I saw Mark Steyn in London last night with a crowd that filled the main floor of Centennial Hall - there were probably 1000 people there. The controversy created by the University of Western Ontario's lack of cooperation and the London Convention Centre's decision to cancel his original booking certainly helped pack the hall.
I didn't really know what to expect from the event, the singing and comedy meant that instead of just hearing a run of the mill political speech, it was actually quality entertainment.
I've been a fan of Mark's for years and I'm very familiar with his thoughts on the decline of the West economically, demographically, and intellectually. But he expanded on a new idea last night. Part of the reason for the economic and social decline of the West is our refusal to work. When university students stay in school until their late twenties or early thirties studying impractical topics women's and multicultural studies and then expect to retire in their 50s, people simply aren't working long enough to drive economic and social development. Combining that with the empty intellectual philosophies like moral relativism and ever declining birth rates our society has already begun to decline and it will be very difficult for most countries to stop.
He made one argument that the pace and significance of technological change over the last 60 years is nothing like the transformational technologies over the previous 60 years despite (and perhaps because of) the fact that people are spending about twice the time in school. I'm not totally convinced, but I'm willing to hear him out on that.
On a purely personal note standing in line to get my first edition copy of America Alone signed, I couldn't help but feel like my inner geek had completely taken over. I was so excited to talk to him, I forgot to mention my name.
My wife was quick to lean over and let Mark know about a conversation we had years ago. She had asked what some of my goals were in life, the first was to have a beer with Mark Steyn. Later in the list came a veiled reference to wanting to spend the rest of my life with her. I didn't get the beer, but a hand shake, a picture, and his autograph will do quite nicely.
2 comments:
I think the SCOC and HRC's are in for a big shock in 2011.
I was just let go from one of those Big-5 banks and it was after a 3 year battle over their tacit links to the Insurance Company they use for Employee Benefits.
First, a Manulife Director gets hired at a Wing of the company,suddenly they shoot up to the Bank's Boardroom as a H.R. V.Pres, but then MariTime Life is gone and amazingly ManuLife is the new Benefits Plan company in 2005.
But it gets worse,in 2005 my Bank tried to fire me while on LTD claim that they caused from Job stress. The Bank caught the error and fear a Lawsuit, by Manulife wanted me off the books so in 2007 my employer wanted a detailed Resume to find me a job with them, as I was composing it it was Manulife that said I was not cooperating to find work and they then Terminated me.
Here's the fun part, my Bank didn't know that I caught on to them endorsing Child-abuse and also funding a quasi-pedophilia event with Share-Holders money.
Since Jan 2008 I have been ignored and with no income, even Barbara Hall had no interest with my OHRC complaint to fire someone with a disability.
In order to get social services so I'm not homeless for Christmas( thanks manulife) I had no choice but to infor the bank that I was declining any further employment because I would be Complicit by-proxy when the RCMP or UNICEF.CA
crack down on Corp.s that deal with Sex-tourism and pedohilia Tourism.
I got my notice to collect E.I. , but this will be fun as I tell them I was forced into quiting because I blew the whistle on the child-abuse/Pedophilia money being skimmed away from Share-Holders not told that some off-shore Interests are in Kiddie-porn/sex-tourism/pedophile Nations run as Caliphates underr Shariah Law.
I feel sorry for the Law Firm in Toronto and the GREEN Feminist Lawyer making a name for themselves in their 2nd year of actually doing cases.I admire her stance in Public to be Pro Child-abuse and be mute on Pedophilia because she was just following orders.
Why I even told my Bank Legal Dept. that I wasn't denyingthem to right to be Pro Child-abuse or endorse kiddie porn and pedophiles, I just didn't want to be complicit and get paid with kiddie-porn money and live with the threat of being fired if I exposed it.
Lets be fair though, there were Judges and Lawyers that defended Slave owners where Slavery was legal, so I tip my hat to the King St. Law Firm but with Miller gone and no Furiuos george in power to continue the Child-abuse in Public......2 of the Big-5 banks will come crumbling down
and the Public gets sick of the gayStappo and Rainbow mobs exploiting children in public in the guise of "DiverCity" and Tolerance.
My free-speech cost me my job, I was bankrupted into quiting to avoid a lawsuit,but I still can't work full time and I'm not fully Disabled.
That arrogant bastard at ManuLife that mocked Child-abuse and the damage done by Pedophiles was put on notice that befor I die they will be going to jail for what they did and what they covered-up.
Employees pay for the Benefits which they can rarely access because the Bank and Manulife share the same Office and share personal information. I know this because it was the Manulife worker that tipped me off I was to be fired and my LTD PTSD was a mere snag to fix and then let me go once it was legal.
A co-worker had it happen to them after a heart attack, once you're damaged-goods, it's Good-BYE .
I agree with what Mark is saying in general but for some reason he doesn't see the control system that put it all into play?? At every turn the modern first world is being programmed for its own immobilization. We should all be able to see this, but as long as people believe that government, media and institutions are inherently honest (they are not), and prefer to trust them rather than question them, we will continue this slide downward. (real conservative)
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