Can we cure everything with love?
I got punched in the back of the head the other day, by some random ‘geezer’ in London’s Soho in the small hours. I was doing nothing, suddenly someone squared up to me and after calmly said I didn’t want any trouble, he told me to walk away. I did so, and was punched hard in the back of the skull. Oh dear.
I’ve had a headache all weekend. I’m a hypochondriac at the best of times, but matters of the brain require a very special form of anxiety. What if I’m gonna die of a blood-clot in my sleep? What if my vocabulary starts to pour out of my mind like sand? What if I develop a Tourettic urge to shout racist words and blow raspberries? What if I start seeing dead people? All these things have nagged at me, so I try to counteract the fear by thinking of positive questions. What if it’s cleared my mind of a glut of toxins? What if I’m now more psychic? Maybe I’ll die a bit younger now? Oh no! See how it happens? The worries creep back.
Anyway, it’s made me want to go and live far away. I hate the boozy, warped-Christianity and consumerism mash-up that is Christmas. I hate the way apes like Vinnie Jones are hetero-eroticised by men in impotent awe of violence, I hate the shirts and sovereign rings, I hate the women who enjoy men fighting for their ‘honour’ and I hate having to be afraid of other people. I hate this country.
Russell thinks we should look at the root causes of why violence happens, we should redistribute wealth and we can cure everything with love.
I think I’d rather live under CCTV, I.D. cards and a brutal police-force of whom criminals are terrified, but then I have received a bad knock on the head recently.
What do you think?
Well that's just bad luck or maybe bad karma??
It's terrible what happened to you. Well done for not going straight down the posh doctors and demanding an MRI scan as I would so surely have at least tried to have done.
Have Christmas in the countryside. It's still vaguely like a Muppet's Christmas Carol out here, but hopefully without the ghosts because that's quite scary too. Before too long political correctness will go mad and as a result none of us will have / be allowed to celebrate Christmas anyway.
Whatever you decide to do over the next couple of weeks, I hope you have the best of times. Good luck with the NYE night x
I agree Matt. I hate violence and do my upmost to stay away from places and situations where things can kick off. Id never want a man to fight for me and seeing it sickens me to the core. It’s in our nature to be part animal. The difference between humans and animals is that we face each other when we mate, which should make all the difference in the world really.
Don’t let anyone hit you Matt. If someone is using their energy to be creatively elevating then they will probably fall to the brutish thug on the street. The finest strengths rest with the weak.
It was so terrible what happened - some people are just complete idiots!
I really dont understand people who just like to cause trouble or fight for no reason, its as if they get off on it or do it to try and prove something. I would think more highly of a man who either walked away from a situation or tried to resolve a problem (if there was one) with talking rather than resorting to violence.
Im also not a huge fan of the UK and I have always said that if I was ever to have children, not that im thinking of having any at the moment, but if I did, I would not raise them here as I dont think it is a good environment for a child to grow up in - and the weathers horrible!!!
Im totally with you on the paranoia/hypocondria thing! One example is about a month ago after a long flight one of legs was hurting for about a week and I was convinced that I was going to die of deep vein thrombosis and I couldnt sleep or work and kept telling myself to think about happy things to try & keep my mind off it - which didnt work. Well im still here & havent died yet so im guessing I overreacted slightly!
Ok nearly finished, just want to wish the 3 of you a great Christmas & New Year whatever you do and Matt I'll see you at the New Year party!
Loads of cyber hugs & kisses!
Lindsay xxx
Mate, I know how ya feel.
I moved to a different area a few months ago, one of those places that seems dead nice and normal by day but come night, all the morons are out looking for fights, beered up with chilli sauce down their shirts and something to prove.
I got dropped off from a gig about 2am one night, I'd been out the van about 10 seconds and some psycho grabbed be, pulled me down an alley and knocked seven shades out of me for no good reason. Christ knows how but I managed to get away and get to hospital.
The thing that gets me is how random it was. The whole time I never let go of my guitar or my bag, so I didn't hit back. He could've had my guitar, my phone, my cash, but he didn't seem to want anything than to take how shit his life was out on me.
