Humankind renders
Devout and sincere obeisance
To the risible, Gods of Irony
In despoiling Planet Earth,
By his faithful incineration
Of the mortal remains
Of earlier walkers of the globe,
Exterminated, by a then-despoiled Planet.
-p.
*Leonard N. Shapiro [11/29/22 NYC]
It is with sad exasperation that we can candidly, confess to have lost count of the number of innocent American children and adults, wantonly murdered or maimed for life, by free-wheeling, gun toting lunatics, at schools, houses of worship, supermarkets, parking lots and other places of public assembly. The repetitive and innocuous, societal, benediction, “our thoughts and prayers,” has by its routine, lame, repetition, rung hollow and robotic. It is our firm view, that such homicides and crippling of innocent, hapless, citizens and their children, is capable of elimination, or, at the least, significantly, minimized. However, as we reluctantly, observe, America, generally, despite its passionate show of overt, emphatic, protestations and public demonstrations of outrage, fundamentally, have, shamefully, chosen not to do so.
The Second Amendment of the Constitution, is factually, the product of a negotiated settlement, or compromise, between the disputing “States Rights” and the Central Government (“Federalist”) proponents, granting the right of the separate States, respectively, (“the People”) to raise an armed militia. Right wing oriented, gun owners, instinctively, and eternally, disinclined to generally, champion the civil, Constitutional rights and liberties of fellow citizens, have chosen to deceitfully and immorally, maintain that said Amendment imbued every private citizen, with the rights of a “gunslinger.” At this precarious, National, moment when “truth” and factual responsibility, have, for many people, been deemed, irrelevant, (thanks, in large part to the aberrant Presidency of Donald J. Trump) such tactical misreading, is the construed, tactical and unabashed version of those, whose, skewed, neurotic priorities, are felt to exceed, in selfish and neurotically, insular importance, the empirically, responsible, commitments, associated with living in safe society, with others.
As, observed in an earlier essay, a pocket- knife has a wide potential of acceptable uses, such as, cutting string from a package, whittling, cutting fruits, peeling potatoes, sharpening wooden pencils, cutting bait and, at times, as an accessory hand tool. By sheer contrast, a gun has the sole and limited utility, of killing, or felonious assault. We are unable to comprehend any, societally mundane or, medically, sane, need for killing instruments.
The pathologically, aberrant belief, that the individual citizen needs a gun, to assuage his presumed, tenuous feeling of general fear or insecurity, is affirmatively, and profitably, promoted, by the sociopathic members of the profit making, commercial world, and, as well as the Nation’s autocratic leaning right-wingnuts. The latter category also constitutes the many, creative peddlers of the current plethora of conspiracy ideations, to those poor souls, who may generally, feel insecure and detached from empirical reality, and whose respective mind- set is irrational, and certainly, incapable of providing other than a bizarrely, skewed and pathological basis for legislation and public policy (like universal gun ownership.)
Assuming, arguendo, that toting a six-gun were an appropriate right of every American citizen we would then pose the following question. Why has the gun interest, with virtually, religious zeal, opposed, all legislation, aimed at overseeing or clarifying, the acceptable parameters of the right to own and use firearms? The universal proposition that every “right,” has its limitations is acceptably, inarguable. Regarding the universally, accepted right of “free speech,” there are legal limitations, e.g. “falsely, crying ‘fire,’ in a crowded theater, the laws of defamation, reparations for fraudulent representations, incitement to violence and the like. Yet, it is bizarre, that all reasonable efforts to regulate or oversee, the sale and use of firearms have suffered a quick, political death. This, despite the earlier, stated immeasurable number of tragic, homicidal mass shooting incidents at schools, churches and public places. It has become clear to us, that rational thought, and empathy, has been over- ridden, by atavistic inclinations, which can adequately, be described, as self- absorbed and disinterested.
We live in a Nation, populated, in the main, by too many people, including many of those benefited with advance education, whose perspective, can aptly be described, as selectively, shallow, insular and solely attuned to matters, perceived as material to their own ego integrity or perception of success. Empathy for strangers, mature world perspective, as well as aesthetic accomplishments and appreciation, literary, artistic, academic and philosophical subjects, they feel, interfere with life’s conveniences, and reduce the time for ephemeral and fleeting entertainment. Aspiration for insight to humankind and its universal struggles, or sophisticated, self-exploration, derived from fine literature, travel and other growth experiences are it appears, seldom, seen as a worthwhile expenditure of leisure time. At high school, high grades and admissibility to a “good college” is the sole currency, the aspirational goal being the pathway to a lucrative job, as tragically opposed to growth of sensitivity, maturity of understanding and hopefully, some measure of wisdom.
