Thoughtland

PK column in The National: To stop terror we must look into the hearts of Jihadis

By Pat Kane. First published on MAY 27TH, 2017

AFTER the grieving – and such acute grieving: every father of daughters who has ever waited for their overjoyed young ones in a concert-hall foyer is reeling that mass murder could befoul such a moment – comes the need for explanation.

Not retribution. How could such a thing even be achieved? Acts of terror have become so potentially ubiquitous, so immanent to our everyday lives; so much guided by ideas and memes that travel through networks and motivate the susceptible, than by the strict central command of disciplined paramilitaries.

And even if you’ve identified a “command centre” of the enemy to blow up, that very act will spontaneously trigger others to self-organise themselves into existence. If you think of it for a moment, in this connected, open and mobile world, the possibility of terrorism is exponential.

PK column in The National: Why the Big Yin deserves big, big love as Billy Connolly fades from our sight

By Pat Kane. First published on MAY 20TH, 2017

HE looked like a wise, hippy lion — but very still, nothing spontaneous, other than the occasional tremor. Earlier this week, Billy Connolly was beamed in from beachside in Florida, sporting a tropical shirt somewhere between very expensive and complete piss-take, as he received a lifetime achievement gong.

He fingered the extremely ugly glass ornament with great care, the eyes fully alive to the absurdity of this and many, many other situations. But his words faltered and wandered just a bit too often; there was a helpful edit midway, for a man who could once stream consciousness at will, never mind stream video. His farewell was wee, quiet and distant.

PK column in The National: Reading of Marx isn't suspicious ... it's essential

By Pat Kane. First published on MAY 13TH, 2017

‘MARXIST’ is an old scare word – but does it really work any more? I guess we’re about to find out, in the remaining few weeks of this General Election campaign. The mildest of positive responses from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and his deputy John McDonnell, answering leading questions on whether they were followers of the writings of Karl Marx, are doubtless now being fed into the Tories’ message machines. Expect a lurid meme splurting on to your social media feed some time before June 8.

PK column in The National: UK plc is battening down all its assets as multiple Brexit storms gather

By Pat Kane. First published on MAY 6TH, 2017

‘I BELIEVE we can build a more secure and united nation by taking action against the extremists who seek to divide us, and standing up to the separatists who wish to tear our country apart.”

I guess the first are Corbyn and his lefties. But is the second me? Or you? Or are we both of these terms? And what will “taking action against” or “standing up to” involve, precisely?