Podcast Summary
President Michael D. Higgins discusses MACHNAV 100 on The Blind Boy podcast: The president's MACHNAV 100 initiative includes historical seminars on Ireland's War of Independence, featuring leading scholars. The final seminar, 'Memory, History, and Imagination,' airs on RTE player on November 17th. Science Week in Ireland also promotes various talks, events, and seminars from November 13th to 20th.
The Blind Boy podcast, hosted by the podcast's creator, featured a special guest this week - President Michael D. Higgins of Ireland. The president came on the show to discuss his initiative, MACHNAV 100, a series of historical seminars reflecting on the past 100 years since Ireland's War of Independence. The seminars, which are available on the president's website and YouTube, bring together leading scholars to share their insights on the context and events of the formative period in Irish history and the nature of commemoration itself. The final seminar, titled "Memory, History, and Imagination," is set to air on RTE player on Thursday, November 17th. The podcast episode also highlighted Science Week in Ireland, which runs from November 13th to 20th, and encouraged listeners to check out the various talks, events, and seminars taking place around the country. Additionally, the host shared heartfelt appreciation for the support and messages he received from listeners following his previous episode about emotional resilience.
Exploring Present Issues with Irish President Michael D. Higgins: The conversation with Irish President Michael D. Higgins touched on history, reflection, housing, human connection, and present issues, treating him as a person rather than a dignitary.
The interviewer had a fascinating conversation with Irish President Michael D. Higgins, covering topics like history, reflection, housing, and the importance of human connection. Despite having over a thousand questions, they only had enough time to discuss a few. The conversation was aimed at bringing the discussion to the present issues facing Irish people. They also aimed to keep the conversation as human as possible, treating the president as a person rather than just a dignitary. The interview also serves as a historical document. The interviewer encourages listeners to support the podcast through Patreon, ensuring its independence and allowing them to continue bringing such conversations to the public.
Exploring creativity and deep reflection: Success requires freedom to fail and deeply reflect, as highlighted by podcasting and public service broadcasting. Personal stories of hardship and reflection, like those shared by the podcast host and former president, underscore this importance.
Creativity and deep reflection go hand in hand, and having the freedom to explore both is crucial for success. This was highlighted in the conversation between the podcast host and the former president. The host, who has built a successful podcast empire funded by patrons, emphasized the importance of failure and deep thought in artistic endeavors. He drew a parallel between podcasting and public service broadcasting, where funding allows for both failure and success. The former president shared his personal experience of growing up with family members involved in the Irish war of independence, and the challenges his father faced in applying for a pension after being interned. This painful history, while fascinating from a distance, was a source of pain for the speaker as a youngster. Both the podcast host and the former president's stories underscore the importance of reflection, deep thought, and the freedom to explore and fail in order to succeed. Moreover, the MacNeh Seminar, with its Irish title meaning meditation and reflection, embodies the idea of going deep and revising opinions. This initiative, along with the speakers' personal stories, emphasizes the importance of taking the time for deep reflection and allowing for creative exploration in order to succeed.
Irish Civil War and the Complexity of History: Acknowledge and deal with the past, understanding its complexity and the various perspectives involved.
History is a complex mosaic of interconnected events, and it's important to approach it with an open mind, willing to revise and learn from new information. During the Irish Civil War following the National War, a man named Binci was interned for three years. His son, who took over his business, held different views and refused to rehire him. Binci then returned to Newbridge, Ireland, and found work. The speaker emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and dealing with the past, rather than trying to forget or draw a curtain over it. History is complex and takes place in a specific context, and it's essential to understand the various perspectives and nuances of different events. The speaker encourages an open and ongoing exploration of history, recognizing that there is no fixed version and that new research and material continually add to our understanding.
Understanding the Human Side of Ireland's History: Exploring the complex social dynamics and people's experiences beyond constitutional and military perspectives is crucial for a complete understanding of Ireland's history. Considering women's experiences, gender violence, and everyday life adds depth to the narrative.
The history of Ireland, particularly during the period following the civil war, is often told from a constitutional or military perspective, but it's essential to understand the experiences and feelings of the people. Ireland experienced significant population loss, with 8 million people emigrating in a century, leaving the majority of those born on the island living abroad. This mass migration led to complex social dynamics, including conflicts between laborers and landowners, and the emergence of new power structures. It's crucial to explore these intricacies to gain a more complete understanding of Ireland's history. Moreover, the speaker emphasizes the importance of considering the history of everyday life and the role of various perspectives, such as women's experiences and gender violence, in shaping the narrative. In the present day, the speaker reflects on the pressing issue of housing as a significant challenge for young people in Ireland, emphasizing the human desire to connect and be part of a community.
The role of government in ensuring access to essentials like housing: Understanding complex issues and promoting literacy can lead to stable and equal societies, emphasizing the importance of government's role in providing essentials like housing, education, and food.
Access to safe and affordable housing is a crucial aspect of building connections within communities and society. The speaker, who has a background in politics, believes that certain essentials like food, shelter, housing, and education should not be left to market forces but should be considered the responsibility of the state. The housing estates built during his time in politics were successful in providing opportunities for education and upward mobility for residents. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of understanding complex issues like economics and climate sustainability, which can impact everyone's lives, and encourages literacy and acceptance of universal basic services as a way to ensure stability and equality. The oceans, which connect us all, serve as a reminder of the interconnectedness of our world and the importance of recognizing this interdependence.
The loss of a sense of home as shared space in Ireland: Ireland's emphasis on ownership over usage has led to a lack of motivation for change, contributing to both the housing crisis and mental health crisis. To inspire change, it's crucial to reconnect with the historical perspective of land and home ownership and work towards creating a more equitable and communal housing system.
