The simplicity of Epicureanism

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Live simply and prudently, with self-control and moderation. Seek simple pleasures, those that satisfy natural and necessary desires, chief of which are food, drink, clothing, shelter, friendship and love. The words of Epicurus.

Very similar to the basic teachings of Christianity, really. But what would Jesus have made of the institutions that have flourished in his name? Would he have supported the supernaturalism and obscure fights over doctrine? Would he have approved of the buildings, the priesthood, the vestments, the sectarianism, the intolerance in some quarters, the abuses and so on. I doubt it.

Montaigne again

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“Enjoy the wonder, the beauty of the universe and the things around you.  Forget that we are unique and that God made us in his image, and relish the beauty and fecundity of the earth.  The way things that breed wonderment”. (Montaigne)

A lovely sentiment, although Montaigne seemed to waver frequently between belief and non-belief in God, depending on mood, the weather, whatever. But never mind.

Involvement in Mesopotamia

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From Winston Churchill, Colonial Secretary, to David Lloyd George, Prime Minister, September 1922:

“I am deeply concerned about Iraq. ….. I think we should now put definitely, not only to Feisal (the King) but to the Constituent Assembly, the position that unless they beg us to stay and to stay on our own terms in regard to efficient control, we shall actually evacuate before the close of the financial year.

“I would put this issue in the most brutal way, and if they are not prepared to urge us to stay and to co-operate in every manner I would actually clear out…At present we are paying £8 million a year for the privilege of living on an ungrateful volcano out of which we are in no circumstances to get anything worth having”.

What a pity the American and British governments didn’t have the scepticism and wariness of Churchill in 2003. I remember sending the Washington Post a letter (never published) pointing out that the British had found Iraq, their own creation, ungovernable, and that only the Ottomans had known how pull it off. But few value historical analogies. Today, there is a steady drumbeat from the usual suspects telling us to get more and more deeply involved in Syria and Iraq. For the sake of peace of mind we should have stayed out in 2003, and we should stay out now. “We are in no circumstances to get anything worth having.”

How democratic can you get?

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Bernie Sanders seems to have won in New Hampsire with about 60% to Hillary’s 38%, (with 89% of the vote counted). But at this stage of the race Hillary nevertheless already has 422 committed delegates and super-delegates, against Bernie’s 37. These people are committed to her because they think her candidature is inevitable and desirable. They could determine the outcome of the nomination at the convention.

Super-delegates, the great and good of the Democratic Party, ensure that undesirable or unelectable candidates cannot become Party’s candidate against a Republican nominee, and therefore possibly lose catastrophically in the general election. They exist because the establishment wants ultimate control. And yet what is actually happening now is that Bernie is attracting voters of all ages and genders, while Clinton is not coming across, even to women, as a good candidate. (It has to be pointed put that the super-delegates, while committed now, are allowed, in theory, to change their votes. It also has to be said that Bernie may not turn out to be so popular in other parts of the country).

But why is this post on an Epicurean blog? Because the Democrat great and good clearly don’t trust the voters, and seek to get their way against the wishes of the people. Not very democratic. Add to that the activities of the current political class in general in voter suppression, gerrymandering and kow-towing to special interests and you get the current situation, where most people want a total change in the system, more accountability, more security, more happiness and more peace of mind. Notwithstanding the views of Epicurus himself about politics, you cannot ignore the environment you are in. The delegate system is but a symptom of what has gone horribly wrong.

Good news about alzheimers?

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Drugs to help halt the advance of Alzheimer’s disease could be available within a decade, a leading neuroscientist has predicted. Speaking at the Royal Society in London, Professor John Hardy, of University College London, said that pharmaceutical companies are trialling new drugs designed to slow the disease by fighting the build-up in the brain of amyloid plaques, which stop cells from communicating with each other. Results of these trials are expected in the next 18 months. “If they are successful, it tells us immediately we are on the right road and [this could] lead to a massive investment by industry to develop drugs that target amyloid in other ways,” he explained.

Hardy suggested that in about ten years, people with Alzheimer’s might be prescribed a “cocktail” of drugs to slow the onset of symptoms. However, other experts warned that, in their current forms, these could be too expensive to be made available to millions who are likely to have developed Alzheimer’s by 2025. Since 1980, there has been a 20% drop in dementia incidence, possibly as a result of people taking action to reduce their cholesterol levels. But lifestyle changes won’t be able to prevent the majority of cases, so new treatments are vital.

This is a most distressing disease, and horribly common. I have personal experience of it in my family, and one can’t help wondering, when one forgets a name or a word, “Is it happening to me?” It is one thing having to die – we all have to do that – but we should be able to die with grace and dignity.