Author Archives: AC

What if you're right, and they're wrong?

recalibrate.

How quickly the void of an uncertain future has been replaced with a new normal. On the eve of a hot summer, with impulses setting in to be perched outside soaking in as much vitamin D as possible, it is even more impressive to see the majority of us aspiring to alter our behaviour forContinue reading “recalibrate.”

smoke and mirrors.

One month ago, the word ‘coronavirus’ was nothing more than a rogue addition to my lexicon that had barely any meaning to me. Fast forward to now, and it has been the dominating voice of conversations and collective pandemonium. What was once an abstract idea tucked away in the Far East has now adopted anContinue reading “smoke and mirrors.”

faceless killer.

I have been reading Arthur Schopenhauer’s, ‘On the Suffering of the World’, and have been quietly astounded as to how readily it has conjured up a fresh perception of the human condition. Even a serial optimist such as myself is carefully guided to connect the dots, revealing what is already quite evident; the futility of humanity’sContinue reading “faceless killer.”

moving train.

My initial reading through the broad strokes of Indian philosophy have concerned the art of refocusing perspective, which is more of a honed skill than an innate quality. This, of course, is tied closely with the practice of yoga, which is seen rather simplistically as a mode of relaxation or exercise in Western culture. ButContinue reading “moving train.”

ascending from the husk.

And so this year has settled into a gentle denouement, and yet for much of it, I was anticipating twelve months of crippling uncertainty. The downward spiral of the steepest learning curve to date taught me to not take anything for granted, and that nothing is ever really stable. I have learnt about our misguidedContinue reading “ascending from the husk.”

forstater and staunch beliefs.

A defining moment, I must say. The case of Maya Forstater reached its conclusion today, where the Central London Employment Tribunal upheld Fortstater’s sacking over a series of tweets questioning government plans to allow trans people to self-identify as another, which had caused distress to her co-workers. This might seem fairly unremarkable, but the outcomeContinue reading “forstater and staunch beliefs.”

the axe.

In the run-up to a generation-defining election in the U.K., there has been much pandering by politicians in the form of short, vague slogans. A gentle reminder that the preservation of self-interest runs deep into the foundations of the Palace of Westminster, and despite the wielding of power being less tyrannical compared to centuries goneContinue reading “the axe.”

on death.

One of the great human failings is our inability to handle grief. There are not many things I find more emotionally taxing than trying to process and reconcile the permanence of death, and this is a commonality between us all. It is strange that, despite its certainty, the concept of death doesn’t become any lessContinue reading “on death.”

what do they know?

In an age of abundance, where we are bombarded with information that leaks out of our pockets, it is no surprise that we are living in a period that has been dubbed by some as ‘The Age of Disinformation’. We see this most evidently in our politics, as actors existing in the extreme ends ofContinue reading “what do they know?”

santorini sunset.

24/08/2019 Appreciating the rare moments in which the majesty of the cosmos peeks behind the curtain of our monotonous exercises. There is so much to be grateful for, and yet I can’t help feeling suppressed at times. Mere escapism from routine is a distraction, and proves ineffective in re-aligning my perspective in times when IContinue reading “santorini sunset.”

single player.

It’s quite disheartening to realise that there’s a chance that all this hard work could amount to nothing, or that the door I’m desperate to burst through has closed shut before I’ve even reached for the handle. Coupled with the certainty that I am bound to make countless mistakes on the way, it seems theContinue reading “single player.”

isolation radar.

I recently watched this video, where members of the public could ask any question to a person from the incel community, short for ‘involuntarily celibate’. There are many aspects of the incel community’s core beliefs that I struggle to reconcile with my own, which includes the subservience of women as an apparent means to reachContinue reading “isolation radar.”

green-eyed monster.

In Othello, Iago warns: “O beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meet it feeds on” Green is a common theme when referring back to our most primitive selves. Our eyes, for example, are adapted to distinguish between more shades of green than any other colour, most likelyContinue reading “green-eyed monster.”

five ideas to fight for.

#ReadIn “I want to show that it is possible to bring about change and to encourage active engagement … The main parties are split into hostile factions. They play clumsy games with our fragile constitution like children playing with boxes of matches … There is never a time for apathy, especially now.” Excellent read highlightingContinue reading “five ideas to fight for.”

visible.

Corporate presentation events have the potential to be rigid and awkward at the best of times, and I expected much of the same at the LGBT+ presentation I attended. It had the usual polite interactions with support staff in order to know how to navigate an office with over 30 floors. It had the nameContinue reading “visible.”

androcles and the lion.

There’s a small, remote village that resides on the outskirts of Rome. An air of tranquillity floats around the place. One night, the village is tormented by a terrible noise emanating from the hills across the valley. It is a roar of a lion, but one that pierces the air of tranquility all through theContinue reading “androcles and the lion.”