Reflections on the Fundamentals of Life

These notes stem from Jonathan Raban’s ‘Coasting’ and Julian Temple’s forthcoming ‘The Future is Unwritten’ about Joe Strummer.

‘Coasting’ first made me reflect on what are the essentials of life as Raban sailed around the coast of Britain in a pretty basic vessel, focusing the mind on those essentials.

There’s a theme of campfires in the Strummer film I saw last night – communal fire as the hub of happiness and music.

AIR

WATER
FOOD

SLEEP

Dark
Light

LIGHT
WARMTH

Fire

Shelter
Clothing

Waste
Hygiene

SEX – Reproduction
Company
Community

LOVE – as child
LOVE – as parent

Milk Love
Honey Love (love of life) [Erich Fromm]

Individual
Family
Kind

Learning/Education

Survival
Growth
Control?

Environment

Work
ART
Creativity
Self-expression

Justice

[This is a work in progress]