by Pippa Starr
28 July 2020
Am I a Neoliberalist, left or right wing, conservative, a radical,
or am I a “please everyone fence sitter”?
Well that was a complex question to start off with that has an equally complex answer. I am a complex being like all of us but unlike all of us I prefer to be open minded, fluid and subjected to better education and understanding on most topics.
For most of my life I have been that person that would be called a “fence-sitter” or a swinging voter and in some respects, I guess that would be a fair description. As I embrace my vintage while also being a mid 40’s atheist trans-lesbian vaper that has confronted more issues that effect my health and personal well being than the average over the last 10 years my views on the world has certainly opened up a lot more to say the least.
In the last 10 years I have learned more about the real world of advocacy, lobbying and how the world works politically than I have ever previously understood nor cared to understand. As someone who many would place me under a rainbow flag, I do not necessarily embrace the exclusive context it represents. As someone who many would call me trans, I do not identify with that label either.
As a lesbian, I had to fight for my right to marry my soul mate.
As someone who is a former smoker, I never expected that I would have to fight for my right to remain smoke free.
It's fair to say that finding a place where others may agree with my views on the world is challenging at best. While I 100% respect that we all have extremely unique journeys in life, there are common factors that bind us all as children of the earth.
I’m not always PC and often I don’t get it right to suit the justifiable agendas of some minorities, but it’s ok because I have been on the receiving end of that to.
I am often told “you think you are always right, don’t you?”.
Now let me get this clear, while I often am, I am no queen of the KIA (know it alls) as I actually enjoy and relish the challenge of being proven wrong in any situation. If I didn’t, then how would I learn new stuff or improve as a person. It is of my experience that many don’t share this view, and it is often in situations when someone is fixated on their own narrative or agenda rather than allowing themselves to be open to subjectivity.
So what do I believe in?
Religion – I don’t subscribe to ideological theories, but I don’t dis on anyone that does unless it hurts people. I take a very objective view on the world that is science based. I have other theories that could only be explained by citing quantum physics examples but that is for whole other paper one day.
Economics – While I believe in a world where we can trade freely and openly I also respect that some places in the world need to be respected if they don’t wish to trade freely, unless it’s to feed an objective of gaining disproportionate wealth. I believe the current fiscal system(s) across the world is currently in the biggest crisis it’s ever been and that was before the COVID19 pandemic. It feeds into creating a world of disproportionate wealth and opportunities for all.
Basically, while I am all for a free market and reward for effort there has to be something fundamentally wrong when 99% of the world wealth sits with 1% of it’s population. Meanwhile there are people who starve and do not have access to sanitary water, food, let alone healthcare.
Yes, I believe there should be a wealth ceiling that proportions wealth in a fairer method. I think a ceiling of around 5 million AUD dollars is more than enough to live in a world where one has something to strive for while also having enough for themselves and others.
Climate – If you are a climate change denier, educate yourself or brace yourself for what is about to come over the next 20-30 years I suggest it will be phenomenal. If you are not making efforts today to reduce your footprint on this earth and atmosphere, then you essentially are the problem.
Safety – We all deserve to live in a reasonably disciplined yet enjoyable world where our freedoms don’t oppose on another’s. If you are imposing violence in any form on anyone or any entity that dictates their level of peace then you need help to right those wrongs, either with incarceration or other suitable care to assist you to respect the world in a fair way. We all deserve to be safe from predatory behaviour in our own homes/ states/ & countries.
Military – No one, no government, no person or entity should bare arms or weapons of any kind or nature. In a world where we are facing the biggest economic, health and climate change disaster in history, why the hell should anyone be at war? Wars are measurements of ego’s and ideology often on the back of “one’s persons god is better than another”. Military should in my opinion be utilised for peacekeeping and emergency situations where logistics is an issue.
Technology – As we head toward an era where artificial intelligence is about to exceed human intelligence, we need to be mindful of the sinister applications that may occur and prepare for that now. While I embrace technology for the positive reasons for connecting, uniting and building on ideas with our fellow earthlings it should be something that is always closely monitored with alternative contingencies in place that work for not only our economies but for our safety.
Health – The best healthcare should be available to all, not just the wealthy. Healthcare should never be based on ideology unless it is to respect another person’s religious situation. While there are complex health situations that seem insolvable, I believe we should treat everyone with dignity while also respecting the best science available. Corporate companies or entities should have no influence at all on health outcomes unless it is to assist an employee’s general health.
No corporate entity should be working to influence science with money or equivalent in anyway.
I believe that everyone of all classes and creeds should be entitled to a comfortable level of life on this short time on earth. I believe if you can afford to look after your own health matters than you should. If you have opulent wealth, it is in your best interests in the long term for you to support the health of those who have helped create your wealth. In a world where the poor literally make the wealthy, wealthy it is a massive injustice that there should be any soul on this earth in 2020 that should not have access to the latest in healthcare.
I also stand with Tony Robbins formula of 6 human needs.
