This blog is slowly changing. I still want it to be a running/travel blog, however since returning home from my travels its become more of a social commentary blog. Not out of choice but just because these are the thoughts spinning round in my head. Sadly I have the same sense of being an alien at home as I did away. I see things differently since my travels and hence the change in my blog. It pains me to be like this and I have seen a dramatic drop in page views since adopting this stance but I can't help it, this is who I have become.
And so begins another social observation post, next week is Halloween and in true social media fashion we will see a flood of meme themed costume posts. Last year it was all about Angry Birds and Wikileaks, this year I predict a return to the ghoulish celebration of death. That's if the past weeks media coverage of the demise of Gaddafi is anything to go by. To be honest I found the whole thing a little bit hard to swallow. The repeated images that surfaced and where pushed out and force fed to the masses, the self satisfied manner in which our leaders broke the news. It was all very much in keeping with how I imagine the Witch trials of old would have happened, but in a modern context. It must be part of the human condition its been happening for centuries, probably since the beginning of time. On the 5th of Nov here in England most people we will celebrate Bonfire night by burning a effigy of a terrorist called Guy Fawkes. Question is...is this right, morally are we not also becoming monsters to condone murder and execution. Say if in a few years the public decided that Tony Blair was a war criminal would it be ok to hunt him down and execute in public, does it come down to the consensus of the people. Anyway regardless of this we also have those who don't care a hoot. These are the products of the internet and 24 hour news coverage. They have become disengage from the reality of life and will next week no doubt dress up as one of countless bad taste possibilities. I predict that we will see a mix of Saddams , Bin Lardens and Gaddafis strutting their stuff on various sites like Mashable etc. I also suspect just to add to the mix, it safe to say there will be a few Micheal Jacksons and last but not least dare I say it, but I suspect some of the Android faithful will see fit to try and pull off a Turtleneck to pay their sarcastic last respects to Mr Jobs. It will happen its inevitable but will it be celebrated as random acts of genius or simply bad taste like when Prince Harry dressed up as Hitler a few years back. I wait to see what the comments will be in response to these folk, the misguided scouts of public opinion, but based on what I witnessed so far this year I am sadly guessing it will be completely acceptable for the majority of people as we become increasingly more secular as a society, not just separated from the dogma of religion (which ain't a bad thing) but separated from the common morals and virtues of decent people. Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device