Month: December 2021

Holding Us Back

~ MKW Publishing ~ 15 Comments

I had observed this over the years and have given it thought previously. The infantilising of people, groups, and society as a whole. Mainly discussed as a point of interest when wondering why so many people like to hold onto childhood memorabilia, or never quite leave a part of their attachment to something from their youth. I defended people initially, saying it did not make them childish that they still appreciated something from their childhood. But I wasn’t quite seeing it from the bigger picture. It was not the appreciation that I should have been questioning, it was the distraction of it and why people felt the need to.

I thought it was just a normal social evolution, after a previous time where you had to grow up quickly, expect to be married with children by your early twenties and in a job until retirement, working hard to get by. It doesn’t sound like there was much time to indulge any ongoing childhood wants or interests, it was a case of grow up or drop out. But that has all changed, for the better I thought. Now I am not so sure. Many people now stay living at home well into their thirties (engineered in some instances by society making living on your own unaffordable), thereby making it easier to put off, miss out on or sidestep very important character-building experiences. Being shielded from life. Helped and protected for longer than is what we would consider normal. Now, that is a touchy subject, what is normal? And each of us have our own differing view of it, but we like to believe there is a ‘shared normal’ we understand and mostly stick to. But it would appear that two consequences of making it appear normal to stay at home, is that firstly no-one addresses making it affordable to live, followed by the possible delay or stunting of mental, emotional and social development. I understand even the scale of those are measured against what the system determines as ‘normal’, but does it have an effect on people? Do they feel they are missing out and not able to move on with their lives? Putting things on hold all the time until years down the line. I suspect the same could be said of anyone to be fair, people with mortgages and responsibility may say they would happily swap it back for living at home in a second. Easy to say with perspective and having been on both sides. But the long-term effect of holding people back has to be noted, as we are currently seeing in society with restrictions and lockdown, and the unknown being wheeled out whenever they need to shake things up.

They say you only get one life; my grandpa says it best in my opinion “Lives come but one per customer”. I took this literally, as well I believe I should have. It is upsetting to see so many lives derailed, side-tracked, destroyed, uprooted and tampered with in the last two years, and there appears to be no let-up in sight. So within that I wonder about those people too, how is everyone coping with such loss, grief, fear and confusion and everything being reconstructed around them? I believe the strategy is that they are trying to keep people in a state of dependency through healthcare, benefits and a helping hand, to make it feel as if you are being looked after. That there is an overall ‘parent’ looking out for you ‘From Cradle to Grave’ as they put it way back when. But that in turn seems to have made the government think they are the caregiver to us, in charge of us and therefore able to tell us what to do with each waking moment of our lives. They want to decide where you can go and when, with whom you may meet, where you may work and travel. And many seem ok with that, that is what is quite disturbing. For no good reason and with no data to back it up, only because they feel like it.

Feelings. They appear to have a lot to answer for here. We do not have an emotion called logic, or reason. But we have one called fear, and that appears to be the one causing the issue and really can make people behave in a strange way. Argument being, people want others to wear masks and jab up to make them ‘feel safe’, I find this a very strange request, mainly because I want to be safe, not feel safe. They really are quite different. And feelings are very personal, so it’s necessary for me to understand why I don’t feel safe, work out what the risk is and determine what can be done, if anything to minimise the risk. Then, if the risk is unavoidable, you weigh up whether you put yourself in harms way. Mostly, that does not involve another person initially.

I was hit by a car when I was a child, completely my fault as I ran to cross the road without looking, but for a long time thereafter I was frightened to cross the road in case it happened again. I reasoned I was correct to be afraid as it was a real danger with a very painful and real consequence, and although was taught to cross the road, thought I knew better in that moment, as you do. Despite the fact I knew other people had also been hit by cars, and even got killed by them doing the same thing. I was eight I think, so old enough really to know better. After though, I got anxiety every time I went to cross the road, for years, and looked 5 times each way, or however many it took until I was sure a car wasn’t going to just pounce on me. But I knew I wasn’t safe because of me and how I felt towards something, as long as I didn’t fall into the road, or run to cross, then the risk would be minimal. I didn’t expect all drivers to get off the road because I was scared, or to even know I was scared. So I am little bemused at how many people seem to think others (perfectly healthy others I might add), should give up their time, experiences, futures and lives, because they ‘feel scared’ and want people to indulge their fear. So far there has been very weak, if not false data to try and whip up fear in people, who are then encouraged to project that fear onto others. Yet so far, our reaction to everything has been extremely disproportionate to the risk and without merit in reality. And that way people are too busy fighting amongst each other to collectively think about where the fear is coming from. Because it doesn’t appear to be in the general day to day folk. It is mostly online, in the media and as a relentless stream of doom and threats from ‘up above’. It is wearing thin, for many.