They are I quote directly:
“ Need 1: Certainty/Comfort
The first human need is the need for Certainty. It’s our need to feel in control and to know what’s coming next so we can feel secure. It’s the need for basic comfort, the need to avoid pain and stress, and also to create pleasure. Our need for certainty is a survival mechanism. It affects how much risk we’re willing to take in life—in our jobs, in our investments, and in our relationships. The higher the need for certainty, the less risk you’ll be willing to take or emotionally bear. By the way, this is where your real “risk tolerance” comes from.
Need 2: Uncertainty/Variety
Let me ask you a question: Do you like surprises? If you answered “yes,” you’re kidding yourself! You like the surprises you want. The ones you don’t want, you call problems! But you still need them to put some muscle in your life. You can’t grow muscle—or character—unless you have something to push back against.
Need 3: Significance
We all need to feel important, special, unique, or needed. So how do some of us get significance? You can get it by earning billions of dollars, or collecting academic degrees—distinguishing yourself with a master’s or a PhD. You can build a giant Twitter following. Or you can go on The Bachelor or become the next Real Housewife of Orange County. Some do it by putting tattoos and piercings all over themselves and in places we don’t want to know about. You can get significance by having more or bigger problems than anybody else. “You think your husband’s a dirt bag, take mine for a day!” Of course, you can also get it by being more spiritual (or pretending to be).
Spending a lot of money can make you feel significant, and so can spending very little. We all know people who constantly brag about their bargains, or who feel special because they heat their homes with cow manure and sunlight. Some very wealthy people gain significance by hiding their wealth. Like the late Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart and for a time the richest man in America, who drove around Bentonville, Arkansas, in his old pickup, demonstrating he didn’t need a Bentley—but of course, he did have his own private fleet of jets standing by.
Significance is also a money maker—that’s where my dear friend Steve Wynn has made his fortune. The man who made Las Vegas what it is today knows people will pay for anything they believe is “the best,” anything that makes them feel special, unique or important, anything that makes them stand out from the crowd. He provides the most exclusive, luxurious experiences imaginable in his casinos and hotels—they are truly magnificent and unmatched in the world.
Need 4: Love & Connection
The fourth basic need is Love and Connection. Love is the oxygen of life; it’s what we all want and need most. When we love completely we feel alive, but when we lose love, the pain is so great that most people settle on connection, the crumbs of love. You can get that sense of connection or love through intimacy, or friendship, or prayer, or walking in nature. If nothing else works, you can get a dog.
These first four needs are what I call the needs of the personality. We all find ways to meet these—whether by working harder, coming up with a big problem, or creating stories to rationalize them. The last two are the needs of the spirit. These are more rare—not everyone meets these. When these needs are met, we truly feel fulfilled.
Need 5: Growth
If you’re not growing, you’re dying. If a relationship is not growing, if a business is not growing, if you’re not growing, it doesn’t matter how much money you have in the bank, how many friends you have, how many people love you—you’re not going to experience real fulfillment. And the reason we grow, I believe, is so we have something of value to give.
Need 6: Contribution
Corny as it may sound, the secret to living is giving. Life’s not about me; it’s about we. Think about it, what’s the first thing you do when you get good or exciting news? You call somebody you love and share it. Sharing enhances everything you experience.
Life is really about creating meaning. And meaning does not come from what you get, it comes from what you give. Ultimately, it’s not what you get that will make you happy long term, but rather who you become and what you contribute will.
Now think about how money can fulfill the six human needs. Can money give us certainty? You bet. Variety? Check. Obviously, it can make us feel important or significant. But what about connection and love? In the immortal words of the Beatles, money can’t buy you love. But it can buy you that dog! And it can, unfortunately, give you a false sense of connection because it attracts relationships, although not always the most fulfilling kind. How about growth? Money can fuel growth in business and in learning. And the more money you have, the more you can contribute financially.
But here’s what I truly believe: if you value Significance above all else, money will always leave you empty unless it comes from a contribution you’ve made. And if you’re looking for significance from money, it’s a high price to pay. You’re looking for big numbers but it’s unlikely you’ll find big fulfillment.
The ultimate significance in life comes not from something external, but from something internal. It comes from a sense of esteem for ourselves, which is not something we can ever get from someone else. People can tell you you’re beautiful, smart, intelligent, the best, or they can tell you that you are the most horrible human being on earth—but what matters is what you think about yourself. Whether or not you believe that deep inside you are continuing to grow and push yourself, to do and give more than was comfortable or you even thought possible. The wealthiest person on earth is one who appreciates.”
So to answer the first question, where do I stand with my political beliefs?
I stand with those who stand for what is in the best interests of humanity on all sides of the political spectrum. It does make it difficult to vote for sure, but none the less the most inline with what I know will make the world and my country a better place will get my vote.
I am always open to good passionate debate and to learn new things.
With that all said, thank you for reading what is basically “Pip-ilosophy 101”
I look forward to reading your comments and thoughts as no doubts you have them and we can all learn something from them.