What of the sayings that sounded so good once upon a time but then became ridiculed as “square,” “straight,” “corny,” etc (take your pick of colloquialism based on when you grew up!)? I’m thinking for instance of Benjamin Franklin’s “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” This surely still promotes a great work ethic that could be said to function, doesn’t it? Well, actually I’m not so sure anymore. As we nowadays know, health has a lot to do with genetics, and a controlled regulation of the hours of the day doesn’t automatically bring wealth. And what of that wisdom? My own wisest thoughts usually appear very, very late at night. Contemporary usage of pseudo-moralistic sayings like Franklin’s seems to be a kind of longing for apparently/allegedly successful, almost prophetic wisdom. Longing for something somehow proven workable by frequent usage. But the work ethic of yesteryear can very likely not be superimposed on our own weird and dramatically...

  Who’s got the loudest mouth? Look for the one who feels most neglected. Who’s got the foulest mouth? Look for the one who feels no-one will listen to reason, or who inherently knows he or she has nothing reasonable to convey. “Empty barrels make the most noise” is an old and very apt saying that is today more relevant than ever in the public and political spheres. Give a moron a social media platform and havoc can swiftly and easily be wrought. This is the age of blatant compensation. Not because there’s more of it nowadays but because the civilised surface of courtesy and intelligence has been strategically polished off by grinding down general education and revving up escapist entertainment. If you “empower” a baby into thinking it’s an adult, everyone will soon be eating candy 24/7. And woe to anyone who tries to change the menu! The result will very soon be malnourishment, dental cavities and diabetes. And mood swings galore! This is when the adults should just say no, give...

  The majority of entertainment in the western cultural sphere todays seems to be dealing with American dysfunctionality and self destruction. Whether in humorous or violently terrifying form, it all boils down to one cultural sphere basking in its own downfall. Sure, one could argue that it’s hard to create attractive myths or stories based on total harmony and a happy sense of complacency/complacent sense of happiness. But on the other hand, America is also the promised land of unfulfilled promises, and therefore of advertising. Americans know very well that a repeated untruth eventually becomes if not a truth then at least a sale. Meaning: if American media/entertainment programmers actively brought in more intelligent and life-affirming content, perhaps their society would change for the better? (I just realised that the previous paragraph is almost criminally naïve!) Perhaps the world will soon be able to watch an entire nation roll over the final hurdle on its way towards...

  In an increasingly chaotic world (or so it seems), it’s always best to focus on things you know with certainty have a tangible value for you, before delving out as a contemporary don Quixote on the evanescent barricades of social media. These things probably are/should be ultra-personal, and hence you should perhaps indulge in private rather than spilling all your beans publicly. This in itself is a challenge in such a flaunting culture as ours. But that’s exactly why it’s extra important. When someone asks you what you’ve done for others/the world today, either lie and say “nothing,” or tell the truth if that’s more comfortable. You may have masturbated, had sex with someone, cleaned the house, listened attentively to your favourite record, read a great book, etc. Something that is of no apparent utilitarian use to anyone else but you. Why is this more important than engaging in ambitious problem-solving in these times of global crises? Because it genuinely makes you happier...