The worst reason of all
Published: Fri, 02/26/16
“The future is uncertain outside of the EU, therefore we should stay in.”
More than one person has said this recently when making a case against the so called ‘brexit’. (Referring to the referendum to be held in June asking the British people whether or not they want to remain in the European Union.)
There are arguments both ways and this isn’t the place to rehearse them. I know how I will vote and that is my business.
Just don’t tell me that the best argument either way is the uncertainty of the future. The future is always uncertain, that is the definition of of the future. That is pretty much the job description of the future to be essentially unknown. There are degrees of probability that seem to be influenced by our actions now. The actual future is essentially unknown.
Whether Britain stays in the EU or leaves I am on fairly safe ground predicting that the sun will still rise and set in the usual way. Sun rise and sun sets will probably continue for thousands of years yet to come. On the other hand I can’t be completely sure that our sun isn’t scheduled to become a black hole before the end of the year. I am not losing any sleep over it and neither should you. But if stars can turn into black holes why not ours?
Certainty does have an appeal. Uncertainty is frightening and there is a always a temptation to try and run away from it. In a democracy politicians are always going to exploit this vulnerability by promising that if they are elected there will be peace, stability, prosperity and sunny bank holidays for all.
It would be interesting to hear a potential leader state that he or she has no idea what the future will bring but lets just face it together and make the best of it. Come to think of it, that is pretty much what Winston Churchill did in WW2 and he is remembered as one of our greatest politicians of all times.
The older I get (I am 57 next month!) the more I realise that there are very few certainties in life. I was going to say that one certainty is that I am now nearer to my death in years than I am to my birth. Probably true, but I can’t be completely certain that I won’t live to be 115.
When I teach Stav I can’t promise to make anyone invulnerable to any threat thanks to the devastating martial skills that they will learn.
The only certainties are:
First, that you are alive in the body you were born into until you die.
Second, that you are centred in your own web in time and space and you can’t be anywhere else.
Third, we are influenced by everything, and controlled by nothing. Freedom isn’t the illusion, freedom is actually real. Bondage is the limitations we put on ourselves because we mistake influence for control.
You can look for a high degree of security if that is what you want. But don’t forget that the words ‘high security’ and ‘prison’ are often closely associated.
Feeling uncertain? Embrace it, it proves you are alive.
If you want to learn how Stav training can help you cope with uncertainty come to the training weekend with Ivar Hafskjold in July in Somerset, UK. Details at http://stavcamp.org/ih.html
regards
Graham