My “Octogenarian” Blog
Reflections from Eight Decades on Life, Culture, and the World We Inhabit
“The sun lowers, but still gives light.”
Welcome to my “Octogenarian” blog — a space borne of a lifetime spent watching, thinking, and wondering about the world as it is, and as it might yet become.
Here you will find reflections, musings, and essays on life, politics, culture, nature, and humanity — shaped by eight decades of looking closely at how we live and why it matters. This blog explores the cultural treasures that make life worth living, while also voicing concern about the direction of our global society. Throughout, it invokes universal values — not as slogans, but as a compass amid uncertain times. In what kind of world do we wish to live
In an era when emotions often sweep away basic realism, and when even the crudest media propaganda finds eager ears, these writings seek to explore, question, and occasionally challenge dominant narratives. Not with the goal of exhaustive persuasion, but to offer a quiet counterweight — a place where truth and reflection might still find room to breathe. In what kind of world do we wish to live
This blog journeys across three core domains:
- Power, Order, and the World — examining the structures of global power, international relations, and the enduring dilemmas of strategy and justice. In what kind of world do we wish to live
- Democracy, Society, and Responsibility — engaging with civic life, institutional integrity, and the challenges facing democratic communities. In what kind of world do we wish to live
- Memory, Meaning, and Continuity — reflecting on culture, memory, art, nature, and the human experience that binds us across time. In what kind of world do we wish to live
You will also find occasional dialogues with my artificial intelligence companion — sometimes playful, sometimes philosophical — and a curated selection of pieces that readers have come to cherish. In what kind of world do we wish to live
Thank you for reading, and for your unseen but ever-felt presence on this journey.
— William J.J. Houtzager (WJJH)
Netherlands
📌Blog Excerpt
The “Octogenarian” blog serves as a reflective space for this minority of one, sharing insights on life, politics, culture, and society through critical essays and musings. It aims to challenge prevailing narratives by fostering dialogue around universal values and global issues while celebrating the richness of human experience across eight decades.
In what kind of world do we wish to live 