It is admirable, and encouraging, that modern Germany has dedicatedly and unreservedly, continued to go to great lengths, to recognize and publically, atone, for its horrendous sins, perpetrated during the Jewish Holocaust, by monuments, events and education. Concurrently, by contrast, many, in our “enlightened,” Nation, shamefully, evince fierce populist opposition, to teaching students about the dark periods in its history, like slavery (“critical race theory”) and the historic displacement of indigenous Americans. Such people are insensitive to and ignorant of a Nation’s existentially, spiritual necessity to know and heal itself. It has, incidentally, taken a full sixty-seven years to finally approve and pass, an “anti-lynching” Act.
With reference to America’s gun problem, no matter how tragic and sorrowful the many events, citizens, in general, not personally, familiar with the victim’s family may, indeed, when in public, routinely, mouth the mantra, “thoughts and prayers” but shamefully, do nothing, and move on. In addition to the homicidal mad man, du jour, we have ourselves to confront and despise.
In the poetically, insightful and aesthetic words of the memorable, Ellie Wiesel, “The opposite of love, Is not hate, it is indifference.”
-p.
Not unlike the positive serendipity, of an amateur fossil hunter successfully, excavating a fully, intact, pre-historic fossil, the unearthing of a singular word, whose referential antonym, is as equally, distasteful as it’s comparative, is, we feel, especially, notable.
Any thoughtful analysis of the word, “tolerance,” would reveal its intrinsic dynamic to be necessarily, arrogant and bigoted, in every sense. It is thoughtlessly, used, to denote a designated, socially interactive virtue, purportedly, extolling the humanistic trait of acceptance; but any truly thoughtful or metaphysical analysis of the logical import of the noun, will reveal the context of an unwarranted, assumption of a judicial role and the supposed virtue of such authoritative, approval. However, the metaphysical concept behind mutual acceptance and universal goodwill, would logically, and ethically, seem to exclude the arrogant exercise of self- appropriated, judgmental authority.
The recent horrific, sociopathic attacks upon innocent, transgender Americans provided the impetus for our present reprise of this writing on the subject (“redux”) of “tolerance.” The word, recognizeably, is both presumptuous and intolerantly, bigoted. For example, does the fact, that the plurality, of American citizens, happen to be white, translate into white being the approved, societal, or intrinsic (as distinguished from statistical) norm? Does a member of the plurality of white citizens, as such, enjoy a higher or more acceptable status, due to such computation, than the arithmetical minority of non-whites? Would such a neurotic and self-serving, assumption (as based upon population numbers, only), vest authority in members of the majority, superior status than others who are not majoritarian? Does numerical advantage, logically, ethically, or morally, authorize whites to create their own, reductionist criteria, for acceptability? Why, in the “land of the free,” should any numerical, minority of human beings, thereby, appropriately, require any “tolerance” or forbearance, from the majority?
In this context, how can the violent, pathological attacks, by, assertively, disturbed, heterosexual, oriented individuals, (the most numerous societal class) upon transgender, American citizens, be apprehended, as anything other than, deranged and criminally pathological. The bigoted perpetrators, perhaps, in vain pursuit of buttressing their fragile feelings of societal acceptance, have no standing as enforcers of the, purported, “normal;” nor, arguendo, would they have, theoretically, any rational, authority or standing, to be “tolerant,” of the minority. No individual possesses the sane as known, authority to, either charitably, accept, nor intolerantly disapprove of, (let alone, terrorize) dissimilar groups of citizens.
Gender identity, as known, is the product of the chemical interplay between hormones and chromosomes, in the developing fetus. It, like skin color, is inarguably, inherited, by natural happenstance, as distinguished from volitional, selection. It requires emphatic repetition, that medical science has uniformly and resoundingly, disproven past theories holding that gender identity is essentially, “binary,” i.e., male and female. Moreover, it is an empirical fact that many newborn infants are medically, diagnosed, as not, exclusively, falling into such two limited and defined categories.
Accordingly, the informed citizen should not find it be culturally, or biologically, remarkable, that some relatively, minor percentage of individuals, exhibit behavior and express their personal gender identity, in a manner, inconsistent with their officially assigned sex, at the time of birth. Perception, of aberrant or defective status, in such cases are erroneous and ignorant and should furnish no sane or rational basis, for social exclusion, or recrimination.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, we would enthusiastically, recommend, the use of the themed, word, “intolerance,” to describe the appropriate, reaction to any deranged, individuals who would choose to perpetrate societal violence.
