The lies, the double standards, the false equivalences don’t suddenly disappear. They are the foundation of our society. But the daily gaslighting is no reason to give up. The machine, primarily purveyed through the media & other organizations is just a feeling. We can think differently. We can resist. I know that is not helpful or easy when you’re being subjected to the violence of austerity and coercive control. But essential nonetheless when considering how to resist the fascism of everyday existence.

Rwanda is being touted as the latest place refugees to the UK will be processed if they are caught crossing the Channel.

Meanwhile the Home Secretary apologises for not processing Ukrainian visas quickly enough.

Cue “western supremacist” columnists defending both policies – fully aware that it is one rule for one type of migrant and another for another.

And yet we remain quiet. On the sidelines. All of us. Expected to acquiesce. To back violence in Ukraine and everywhere else. To not think about Mode4, Aadhaar, or the way they will affect all of our lives.

We have movements like Extinction Rebellion who couldn’t care less about the war in Ukraine or the proposed processing of refugees in Rwanda. But who are happy to talk about Climate Refugees as they ask you to get arrested. Don’t get me wrong, I recognise we need to have conversations about waste and overconsumption. And definitely about human rights, supply chain transparency, and corporate responsibility. Maybe they’ll achieve some goals on these fronts – their way. Whatever that is.

Zanny Minton Beddoes is the editor of the Economist. A Bilderberg attender in other words. Believer in one world government. With the likes of her in charge. She has her loyalties. On eight minutes she refers to the global perception of double standards over the way “The West” invaded Iraq without UN backing and only accepted Syrian refugees begrudgingly. Despite acknowledging these facts she refuses to accept that they are valid reasons for opposing western supremacy. So there you have it. The friendly face of Western Supremacy. She is happy to say there is “some truth” to the criticism but that nonetheless we would be better off backing the west. “I’m an English classic liberal to my core” she says – nice way of saying dictatorial warmonger.

Things are not all bad in my world though. I’ve really enjoyed these two weeks I’ve been off work.

Yesterday a friend accompanied me to La Traviata at the Royal Opera House.

Our mate Russell has played the timpani there for years.

He gave us a quick tour !

I asked him if he had done soundtracks and he said that he’d done Star Wars, Indiana Jones and the big films with American film composer John Williams.

I can’t remember if this came onstage last night. I think it did. The set was something else.

Earlier on we went to the Dulwich Picture Gallery where we bumped into Sarah Siddons by Joshua Reynolds. There were other Reynolds’s there, but nothing like Sarah, who I have a thing for. You might not see it but there are two figures hovering behind her in a sort of good cop bad cop manner. I’m thinking these are the spirits she channels when she acts. Was she the first person to make the idea of being a female actress respectable? I don’t know. She was certainly a big celeb.

La Traviata was unbelievable. I’ll be heading back to that building again. The Royal Opera House is fancy. We weren’t quite as dressed up as everyone else. Nor had we bought our tickets for £400 or marked them down as corporate hospitality. But they were within the bounds of affordability and something I would do again if I could. Hardly anything really happens. As in it’s not an action movie. But there are surprises and amazing things to look at. The story moves quite slowly. The scenes are quite long. But you go with it. And the music is sublime. Recommend, recommend, recommend.

I’ve been thinking of resurrecting the podcast. But it’s just me. No collaborators for now. I shouldn’t let that stop me. I’ll hide behind someone else’s writing at first. Such as Julian Huxley’s Tissue Culture King in which he first references the idea of the tin foil hat. And then bit by bit I’ll emerge with my own material. Bit nervous about what to do, but I must do something. It would be rude not to. Bye for now.