Saturday, February 13, 2010
Blogs <=> Coffeehouses
posted at 3:19 PM | Permalink | 6 comment(s)
Blog friend Ligneus commented, at a post at blog friend Alan Sullivan's, that
Isn’t it amazing how personal it gets and how close you can feel via the net and blogs to people who are otherwise strangers?
I’ve seen the internet compared to the eighteenth century coffee houses where people would meet to discuss the events and ideas of the time. So we miss the coffee, ambiance and physical presence of our companions, but we have a vastly increased number of people and exchange of ideas, on balance we win I think.
I agree, for one thing, but also am heartened to have an explanation that makes it seem acceptable to enjoy reading and contributing to blogs that are not simply rants and raves. I love the analogy to olden day coffeehouses especially since even modern day coffeehouses are some of my favorite places in the world, particularly if there are people willing to ponder, aloud. It's a relief to have a socially and intellectually acceptable reason for liking blogs!!

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Thursday, January 7, 2010
Creativity
posted at 5:35 PM | Permalink | 1 comment(s)
One of my favorite blog friends asked me a question that gave rise to my mentioning Thomas Aquinas's recommendation for some boundaries and restrictions in order - apparently contradictorily - to enhance creative expression. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I wanted to mention it in a "real" post in order (I hope) to elicit reactions from any passing-by readers.

The idea certainly seems contradictory. I have forgotten where the suggestion is, in Aquinas's writing, but the point is along the lines of utter freedom actually NOT being conducive to creativity and careful thought. I totally remember how I balked at the idea when I first read it but my philosophy teacher urged me to put it on a shelf for future consideration. And Aristotle concurred, as it turns out (not in person or time, of course), which was persuasive. Then I experienced it myself in some situations where I was limited by deadlines or having to use only two colors in a design or not discuss something specific in an essay. Lo and behold, heightened expressiveness seemed to result. Perhaps when you restrict one thing, you focus on something else and with more intensity. Perhaps that explains the dearth of great art from peaceful societies but the explosion of art from Communist Russia, for example, and the interesting (if not altogether brilliant) novel without using the letter e. Which is not to say that I'm recommending totalitarianism as a booster for artistic brilliance, duh.

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Thursday, November 12, 2009
Death penalty
posted at 2:51 PM | Permalink | 3 comment(s)
I was surprised that it upset me but when I heard that the DC sniper had been executed, I was sad and a bit angry. If killing is wrong - and I suppose it's hard to argue that murder is wrong - then it seems to me that state-sanctioned, cold-blooded, deliberate killing is logarithmically more wrong than anything else. If one thinks of it as revenge, I understand the emotional logic, but a state is not meant to be emotional (even if its citizens and legislators are, inevitably). To tie someone down and shoot them with tranquilizers so they won't feel the horror of the death-delivering shot is as appalling as the rest because it means it's not even returning a punishment to the person. So what's the point? Furthermore, statistically it doesn't even work. I'm willing to bet a lot of money that no criminal has ever said, "Uh-oh, I'd better not shoot those people cuz I'll risk getting the death penalty if I do." And how often the press has reported that victims' families are surprised when they don't feel any relief after an execution, or even that they themselves request a stay. I truly think the death penalty is barbaric and wrong. And yes, life imprisonment is expensive, but surely we are supposed to live according to a sense and belief in good and bad behavior, and not be entirely governed by purse strings. What happened in Ft. Hood might have been prevented if only one or two people had had the sense to listen and follow through since the perpetrator seems to have provided dozens of signs of what was brewing in his head and heart. If bureaucracies put half the energy into paying attention and thereby preventing sick and angry people from wreaking havoc, it would be far better than spending hours and years discussing execution and then doing something that is only marginally different - and arguably even more heinous because it is so calculated.

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Thursday, October 1, 2009
Sigh
posted at 9:29 AM | Permalink | 4 comment(s)
It is both good and bad news about the United States government that individuals holding office have only limited ability to change the government. Good guys and bad guys are interesting but mainly their effect is on the mood of the populace.

I've often noted the faces of newly-elected presidents. From somewhat open and excited, they become a bit closed and shut down. (If you ever get a chance to see the dance party outside the Arkansas governor's house when the Clintons are awaiting election returns, it's particularly noticeable on WJC's face between just before he knows and just after that quick first briefing.)

Now comes a New York Review of Books article by Gary Wills that somewhat changes the bemusement I've always felt. Wills is focusing on the drive for, and the desire to retain and use, power, that must needs consume men who seek and attain the presidency. Yes, that's obvious once you think about it but I had chalked up the change to a sudden realization of what had just happened, that as the new "leader of the free world" he was now being in possession - among other things - of the code to the famous (although perhaps apocryphal) red phone. Not to mention perhaps some apprehension at being more or less alone in a new, difficult way. But Wills is not musing on the change from private citizen to president. His concern is that President Obama seems entwined in the power of it all as evidenced (to Wills) by the fact that he (Obama) has not undone some of the horrors he was, at least in part, elected to do, and has actually reinforced some.

