Tag Archives: Aldous Huxley

Momentous moments in ferret rescue….

Posted on by
12

Ffolkes,
I know that many of you out there in Readerville have the same fondness for ferrets as I do; what’s not to like, right? Playful, friendly and cuddly, save those moments of viciousness and insane hyperactivity that are such a charming part of their nature. Wonderful varmint control experts, aside from their tendency to leave half-eaten carcasses around the living room. And in those bad times when the fish aren’t biting, they make a great casserole with some garlic, macaroni, and some lovely Pinot Noir…..

Only joking, of course…. they taste terrible! Besides, there’s too much money in training them for ferret-legging contests over in Wales; a well-trained legging ferret will bring in cash for years to come, every six months, or more often in recessions. It’s a limited market, I have to admit, but consistent once one is well-established as a respected trainer….. nothing like a vicious, hyperactive ferret in the pants to create that shopping frenzy in the Welsh economy…..

On a lighter note, there were only 30 emails this morning; is everyone on vacation? It’s too early for school to be out, and I didn’t hear of any widespread Internet outages….. I guess the ghosts of inspiration are refusing to manifest; maybe we should put out a saucer of milk or something?….. ah, screw it…let’s go Pearl…..
___________________________________

“All riches come from iniquity, and unless one has lost, another cannot gain.  Hence that common opinion seems to be very true, “the rich man is unjust, or the heir to an unjust one.” Opulence is always the result of theft, if not committed by the actual possessor, than by his predecessor.” — St. Jerome (340?-420)

So, it seems that the problems we are facing in today’s society are not new. Not when it is clear from this little pearl from St. Jerome that we are not the first society in history to make note of the gap between the two ends of the fiscal scale. Let’s see, 2012 minus 420 = 1592, which means that the state we are now observing has been present and worsening for more than a millennium and a half, without any significant changes in the interim period to indicate improvement. In fact, all the evidence leads one to the unfortunate conclusion that those who are at the top of the heap, so to speak, have solidified and enhanced their own positions, while allowing the rest of the world to fall ever further behind in its ability to command the resources at hand.

It makes one wonder, (well, it makes me wonder, anyway) why there have not been more social uprisings than history describes…. the only answer I can find any evidence for is that those in power have learned how to maintain the status quo without the rest of humanity being aware of their machinations; if it was common knowledge just how oppressive and callously indifferent the rich are to the rest of us, there wouldn’t be enough of them left to bury……

Me, I’m hoping for a new renaissance among the downtrodden, a new awareness of their subordinate position created by the Internet’s unlimited store of information, a new factor, one that was never before available to the general masses. There is a critical flash point to human interactions, just like in nuclear fission; when critical mass is achieved (in this case, critical mass is increased by social awareness) the explosion is more powerful than can be simply imagined, (witness our own Revolutionary War, and more recently, the Arab Spring…) and the face of Reality itself will assume a brand-new configuration, one that promises to be at the least very different, if not completely rational….. I expect it will get ugly for a while, but ultimately, things should be a lot better for everyone, not just the privileged few…..
___________________________________

“Consistency is contrary to nature, contrary to life. The only completely consistent people are dead.” — Aldous Huxley (1904-1963)

Strange, isn’t it? People seem to regard this tendency in themselves, and others, with suspicion and mistrust; I see most everyone alive spending an inordinate amount of time attempting to INCREASE consistency in their lives, to make everything just so, predictably consistent, without surprises to mess up the tranquility that a good set of blinders provides. Rather than embracing the wondrous flexibility, diversity, and delightful unpredictability of Life, they stifle their impulses, refuse to acknowledge changes staring them in the face, and in general, try to surround themselves with a cocoon of denial regarding most of Life’s most bountiful experiences.

The hard part for me in watching this in other folks is asking “Why?” (Of course, we all know asking “Why” is a fruitless pastime; the Universe has consistently (one raised brow….) refused to answer this question since the beginning of Time…). Really, though, I just don’t get it….. people prefer dark to light; they make the choice to avoid thinking, about anything of importance or relevance to their own existence, just because it feels like hard work (they never get that the more they think, the easier it gets…. sheesh!), or because Grandma said it was evil….. either excuse seems to be acceptable to them. Rather than taking a chance on happiness, they prefer to embrace their fear and denial, telling themselves that happiness is a lie, an illusion, a tool of the devil. If God had wanted us to be happy, he would have given us a sense of humor…. oh, wait, he did, didn’t he? Well, I guess that’s just one more sign of God’s inconsistency….. Strange, isn’t it?…..

