Yesterday the Amateur Philosophers Discussion Group convened in the corner at the round table at Starbucks.  We discussed a topic “the right of belief” using a essay by professor Daniel DeNicola to launch us into dialog.  The exchange between the nine of us was down-to-earth, directly tied to individual past histories, and to recent attempts to exchange views with friends or family members who are entrenched in right-wing conspiracy theories.  All of us recognized that much was at stake in the particular subject matter.  We live in a troubled time.  As recently as January 6 of 2020 there was an attempt to overthrow Congress at the Capitol.  The last time our government was under assault was August 24, of 1814 during the war of 1812.  Then the British burned the White House.  Such are the tense, serious times that were reflected in our discussion, and we all felt a subtext of strained concern.

Observation was made that the juxtaposition of terms “right” and “belief” seemed to add difficulty to our thought process. No belief, however absurd, spun out-of-control of the gravitational field of reason can be strictly forbidden. “Right” is found within the vocabulary of politics, alluding to a center of strict authority that imposes control upon the minds of the citizen.  What kind of absolute authority would be capable of enforcing thought control, stipulating what is permissible to believe and what is not permitted?  The idea is ridiculous on the face, — though we all are aware of dictatorships who have attempted such control over human beings.  Xi Jinping’s China comes to mind where technology is used to monitor behavior.  There is a dissonance between the terms “right” and “belief.’

Who is to say you cannot believe some wild-assed notion?

The problem, the pinch comes when some form of coercion is used against me to comply with your belief, to act-as-if I too must believe as stipulated, compelled by what seems to be an irruption of un-reason.

Each of us in the group paid attention to the stories offered, and the ideas that were provisionally offered for examination and criticism.

---

From my chair at the table, through the big window affording a view of State Street I observed a pickup truck with one of those large American flags flying from a pole mounted from the truck bed.  My judgment tells me that a large flag flying from a vehicle is an aggressive display, an act of antagonism meant to foreclose such a thoughtful discussion as we were having about the role of belief, how belief and knowledge informs the organization of a society, — especially societies that aspire to evoke a responsible personal freedom of their participants.

A question was posed at the close of our session — how does one reach out, educate someone who holds a radically oppositional set of beliefs?

I do not know.  Perhaps the chasm of language and life-world is simply too great to bridge…  And then…?

There could be no better tune than this one to express our condition in a politically divided society.  Can we rely upon music, may music in particular be marshaled to bind us closer together…  I hope so.  Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie.

Are we not all under pressure, even the anonymous driver in that pickup truck with the big American flag?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoDh_gHDvkk

Under Pressure

By David Bowie and Queen

Mmm num ba de
Dum bum ba be
Doo buh dum ba beh beh

Pressure: pushing down on me
Pressing down on you, no man ask for
Under pressure that burns a building down
Splits a family in two
Puts people on streets

Um ba ba be
Um ba ba be
De day da
Ee day da

That’s OK

That’s the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends screaming
“Let me out!”

Tomorrow gets me higher
Pressure on people, people on streets

Day day de mm hm
Da da da ba ba
OK

Chippin’ around, kick my brains ’round the floor
These are the days: it never rains but it pours

Ee do ba be
Ee da ba ba ba
Um bo bo
Be lap

People on streets
Ee da de da de
People on streets
Ee da de da de da de da

It’s the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends screaming
“Let me out!”

Tomorrow gets me higher, higher, high!
Pressure on people, people on streets

Turned away from it all like a blind man
Sat on a fence, but it don’t work
Keep coming up with love, but it’s so slashed and torn

Why, why, why!?

Love, love, love, love, love

Insanity laughs under pressure
We’re breaking

Can’t we give ourselves one more chance?
Why can’t we give love that one more chance?
Why can’t we give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love?

‘Cause love’s such an old-fashioned word
And love dares you to care for the people on the edge of the night
And love dares you to change our way of caring about ourselves
This is our last dance
This is our last dance
This is ourselves

Under pressure
Under pressure
Pressure

VH1 ranked “Under Pressure” at number 31 on its list of 100 Greatest Songs of the ’80s.