-p.
It was thought-provoking, to glance up at the power lines in rural venues, and observe its joint, occupation by six or so, perching, birds, and then, suddenly, to see one of them fly away, only to observe the rest of his group, thereupon, follow suit in the same direction. At a given instance, the perception of the dynamics of the experience, might lend itself to some thoughtful, analogous observations, on empirically, known human behavior and its consequences.
Charles Darwin, in his, “Origin of the Species,” observed that the existence of living organisms is dependent upon their innate ability to adapt to the environment. While he chose not to dwell further on the subject, Darwin did briefly, manage, to discern an analogy, between the successful societal advancement of humankind, and its willing ability to learn and adapt from consistent experience.
As to the six blackbirds on a power line, there appears to exist a noticeable contrast, between the American meme, extolling the uniquely, independent, will of the intelligent and informed, citizen, and the actual empirical reality, which seems to reveal less popular, self- reliance than desirable. We have written, on the subject of the societal epidemic, consisting of the formation of opposing tribes of “group think,” the latter, based upon, (a) the populist’s, understandable, diffidence, toward the worth of his personal views, presumably, the consequence of his refraining from efforts toward self- growth and advancement, and (b) the failure to develop a secure, independent, persona (self-image) and resultant, lack of confidence in his own judgment.
Our present theme, however, is specifically limited to a statement of our perception of the ultimate, damage or impact, of the referenced failure to exercise one’s capacity for individual reason, with a manifest emphasis on the popular expression, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”
We have often declared that we consider, as the salient concomitant of reason, the developed capacity for freedom and self-determination. Unhappily, the personal, exercise of reason has, apparently, been abandoned by many, contemporary, American citizens, in their self-effacing, cultist thrall to the despicable, Donald Trump. As a consequence, of his total incapability for the highest office, his aberrant and immoral behavior, together with his (unexplainably), mesmerizing effect on the populist citizenry, during his single, four year term, the Nation was perceived as demoted, from its reputed, iconic, and admirable, status, to an avatar of incapable rule and acute divisiveness.
An inventory of the Trump Administration’s myriad of astounding failures and unlawful, immoral and unconstitutional behavior, we judge, has been sufficiently, accomplished in our past essays. The theme of this writing, is otherwise, namely, the metaphysical impact and atavistically, bizarre, consequences of the Trump sycophants’ apparent, surrender of, individual will and use of reason.
The many long eras in the advance of humankind’s empirical learning and evolutionary development of human reason, gradually, and beneficially, resulted in the supplanting of belief in natural deities and irrational, atavistic and superstitious agents. Fears of the latter had previously, required the diplomatic intercession of holy men, favored with spiritual access to the Spirits, or rituals, believed to placate their anger and implore their benefits, i.e., good harvests, victory over enemies.
It appears that it was lessons learned from empirical experience, which enabled the Homo sapiens, to develop in rationality, and, thereby, effect a supersession of the need for magic incantations and the supplication of the fearful Spirits. This existentially, important, stage of development was the direct and proximate result of the exercise of the potential of evolution’s generous gift to humankind of an advanced brain. The latter specifically, significantly, characterized the Homo sapiens far more than his structural development. Were the facility and use of reason, taken away, Mankind, in such event, would merely be another, competing, feral inhabitant of the forest, like the timber wolf and the bear. Relevantly, there would, predictably, be a reprise of atavistic fears of the natural gods, and a return to primal thoughts and superstition.
For some time, we had been amazed and genuinely puzzled, by the publically accepted, right-wing inclination to bizarre conspiracy theories. Under alternative circumstances, avowed belief in such delusional ideations as, government sponsored, hidden, tracking, mini-computers in vaccine, Israel launching rockets at the Earth from outer space and liberal-minded citizens being child abusers and traffickers, would be diagnosable as paranoid schizophrenia and, appropriately, subject to medical intervention. Notwithstanding the foregoing prognostication, many right wing Americans, inclusive of elected government officials, have publically and determinatively, subscribed to such pathological, ideations.
