Only in Christchurch

[drcuriosity]

You know how some cities have people who stand in public spaces and preach about God, and how we're all going to go to Hell if we don't accept Jesus?

As I was threading my way through the clumps of Emo kids when grabbing my lunch today, I heard someone yelling orating in the mall. About God? No, about CO₂ emissions and the problems that cars cause for the environment. According to the people who I shared a lift with, he was ranting the other day about marijuana legalisation.

The other day, I passed through Cathedral Square to find the Wizard of Christchurch (who I'd thought had retired - perhaps that was only in his official capacity) talking about being a counter-revolutionary, how people have been losing more and more leisure time since the agricultural revolution and how the problem wasn't men with an Oedipus Complex, but women with a Jocasta Complex (i.e. they hate their husbands and want toy-boys who're easy to manipulate).

Sometimes I think our city is somewhat ironically named :-)

Comments

[noveldevice.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't that be a Clytemnestra complex? Jocasta didn't have a choice, and in fact was apparently sincerely attached to Laius.

Clytemnestra was the one who wasted no time in taking up with a weak-willed guy as soon as Agamemnon was out the door.

[drcuriosity]

I believe Clytemnestra was mentioned as well at some point. Either that, or I misremember the rant due to being full of the best okonomiyaki I've ever tasted. (NZ$9/US$6 from Osaka Restaurant on Gloucester Street, along with free tea, bowls of rice and miso soup if your stomach is big enough to carry it all.)

[happyevilslosh.livejournal.com]

Heh this post came up when I googled 'christchurch osaka restaurant' in the top 10 no less.

[drcuriosity]

Cool :-) Happy to do my bit to promote my favourite lunchtime restaurant.

[slothphil.livejournal.com]

I believe the Wizard named a replacement -- are you sure it was actually the original there?

[nos911.livejournal.com]

The Wizard still does his ranting in the square, just not the official dancing around and muttering ominously at politicians.

[slothphil.livejournal.com]

Is he no longer living in Oamaru?

[tatjna.livejournal.com]

I wish Wellington had more ranters, they would provide entertainment!

Jocasta ftw! (why would anyone who hated their husband stay married?)

[theuns.livejournal.com]

Even now, divorce is half as lucrative as death.

[winterdenni.livejournal.com]

The Wizards comment doesn't surprise... never have I met a more mysogynistic person.

[d1rtyf1lthy.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he really tells it like it is.

[winterdenni.livejournal.com]

Or like it isn't.

[happyevilslosh.livejournal.com]

Particularly in the case of the wizard, I wonder how much of it is sincerely held belief and how much is trying to get you to think about things you often take for granted.