In the age of Socrates, among men of fatigued instincts, among the conservatives of ancient Athens who let themselves go—- “toward happiness,” as they said, toward pleasure, as they acted—- and who all the while still mouthed the ancient pompous words to which their lives no longer gave them any right, irony may have…
The stupidity of the average man will permit the oligarch, whether economic or political, to hide his real purposes from the scrutiny of his fellows and to withdraw his activities from effective control. Since it is impossible to count on enough moral goodwill among those who possess irresponsible power to sacrifice it for the…
A reader response to yesterdays post “Bible Study” stimulated my thinking. Those with whom we disagree are in a position to help us the most. That is counter intuitive, and true. Why are many scared, so angry? And what about my state of mind and heart? What emotions are evoked by a cursory reading…
The following was received from a friend, who thinks as do I, that resistance to the agenda of the administration is required if we are to maintain self respect and not be stripped of our humanity. This is from the NY Times and the URL is appended below. I’ll add a comment or two…
I have a tattered paperback copy of Beyond Good and Evil in my briefcase. Its longevity is extended by a strip of silver duck tape long the spine. The frayed edges of the cover are protected by clear vinyl tape. The book was purchased when I was in college, and I am now rereading…
Its comforting when the morning sun breaks over the tree tops and streams into the windows here at Starbucks. On a winter morning, one’s spirit shouts, “light, light!” I understand in part how our ancestors worshiped the sun as a god. The Mayans structured their cities around their great pyramids, temples for worship of…
PROTEST To sin by silence, when we should protest, Makes cowards out of men. The human race Has climbed on protest. Had no voice been raised Against injustice, ignorance and lust, The Inquisition yet would serve the law, And guillotines decide our least disputes. The few who dare, must speak and speak again To…
This quotation from Simone Weil is worth passing on: At the very best, a mind enclosed in language is in prison. It is limited to the number of relations which words can make simultaneously present to it; and it remains in ignorance of thoughts which involve a combination of a greater number. The intelligent…
I’ve always loved this Bob Seger song. Written in 1973 it is a mournful elegy to the transitivity of life. Seger reflects upon the day to day experience of being an entertainer. Beneath the glamor, the klieg lights of the big arenas, is the grind, the loneliness inscribed into “the life”. I am reminded…
The comment heightened my awareness. “What about the lying…?”—-a query with a tone of uncertainty, a Freudian slip, — concluding after thought by a Trump supporter. The interview was coming to an end, and the resident of Charlotte had just spoken his full-throated support for the president. And then came the hint of doubt….