The right-wing, Republicans, who chose to venerate Trump and accept his concept of “alternate facts” and his subjective distortions of the empirical truth, were, thereby, manifestly, obliged to vulnerably, and unhealthily, abandon or reject personal observations and factual understandings, consistent with their objective observational experience, as the steep (and psychological) price, for their tribal loyalty, and acceptance of the rationally, deprived, unreality of Donald Trump.
Despite our lack of profession expertise, we are taking the liberty by logical analysis, to presume, that such dedicated and principled suspension or abandonment of reason, analogous to the effects of the disuse of the heart and skeletal muscles, ultimately, leads to their unhealthy atrophy. In like fashion, it is our presumption that the suspension, or regular disuse (or, non- use) of the rational properties of the brain, leads to its degradation and self- control, ultimately, opening the door to atavistic fantasies and fears, as was true of Early Man; again, “if you don’t use it, you lose it. Analogous,() but usually short-term), aberrations are seen in mob behavior, panic reaction, fear and uncontrolled, anger. Unlike that of mob behavior and uncontrolled anger, we wonder whether the normal equilibrium, of the irrational believers in right-wingnut, Mad Hatter conspiracy theories, will, at some time in the future, be capable of reprise.
-p.
The word “myopia,” is known to signify a challenging condition in which visual images focus on the front of the eye’s retina, resulting in an unclear vision of more distant phenomena. This conceit is been utilized, in the present writing to analogously, reference individuals who are intrinsically, unable or unwilling, to understand the logical, or probable, future outcome of their present actions, those who “cannot see the forest for trees.” Human history, it seems, has never been found wanting in examples of disastrous outcomes, fundamentally founded upon this human failing. A contemporary, and in fact, potentially, apocalyptic, example, is the inadequate response to the exigent future threat of global warming.
We, unequivocally, ascribe the etiology of this human defect to the individual’s inability, or failure, to exercise his natural capacity for reason. It is reasoning, itself, that is the means by which rational individuals understand information or conceptualize abstract concepts, such, as (our present, contextual) cause and effect as well as truth and falsehood. We have dedicated many of our diverse essays, fundamentally, to the existentially important, mission of humankinds’ development of reason, for which natural purpose, evolution has afforded him a brain, with potential for of the achievement of wisdom.
Moreover, we have been rationally, reconciled to the view that the salient concomitant of reason is the developed capacity for freedom and self-determination. This eternal principle reflects the ultimate aspiration of an evolving humankind and articulates the context for the present writing. Throughout our many essays, we have extolled the activities of reading, travel, engagement in personal and aesthetic pursuits, as well as responsible societal interaction, as the means to such advancement.
Reasonable minds, with ample justification, might celebrate the positive serendipity of being citizens of the American Nation. As such, they are members and protected participants, in a three- century, old experiment in political science; wherein for the first time, in the societal evolution of humankind, a Nation, “by, and for the People,” was created. History shows that, prior to such experiment, rule was autocratic and tyrannical, by Crown, Emperor or the Established Church. Freedoms and rights, meagre as they were, existed only at the sufferance of the autocrat, or his underlings.
Historically, the head of State was authorized, by the purported, “Devine Right of Kings,” an inculcated myth, propagated by a Country’s prominent social classes (Royal inheritance), conquest, viz., the bloody, mode of warlike ascendance to the throne, relevant to Emperors or, finally, the Established Church (Pope).History in Europe and elsewhere, reveals that under autocratic rule, the concept of individual rights and liberties, was non-existent or else, severely, limited and at the sufferance, of such autocratic leaders, or their designees.
In bright contrast, America’s “Bill of Rights,” guaranteed freedom from interference by the government, with the personal liberty and rights of the citizens of the newly created, Democratic Republic. Notably, the head of state and the representatives of the populace were to now, to be chosen by popular election, and to serve only for designated terms.
In the Trump era, large hordes of individual citizens, in cultish fealty to that orangutan-haired chief of State, were, emphatically, in accord with his disparagement of the integrity of democratic elections, his neurotic denigration of “Truth,” attacks on the responsible media, on education, science, and the signature American mantras of universal equality and National empathy. Such undemocratic and irrational policies, of the former President, still adored by his present acolytes, are indisputably, contrary to the interest of any citizen of our Nation, who has benefited from its assurance of democratic rights and liberties. The Trump sycophants evinced their accord with Trump’s “Big Lie,” as part of his autocratic disparagement of democratic elections, his attack on the media, approval of book banning, criminalizing of homosexuality, bias against designated groups of citizens, including the handicapped, his denigration of education and science and visible lack of moral compass. Consistent with our personal belief that reason is the capacity for freedom and self-determination, we, (perhaps, uncivilly) have descriptively, referred to these Americans as the “underbelly” of the Nation.