The police were next to useless, I watched the CCTV back and you can see me being thrown about like a rag doll in the middle of traffic, yet there's still not a clear enough image of his face to identify him. Arse.
So anyway, I had exactly the same state of mind that you've got now. But on a Russell tip, I always try and remember that Bill Hicks speech - 'it's just a ride...', which is the only mantra I thought worthwhile enough to put on the interweb (see the site I've linked to).
I would have had you lot down as Bill Hicks fans, you should check that speech out cos it fits the spreading love theme.
Don't let the b*st*rds get ya down Matt!
hello matt! after reading what happened and hearing you speaking about it on the show last week, i think no matter what you did when that bloke squared up to you, you were gonna get punched anyway! if you tried to fight, he would have clocked you, and even by doing the right thing and walking away, he still felt it the need to pummel his fist into the back of your head! you were in a no win situation!
but maybe if you did offer him a token of love (be it a hug, a peck on his cheek) it would have confused him for that split second it would take for you to then walk out of harm's way? or maybe he would have interpreted that gesture of love as you coming on to him and fired him up even more to hurt you??!?
hope you are feeling better now!
I agree totally, it's awfu; these random crimes just happen for no reason!
My brother was punched in the nose a year ago for no reason, the guy was proberly drugged up but no excuse. Called my brother ugly and punched him! The charges were dropped as it was complaited!
Hope you get better soon Matt:)
Kirstenxx
whats the world coming to ? this country is a shambles.
Hope u are feeling better mr morgan - take care x
Sometimes certai events can make a person feel really angry and hate everyone and everything..especially when its something as mindless as this. Unfortuatley society is evolving to become more violent..At least in the past voilence was used to fight for whats right in antagonists mnd or for land or property.
Unfortuatly violence is associated with kudos.. everyone wants to be a "gangsta" in order to look good in front of their fellow "homies"..The jewellry associated is worn like a medal of honour and the money to pay for it usually obtained in a violent way...again giving kudos to the wearer.. Its a nasty bleak, selfish World we live in now.
That said, dont let it put you off doing anything you want to do. Everyone should be entitled to walk around freely without fear of violence and not everyone is a mindless nutter.
You are a straitforward down to Earth person, and Im sure the loathing will cease in time. You cant change the way society is you can just carry on...
Hope you feel better soon Mr Morgan. If you let it get you down that pratt has won. Dont worry about being a Woody Allen either..we all do that!
Mazz
Matt what were you doing in Soho in the "small hours"?
Me and a couple of mates got punched by some angry kid a while ago. There were three of us on one of him and he wasn't that big but we all ended up running away and hiding. I felt ridiculous afterwards and wished I had retaliated or made a citizen's arrest, whatever that is.
Pace is the key! If you are destined to turn your back on a fool you mights as well do it with a little added pace. In other words fleee. Get yer knees up etc. Also, take solace in the fact that anyone so hell bent on a rumpus usually can find a like minded fool to grapple.
You must've been the equivalent of a '2am wonder' down the local discotech. Not an appealing prospect but a prospect none the less.
Ta-ra & "Rom-po-po-pom-pom" etc.
I think we DO live under CCTV already. If that car advert is right anyway.
Poor you Matthew! I deeply hope you are feeling better!
It's when I read incidents like this that it makes me realise that i need to stop being so naive and trusting of people! Some people tell me its a nice quality to have, but I know if i don't start opening my eyes up to this world we live in it really will get me into trouble one of these days!
Its quite ironic that where i come from has the reputation of being thuggish and full of druggies...it has, i'm not blind to this fact, but actually i do love where i live, everyone is friendly and to be honest i sometimes think cheap and cheerful does pay off!
The statement Russell made about love curing everything i believe is true...but as i mentioned i am a bit naive! It actually could work, but the probability of everyone actually agreeing to this is near impossible! The Uk (along with many other places) is too tainted and you can see as generations go by they are becoming more cynical. Its sad, but i can see it in my little bro!
Despite this experience, please don't let them spoil your christmas. Christmas is ultimately a time for happiness, no matter your beliefs...its just some people take advantage of this and ruin it for others!