A wise man who stands firm is a statesman, a foolish man who stands firm is a catastrophe. — our old friend, Anonymous
___________________________________

“A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.” — Ingrid Bergman

What a lovely thought! …. I don’t think I want to clutter this up with a long discussion. This is more the kind of thing you want to close your eyes and consider for a moment, then put away the good feeling and the little smile that graced your face for a moment, and get on with the day, a little lighter of heart…. just a little gift from the universe, no charge…..
___________________________________

Ill habits gather by unseen degrees,–
As brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas.
— John Dryden (1631-1700) — Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book xv, The Worship of Aesculapius, Line 155

Here we have a short example of exactly the reason I like poetry so much….. In a mere two lines, whether part of a greater piece, or standing alone, this couplet demonstrates beautiful command of language, powerful imagery, and a deep understanding of human nature. No one who reads this, and lets it enter into their basic world-view, can avoid gaining both a life-long tool against sloth and ignorance, and a wider degree of comprehension of all men and women, while concurrently increasing their store of value experiences, and their appreciation of beauty in all its guises. Win-win, in every sense of the phrase…. and tasty, too!…..
___________________________________

GNU, n.  An animal of South Africa, which in its domesticated state resembles a horse, a buffalo and a stag.  In its wild condition it is something like a thunderbolt, an earthquake and a cyclone.

A hunter from Kew caught a distant view
Of a peacefully meditative gnu,
And he said:  “I’ll pursue, and my hands imbrue
In its blood at a closer interview.”
But that beast did ensue and the hunter it threw
O’er the top of a palm that adjacent grew;
And he said as he flew:  “It is well I withdrew
Ere, losing my temper, I wickedly slew
That really meritorious gnu.”
Jarn Leffer

— Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’s Dictionary”

🙂   Even serious, sober types such as myself in Pearl mode just wanna have fun……
___________________________________

Today’s Pearl of Virtual Wisdom has been brought to you by a Grant from the International Foundation for Fostering Social Unrest and Fomenting Revolution Among the Avant-Garde (Grant Parker, if you must know; an old friend and co-conspirator). Any questions, comments, or critical remarks are the sole responsibility of the Reader, and will be cheerfully received in the first two instances, and cheerfully ignored in the case of the latter. Should you find yourself, while ingesting this material, seized by an irrational desire to get naked and dance, feel free. Just be sure to take videos, and share with the rest of us…… it’s only fair, I showed you mine…..

My supply of witty remarks and pointed inferences is getting a bit low, so we will leave you now, to go henceforth into the day, ever vigilant for signs of Truth, Justice, and Beauty….. May the Source be with you…. Y’all take care out there…..

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Ramblin’ Rose is still dancing…..

Posted on by
Reply

Ffolkes,
Good morrow to you…..let us begin as we mean to go on…..

“Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.” — Gene Fowler

This line is included today merely to give y’all an idea of what I go through every morning to produce this…..whatever it is. It is a pretty good description, actually, because when I’m done, I actually feel battered and bloody. Bloody well used up is what it is. Maybe it’s easier for other writers; I don’t know. But for me, to produce something that my standards will allow me to publish for others to read, is much like having a piece of my soul ripped out. The funny thing is, though it hurts a lot, I wouldn’t stop doing it, even if I could. The pain of creation, which after all requires destruction first, is a worthy payoff for the sense of accomplishment I get when I see one of my pieces online for all to see. Quite a rush actually…..

“Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted.” — Aldous Huxley

This observation, as far as I can tell, is 100% accurate, and because it is, many of the problems society is facing are easily explained, if not easily resolved. For example, when was the last time you gave a thought to what else besides oxygen is in the air that you take into your lungs on the average of 15-20 times per minute.? When you last got a glass of water from the tap, did you stop to think about what was in the water you use to drink, cook with, and bathe in? As Mr. Huxley pointed out, most folks, yourselves included, seldom think about or appreciate such simple necessities, or what might happen if they were no longer available. What will we do when the air is so full of carbon dioxide that the amount of oxygen in it is decreased below the point where it will sustain life? Will we all have to wear breathing apparatus in order to brave the outside world? What will happen to all the other animals if there isn’t sufficient air? What will you do when the water you drink is no longer safe to consume? We need water as much as we need air; our chemical make-up is 90% water, and not having enough of it to replace what we lose is a sure path to the grave within a matter of days.


There are other issues connected to this subject; the consistent degradation of our planet’s ecosystem has a great many negative effects, small and unnoticeable at first, but growing larger over time until they are added to the list of processes that will eventually lead to extinction of all of this planet’s life forms.  Part of the problem is that it is a slow, insidious process, this degradation, and the deleterious outcomes are not evident until too late to reverse. And remember, the Universe doesn’t care, one way or the other, whether we survive or not; the rules are the rules, and fighting against the natural laws of our space-time continuum is a fool’s bet. Like it or not, we, as a species, are going to need to make some serious changes to the way we do things, if we are to survive at all. And we will need to do it starting yesterday…..

