RKS Literature: Indifference to Reality as One Principal Characteristic of Nationalist Thought (George Orwell)

“Actions are held to be good or bad, not on their own merits, but according to who does them, and there is almost no kind of outrage-torture, the use of hostages, forced labour, mass deportations, imprisonment without trial, forgery, assassination, the bombing of civilians-which does not change its moral character when it is committed by “our” side. The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.”

George Orwell, “Notes on Nationalism”, 1945.

RKS Literature: Obsession as One Principal Characteristic of Nationalist Thought (George Orwell)

“As nearly as possible, no nationalist ever thinks, talks, or writes about anything except the superiority of his own power unit. It is difficult if not impossible for any nationalist to conceal his allegiance. The smallest slur upon his own unit, or any implied praise of a rival organization, fills him with uneasiness which he can only relieve by making some sharp retort.

All nationalists consider it a duty to spread their own language to the detriment of rival languages…..”

George Orwell, “Notes on Nationalism”, 1945.

RKS Poetry Anthology (All We Get Are The Coffee Grinds): “Somewhere in the Amazonian Basin”

Somewhere in the Amazonian Basin

Nine-hundred-dollar shoes

Certainly not from factory 961in the PRC

Adorn the religious spreader

Words as thick as peanut butter

Sticky

Difficult for the anyone to digest

Bring God to the dispossessed Amazonian indigenous in some squalid drug and crime ridden town

The great resurrection of Elmer Gantry

Gathering souls in the Christian pantry

Hot breathed babblers

Exploiting and “saving” the miserable

A Joan of Arc messianic mission to oust the devil into retreat

A Veritable Billy Graham feat!

Robert K. Stephen

RKS Literature: The Distinction Between Nationalism and Patriotism (George Orwell)

“By “patriotism” I mean a devotion to a particular place and a particular way of life, which one believes to be the best place in the world but has no wish to force upon other people. Patriotism by its very nature is defensive, both militarily and culturally. Nationalism, on the other hand, is inseparable from the desire for power and more prestige, not for himself but for the nation or other unit in which he has chosen to sink his own individuality.”

George Orwell, “Notes on Nationalism”, 1945.

RKS Literature: International Sports Mimics Warfare (George Orwell)

“At the international level sport is frankly mimic warfare but the significant thing is not the behaviour of the players but the attitude of the spectators and behind the spectators, of the nations who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests, and seriously believe-at any rate for short periods- that running, jumping and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue.”

George Orwell, “Notes on Nationalism-The Sporting Spirit)”, 1945.

“Lost in Puppydom: Rory Dylan Stephen’s Puppydom”: “FROM THE WHITE ROCKET TO THE WHITE TURTLE”

FROM THE WHITE ROCKET TO THE WHITE TURTLE

Bob has noted my speed when chasing squirrels. I can run like the wind and have great dexterity. My winter walks were always brisk and we could always get from A to B Lickety Split.

Now our walks have slowed down. The snow is shrinking exposing wonderful patches of grass. For some reason I must sniff here, there and EVERYWHERE leaving little time for walking. I don’t know what I am searching for. Like that U2 song “I Still Haven’t Found What I am Looking For”. When I find it I will let you know.

RKS Poetry Anthology: “The Attraction of High Fashion”

The Attraction of High Fashion

Beautiful people

Beautiful bodies

Beautiful faces

Anorexia inspiration!

Old rich vampirish geezers google-eyed fixated on the runway

Being and watching the sirloin cuts of life

But another photograph away but

For now

Clicking and whirring

Anemic furiousity

All for the new fall line

Fabricating the New Lifestyle

For all to enjoy to suffer

Robert K. Stephen

RKS Literature: International Sports and an Orgy of Hatred (George Orwell)

“I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill between nations, and that if only the common peoples of the world could meet one another at football or cricket, they would have no inclination to meet on the battlefield. Even if one didn’t know from concrete examples (the 1936 Olympic Games, for instance) that international sporting contests lead to orgies of violence, one could deduce it from general principles.”

George Orwell, “Notes on Nationalism-The Sporting Spirit)”, 1945.

RKS Poetry Anthology (All We Get Are The Coffee Grinds): “WARD 23 A”

WARD 23 A

Eating burgers and sipping Fanta

An entire ward of men gone banana

We watched the idiot (did you have to say that word so loudly) box

Lawrence Welk (or was it Bert Parks) jumped out and grabbed me

But I pushed him back into the tube

Ed Sullivan used to stroll out in the old days but now he is gone

We said

Hello

Shared our smokes and went our different ways

But look out

Johnny is out and beating up old Merv

Thank God the men in white kicked them out (no visitors allowed here)

But shit they just broke the television and we’ll miss Captain Kangaroo and the Brady Bunch

But they have a heart we now have a colour one

Oh wow! Golly no!

Where did that Dick Nixon go

But that’s OK Gerry Ford is for me

Tomorrow we have him for tea

Golly Gee

I don’t think you believe me!

Robert K. Stephen

RKS Literature: Freedom Compared to the Poor Female Cousin in Certain Middle-Class Families (Albert Camus)

“Among us, for instance, in Western Europe, freedom is officially approved. But such freedom makes me think of the poor female cousin in certain middle-class families. She has become a widow, she has lost her natural protector. So she has been taken in, given a room in the top floor, and is welcome in the kitchen. She is occasionally paraded publicly on Sunday to prove that one is virtuous and not a dirty dog. But for everything else, she is requested to keep her mouth shut.”

Albert Camus, “Bread and Freedom”, 1953.