Forgive what you might believe is a mis-spelling of chronicles. I really do mean chronicals. However, the two things may be related in my strange perception of society.
I just read a statistical health report on our present society and, to my absolute surprise, I found out that one third of the population is chronically ill. One third..? Good heavens! We’re doomed!
One wonders what became of the gene pool that was the Vikings. Norsemen, the pillaging and raping, plundering and vicious conquerors of the Northern hemisphere. From North America to Moscow, from Iceland and Greenland down to North Africa, their achievements were staggering. According to the Irish Chronicles, the Vikings were a tough lot. But now? Hagar wouldn’t have a chance.
So what are these chronic diseases that are currently ravaging the populace?
The list is impressive and depressing.
Diabetes
Cancer
Heart disease
Osteoporosis
Muscle and skeletal disease
Asthma and allergies
Chronic obstructive lung disease
Mental illness (Schizophrenia, affected behaviour and personality disorder)
Luckily, I don’t appear to be suffering from any one of the above because a.) I am made of sterner stuff and b.) I’m a Brit. But OK, if I was loony in some way, how would I know?
(According to the voices in my head, I’m OK, so we’ll stick with that for now).
So imagine, if you will, the Vikings of today wading ashore after rowing across the North Sea and landing in Newcastle. Eric the Red, breathless and wheezing from asthmatic chronic obstructive lung disease croaks orders to his depressed, rheumatic and arthritic band of followers. They are hobbling up the beach on crutches, inhalers at the ready, some clutching Mars bars to keep the old blood/sugar ratios at normal. Pills and potions all over the shore.
The schizophrenics refuse to leave the safety of the longboats and a few of the more disturbed are discussing which internal voices to obey because they aren’t really sure if Old Eric truly is Eric, while the crack demented assault group are wandering off in varying directions depending on where they think they are. Not so much debauchery and destruction, more debacle and desperation.
Not exactly the conquering heroes of olden days.
I wonder where it all went wrong…..
The Exile Files 