We have chosen to descriptively “diagnose” this (unfortunately, sizeable) group of “underbelly” citizenry, as suffering from chronic and crippling cases of acute myopia. It would be obvious, to anyone not so afflicted, possessing even a rudimentary, understanding the dynamics of “cause and effect,” that success in the undermining of popular elections, the media and public newspapers, freedom of speech, choice of literature, and, in general, our established rights and liberties as Americans, would, ineluctably, apply to the underbelly citizen, as fully as the present mainstream American. (See earlier essay, “Lemmings”). There are sufficient examples in history and, as well, in the contemporary world, to, healthily, focus on the tragic result in the event of the successful, attainment of their aspirations.
-p.
America’s political spotlight is brightly, focused on the Georgia Senatorial, run-off election, between the Democrat, Rev. Raphael Warnock, and the Republican, Herschel Walker. The political context is crucially important in that, the outcome will affect the dynamics of the next U.S. Senate.
Aside from the election’s political significance, Donald Trump’s selection of Hershel Walker to run against the incumbent, Senator Warnock, was revelatory of the typical sophomoric intelligence and atavistic tactics of stereotypical bigotry, and personally, productive of frustration and anger. Such unsophisticated and “bull in a china shop,” tactics, consisting of selecting a black candidate (notably, a famous athlete) to run against the black Georgia incumbent, was another iteration of Trump’s arrogantly, cynical and reductive tactics, and demonstrative of the ignorant, mind-set of the bigot.
The legal lexicon includes a contextually, useful word, i.e. “fungible,” applicable to goods or items which are identical and therefore, easily replaceable. Some examples of fungible items are dollar bills, ears of corn, coal, subway tokens, common shares of stock (in the same corporation), ordinary paper clips, tickets of admission to a particular movie and a myriad of other interchangeable items. It is to be emphatically observed, and an empirically, indisputable fact that each human being is unique and the conceptual antithesis of “fungible.”
It is in the typical, ignorant and reductive inclination of the stereotypic bigot, albeit, without rational or reasonably, experiential basis, to ascribe subjectively, selected, stereotypic traits and behavioral inclinations (usually negative) to those who look different or believe differently from them. Thus, the selection of a black candidate to run against the black, incumbent, Senator, would seem to other American bigots, a wise, tactical, exercise of the (cesspool level) intelligence of Donald Trump
Bigots subjectively, perceive America’s communities of black people as oversexed, basketball players who eat watermelon and are indolent; Jews are seen by them, to be devious, inscrutable, rich and cunning, homosexuals as aspiring to the conversion of recruits to homosexuality. Liberal intellectuals are perceived by them, to be child- abusers and communists. Vaccination is a deep state plot, in league with big pharma, to make profits on the hapless public. Hispanics, especially, Mexicans, are perceived, as flooding into America, for governmental, “benefits”, and to “steal the jobs of regular, hard-working, Americans. Our former President, in his inimitably, odious manner, and with the faux confidence of a snake oil huckster, described the needy Hispanic immigrants, as “caravans” of “rapists,” and “criminals,” albeit, never having met any of those folks he wrongfully, and ignorantly, slandered.
As declared, no human being, can empirically, or rationally, be understood as “fungible,” viz., equally characterized and mutually, interchangeable, like dollar bills or ears of corn. This inarguable principle is empirically, universal and eternal. Nevertheless, it may be of interest, and within the context and specific circumstances of this writing, to briefly, reflect on the diverse persona of both candidates.
Pastor Warnock, we understand, is the possessor of two graduate degrees in Divinity and an educated, literate and well-informed, American citizen. He is the present Pastor of the Church in which Martin Luther King, Jr. himself, served, and is an avid supporter of liberal causes, civil rights and democracy. We, candidly, know little else about him, nevertheless, from what we do know, we would perceive him to most resemble the preferred persona of the educated, mainstream American citizen.
Herschel Walker, to our information, by sheer contrast, has traits apprehended by us to be in confirmation of that portion of the Nation, which, unlike Rev. Warnock is anti-intellectual, reductive, violent in behavior and anti-democratic. From reports broadcasted and printed by the responsible media, he has a long record of domestic violence, publically, emphatically, and voluntarily, confirmed, by his son, inclusive of menacing his wife by putting a pistol to her head. He reportedly has paid for a number of abortions, necessitated by his sordid history of marital infidelity. It does not escape notice that his sponsoring, Republican, party has taken an absolute stand against abortion, having seen to it that SCOTUS overturned the fifty-year-old, precedential case of Roe v. Wade.
