I was born in the early 60s, I consider myself a "late boomer". Since I became obsessed by the Beatles when I was about nine years old, my life has been shaped by art more than anything else. And of all the arts music is paramount, combined with the cultural and social force that it wielded in those days.
I was educated in Catholic schools. One day in 1977 I had a blinding revelation. One of my 14 year old friends told me he didn't believe in ANY of the teachings of the Catholic church. I'd never heard of such a thing, and I instantly realised I agreed with him.
I set about discovering atheism. I bought a copy of Why I am not a Christian by Bertrand Russell. Someone told me there were similar books and pamphlets at the two anarchist bookshops in Sydney. Like many teenagers I was instinctively a socialist, and this was soon augmented by a view that secular authority - of government, police, capitalism and others - was also based on flimsy if not outright fictitious tenets, just like the religions they were in cahoots with.
I figured I needed to get a job, so I was a journalist for 36 years. But that is all behind me now.
I joined the predecessor of these forums on February 12th, 2015. At the time of writing I am a week away from moving to the Eurobodalla region of South Coast NSW, with my adult son who has multiple disabilities, and for whom I am a carer. I also have a daughter who lives in Canberra.
I think I told all of this on the old forum, but this section invited introductions, so here it is again!