2023 Past to Present
Perception of both time and space, is deeply shaded by our cultural practices. It organizes, defines, and rules us. But what is it really? 2023 Past to Present | Article by: Karin VonKrenner.
2023 Past To Present…
Perception of both time and space, is deeply shaded by our cultural practices. It organizes, defines, and rules us. But what is it really?“
It’s 6:00am and I stumble, crusty and crinkled toward the kitchen and coffee. It’s that “time”. Despite a hear jangling 30 minutes of testing all alarm sound options on my phone, my “gentle morning” tinkle still ruthlessly jars me from a huddled, winter slumber. Rocketing from dreams to reality. An alarm is an alarm however gentle the chime. Shakespeare had his roses; I have my alarms. Last year, I defiantly raised the white flag on re-setting my clocks. The mental antics of springing forward or falling backwards closely resembled a bad hangover minus the party. My house is now a duality time zone. Every room is an hour ahead or behind another. Some linger in spring, the rest muddle through winter. A few steps of gain or loss, I can check my reality through each door.
Perception of both time and space, is deeply shaded by our cultural practices. It organizes, defines, and rules us. But what is it really? We build our lives on a version we believe is true. Our reality supported by the general agreement of our peers. Those of us un-rooted from home, living lives of crossing borders and cultures, gain a certain mental flexibility about the whole concept. A New York minute is a Milano hour. I dithered on purchasing my new yearly planner. Time is running out as the damn things seem to vanish from sale before the Thanksgiving turkey is cold. I couldn’t decide if I wanted a year of inspirational quotes, magic mushroom recipes or fuzzy kitten photos. It’s a tough decision framing my future year. 2023 may be too tough for kittens and as a mushroom gathering novice not sure which one will kill me or bring magical visions. Guess that leaves standard inspirational quotes. Life is a gamble; this may be my best bet in the face of a global recession. 2022 cracked my rose-tinted glasses, this may help.
Our Gregorian calendar calculates we are entering the year 2023. Sounds very Sci-Fi-ish. (Note my use of hyphens Mr. Santos?) We survived Orwells’ “1984” to find ourselves stuck in a version of Fahrenheit 451. These days, global politicians scare me more than a Martian invasion or zombie apocalypse. Hoping they haven’t read Make Room or have Soylent Green scenarios on their mental calendars. I Think I can still make plans. With or without my planner. Maybe. Depends on how inspirational those quotes are in the face of reality. Considering the previous 2 years and current events, a neutral expectation may be the saints attitude for 2023. Combine it with lots of Ommmm breathing, fingers crossed and maybe a magic mushroom or two. Just forget the kittens. They are so 2019. For now, we just stick our toes into the muddy water sloooowly, no full dives. There be strange creatures slithering under the political surface, yet unnamed. I may be temporarily planner-less but, Amazon delivers! I will regain my power to write you in or rub you out.
As women, we have taken some hard hits these past 3 years. The pandemic accelerated domestic violence, wars continue to support human trafficking and politicians want to police our vaginas. Political morality is an expanding oxymoron. Rep.-elect George Santos (R-N.Y.) is the totem representing our current political moral compass. Lie to get what you want. What politician has time for the truth, that was so 1776. By Georges own reckoning, his “sin” is merely that of embellishment. He is “not a criminal who defrauded the entire country”. Just New York. Not to worry, he apologized, and we can all move forward.
I think Hollywood needs to update the Sci-Fi movie genre. Imagine new futuristic stuff for us to freak out about. Vampires and robots lack the required gravitas. We already exist in a blurry combination of Gattaca and the Jetsons. I get confused. Are we in a Sci-Fi movie or a cartoon?
2023. The Chinese Year of the Rabbit. We rabbit on. However, should this year show the slightest sign of going rabid I am prepared to hop over to alternative global calendar options. Zoom back to 1402 Persian time or flee into the future of 12023 via Holocene calculations. Like my rooms, I am flexible and willing to hedge my bets on disparate realities and time zones. If we are scheduling for next week, pick your year. I just decided to forego the Amazon planner, it’s just too much of a commitment.
Yes, it’s that time. Again. We say we won’t, but we do. The New Year List. I am waving the white flag on holiday sated resolutions too. However, I will grimly hang on to my hopes. What do I hope for you ask? Awwww, thanks for caring. Here you go. Number 1: I have a deep, dark hope that AutoCorrect swallows an AP guide and a Webster dictionary. It will certainly make me swear less and therefore become a better human being! My Number 2 may be a challenge on the hopeful scale. I really hope to find that special someone who looks at me in the morning, the way I look at my coffee. Yes, I have high expectations. I may need to lower them.
