Friday 26 October 2018

Puppet off a string...

I'm three score years and ten today and going on a “Retreat”.  I'm muting most #SocialMedia by not combatting the slings and arrows of outrageous tweets, #Facebook and #Linkedin threads.  I’ve been trying to make a difference but sense it hasn’t and feel it won’t happen.  Threads have to be connected and pulled for this puppet to work.


Puppet off his strings*
I’m an optimist, or was, but the world just feels darker and nastier by the day.  It's depressing but I’m refusing to own this as if I'm suffering some kind of mental-illness.  Does this resonate for you?  Is this a #WeToo thing?  I reckon it's a deep despair about the state of things brought on by the awful selfishness of a horrible few, augmented by the apathy and silent witnessing of far too many.  I know many others feel the same, judging by my correspondence and certainly responses to our "Grumpy Old Brits #Remain" banner on the #People'sVoteMarch" last Saturday, in London.  And despair about misplaced power applies to both sides of THAT argument too!


Demonstrating with 700,000
So, what to do?  I’ll remain working, rather than hide away from what needs to be done but I'll select projects that result in action, not words.  I'll be focusing on iAbacus www.iabacus.co.uk because, we now know, it really helps people take hold of their lives. Maybe there's a connection between the wires of the abacus and the strings on my puppet? *.  I want to write in a considered way.  We can't capture significant ideas in tweets. I must dig up my sense of humour as I go...

So, yes in retreat but regrouping.  “JOB 70”, is a new project.  It's about action to make a difference, as opposed to letting despair escape in staccato #tweets #broadcasts or bursts of anger, in response to some lunacy or another.  I'd like it be a collaborative set of practical ideas to make good developments and change....


Cover Design for "JOB 70"

 We must not be silent witnesses, we must search for consensus on good politics, good religion and good relationships.  
My slogan is Get Off Your Arse! #GOYA

Going to join me?  Us?  Or, even better, you're already kicking against the pricks?

If you want to collaborate, contribute, comment on  "JOB 70"? email me at:  john@johnpearce.org.uk


* I rescued this wooden puppet from an antique shop. The string mechanism was badly designed and ineffective. I bought him for a few pounds, took him to the workshop and cut his strings intending to make a new frame... Then, looking at his doleful face I decided he's a metaphor... cut adrift, feeling helpless and sad.  I labelled him Job 70 and he's awaiting repair...