The PR Blog

Just over 50 years ago a TV program held my interest like no other.    “Why is it so?”   His own science-based TV series which was filmed at the University of Sydney where he taught, was broadcast from 1963 to 1986 and became an instant hit known for its "cool experiments, interesting science, and fantastic hair" … the presenter was Professor Julius Sumner Miller, who has been a huge positive influence in the lives of many young people.

As well as the cool experiments, some of his sayings were, and still are, excellent advice … “ Whatever work you undertake to do in your lifetime, it is very important that first you have a passion for it - you know, get excited about it - and second, that you have fun with it. That's important. Otherwise, you see, your work becomes nothing but an idle chore. Then, you hate the life you live.”

We can cope with many many things. But we NEED to feel the grass on our toes. Sunshine, fresh air and a nice meal with conversation.

That is what life and living is all about. 

When we are told by our governments or those in power that we no longer have basic human rights to breathe fresh air, access human contact and enjoy that which was granted to prisoners under the Geneva Convention, something is wrong. Very very wrong indeed. 

I wanted to take a moment to recognize Novak Djokovic and his heroic defiance of the COVID regime, lending his enormous platform and status to the millions of people around the world who have been denied their unalienable rights in the name of a virus.

You would never know it by his disposition, but “Djoker” has an amazing rags to riches story, and he’s well aware of how governments can cause great human suffering. Growing up in war-torn Belgrade, Djokovic had to learn to play tennis in between bombing raids. Far from a silver spooned prodigy, he had to defy incredible odds to just achieve a modicum of success, and yet he has become one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Every sick child, and probably every adult at some point, asks that existential question: why am I suffering? 

No answer is satisfying. To be sick is to feel vulnerable, weak, not in control, not in the game. Life is chugging along outside of your room. You can hear laughter, cars going here and there, people out and about. But you are stuck, shivering under blankets, appetite disrupted and struggling to remember what it was like to feel healthy. 

With fever, all of this is worse because the capacity for one’s brain to process information with full rationality is deprecated. High fever can induce a form of brief insanity, even involving hallucinations. You imagine things that are not true. You know that but can’t shake it off. The fever breaks and you find yourself in a pool of sweat, and your hope is that somewhere in this mess the bug has left you. 

I watched a video today which has had a deep impact upon me. It said so much in such a short time and I found it hard to argue with or question anything in it. The speaker said " To those of you who are not aware of what is going on or still haven't figured it out, Let me get you up to speed. Citizens of Australia - we are at war. "

When our government on a federal level and our governments on a state level start locking us up, depriving us of our rights " for our own good ": I have to wonder: are we at war? 

Or have we already surrendered? 

How did we bend over and give up so quickly? Not a shot fired, unless you count rubber bullets of course; not a blow dealt - unless you count the taking down of people walking in parks; not a person handcuffed - unless you count the pregnant women and old aged pensioners - ah, such a peaceful battle.