The character of the semi-literate and physically, violent Walker, evinces a persona that would be favored by those Americans we have, customarily, labeled as the “underbelly.” The character, intellect and persona of Rev. Warnock, would seem, to be the sort, consistently, preferred by mainstream Americans (of all races), to the gross, anti-intellectual and irresponsible character of Walker. The parties, apparently, have little or nothing, noteworthy, in common.
It has eternally, appeared, to be characteristic of the standard bigot, to facilely, harbor, and ultimately, bequeath, tactically selected, ubiquitously, false stereotypes of “others.” In the context of this consistent, social aberration, bigots resemble each other, by their uniform ignorant and reductive, hatred of “others,” if not to the impossible, extent of being “fungible,” to, at the very least, the attainment of the deplorable status of, stereotypical, “racists.”
-p.
In our American lexicon, the mystical word, “Shadow,” has a substantial and ubiquitous, range of expressive meaning, both literal and colloquial. However, in this writing, we will examine the phenomenon in its most common (visual) context i.e., a dark area created where an opaque subject blocks light from it’s source. In the interest of clarity, the purport of this writing is the expression of our personal, nuanced perception of the stark contrast between Solar and Lunar shadows, as cast by said inhabitants of our solar community.
On a hot, sunny day, a beachgoer may seek temporary relief from the heat and the injurious effects of excessive exposure to the sun’s light rays, by his temporary relocation to a shady spot; perhaps under a leafy tree, behind the shady side of a building or commercial billboard. The sunlight and heat are thereby, blocked and comfortably, replaced by a cooler shade. One may, permissibly, speak of the shade (functionally and aesthetically), as sun shadow, by reference to our definitional first paragraph; however, In this specific instance, there would be little motivation to seek out any discernable aesthetic or remarkable features, respecting the temporary, shady environment since the sole, successfully, accomplished, purpose was the acquisition of shelter.
Let us imagine an unremarkable Sunday evening at about 9:30 P.M., on which a suburban resident drives to a neighbor’s residence to pick up his young daughter, Rachel, following a weekend sleepover with her friend Samantha. It is a cold, dark evening in December, lit only by a small crescent moon. Accordingly, the driver is reliant upon and grateful for his car’s illuminating and efficient headlights. Little or no focused thought, is afforded to the subtle, ambient effect of the extant weak moonshine on the surrounding, hilly and treed, environment.
Empirical experience has taught us, that any meaningful consideration of the characteristics of Moon shadows, as contrasted with those produced by the Sun, is best accomplished in the venue of the countryside. It is there, that such phenomena can be aesthetically, perceived, in nature’s topographic and arboreal setting and without the distracting optical distortions, blocked views and other phenomena, attributable to the metropolis.
In illustration of our thematic purposes, one might elect a late, sunny afternoon in the countryside, at a time when the sun is starting its steady decline from its zenith. We begin to observe the gradual devolution of its incandescence behind sharp rock outcrops, into very dark, well- defined, wells of apparent, deep blackness. These then, seem to reemerge, or spill over, lake like, at the apex of the perimeter of each black well, slowly plodding, or rapidly flooding onward to the flat surface of the level ground. The boundaries of these darkened areas are distinct and visibly, definable, as if described by a drafter of maps. Inside, the shadow wells of dark matter are partly, visible with the aid of a lamp or flashlight. Such sun shadow, itself, appears opaque, and its ebony darkness may, with the willing assistance of a creative imagination, be mistakenly perceived, as solid, dense and impenetrable.
In obvious, visual contrast, the distinctively subtle, and seemingly, nonassertive, ombre, or shadow, of the Moon, ( subtle, perhaps, because its transmission is merely, reflective, as opposed to self-generative) is pale, amorphous and ethereal in its transmission of gray (sometimes, light blue) amorphous shadows, and thus, conducive in its gothic and, mysterious essence to use in the fine arts, descriptive literature, poetry and artistic photography. Its somewhat, wispy, ethereal and insubstantial, presence ambience renders it suitable for mystical flights of imagination, to superstitious ideation, to creative poetry and to man’s atavistic propensity for gothic imagination. Many of the classic English crime movies are presented for i effect, in the mysterious environment of fog, a close, but far denser relative of moon shadows.