“A man’s ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary.  Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.” — Albert Einstein

I really admire Albert Einstein, and not because he was a great scientist, and one of history’s shining examples of men and women who greatly advance human knowledge, and do so out of their love of mankind. Albert’s wisdom was not restricted to the principles of physics and math; he had a unique way of looking at the world, and the ability to share their deep insights into life and the universe for the benefit of others. He was an eternal optimist, and as the above quote demonstrates, had a firm grip on the concept of living with honor and dignity. He believed in the inherent goodness of every man, and lived his life in a way that it stands as an example for the rest of us. I cannot wholly agree with what he states above, because I have a much darker view of what human nature is capable of, and less faith in mankind’s willingness to submit to natural law. But what he said does show with clarity where our salvation lies, and in his own inimitable manner, he shares his deeper knowledge with the rest of us in the hope it will inspire others to act honorably……

“To laugh often and love much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to give of oneself; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sing with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier: this is to have succeeded.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

From what I gather in my study of 19th century American writers, a lot of the best were what I would call masters of advanced curmudgeonry. Emerson, Walden, Thoreau,  were all libertarians living in compromise with a democracy, and spent much of their time either complaining about society, or hiding from it in their forest retreats. This is not to say that what they wrote was bad or mistaken in premise, necessarily, but if you read their work with this in mind, it becomes apparent that they didn’t much like other folks, or put much trust in their rationality. But, as the included quote indicates, being a curmudgeon doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t understand humanity, or what it takes to make life complete. This paragraph from Mr. Emerson demonstrates this perfectly. One cannot argue with conviction that all of these attributes listed, and experiences from a long life, are positively rooted, and make perfect sense. Whether or not we actually have all of these characteristics is unimportant; the list remains valid even if incomplete. And it provides anyone with a good map and directions that can be useful to us in our pursuit of happiness…..

So much for another day…..Hopefully, you have consumed a fair portion of food for thought, and found it palatable enough. If not, feel free to let me know, and I’ll see if I can come up with something more savory….in the meantime, y’all take care out there….

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Dozer

Kowabunga!

Some of the shine has rubbed off….

Posted on by
Reply

Ffolkes,
Many are the times in the past when the construction of this daily missive sent me into the realm of nonsense, looking for material to keep that freshness so necessary to an undertaking of this nature. There always must be the hook, yes? The initial images or phrases create a tone for what comes after, pulling the gentle reader along into the frame of mind I seek to create, a fallow field, as it were, in which to sow my seeds of thought, hoping they will grow into a small but complete revelation.  Needless to say, I probably don’t always hit the mark, but for the most part, I think I do pretty well. If nothing else, I’ve always been able to segue into the next phase without much fuss, so it must work, at least some of the time.
It is days like today that usually put me into the nonsense mode; cognition didn’t start until just a few minutes ago. I slept late, & realized when I got up that there was no coffee in the house (unfortunately, running out of food items is getting to be a daily issue). So, I had to drag my sorry butt to my landlord’s store, where he graciously allows me to charge food until the first of the month. This meant, however, that I had to dress enough to stay out of jail, to then actually drive at a legal speed, talk to people without scaring them (always a chore, but without coffee? Nearly impossible…), and then wait for it to finish brewing without putting any holes in the wall. It was touch’n go there for a few minutes as to whether my bills this month included new plaster. Finally, with caffeine working its magic, I sat down to begin, and found the all-too-familiar empty head syndrome in full possession of my mind. Hence, this rambling, chatty yet superficial, conversation with myself. Just so we all can get on with the day, I now give you a quite eclectic group of Pearls of Virtual Wisdom……enjoy!

“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” — Aldous Huxley

He that lacks time to mourn, lacks time to mend.
Eternity mourns that. ‘T is an ill cure
For life’s worst ills, to have no time to feel them.
Where sorrow ‘s held intrusive and turned out,
There wisdom will not enter, nor true power,
Nor aught that dignifies humanity.
— Sir Henry Taylor (1800-?)
— Philip Van Artevelde, Part i, Act i, Sc. 5

Knives and scissors, fork and candle, little children should not handle.

“Whatever necessity lays upon thee, endure; whatever she commands, do.” — Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749-1832)

“Every word is like an unnecessary stain on silence and nothingness.” — Beckett

The Master doesn’t talk, he acts, when his work is done, the people” say, “Amazing: We did it all by ourselves!” — Tao Te Ching

Okay, so much for the uplifting part of the day. I suppose it would be good to keep that trend moving, so I’ll actually go do something constructive today. Meanwhile, y’all take care out there…..

—
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.

gigoid

Just Dozer

Kowabunga!