Ffolkes,
As a general rule around here, titles and/or subject lines don’t have any connection to material. Today’s title came within a hair’s breadth of breaking that unwritten rule, until it morphed into final form, which was well out of the range of possible inclusion (I don’t keep any inflation collars on hand, so….). But, it didn’t look good there for a while, when I couldn’t seem to find the proper non sequitor phrase… A close call, but all is well now….
As well as is possible at this point, anyway…. What with the interruption of almost making sense, combined with a certain lack of spirited energy, this morning’s turn at the keyboard is turning into more of an effort than I had imagined. I already took an extra hour in bed, and it looks as if I won’t be making that up anytime soon, the way things are progressing. I think it would be best if I get started, before any further interruptions can occur…. let’s go Pearl, shall we?…..
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I don’t have an attitude problem–it’s supposed to be like this. — Smart Bee
I like this. It’s what I’ve said to any number of folks who have challenged me regarding my intransigence in the face of ignorant behavior. I am always tempted to add, “I am an American citizen, and it is not only my right, but my duty to challenge authority,” mainly because I believe it to be absolutely true, thought not an attitude currently favored by most of society, more’s the pity…. We’d be a lot better off if more folks took their duties as citizens more seriously….
“I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.” — Thomas Paine
All of our founding fathers were convinced that only an educated populace had a chance of maintaining the freedoms they secured for us. They knew firsthand how unscrupulous churches and governments, working hand in hand, had oppressed and subjugated the people for centuries, and they were determined that it should NOT happen here. So they engineered a system whereby each citizen has the opportunity, and the right, to a complete grounding in basic knowledge, in order that they could make informed decisions regarding the laws with which they would be living….
The Church hates a thinker like a criminal hates the police. — Smart Bee (So do politicians…)
For over 200 years now, the beloved ruling class and their hidden supporters, the prelates of the churches and synagogues, have been repeatedly and subtly attempting to undermine the purpose behind educating people, trying to limit the amount spent on education, or luring people into believing the nonsensical alternatives that religion offers in lieu of independence of thought, thus minimizing the effects of the education received outside their influence.
They (the politicians and priests/preachers….) continuously bombard the public with lie after lie, until the lies are accepted as truth, just because there is nothing else offered. They then use those lies to further confuse the public as to what is really happening, and go about their business of stealing and grabbing power wherever they find the opportunity….
“I’m completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death.” — George Carlin
So, my attitude is not the problem…. the problem is that not enough of us have this attitude, and the PTB have virtually no competition in their fight for our attention; there is nobody allowed on the political stage who is singing a different song than the one approved for public consumption by those who control such matters…. Hell, we’ll know we’re making progress if even one such person ever gets the chance to even speak…. In the meantime, all we can do is for those of us who know our duty to keep plugging away, calling them out for their lies, and making as much noise as we can, to try to draw some attention to those places where it isn’t appreciated, but needs it the most…..
“Every sensible man, every honest man, must hold the Christian sect in horror. But what shall we substitute in its place? you say. What? A ferocious animal has sucked the blood of my relatives. I tell you to rid yourselves of this beast and you ask me what you shall put in its place?” — Voltaire
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I sit beside the fire and think of all that I have seen,
Of Meadow-flowers and butterflies in summers that have been;
Of yellow leaves and gossamer in autumns that there were,
With morning mist and silver sun and wind upon my hair.
I sit beside the fire and think of how the world will be
When winter comes without a spring that I shall ever see,
For still there are so many things that I have never seen:
In every wood in every spring there is a different green.
I sit beside the fire and think of people long ago,
And people who will see a world that I shall never know.
But all the while I sit and think of times that were before,
I listen for returning feet and voices at the door.
— J.R.R. Tolkien
There was a lot of pretty good poetry in Tolkien’s work, a fact sometimes overlooked in critical essays. Some of it isn’t very good, of course, but many of the verses, such as this one, are very good efforts, and not only fill in the story background, enriching it, but would very easily stand alone, and still deserve reading out of context. I’m not going to say any more, as this one just makes me feel good….