Lacking the contrasting, appearance of dark, universal density in appearance of sun shadow, moon shadow routinely, appears, gray and vague in substance and potentially, penetrable, (if one has the courage.) Moon shadow borders, are irregular and undefined, in contrast to the areas of precisely demarked and easily identifiable, dark sun shadow; and are often, depending upon the object of their projection, not easily, discernable and usually appear somewhat, in motion. Moreover, unlike the cooling utility of the sun shadow, the lunar shadow is projected to Planet Earth, maintaining the temperature of the immediately, surrounding environment.
[N.B.]
On the “Pollyannaish,” assumption of a nature-based, analogous phenomenon of an existent (planetary) civic responsibility, is it at all possible that, as residential and dutiful, members of the community of the Solar System of Planets, the dynamic, (heliocentric) recycle of the vital energy (light) of the sun (producer of the sun shadow), together with the responsible and compliant, offices of its rocky satellite, the moon, (moon shadow),is an apt demonstration to Humankind, of the existential (and “universal”) duty to, eternally, recycle available sources of energy.
-p.
Considering the political turbulence currently, roiling the Nation, it might be useful to take a short, metaphorical, “time out,” to “catch our breath,” and to thoughtfully, consider its present status, the nature of its continuance or, dismally, its possibly altering devolution. Contextually, we intend to pose a fundamental (metaphysical) question of existential significance, on the subject at the concluding portion of this essay.
The Founders of our Nation, living in the empirical context of the 18th Century, feasibly, considered their creation of a democratic republic (by and for the People), a “radical experiment.” After a historically, short period of approximately three and one-half centuries, and notably, in light of its present challenges and acute divisiveness, it would seem useful to use the designated “time out, to weigh the success or failure of the bold experiment.
As referenced in our earlier essays, it was the Founders’ stated expectation that in the newly, established Republic, citizens of divergent opinion, would, in collegiate and responsible manner, debate the contested issues of the day, the results of which would be useful to a Nation, “by and for the People.” In disappointing contrast, citizens, in general, chose to relegate individuals of contrary opinion to the status of bitter opponents, and concocted insular groups of citizens of mutually identical views, in hostile relationships, with other such groups, of diverse opinions.
Differences of view, in the developing issues, such as gun control, abortion rights, immigration, universal equality, governmental assistance to the needy, the teaching of subjects such as slavery and the treatment of indigenous Americans, homosexual rights, acceptability of government regulations on safety and health, global and environmental issues, became includable, among the many; effecting “tribal” separations in social and even familial relationships. Such “tribalism” strained normal social interaction and relationships, and gradually, affected the diminution of the formerly traditional feelings, of National cohesion and good fellowship.
The surprising, and ultimately, fateful, elevation of the incapable and perverse, Donald J. Trump, to the Nation’s Oval Office, seemed to serve as an efficient catalyst for further National divisiveness and, on the International scene, caused doubt and confusion as to the Nation’s historically, revered standing in the World. Trump’s emergence on the public scene, resulted in the eventful awakening of the Nation’s formerly, silent, underbelly (inadequately educated and poorly informed) population. This, abundantly large, formerly, non-participatory, throng of citizens, it seems, who, in addition to succumbing to Trump’s “snake oil,” demagogic promises, somehow perceived in Trump, desirably analogous, unconventional (anti-mainstream) traits. The same also included (autocratic-style) contempt for the existential concept of “truth,” serial mendacity, absence of moral compass, deprecation of education and human advancement, defamation of the responsible media, and consummate bigotry.
These traits, together with Trump’s demonstrated incapability for the august position of Chief Executive were fueled by his innate combination of total ignorance and neurotic egocentrism. Such anti-mainstream traits, it seems, endeared him to said plethora of non-mainstream, discontented, citizens to such an extent that they, apparently, anointed him as their deified, cult, leader. We will not dwell on the unique persona of Trump, having, depleted most of the suitable adjectives in past writings.
The Nation to its civic detriment, became, demonstrably, split, between a burgeoning Trump cult, (which apparently, adopted Trump’s ethos and his right-wing position on the previously described, contested issues), and pledged fealty to him, versus, the contrasting balance of traditional (anti-Trump) America.
Trump’s characteristic serial mendacity, in combination with his express, public disparagement of the existential, standard of “Truth” may have constituted the most societally, damaging, of his many reprehensible behaviors. It should require little argument to observe that truthful communication is quintessential to the organic conduct of societal life. The Nation was bewilderingly introduced to Trump’s bizarre and irresponsible, concept of a personally elective, availability of an alternate, more desirable, reality; a franchise, regularly exercised, by Trump and his large and worshipful cult.
