Phoenix Ark's Blog

I know what the problem is. In stories, fiction and fantasy, you can literally effect good miracles, if only in people’s hearts beyond the page, but it doesn’t change the reality around you. I can’t write the world or myself better than it is.

The drama The Man Who Put Hitler on Trial the other day was quietly and well done, both moving and frightening. But it was Hitler’s remark in the courtroom, taken from real transcripts, that was so interesting, fuming against why justice should be ‘blind‘. In fact, the statue of justice over the Old Bailey in London does not wear a blindfold at all, but the idea of blind justice has obvious reasons. Namely that justice must be some kind of abstract and absolute standard, wielding her sword both against high and low, without fear or favour. In fact, Hitler’s almost demonic desire to strip away the blindfold and root out the ‘illegal’ enemies of the state, reminds you of Sauron’s single eyed horror, some monstrous, all-controlling will, and of course led to real searchlights and real concentration camps. Hitler’s rise to power may have reflected some German zeitgeist, out of the state’s humiliation and economic collapse, the turmoil across Europe, but it was also an object lesson in political manipulation and simultaneous criminality and murder.

It was chilling how the drama showed the corruption of the independence of the German judiciary, and the absolute need for separation of Executive, Legislature and Judiciary. It is why here, in responding to recent riots, for instance, David Cameron may rightly give a clear political lead, but each case must be handled under the law, and through the intelligent independence of judges, trained in their profession. There may be guidelines to operate within, but they, no doubt with different modulations of compassion and sternness, of harshness and leniency, set the benchmark. Indeed, the process of the law itself can actually be a civilising thing.

‘It is only in the mysterious equations of love that any logic can be found.’ John Nash

Since we like to say what others won’t, this in from our newly appointed humour correspondent, who should of course be paying us, and admittedly has singularly resisted a posting to Libya, for the better jokes. It’s from friends in the US, sent from Virginia, with the tag that with the recent quake, the American Media went nuts, predicted thousands of deaths, and nuclear meltdowns alla Japan. See what sells a story – hysteria! With real respect for the world, and for the looming anniversary too, many of our good cousins do have a sense of humor, just like when they posted apologies about Bush’s election – ‘sorry, world’. Maybe we will be one planet, one day, united in courage, awareness and connected consciousness, and realise neither markets, nor quakes, quite respect borders, or plastic chairs.

PS Though we cannot compete, this entire blog, like a very good book, is actually a work of art!!! Keep trusting the storytellers.

It might be absurd that a blog that has included the failure of several relationships could blog such a top ten, but here goes!

1) You cannot predict the future, you can only enter things with the right intention. Trust yourself, unless you are nuts.

2) If something wrong happens never wear it as a life crisis, just say sorry and get on with it.

3) If therapy happens outside, never take that back into the relationship, leave it outside. On the other hand never go to a therapist, they are all nuts, or just trying to make a living and so keep you in expensive therapy, so they feel a little better.

4) If two people want to part ways, avoid the judging mirror, but acknowledge and respect each other too. What’s wrong with that? Co-dependency is a collapsing relationship where neither can grow, but all this is the ghastly language of therapy.

5) If the masculine tries to hold on too late it’s a disaster. (We know)

6) The deep feminine always seeks out the strong masculine to order its own feeling function and grow. Besides, sex is fun, or certainly should be, though boys should try not to wear girl’s underwear in public, unless they are Eddie Izzard.

7) All of us need to feel safe, but do not take too much for granted. If complete knowledge of what you both want is there, then you can perfectly trust and rely on each other. Surely happiness is just not worrying and getting on with creative life, but do try to get a proper job.

8) The lost masculine can turn tyrant in the face of the passive feminine and go very dark. Two pillars hold up the roof of a house and stand apart, mutually supportive. Kahlil Gibran is very beautiful, but he doesn’t tell very good jokes. (We do not know about the smiley face)

9) Dont talk about or analyse your relationship instead of having it, just keep having it, unless it’s too expensive or your teeth fall out. Always try to shock Americans, though try to be nice too, they really are charmed by the funny British accent.