The emphasis on ownership over usage, particularly in relation to housing, has led to a loss of the sense of home as a shared space of shelter and security for many people in Ireland. This shift, which became more pronounced after the famine and the resulting exodus, has resulted in a mentality of hoarding and a lack of motivation for change, contributing to both the housing crisis and the mental health crisis. The Irish attitude towards home and housing needs to shift back towards an emphasis on usage and community, with a focus on creating shared spaces that foster intimacy and security. Frankl's quote, "a human can put up with any how so long as they have a why," highlights the importance of having a sense of purpose and belonging, which is currently lacking for many people in Ireland. To inspire change, it's crucial to reconnect with the historical perspective of land and home ownership in Ireland and work towards creating a more equitable and communal housing system.
The importance of relationships and sensory experiences for mental health: Find meaning and purpose in relationships and sensory experiences at home to foster mental health. Counteract capitalism's focus on growth and efficiency with accountability, knowledge, and activism for a simpler, sustainable lifestyle.
Our homes and sense of self are deeply connected to relationships and the use of all our senses. These aspects are crucial for mental health and well-being. The philosopher Viktor Frankl emphasized the importance of finding meaning and purpose in life, which can be found in the relationships we build and the experiences we have at home. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the lack of touch and sensory experiences highlighted the importance of these aspects. Capitalism, with its focus on insatiable growth and efficiency, can contribute to a sense of irresponsibility and passivity. To counteract this, it's essential to promote accountability, empower people with knowledge, and encourage activism to bring about positive change. Ultimately, the goal should be to create a civilization of simplicity and sufficiency, where all living beings and the natural world are valued and protected.
Valuing both our essential needs and senses: To foster a society that enables vitality and love of life, focus on essential services and citizenship participation, question structures, and value originality and creativity.
The connection between human beings and their environment should not be separated. Instead, we should adopt a holistic perspective that values both the sufficiency of our being and the freedom of our senses, as well as our ability to share and connect with others. The loss of wonder and curiosity in our lives can be attributed to hypervigilance and anxiety about meeting basic needs. To foster a society that enables vitality and love of life, we should focus on establishing social floors for essential services and encouraging participation in citizenship. The imitation of imperial administrative structures can hinder originality and creativity, and it's essential to question the structures we set up and strive for authentic independence.
Women's contributions overlooked due to pension exclusion: Despite sacrifices and suffering, the Irish War of Independence left many families, including the speaker's, with hardships and unrestored relationships.
The contributions of women during the Irish War of Independence were largely overlooked due to their exclusion from pension applications. The speaker's family, including his father and uncles who served, experienced significant health issues as a result of their wartime experiences. The sister who was a nurse in the British army returned to become a district nurse in County Limerick, providing a few happy years for the family. However, illness and a lack of sensitivity in the pension system led to hardships, and the family was unable to stay together. Thousands were imprisoned, assassinated, or had their houses burned during the conflict, and the trauma of these experiences affected the speaker and his father deeply. Despite these challenges, not all relationships were restored, and there was no glory in the sacrifices made. MACHNAF's research has uncovered previously unknown details about the suffering of the Irish people during this time.
Childhood experiences shaped political focus on housing and education: Personal struggles with housing insecurity and poverty fueled a lifelong commitment to improving access to housing and education for all.
The speaker's personal experiences of immigration, poverty, and housing insecurity shaped their perspective and motivated them to enter politics with a focus on improving housing and education access for all. The speaker's lack of stable housing as a child and the resulting sense of disconnection led them to prioritize public engagement and community building throughout their life. Today, they are disheartened to see similar experiences repeated in the form of emergency accommodation and direct provision, which they view as a profit-driven, inadequate solution to the housing crisis. The speaker expresses a desire to use their platform to advocate for change and provide hope and encouragement to those facing similar challenges.
Learning from Past Housing Policy Mistakes: Learning from past housing policy mistakes is crucial for creating policies that prioritize affordable housing and emotional well-being for all.
The idea of selling off public housing and promoting tenant purchases was a mistake, as it could lead to gentrification and the displacement of vulnerable populations. This philosophy, rooted in a belief that only "good people" would be able to afford homes, was ultimately proven wrong. However, despite the mistakes of the past, it's important to learn from them and strive for a better version of housing policy. The arts, particularly poetry, can serve as a source of inspiration and distillation for important ideas. Humor, too, is essential in finding levity and perspective in even the most challenging situations. The Irish tradition of keening, a pre-verbal expression of grief, highlights the importance of emotional expression beyond words. Overall, the key takeaway is the importance of learning from past mistakes and implementing policies that prioritize affordable housing and emotional well-being for all.
The Power of Connection and Generosity: President Higgins emphasized the importance of human connection and generosity in creating a better life for all. He encouraged finding joy in everyday moments and addressing societal issues with compassion and cooperation.
Key takeaway from my conversation with President Michael D. Higgins of Ireland is the importance of connection and generosity in creating a better life for all. Whether it's through shared moments of grief or love, or the simple act of being present with one another, the power of human connection should not be underestimated. President Higgins emphasized that spirituality is not limited to traditional religious practices, but can be found in the everyday moments of life. He also highlighted the importance of addressing societal issues, such as housing shortages, with a cooperative and generous spirit. Beyond the divisions that may exist, President Higgins believes that a better life can be created, filled with compassion, purpose, and a surplus of opportunities for connection. He encouraged listeners to check out the MACHNAV 100 project, which explores memory, history, and imagination, and to find ways to connect with one another in meaningful ways. In the words of the President, "blow a kiss to a crow," and find joy in the simple moments of life.
