Paul.

Ah great minds once again ;)

Your short but succinct extract really does hit the nail of human progress or regress on its head. I really liked it, mate.

I had a very similar feeling and thoughts after watching the film I refer to in my piece. It isnt a great film but what really struck home was the idea of individual freedom v the good of the society — symbolised by the love between the two protagonists.

Liberty has always been the hallmark of European civilisation since it was enshrined in blood in the French Revolution and then in the philosophy of the Enlightenment. Liberty as a human right.

But at what cost to the society in which this right is defined as inalienable?

I would suggest the cost is that we in the West are finding it hard to stand together to address the climate emergency, in fact we cannot stand together over anything,basically. And partly this is why China will be the global Superpower of the latter part of the 21st century and onward and the West will decline into oblivion.

This is also why the Covid 19 pandemic continues with different iterations because of this ‘Liberty’ to do whatever the fuk we desire. J. S.Mill would have been mortified to see such an abuse of ‘Liberty’.

I think your short story should be published. Why not on medium?

Marc