10) If there is some big secret you feel a partner will not understand, try stopping and asking yourself if they might very well understand, but dont seek to invade everything either. If necessary share it elsewhere, just not with a therapist or your own publisher.

11) (We lied) Get a life.

Isn’t it a fundamental irony that Phoenix Ark Press should be using the very medium it is so sceptical of. Personally, although there is some merit in eBooks, and the stories being told and heard are what count, I far prefer well done, real books and reading them. Needs must, but we also need educating about what the internet is for, and its enormous disconnections and problems, especially the young. The dangers of the supposedly social connected world have just been highlighted by an investigation into ‘Smart Phones’ and how easy it is to hack into everything you say. I found it better to deal with that by just trying to tell the truth! But perhaps there is an enormous cynicism and failure of trust and actually honour everywhere, that is enormously dangerous. One story that highlighted it for me last year was when I had being talking to a friend about possible work. I was under pressure and pressed him on some kind of promise and it turned out he had taped an entire conversation on his phone, when we had been having a perfectly casual dinner together, over a pint. Besides, I had never intimated anything was set in stone anyway. I found it quite extraordinary and actually sinister. Maybe you can’t be an innocent in the modern world, but what the hell are we doing to one another? If life is about friendships, connection and people, maybe the old phrase in terms of some technologies should be ‘only disconnect!‘ At least then we wouldn’t bore you here. DCD

Mao’s Little Red Book, the Communist Manifesto, Mein Kampf, and Gaddafi’s Little Green Book, stamped into the streets on the TV News. Isn’t it always the sign of the madmen and dictators, writing bad books that claim the whole truth? In Gaddafi’s case he was a rather unusual ideologue, more in the Michael Jackson stamp of bizarre military pop star, propped up by vast oil wealth. ‘He said lots of good things about democracy,’ said one Libyan, ‘problem is he never did anything about it.’ But though more so in Libya, perhaps, it is never about just one man, one Monster, so can they avoid what happened in Iraq? Queue the Zen Master – ‘we’ll see’. But one up for David Cameron and Nato too, with a Libyan woman crying ‘thank you, thank you, David Cameron.‘

“I hold it true, whate’er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
‘Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.”

Alfred Lord T

The Shipping News blog wasn’t about my terrible nature, though my father’s will and temper at times was a very destructive thing, it was about bad elsewhere, and in fact, although ‘the past’ contains many dark things, for many people, loving through it and holding to a bigger truth than my fear or eventual manipulation, would not have seen such a psychic assault on me, and from me, and some kind of personal life miracle too. Pity, but it’s the kind of language I have far more respect for. Actually, it is the theme of most things I’ve written well. The language of science and of spirit, that somehow must walk far better, side by side, and are very much at odds in the crisis of our age. I now really understand some kind of connected force of pure negativity too, that can build in a truly awful way, and just attracts more and more negativity. Its real ‘evil’ is the breaking of true human connections and responsibilities, wherever that starts, that can produce a kind of awful chain reaction. If we realise we are both individuals and part of group forces, it has happened in history time and again.

I also understand that terrible ‘single-eyed’ will that Tolkien writes about in The Lord of The Rings. The eye on Sauron’s tower, a searchlight of blame, aggression and negative judgement. Duck it, avoid it, resist it and throw that ring of possession and bad magic into the Cracks of Doom, my presssssciousssss! It is why the eyes of ‘the World’ are such an invasive thing too, from the nastier press, or backroom rumour and injustice you cannot fight, and we all deserve privacy and respect. Since I have allowed such invasion to me, or it was inevitable at my own publisher, always being the writer trying to talk too, all I can do is think of The Order of The Phoenix, or Gandalf guarding others, and trying to turn into Gandalf the White, in the cavernous psychic canyons of Moria! Is this just the stuff of fantasy and imagination, or the madness and delusion I was labelled with, and sadly accepted on my own head? A true story could not mean there was too much delusion, not if you have an inkling of the enormous force of the imagination and Unconscious, and the reason for great, life affirming stories too. Well, if I never write another thing, I’ll always have Fire Bringer, and so will others! DCD