Amstersdam 2013

A leader of the Pakistani Taliban said the other day on Al-Jazeera that democracy is non-Islamic. “We will destroy it!” The Taliban leader’s statement has made me wonder what they see that we do not see. What is it about democracy that is not what it seems? We in the West tend to cherish democracy as something sacred, but as anyone who wishes to see can see, much of our so-called democracy is a fraudulent sham. I have not been able to forget that Aristotle said that rule by the majority will eventually produce the worst rather than the best. I think it is currently debatable that in the United States if not elsewhere as well we even truly have a rule by the majority. And even if we did, our congressional ineptitude is staggering. Moreover, as Paul Craig Roberts puts it, “Those few Americans who are free of the constraints imposed by dogmas on their ability to think and to process information have a huge responsibility for their small number. The assault on the rule of law began in the last years of the Clinton regime, but the real destruction of the US Constitution, the basis for the United States, was achieved by the neoconservative George W. Bush and Obama regimes. Wars without declarations by Congress, torture in violation of both US and international law, war crimes in violation of the Nuremberg standard, indefinite detention and assassination of US citizens without due process of law, universal spying on US citizens without warrants, federalization of state and local police now armed with military weapons and uniforms, detention centers, “your papers, please” (without the Gestapo “please”) not only at airports but also on highways, streets, bus terminals, train stations, and at sporting events.” (http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2013/05/10/how-elites-and-media-minimize-dissent-and-bury-truth-paul-craig-roberts/)

Politically we are living in most sorry times. If that were the end of it, it would be one thing. But the environmental assault becomes a leading consequence of political mismanagement let alone the decimations of whole peoples. I can rejoice that I have perhaps at best another couple of decades left to appreciate the wonders of the earth, of nature, of the companionship of an enduring romance, of art, music, theatre, friends and loved ones, of learning and discovery, and the global problems and sorry deadlock are no longer to be mine. But the legacy of the future that Chloe and Woody will inherit remains saddening and sobering. Our technological achievements as a biological species are beyond impressive, but why must so much of its financial impact and outlay be wasted on conflict and destruction, grief and shame? Why need corporate America or Islamic Jihadists or anyone want to rule or control the world? Why can we not be able to cooperate collectively and settle disagreements magnanimously? What happened to the ideas of sharing and the celebration of difference? Where is an imagination that takes us beyond the myopic, the egotistical, the archaic and provincial blindness into the creative, wondrous and sustainably thrilling?

With thanks to the gods, oases do exist – both physically and temporarily. And for me, these eight weeks in Amsterdam have afforded both. Although since her teenage years, Chloe has been as busy as youth can be, I have had more lovely moments with her here during her au pair work than I can otherwise remember. She is also inspiring and allows me to remember that when I was her age, I saw a future, knew less and did not despair over the play-out of current events. With Aaron’s visit, this was reinforced. Young adults, 23 and 24 respectively, they are adventuresome, enthused, actively engaged and even happy. If my ‘militant optimism’ has a raison d’être, it is because of them.

And for The Netherlands, even Queen Beatrix displayed that reassuring trust in the younger generation and abdicated her throne to her son Willem-Alexander and our stunning new queen Maxima. The ceremonies were beautifully choreographed, and Richard and I watched them at Betty, TOO! with Yuki and Tetsuro. As Japanese with their own royal family, they got it and were great fun to be with through the colourful rituals. It was our last Queen’s Day, and the streets were celebratory but substantially less crowded than usual – presumably because so many stayed home to watch the royal events on television. Richard and I got separated at a late point but found each other about an hour later. All in all, it was a magical day, and, despite the dismal economic forecasts for the country with its enormous mortgage debts, this remains a nation that can rightfully and proudly celebrate itself as a place that both works and retains freedoms for which others are only beginning to catch up with.

I have begun to work on my manuscript “Pagan Mysticism.”

And with those coming from abroad, I have been able to have fine moments with the likes of Eric, Gin, Pennell, Roger, Richard Carrazza, Lise and Kristy. The same domestically with Jim, Marco, Vicky, Fred, Warren, Thomas, Léon van Gulik, Carlo, Jean-Christophe, Saskia, Stephan and Koen. We even have been to a jazz concert of Solveig’s at the Bethanienklooster. And one night we got a slowly but steadily recovering Santima to come out for a Mexican meal. With the problematic lung now removed, she can finally breathe again. For Saskia’s birthday, we had a pleasant dinner in her renovated flat with Per, Manita and Adam. We have seen Nick and Ilonka a couple of times across the street. Nick’s war stories are utterly fascinating and enhance for me even further Elizabeth Morgan’s For Catherine which I have been reading in brief instalments concerning the Occupation of France during World War II. Museum-wise, it has been the re-opened (finally) Stedelijk, Van Gogh and Rijks. The modern art building was, apart from the Expressionists collection, impressive but vacuous. The Van Gogh, which we visited with Aaron, is now displaying many more paintings than previously – many of which were new for me. The Rijksmuseum is purely stupendous. And at the Hermitage, we saw the Peter the Great exhibition. 

For films, we have while here in Amsterdam been to Side Effects, Life of Pi and Quartet. I enjoyed them all. With Lise, Kristy, Carlo and JC, we took the dinner cruise not with the Paradis but with the Belle Epoque as an upgrade. The beauty of the town and its many canals continues to delight. We have the Ides and Tubilustrium celebrations yet to do, the recital at Michael and Pierre’s, and dinners with Thomas & Cos, Nick & Ilonka, hopefully Charles, and more. We may be living today in a suicidal world, but we are still relishing our friends and the many, many beauties within it.

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And, yes, for the Ides, I had a best time ever yet with Chloe. In this magical land, I even can see Bradley Manning just walking down a street. A vision, yes, but this is a domain in which something that casual could be a part of the norm. So all in all, there are still such moments of delirious happiness. And, yes, this is essentially still something that is for the moment, but it also makes me realise ultimately that we do not want you walking into our world with guns and bombs. The NRA and Jihadists may not agree with this sentiment, but we are getting tired of violence. Take your fight some place else!

And finally, and after a long and marvellously full day, darkfall reveals the crescent moon. And what I heard myself telling Chloe today is that “Our soul is the earth.”