Such irrational practice eventuated the populist-cultist development of delusional, conspiracy theories. The widespread, delusional ideations included bizarre, delusional beliefs such as, liberals are child pornographers and abusers, Israel is shooting rockets down to earth from outer space, Jews control all financial institutions and rule the planet, black people are going to replace white Christian Americans, homosexuality is teachable, immigrants are going to steal American jobs, Covid vaccine contains tiny tracking computers, 9/11 was an American false flag operation, many “Deep State” mythologies, and more than enough delusional ideations, to exhaust any creative, paranoiac.
It is the quintessential and, indeed, definitional, feature of a Democratic Republic, that its leader be selected by its people, as determined by popular election, and that a defeated incumbent, peaceably and dutifully, hand the reins of office over to the winner. For the first time in our Republic’s history, Trump, in autocratic (and neurotic) manner, arbitrarily, refused to concede his election loss to Joseph Biden and to constitutionally and peacefully, turn over the Presidential Office to the winner of the election. The egocentrically, perverse Trump, could not accept defeat, and, in the classic autocratic manner, availed himself of, the stereotypical, despotic, tactic, historians have termed, “The Big Lie;” asserting, without a scintilla of supporting evidence, that the election victory, was “stolen” from him.
On analysis, of all the delusional ideations, the most, ultimately, egregious and effectively, harmful to our democracy was that neurotically, reflexive, claim by Donald Trump that his loss in his run for a second term as President, was caused by Biden supporters who “stole the election” from him. In addition to the total absence of proof of such preposterous and egotistical charge, several accredited audits confirmed the regularity of the election and certified the accuracy of the final count. Trump’s ego-oriented and completely, preposterous assertion was, existentially, harmful to the integrity and existence of our elective democracy. It is as unaccountably, baffling, as it is harmful to the American Nation and its implicit democracy, that many right-wing Americans, including many right-wingnut congressional representatives and political officials have, irrationally, or, perhaps for tactical purposes, also became vocal and active, “election deniers.”
The American atmosphere, previously, in divisive and vulnerable status, was further, sullied, by the vast number of (deluded and tactical) “election deniers,” most prominent of which are the bigoted, White Christian Militia Groups, who, at Trump’s publicized and seditious bidding, unprecedently, and traitorously, mounted a militarily armed, bloody and lethal insurrection of thousands of Trump deluded, and Trump invited, conspiracy wonks, and their underbelly sycophants, against Washington’s Capitol Building, I/6; the legal date when electors, constitutionally, were to pass the baton to the new President.
In addition to such horrific and unprecedented occurrences, mainstream Americans have noted the many Republican-influenced legislative roadblocks to the votes of America’s communities of color (they voted heavily for Biden), physical threats to liberal legislators, to election officials, to poll watchers and a myriad of defamatory accusations against politicians and citizens of good standing. The Nation has been surprised, shocked and intimidated by the shameful existence and number of Nazi-style physical assaults, threats and tactics performed by erstwhile, peaceable and ostensibly, content citizens, together with the “faux patriotic” Trump supporters, as incited and encouraged by that former, despicable President.
Guns are everywhere, police brutality against black citizens continues virtually unabated, the practice of book censorship and book burning, has been noted, anti-Semitic acts are rampant, and control of women’s own bodies, shockingly, eliminated by the recent decision of our (improperly,) religiously affected, highest court. To any perceptive viewer, the tide appears to be ominously, churning rightward, toward violence (rather than reason), the latter, apparently, constituting the preferred, mode du jour for the determination of contested issues.
The atavistic and primitive nature of today’s citizen discourse was appallingly, demonstrated, a few days preceding the writing of this essay, (in fact, its specific motivation) when the husband of the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives was grievously, injured (skull fracture) in his home, by a “patriot,” armed with a hammer, with premeditated intention of assassinating the Speaker, herself. This is a very far cry, from the anticipated, collegial debate, among dutiful citizenry, contemplated by our Founders.
We are in total agreement with concerned, mainstream citizens who assert that the underlying and salient issue in the future election, in essence, concerns no less than the continued existence of our precious democracy. However, we are gravely obliged, to consider a more fundamentally, metaphysical question: [Has humankind yet evolved sufficiently, to sustainably, exist in a democracy?
-p.
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