By all means, be afraid, if anything I think it is appropriate now given how quicky this situation has escalated. Afraid for the future and where this all leads. But we should be aware that by making demands of others, whether they appear reasonable or not, is a very slippery slope and one we are travelling down. Especially when it comes to someone’s health. It should be reasonable to say I simply will not put my own health at risk just to make someone feel better because of what is going on inside their head, when I am of no threat to them in real life. Just as I would not take any drug to make someone else feel better, or drink alcohol to make them feel better, or eat food I don’t like to make them feel better. Sounds weird doesn’t it when you apply reason to it. It should. So, I have to wonder about that – how is so many ‘adults’ are using what appear to be very childish tactics to ‘get their own way’, practically by way of tantrum or ultimatum in some cases. Similar to how our government act at the moment. Childish one minute, then strict parent the next, maybe it’s a collective breakdown has occurred? Is it just a natural go-to, even when fully grown? Or is it a reaction to this situation where you feel so powerless and mistreated, you just pass on the frustration and fear and force it on others so you don’t have to face it? I guess I have many questions around this still, and even though I generalise, I understand we aren’t all the same, despite how much they would like us to be, and I will always wonder on why people do things and treat each other the way they do. The good, the bad and the ugly.

(c) K Wicks

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Orange ice-cream recipe

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I really liked the sound of this, so decided to give it a go after watching a run through on YouTube. I will share the link at the bottom of this post so you know how it is done and where I got the recipe. How it should look versus how it turned out!

Ingredients:

50ml fresh orange juice

500ml milk

100g Sugar

250 ml double / whipping cream

Orange essence

The black cherry juice wasn’t used in this one, but is there to show will be tried next. This recipe gets you to make your own condensed milk from scratch to make the ice-cream, which is the consistency you want when making the base. But I believe you can use a can of pre made and start from that point.

From scratch – heat the milk and sugar together and bring to the boil, then reduce heat, and reduce the mixture by about a 1/3, stiring and checking the viscosity. When happy with it, take off the heat and allow to cool completely, stiring while it does.

Then stir in the orange juice and mix well. Get a seperate bowl for the cream, and whip it for around 30 seconds, then pour in the orange mixture, add a teaspoon of orange essence. Whip together until as soft peaks (orange colouring can be used if you want it to be colourful).

Put into a dish and put in the freezer to set, will be good to go after about 8-10 hours. I wasn’t sure I had pulled this off, as my mixer wasn’t working that well and I used a fork for the last bit, reaslising I was probably removing most of the airation. It wasn’t soft peaks at all, and seemed rather runny. So in the freezer it went, as I thought it would be good to taste it still and see where I could improve it.

It was a actually a good fail in my opinion, although not like the one in the tutorial video, it is extremely tasty and smooth. I’m excited to try cherry next, and give orange another go, maybe using colouring this time. We’ll see how it goes.

(c) K Wicks

Here is the link for ‘Hands Touch’ on YouTube, where I saw the recipe and method, so you can check out the method as I know my instructions can be quite brief, and this deserves to be shared, it’s awesome –

Cherry cream filled chocolates

~ MKW Publishing ~ 2 Comments

So, same method as the previous recipes for orange creams and strawberry creams, but I halved the recipe again so I stop building up a stockpile of cream fillings!

Thought I would be fancy this time, and try and get some gold stars in, realising after they would be enveloped by chocolate.

For the filling i used black cherry concentrate, and a few drops of vanilla. The cherry doesn’t as well i would have liked it to, and I used a good 5 teaspoons of it. Great colour though.

Then, to be super special, I thought i would put a few drops of the cherry juice inside each chocolate before sealing them. On reflection I should have made a small nook in each, as as soon as it was done, I knew it would seep through the chocolate.

But they turned out ok, and has hints of cherry rather than a blast of flavour like the others.

(c) K Wicks

They had an idea… (poetry)

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They had an idea

If you will, a plan

Something quite dark

To see if they can

Change the world

That came to be

For a new purpose

And reality

Taking our time

And wanting more

Letting the past

Become merely folklore

A long time coming

From its inception

So many complicit

To achieve the deception

That we now see

Before our eyes

It’s no longer something

They can disguise

Whatever their goal

They seem rather late

As if it’s collapsing

Under the weight

And desperately now

Their cast their new net

Wanting their future

And for you to forget

~

All that came before

(c) K Wicks

Do We All Have It In Us?

~ MKW Publishing ~ 5 Comments

This is a question of psychopathy. When asked why do I think some people can’t see through the charade and seem unable to unravel what is right before them. My answer was that ‘we the unconvinced’ are all potential psychopaths who have the capacity to be but chose not to use it. And the others are gullible and too trusting. That’s the short answer, and now for the slightly longer analysis of it.

The definition of the term first – “Psychopathy is a neuropsychiatric disorder marked by deficient emotional responses, lack of empathy, and poor behavioural controls, commonly resulting in persistent antisocial deviance and criminal behaviour”.

