A Powerful Alliance.

I’ve been thinking a lot today about last night’s episode of His Dark Materials, mainly by way of pondering why that scene of Iorek and Lyra heading at speed across the icy waste was so important to me.

Well, at the very least it was thrilling because it was both adventurous and primal at the same time. But there was more to it than that; there was what it represented by way of human aspiration – the strong and powerful animal carrying the young, idealistic maiden to the fulfilment of her destiny and the changing of a world. This belongs at the forefront of the Romantic tradition; and I’m a great lover of the Romantic tradition because it speaks of the potential in humans to be a lot better than they generally are; and I decline to see the Romantic tradition as fantasy because it’s a damn sight better than the fantasies fed to the masses by politicians, the corporate world, and the advertising executives. And what have I been saying on this blog for some time now? I’ve been suggesting that if the world is to become a better place, and humanity a better state of being, it will be the young women who will lead the way.

I have a Lyra Belacqua in my family, you know. My youngest granddaughter is intelligent, idealistic, forthright, positive, courageous and strong minded. She’s begun to take an active role in various causes because she scoffs at the prescription for success offered by the mainstream, preferring instead to be at the forefront of the battle for change and leading the way. Whether I can do anything to help remains to be seen, but if not I wish her the company of a great white bear on whose back she can ride to achievement. Such an alliance would be formidable.