The views of the retired chief justice of the High Court of Australia
I wrote a blog entitled “Are we lacking connectedness?” and in it drew attention to what I see as being the significant changes in life values, standards and habits between members of contemporary culture and those of a century ago. Readers who have reviewed this blog will have found that I placed emphasis on the need for enhanced tactility and intimacy between individuals, which was quite evident in the late nineteenth century. I touched on this same theme in another blog entitled “Deep connectedness between men in times of war“. It is my intention to add more slide attachments to the ‘Are we lacking connectedness’ blog, as there is new material I have found that I feel needs to be brought forward for reader benefit. This includes rare articles I have discovered relating as to why intimate relationships flourish in jails.
The extract below is quoted for a particular reason. The former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia (Justice Kirby) delivered a speech to his colleagues at a reunion in 2007. I feel that the underlying message he conveyed at the time is especially significant for what I feel is uneasiness today. I see his words as not only reinforcing my opinions in the lacking of connectedness I cite above, but they are also relevant because they were delivered before a group of judges, arguably the cream of society. They were not laypersons. Justice Kirby stressed the idea of the importance of life-long special bonding between all people, a type of bonding that transcends the elite nature of the profession of those present. He also talks about family life being more important than anything else in life, including love. I urge you to read the short extract as I feel confident it is likely to encourage you to look at your own life values, hopes and expectations. It did so for me.
THE AUSTRALIAN CLUB KIRBY 12apr14.pdf