Sounds scarily like our ‘rulers’ at the moment doesn’t it, although there are many disorders running alongside each other there, and would take more than one post to pick that apart!

But the definition is the starting point, or for how most people see or believe psychopaths are rooted out and identified. I do not entirely agree as it is too broad and the meaning has changed over the decades – so I will do my best to explain what I think about it.

The above definition is an odd one because often when people who are deemed psychopaths, like serial killers for example (the obvious go to), most people didn’t know, or had no idea until they were caught. So were they just faking required emotional responses? Masking if you will, as many people do in society or through life, to ‘fit in’. Is that any different? Showing a lack of empathy towards others – definitely not isolated to psychopaths, but what is the scale we are using to decide? Interestingly, it’s a person who decided the criteria, so what if they themselves were a psychopath who wanted to single out people who they might have deemed unfit – you know, in a eugenicist kind of way. The people who struggle with emotional responses, or who can’t show their empathy, and who might lash out when society gets too much? That doesn’t sound psychopathic after all does it. The original term translated to ‘suffering soul’, and I can’t help but suspect that with many a term for the workings of the mind, they have been changed and repurposed since their conception.

But let’s consider someone who knows what emotional responses they should be deploying, and has a distinct lack of empathy but manages to hide that too behind a facade of concern and outrage. And they have a very tight grip on their behaviour controls, meaning they don’t get caught, and knowing exactly what to do to keep people running in circles around them. Are we to give them the same label? Surely, they are more psychopathic than the first? So maybe I am wrong to even use that term for what is going on now, or for what dwells deep inside most of us, if not all, it just manifests in different ways given different environments and stimuli. And the ones who get caught and defined under societal law, are just the ones who spiralled off into oblivion, and separated themselves from the collective mantra of suppress and deny? We also have a tendency as a species to want to survive and protect ourselves, so maybe the ones who don’t spiral off into what they call anti-social behaviour, are just the ones who realise their ride through society can be an easy one, as long as they ‘play the game’. Having your cake and eating it might be the applicable saying for that.

Bringing me back to the theory that we have it in us, all have the potential you might say. But it is not until given the correct incentive, environment or opportunity does it rear its head or flourish unfettered. And just maybe some people didn’t know it was in them, and never learnt to manage, understand, question or control it and it comes through in different forms. Could be that being a little bit psychopathic helps people survive, and is indeed an evolutionary response as some have theorised? Maybe we will see…

(c) K Wicks

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It’s Been A Trade

~ MKW Publishing ~ 1 Comment

I wanted to reply to a social media message, but do not have the space for what I believe needs to be analysed here, so another post coming your way.

They have observed a rather calm demeanour amongst the people who have chosen to wait and not be duped or cajoled into following the ‘government program’ currently underway. Versus what appears to be a somewhat hysterical attitude in the ones who have been following and repeating the party line. I gave it some thought, and have to an extent already. Seeing online what the post spoke of, and have of course wondered about where the anger and hysteria towards us has really come from too.

They say it is because ‘us lot’ are keeping the restrictions in place and coming back, which is a rather odd take on it. Considering we did not impose said restrictions, are not the ones succumbing to illnesses and are definitely not the ones dangling freedoms in trade for being able to use your body as a medical experiment. Which by the way you don’t get anything back with that trade, they just take more, as we have seen.

But there is plenty to be angry about – trading your body as a medical experiment so you can go on holiday, or to the cinema, or pub, or college, or work. Yes, I can see where the anger might have come from initially, but that is where it seems to get interesting. Because in a normal world, people should have put their foot down then, as many of us did, and said, I don’t fucking think so! But to our absolute horror and dismay, a fair portion of people just said, ok then. And then didn’t get what they had been promised. So something else occurred, whether it be natural or because of what they lined up for, but a blockage has transpired. Of logic, reason and humility. So instead, they can’t or won’t accept that they were and are wrong (and we know a very strategic behaviour and media campaign was put in place to help this along), and have mistakenly chosen to channel all their confusion, mistrust and anger in the wrong direction. Because all of those are normal feelings to have here and should be felt by those people – there is just cause. The behaviour department worked hard to make them scared and angry, but also how to deflect it away from who is actually causing it.

And so we come to where that is deflected to. Towards the folk who just didn’t buy it, weren’t just going to go along with the crowd or do as they were told with no good reason. Just because someone tells you they know better, doesn’t mean they do. Even with models, charts and predictions, as has been proved. They worked hard though to make sure we were vilified, demonised and set up to be the focus of their instincts trying to tell them something is wrong. I, like others, are amazed at the amount of sheer gullibilty and ignorance being presented in the general population. Without question, they are handing themselves over, like I said, to be a medical experiment as well as it turns out, a psychological one too.

Everyone should be worried, concerned and scared of where this is leading at an alarming pace. Be mindful of your thoughts if you want them to stay as your own, they are being highjacked as well as personal liberties.

(c) K Wicks