Human nature being what it is, and the psychological make-up of a man who can bring himself from little boy to U.S. president being as complex as it must be, I am convinced there are no simple answers to even the simplest questions in this regard. Plus, it seems to me that eleven months is a bit early to shake our heads ruefully. Plus, it seems to me that's it's more than possible that Obama is confronting more sides to every argument and more maze-like twists and turns on the way to his goals than he expected and than he wishes to discuss for us all to share while he works everything out.

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Friday, September 11, 2009
9-11
posted at 9:04 AM | Permalink | 2 comment(s)
It's raining in New York City - pouring, in fact - and is expected to rain and be gloomy all day. Which makes this the first day since and including the day itself that the color of the light and the quality of the air reflects the emotional atmosphere.

What a somber and difficult day. It's an occasion for serious quiet thought. But the more I have thought and learned in the last eight years, the less I have a clear sense of what reactions would be best personally, let alone any idea whatsoever of what would be best nationally or internationally. All I know is that I have hope that nothing like it will ever happen again to anyone for any reason.

Anger is understandable. Resentment is understandable. Passion for one's beliefs is understandable. Wanting to wreak revenge on those who have harmed loved ones is understandable. Intense feelings on all sides are understandable. But what about trying to listen and hear and work and live together? It *has* to be possible. It just has to be.

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Thursday, July 30, 2009
What do you think?
posted at 12:10 PM | Permalink | 9 comment(s)
Is this too hard to read? I finally learned how to do a background image and thought it would be amusing to have a picture of a window - you know: looking out at the world and all. But I'm so immersed in it by now that I can't tell if it's lovely or impossible or somewhere in between. Comments welcome (but keep them polite, please!).

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Friday, July 10, 2009
Today
posted at 9:01 AM | Permalink | 0 comment(s)
Today is Calvin's 500th birthday. John. Not Hobbes's pal. I wish I could think of an appropriate way to commemorate the occasion or at least something intense and disapproving to say.

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Thursday, July 9, 2009
Nightie-night
posted at 9:27 AM | Permalink | 0 comment(s)
What a fantastic project - Project Night Night - catchy name and a super way to do something for children in homeless shelters, the entirely inadvertent sufferers of some of the worst consequences of some of the worst difficulties of modern life.

The idea is to fill tote bags (theirs) with a security blanket, age appropriate books, and a stuffed animal. Knowing how much my children and T3CCITW loved/love all things stuffed and readable, I think this is a beyond-wonderful idea. Plus, what a great way to begin to open children's eyes to the world around them and to gently encourage empathy as they collect things for the bags. It's probably wise to refrain from discussing homelessness with very young children since they are can be good at worrying themselves into a tither without letting their adults in on it, but, done carefully, this could be a good way to start teaching about compassion, understanding, kindness and even the importance of offering thoughtful assistance.

Specific shelters involved with Project Night Night are in California, Florida, Michigan and Ohio but they encourage us to buy totes and fill them appropriately (read the website guidelines) and take them to shelters in our own areas. PNN will gladly provide guidance and, of course, gladly accept donations of funds or cuddly things and books if that feels more comfortable than doing the delivery ourselves.

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Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Playing
posted at 1:14 PM | Permalink | 0 comment(s)
If you're unfamiliar with the immense value of playing, I commend playward.com to you. It has many suggestions as well as other links. Life can be draining at times and play can be a helpful antidote and boost. This isn't feel-good touchy-feely but genuinely interesting and useful. Hey, after all, Thomas Jefferson et al thought happiness (one result of play) important enough to be one of three pursuits after which all humans should strive.

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Sunday, January 25, 2009
Distressing
posted at 10:53 AM | Permalink | 4 comment(s)
It's always seemed to me that the wisest course of awareness and opinion-forming is to listen to everything you can possibly handle and then ponder and weigh it all. Therefore I was unsettled when I heard a news item in which Obama advises people not to listen to Rush Limbaugh. It seems foolish to me to assume he has such a level of importance, for one thing. And to be honest, I can't stand listening to Limbaugh because his tone of voice and his words are so fist-poundingly adamant. Reading him isn't quite as unpleasant but I find him difficult to take in any form. Neveretheless, I am very uncomfortable with anyone advising me to listen or not to listen to anyone with opinions even if the advising person is our newly elected president.

I know I'm skittish about being told what to read or listen to because I was raised by an academic who tried to control my reading material at every turn, even to the extent of banning Nancy Drew because the novels were not well enough written ("trash" was the word my father used) and he wanted my reading teeth to be cut on more literary tomes. The result of his efforts was that for a while I sought and read only so-called trash, of course.

That aside, my sense is that it's far better to get input from various horses' mouths - no matter how disagreeable and no matter how probable that one's opinions will not change - than to be strong-armed by others even if they have our best interests at heart and even when they are correct about some opinions being wrong. In that regard, Fresh Bilge cited this article, one that is certainly one-sided, but better to read than not know about. Attempts at thought control, even by people one generally agrees with, alarm me.

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