The Dabblers
(Internet Published) Feb 2001
Men are incorrigible dabblers. Explorers, adventurers, often messing about
with things that they know nothing about. So called, modern civilisation
provides men with rather an easy life, which is not only about survival.
Modern man desperately needs some form of displacement activity, which has
nothing to do with survival.
The words of a young married man with a tough job and three kids rather size
up the situation. He said in a letter to me, " Jack, I've rather "cottoned
on" to these high flying pigeons. I've seen them, I like to see them with or
without acrobatics. However, I don't want to try to make a career out of
them. All I need is non-profit making little hobby as a displacement
activity for a few hours of personal leisure and freedom that are available
to me. I don't want to become a dedicated man with nothing in mind but
pigeons."
This young man and I have exchanged several letters and a few phone calls.
My message was that the handling and enjoyment of all forms a domestic
livestock must have restraint and moderation. A lot of men simply do not
realise the nuisance that their pigeons and other domestic livestock are
causing. For example, a man who wants to keep a few fowls is often oblivious
to the noise of a cockerel at 4am or the constant yapping and howling of his
dogs. Recently an immigrant man housed about 50 fowls in a spare upstairs
room and 50 pigeons in another room. When neighbours complained the man was
most distressed and said that he was being ostracised because he was of
ethnic minority origin.
Well, it's about moderation isn't it? Me? I love my pigeons but I wouldn't
want them in my house. Furthermore, I could not enjoy them without control
and discipline. All domestic livestock is more enjoyable when under
discipline and order.
In my time I have seen British and American troops behaving like saints when
organised and disciplined. I have also seen them behaving like pigs when
allowed to get out of control.