The paradox of the mercantile culture we label “capitalism,” or probably more descriptively and truthfully for most of us, consumerism, is in its “false” interconnectedness. At the level of production, at the level of industrialized processes, people are parts of the machinery of the economic system that serves that process. In that sense, we are in a certain relationship with the things around us. But…
“Choice!” The Mindless Battle Cry of the Addicted
In a local newspaper opinion piece today the editors cry “Choice!” regarding the proposal by New York Mayor Bloomberg which seeks to ban the sale of toxic liquids in containers over 16 0z to human animals. From the editorial, “Our opinion: People should watch their intake — by choice,” here is the argument: We were pleased to see local experts criticize New York City Mayor…
Drone Killing Is Humanitarian Don’t Ya Know
This is the most vile thing I’ve seen attempting to legitimize drone strikes and to justify the vast expansion of “drones use”–“they’re here to stay”–by Obama. Every other sentence attempts to justify the ambiguity of the sentence prior to it. “In a time of war, civilian casualties are inevitable…relative minimization of civilian casualties.” “Let’s first dispatch with the notion that drone strikes are illegal…” “The…
The Clarity of Thinking in Motion
I’ve been pondering trying to offer something more thorough on walking and thinking (and talking and thinking, but that for another time) and had imagined we have yet to improve on Aristotle’s method of philosophizing and walking–termed the Peripatetic School (teaching by talking about stuff while walking). This is not necessarily an historically factual idea as the Wikipedia entry offers this: “The school originally derived…
Indolence! Undercutting the Cult of Mammon
A recent report on Inequality in America from Stanford details the extent of the wealth disparities. Salon has a brief post on it (United States of Inequality) offering this example of the self-perpetuation of winners in the game of socioeconomic inequality: …in 1972, families in the top income quintile spent an average of $3,536 annually on “enrichment expenditures” to “supplement their children’s opportunities to learn…
How We Learn: How We Don’t Learn
It’s possible that if I even hint at the name “Melville” to begin a piece anyone who sojourns here will click the “close” button and be well on their merry way. (Though surely there are intrepid adventurers among us willing always to hear more of the greatest American writer–yes, I said that.) But, all I’m going to say is that Melville, in his great book…
I placed a jarhead in afghanistan
In Stevens’ poem “Anecdote of the Jar” we are given a figuration of the way mind creates order but further of the way mind allows the rules of order to imprison our perception and limit our ways of being. Anecdote of the Jar by Wallace Stevens I placed a jar in Tennessee, And round it was, upon a hill. It made the slovenly wilderness Surround…
As a Flower Succeeds to Foliage
“…as a flower succeeds to foliage.”* (Melville “Lord, when shall we be done changing?” Hawthorne) Meeting Melville I liked him so much I made him an invitation prospective… of bringing out the glory of his subject (he surrounds himself with) true Promethean fire is in him. Who can he be his name altogether hidden in depths that compel a man to swim for (his) life….
In the Company of Children
Recently we attended a 6th grade “graduation.” The move from 6th to 7th grade seems to me, if not necessarily one to honor in our school system, one that likely marks a very real transition. And even more so than the move from 8th to 9th. It is the end of elementary school after all. I’ll offer this in attempt at illustration. Our especial 6th…
What Manner of Creature Be This?
The Errant has frequently offered for your edification detailed reports on the fraudulent nature of the corporate reforms in “education.” I do not plan on writing anymore about this, though will still encourage our stalwart researcher Doug Martin to comb through tax documents and let us know who’s in bed with whom. Shining a bright light (unfortunately lacking the sterilizing power of the sun) on…