It’s going to be a roller-coaster year for re-evaluating personal and public priorities. Forget the Blue and Red. This a is total whitewash situation. We face a global recession combined with an environmental crisis that leaves our leaders gawping like goldfish on dry land. Time for mega change. Being overwhelmed was so 2022 and we are women are finally done with it. Ladies get your brooms out and get are ready to fly. This time we hold the matches.
Regarding influential women making changes in 2023, Angelina Jolie is exiting her position as UN Refugee Envoy. After 20 years. She aims to “work now with organisations led by people most directly affected by conflict.” Yes, it can be hard to hang out with the common people from those New York towers. She has a point. As noted in previous columns, I like this lady. As a human. What goes on in the Brangealina wrestling ring is not my concern. In the public arena of actually getting good shit done on a global scale, she does her damndest. That’s all anyone can do. Am guessing the UN departure offers a little more of that “freedom of movement” so dear to her heart. More Lara Croft vs Board Room. You go Girl!
Which begs the Meghan Merkle question. What are her goals for the global good and women? With a combined net worth of $60 billion, her philanthropic contribution to a charity “close to her heart” was a mere $100,000 in the Campaign for Female Education. Per CAMFED posts this is just enough to educate 113 young African women in technical and vocational skills for one year. Not exactly a world changer. Can we bank on less tears and more external commitment this year? C’mon Girl, you can do better.
2023. We slip and slide into another year of crisis. A crashing economy, hiring freezes, homelessness and an ongoing pandemic. It’s a depressing short list of chaos. Amidst traditional champagne pops and fireworks displays is there time to consider what we really want? (Maybe I do need that planner).. What’s it all about? As communities, countries and a planet? Is this the year women take the platform and kick that Over-There Syndrome to the curb to embrace and support our connected humanity? A “we” vs “me” approach to our mutual futures? Hell yes. We got this.
To clarify for potential Trolls, I am not a misandrist. Am happy to re-quote some men; for example; Bill Gates and Spiderman. They noted with others, that “with great wealth/power comes great responsibility” Wealth is no longer a male purview. Women can write their own checks now and with that comes our own “great responsibility”.
Back in 1971, German professor; Klaus Schwab invited the Corporate Big Boys for lunch in a little Swiss town. “What” he asked “is the impact of your businesses and policies on society as a whole?” We can imagine the stunned silence that lingered into dessert. Yes, a true contemplation of ethics and responsibility goes beyond mere shareholder financial profit. We do not stand alone in society regardless how wealthy or poor we may be. Politicians can “embellish” all they like, but the truth is out. Since that initial male conversation, (remembering that for every man there is a woman kicking some shins under the table) five decades ago, the WEF has sought to re-direct wealth managers into conversations of global fiscal responsibility. An understanding that immediate profit is unsustainable without a calculation of future environmental impacts. The creation of wealth legacies must include perspectives for the global society rather than mere singular, personal gain. That 1971 Swiss conversation has paid out.
Morningstar financial data shows that since 2019 ”73 percent of funds in its environmental, social and governance (ESG) index outperformed equivalent non-ESG funds over the past three years.” Women could have sorted this out before the entrees. We have two superpowers; communication and multi-tasking. Feed the kids, sort the household accounts, outside jobs, husbands, pets, you name it. A man may work from sun to sun but a women’s’ work is never done. Getting shit done evolved in our DNA from generations of women just wanting a moment of peace and quiet for ourselves.
It’s all pretty basic when you think about it. Yes, you can still make money without being an Evil Scrooge and screwing people over. Nothing really new here, the idea merely lacked the appropriate marketing campaigns with an approved number of Tweets and Followers. 1+1=2. If it’s a version of Hell outside the mansion gates, that Martha Stewart house is simply a gilded prison. Fear, outwardly displayed as “security” becomes your biggest expense. Because you know, deep down the zombie mobs will get in. Sooner or later. Mars might be cool, but it lacks the basic amenities of forests, lakes and white sand beaches. Mars is not the answer. Happy 2023. I wish everyone happiness, food on the table and a roof over your head. We all deserve it. Yes, it’s time to dump the Tik-Tok kittens, roll up our global sleeves and get shit done. Ladies- start sweeping! Men, you are welcome to join, ask your lady if you don’t know where to find the broom…