According to Dan Evons the quote, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win” is regularly misattributed to Mahatma Gandhi. Evon’s article on Snopes clncludes that it is most likely a combination of Klein’s 1914 speech combined with an attempt to summarize Gandhi’s nonviolent doctrine and philosophy. (Dan Evon,1 March 2016).

I have always been a life long learner; I’m also also a fact seeker.

People who have original thoughts and ideas, original work, original phrases or terms, such as my theory of Prescribed Disengagement^®, deserve to be acknowledged. Plagiarism is the very reason I applied, and paid, for this term to be Trademarked. Many have since told me, they ‘know’ it would have been stolen if I had not done so.

From my perspective, this is important, as the amount of ‘borrowing’ of my (and many others) ideas and work, and an increasing lack of adequate (or of any) acknowledgement of much of my work is increasing, including by academics, but also by self advocates. Perhaps the best thing to do would be to take it as a compliment?

Anyway, I am going off topic for a moment, as I recently watched this video by John Oliver, highlighted to me by the guest presenter at the next DAI “Meeting Of The Minds” webinar, the fabulous Alex D. Tremble.

Long-Term Care: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

After watching this video, it is clear that even after 21 Australian tax payer funded enquiries, and a tax payer funded Royal Commission into Aged care (Long Term Care, Residential Care, Nursing homes, call them whatever you like), it is still no better in Australia than in the USA.

Many people I speak to around the world say the same thing, and it does not matter which country they live in, rich or poor.

And people diagnosed with dementia, after three decades of advocating for the most basic of things such as equal inclusion, and universal helth coverage, are still mostly still being advised to go home and get their end of life affairs in order, with little if any other support. People needing assisted living support are still being institutionalised, and locked in segragated units that equate to prisons. No amount of research projects, new organisations, new websites, promotional campagins, rebranding, etc. will change this, unless everyone moves their thinking and work into the 21st Century.

So in closing on todays blog, John Oliver has inspired me to be less diplomatic, and more direct. Not unkind, but definitely more direct, which some people will take as unkind. Let’s be real; almost no one actually likes critique unless it more like a love-fest.

Thank you Alex tremble, and John Oliver, you have indirectly helped me decide it is time for the gloves to come off. I’ve had a shit of a year anyway, with more health and family challenges than I care to share, so what have I got to lose.

Plus, like all of you, I’ll be dead one day, and that could be tonight, so it is now or never to have my say about this things that really matter to me.

Anyone who doesn’t like me or who knows I disagree with their point of view, ignores me anyway.