Ooops, seemed to have written a mini essay!
Ultimately what i'm trying to say is get well soon, don't let it get you down and do have a merry christmas!
Love and best wishes
Victoria xxx
PS- hope you have a good NYE, when you're having your brill party with all your lovely guests, it'll be them yobbo's missing out!
Matt,
Perhaps you have a touch of post-traumatic stress disorder after the incident.
I think it's understandable for you to feel that you hate this country but, if you feel like me, there are also many things about it that you love.
I'm not patriotic at all, possibly because I was raised in another country, but since moving back to England, I do think there is a certain "I do not know what" about England that I find appealing, and I get pleasure from living here. Also, don't forget that wherever you are living in the world, you will always find faults in it (well, actually, I can think of two exceptions to that rule).
As for Christmas, if nothing else, just try to look at it as a break from your regular schedule.
It doesn't have to be the pseudo-religious festival it sometimes appears to be. It is what you make of it, much the same as the place where you live.
Happy Christmas,
Jo x
Hope you're feeling better now after your nasty incident. Some people are just plain idiots. Have a great Christmas xxx
Goodness me Matt. There's not all that much that I could add to the accumulated pile of sympathy and shared similar experiences. But our end of the world is crazy; we rely on CCTV cameras everywhere to watch over us, but despite the concerns of all the personal rights worriers, the cameras may as well be recording the visual equivalent of white noise... as your experience highlights.
People always put it down to x-y-z ; there aren't enought bobbies on the beat, we're iscolating ourselves from our neighbours, computer games/ TV programmes/movies are too violent, At the end of the day, there is no "one" cause for society going downhill; we have a primevil instinct for assault and battery; our thuggish animal side. The current generations have had no hardship like our grandparents - there are no wars that directly affect England - no fighting on the beaches, no fire from the sky. There is no common cause bringing everyone together in harmony. Instead peace and technology are leading us to be iscolated and anti-social.
I'm not sure there is an answer to things, you should never have to compromise your lifestyle - you should be free to go where you want and act as you please (within socially acceptable constructs) ; but life isn't like that.
I fear that I could go on and on, but it's Christmas and I've places to be. It would be nice if something as simple as love could be the solution; but I fear that applying it in any situation where violence is used against a person would only result in further violence.
(Also, hypochondria is normal in this life where every other week the press reveal some new and horrible disease or viral something we can die of. We live in an age of too much information)
M.
Hello everyone!
Isn't it strange, from the "outside" (Italy) the UK seems to be a pretty decent and peaceful place...Which is evidently not, judging by all the things I've read in this post.
Laura is right: you already have CCTV everywhere, and this fact alone makes the anti-ID campaign look slighlty schizophrenic.
Matt, I do hope you're feeling better. But why don't you wear a pair of those marvellous Hong Kong Kickin' Boots? They would help...At least psicologically.
As for Xmas, I'm planning to launch a campaign to abolish it. Anyone wants to join in?
Much love,
Marta
Most violence is carried out by the brainless, those who are unable to express themselves in any other way. You can generally inflict far more damage to someone with a carefully crafted verbal assault than can ever be achieved with physical aggression, only problem being, you’re in danger of getting flattened before you finish the sentence. The most frightening is the highly intelligent lunatic, but it’s all in the eyes which are of course the mirror to the soul, I always check those out before I open my mouth……in any situation.
Did you see the documentary made about chimpanzees, where the males were caught on camera, gathering like soldiers and marching off into neighbouring chimp family territory? They captured and beat to death an unsuspecting young male, tearing the limbs from his body. Almost unbearable to watch but perhaps an important insight into our own savage instincts, to see these creatures to whom we are so closely related, enjoying inflicting pain (and in this case death) on another individual. Even more uncomfortable viewing was the frenzied females offering themselves up sexually in exchange for a piece of the prize……but is it really all that different from what we can expect on any weekend night once the dross are set free on to our London streets after closing time? Someone gets beaten senseless for fun and the dopey bird gets a share of the celebratory donner kebab. I’m not sure it’s even a class/social problem because you have the tally ho brigade who take pleasure in blood sports under the guise of heritage and tradition. It does do serious damage to your faith in human nature but hopefully all the good will messages received here will help restore your own.
