illuminate the functions of the brain and capture its complexity. It seems that we take our noggins for granted. The idea that I can have my brain operated on and be awake to see it, a feedback loop of my brain looking at itself, blows my mind. We may be a bunch of biological and chemical processes, but there is magic in that combination. Marsh touches upon patients that become vegetative or have locked-in syndrome after surgery. In that type of state, the brain can be teetering between consciousness and unconsciousness. I think it’s fair to say that there is a poor quality of life in having no control over your own body. The consequences are ultimately left to famil...

There was an atmosphere of mysticism and mythology at the  Roadburn  festival two weeks ago. I noticed that most of the bands I saw portrayed various landscapes in their visual backdrops (CHVE, Buried at Sea, Jakob), along with ritual imagery and dilapidated buildings (Dark Buddha Rising, Amenra). Photos: Tim Bugbee What I gleaned from the musicians who were interviewed at Roadburn was the combined notion of people working together to create ‘authentic’ music and experiences that go beyond preconceived frameworks.  For example, Neurosis spoke of their musical process as being a type of religious journey. Wanting to retreat into a cave to get in touch with nature and their music, Neurosis creates something shared from within, taking it out of their heads and directing it at the audience. Neurosis mentioned with all honesty that in their former years they considered the audience to be their enemy. However, now celebrating their 30th anniversary, Neurosis no longer view us a...

Before I muse about being a non-citizen, I will briefly explain why. Today I completed a series of Dutch knowledge tests, the  Inburgeringsexamen , which translates to the civic integration exam. Legally, I am recognised as a ‘foreign national’ who has been living in the Netherlands for almost five years. I am also considered to be a contributor to the knowledge-based economy in the Netherlands. So, what does this mean if (nay, when) I successfully pass?  It means I become a permanent resident of the Netherlands with the possibility to move to other European Union Member states. However, I am still legally considered to be an Australian citizen until I renounce my citizenship due to being  a citizen of another country or entitled to become a citizen of another country . The same goes for the Netherlands. I can only become a  Dutch citizen if I give up my other nationality . So, I think I’ll stick to being  a non-EU national who is a long-term resident , just for...