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O Proserpina,
For the flowers now, that frighted thou let’st fall
From Dis’s waggon! daffodils,
That come before the swallow dares, and take
The winds of March with beauty; violets dim,
But sweeter than the lids of Juno’s eyes
Or Cytherea’s breath; pale primroses,
That die unmarried, ere they can behold
Bright Phoebus in his strength,–a malady
Most incident to maids; bold oxlips and
The crown imperial; lilies of all kinds,
The flower-de-luce being one.
— William Shakespeare (1564-1616), The Winter’s Tale — Act iv, Sc. 4
Delivers in such apt and gracious words
That aged ears play truant at his tales,
And younger hearings are quite ravished;
So sweet and voluble is his discourse.
— William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Love’s Labour ‘s Lost — Act ii, Sc. 1
Farewell! a long farewell, to all my greatness!
This is the state of man: to-day he puts forth
The tender leaves of hopes; to-morrow blossoms,
And bears his blushing honours thick upon him;
The third day comes a frost, a killing frost,
And when he thinks, good easy man, full surely
His greatness is a-ripening, nips his root,
And then he falls, as I do. I have ventured,
Like little wanton boys that swim on bladders,
This many summers in a sea of glory,
But far beyond my depth: my high-blown pride
At length broke under me and now has left me,
Weary and old with service, to the mercy
Of a rude stream, that must forever hide me.
Vain pomp and glory of this world, I hate ye:
I feel my heart new opened. O, how wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on princes’ favours!
There is betwixt that smile we would aspire to,
That sweet aspect of princes, and their ruin,
More pangs and fears than wars or women have:
And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer,
Never to hope again.
— William Shakespeare, King Henry VIII — Act iii, Sc. 2
Kirk: “Spock, comment.”
Spock: “Very bad poetry.”
— “Catspaw”, Stardate 3018.2.
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A young man came to Socrates, asking to be admitted to his school, that he might learn from the master himself. Socrates grabbed the young man, dragged him into a pool of water, and ducked him under until he was gasping and clawing for air. Finally he released the young man, and waded back to dry land. Then Socrates questioned the man. `What did you most want just now?’ The young man replied, `Air.’ `When you want knowledge as much as you just wanted air, you shall have it.’
When I was a mere lad, around 11 or 12, I first heard this story; when I heard the last line, I had an epiphany, and the search for truth became my primary goal in life from that point on, lasting to this very day. I had not seen this story in print for many years, so it was just like finding an old friend, and I am filled with good memories. I remember with fondness the breathless feeling I still get when I have learned something new, or seen a new poem, or witnessed a new sunset…. and how the process of learning has always been the same to me as breathing, an essential part of life, one that I will never forswear….
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“Anarchism is the only philosophy which brings to man the consciousness of himself; which maintains that God, the State, and society are non-existent, that their promises are null and void, since they can be fulfilled only through man’s subordination. Anarchism is therefore the teacher of the unity of life; not merely in nature, but in man.” — Emma Goldman “Anarchism: What It Really Stands For”
This probably looks a bit intimidating…. I know I was when I first looked at it. It is probably also much too deep a subject to take up as the last pearl of the day…. so I won’t.
I will go so far as to say that while I can agree with much of what Ms. Goldman says here, I cannot fully embrace Anarchy as a viable form of government for mankind. For such a system to work, every member of society MUST be educated and aware of their own place, and their own duty to BE their own government, their own moral guide.
Unfortunately, though I have to applaud the idea, it is far beyond what the average person is capable of either understanding, or of practicing. Hell, look at the world as it is… and then, when you stop laughing, you can just nod your head in agreement that humanity at large is not ready for Anarchy, as attractive as it may sound to those of us who might be willing to try….
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Whew! That was a struggle, to be sure…. I hope it turns out as well as it could be hoped; I’m not doing it over, so once again, it will have to fly on the wings it has…. It’s a big relief, though, just getting it done, so I’ll take that and run…. Y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you….
Sometimes I sits and thinks,
and sometimes
I just sits.
gigoid
Kowabunga!
gigoid 