I dare say what happened to you Matt was purely alcohol fuelled though I wonder if alcohol actually makes us behave in ways we wouldn’t dream of under normal circumstances or simply dulls the inhibitions we suffer or restrictions we place upon ourselves in order that we may conform to what we perceive as socially acceptable behaviour. For me personally, I think in moderation it allows a little Dutch courage to overcome shyness and in excess, to make a complete tit of myself, but I suppose for some it simply fuels the aggression that is already festering below the surface. Maybe best not to dwell on what was a random assault and just think it might have been worse, you could have gone home with a ‘Chelsea Smile’.
Enough on the negative, lets focus on Russell, for his airy fairy ideals are far more appealing, nice to live in cloud cuckoo land, I myself spend as much time there as humanly possible.
Can love conquer all? I’d like to think so, it certainly makes me feel like anything is possible and should Russell require any help with proving his theories, I’ll make myself available for some of his special recipe anytime!
I once did a poo and it did a wee
:l
Heck!- Are you ok!!?
How unpleasant.
Yeah, I agree about the whole macho crap.
I also feel quite strongly about the whole materialism thing, especially since Ive been spending time in London every week, I had ended up helping some homeless people, and the way they were treated by passers by seriously pissed me off. Everyone has a story, including homeless people too.
(I remember the episode of RE:Brand about the homeless me. I thought RE:Brand was an excellent series)
Actually, I have had really nice chats with homeless people. Especially on evenings after leaving a social enviroment where I had felt like I was a bit rejected and not appreciated or wanted, I would wonder down Shaftsbury Av, where I could come across various homeless people. I buy them some food, sit and have a chat with them.
The first time I began doing this, I felt quite worthless and felt like a social failure, but they gave me something very special back, as I suddenly realized- how could I be a rubbish person when I treat a homeless person as an eaqual human being with dignity.
Then all that social politics stuff which made me feel like I was not very interesting seemed to just dissipate. There is so much false materialistic bollocks in the western world.
What are the real important things? That is the question.
I feel one of those most important things, is to treat people with respect and dignity, as you'd wish to be treated yourself.
The reason why this is so difficult for people to do, is ego. People need to make themselves feel secure and superior by creating silly materalistic reasons to look down on others.
This time of year is so all wrong!!
Ive writen further about this in my myspace blog, one of my humourisms called "Seasonal Inadequacy Disorder". On:
https://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog&pop=1&ping=1
xFJK
Completly agree with you Matt, CCTV and a bigger police force are the way to go. Violence will always happen, you cannot protect people with "love", Russell is wrong about that.
BTW where's Trevor? I miss him, he needs to comment more!!!
I'm sorry to say it my dear but you got what you deserved. I would love to punch you in the head but I fear I may get fired. I dislike you intensely and much prefer Trevor's fashion sence in reality (at least he dosn't wear poncy leather jackets that don't suit him like yourself). Now go home and wash your greasy hair that you tried to copy from me. IT JUST DOESN'T WORK FOR YOU.
Russell
I'm sorry to say it my dear but you got what you deserved. I would love to punch you in the head but I fear I may get fired. I dislike you intensely and much prefer Trevor's fashion sence in reality (at least he dosn't wear poncy leather jackets that don't suit him like yourself). Now go home and wash your greasy hair that you tried to copy from me. IT JUST DOESN'T WORK FOR YOU.
Russell
we can cure everything with love!
theres just the dudes that create violence for fun
and theres the ones that are a bit messed up and maybe brainwashed.
oh and also the insecure.
anyway the sovereign rings and so are just
a chavy statement and i hate them too haha.
xAmida buddhax
HHHHHHHHEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOO BOYS!!!!!
LOVE THE SHOW KEEPS ME AND THE FIANCEY LAUGHING SO HARD THAT WEE NEARLY COMES OUT
JUST SPENDING OUT SATURDAY NIGHT PAINTING THE FLAT, THANKS FOR KEEPING US SANE
CHRIS AND CHARLIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!