Month: September 2023

Blogpost # 962                                      OXYMORONICA IN ORANGE

As variously known, the term “oxymoron,” denotes a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction, for example, “old news,” “deafening silence,” or “organized chaos.” Faux oxymoronic word combinations are “jumbo shrimp,” (the word “shrimp” is not a dimensional reference like, “jumbo,” but rather an identified sea creature; nor is “military intelligence,” since the second word in the phrase is not contradictory, but, merely a sarcastic comment on general military aptitude. More on this phrase will be discussed later in this writing.

The institution of the popular vote is an overt demonstration of enduring, faith in the ultimate wisdom of the collective citizenry and an existential concomitant of our Nation’s singular, political designation as a democracy. The salient aspiration of America’s Founders was to create a government “by and for the people.” Considering our Nation’s admitted shortcomings, however, mitigated by its ongoing and recognized efforts to ameliorate the same, it can fairly, be said that the intentions of the Founders are in the process of being accomplished. The aspiration towards a universally, equal voting franchise remains, eternally, fundamental, and our Nation, considering its broad diversity of citizens, has noticeably, made significant progress in the achievement of  such salutary standard.

Unfortunately, the  unprecedented elevation to the Oval Office of an ignorant, egocentric, popular game show host and real estate grifter, named Donald J. Trump, (the scion of a family tree of systemically, bigoted real estate grifters) transmogrified the extant American scene into a dystopic nightmare; replacing empirical truth with  self-serving, “alternate reality,” distorting and nullifying the findings of legitimate medical science, demeaning the credibility and standing of America’s institutional media, promoting racism as well as sexual and gender bias, denigrating education and human advancement through study of the arts and the humanities, fostering populist disrespect for the Constitution as well as the Nation’s Laws, maintaining disloyal and traitorous relationships with America’s historical enemies, while confounding its traditional allies with his eccentrically, confused actions, withdrawing membership in the Paris Accords, concerned with Global Warming and other environmental issues, committing major, indictable acts of tax fraud, adjudicated acts of rape, business fraud and deceit, misleading the American public during the COVID pandemic, the latter, resulting in tens of thousands of preventable deaths, orchestrating a violent insurrection against Washington 1/26  based upon his employment of the autocratic- style, “Big Lie,” (“stolen election.”), not to omit his copious criminal record, two impeachments  (during a  single term) plus an ample cornucopia of Federal and State prosecutions.

Notwithstanding Trump’s, universally, known, appalling, record of miscreant behavior, cited above, said charlatan and practitioner of serial mendacity, seems, for reasons, that might applicably, be accorded the descriptive adjectives, bizarre, irrational, Kafka-esque, appallingly, appears to be, the front-runner in the forthcoming, Republican nominations for the Presidency.

Our readings and accumulated knowledge, irrefutably, indicate, that even our Planet’s most primitive organisms, (amoeba, paramecium, bacteria, viruses) either by chemical or physical means, repel from outside sources that are harmful, destructive, or threatening. On the anthropological contrary, such evolutionary, innate survival instinct in the hordes of MAGA Republicans has been held captive to an undeniably, bizarre and ignorant, march to self-destruction.

 In an earlier essay, (“LEMMINGS”) we noted the frightening and astounding ability of Donald Trump to mesmerize his underbelly cult, to vote in such a (suicidal) way, as to ardently, militate for the style of a National, autocratic polity, in which they (themselves) perforce, will be rendered, totally bereft of their presently held personal rights, inclusive of voting and free speech. The faux patriotic cry, “Make America Great Again,” is in effect, oxymoronic, if not empirically and pathologically, delusional, since the aspirations of the MAGA program (viz., autocracy) would be to eliminate American citizens’ traditional Bill of Rights.

By way of a brief return (as above indicated) to the consideration of the term, “oxymoron,” the contemporary scene, appears, to be giving birth to two candid, empirically, accurate, but, notably, exclusive, applications of the bizarre term. The phrases, that would now, empirically, qualify for the esoteric category of “oxymoronic,” [exclusively, applicable to the large herd of MAGA, followers] are the nouns, “voter,” and “President.”

The contextual meaning of “voter,” connotes the candid, free, expression of personal interest or preference, regarding a person or cause. The MAGA constituency faithfully and thoughtlessly, votes for such autocratic preferences, faithfully, as expressed, by Donald Trump.

The term, “President,” as properly employed, refers to the Chief Executive Officer of the United States, selected by the greatest number of its self-interested, free-thinking citizens, based upon their perception of apparent capabilities, point of view, and suitable character. The oxymoronic, designation of the word, “President,” as appropriately, applied to the persona of Donald J. Trump, is demonstrably, obvious, and tautologically, cynical.

-p.

We find it a continual source of frustration, and on occasion, anger, to realize that in the United States of America, where, fortunately, disease-preventing vaccines are readily available, approximately 23% of eligible citizens have foolishly and irresponsibly, chosen not to get vaccinated. The seemingly, eternal, and unmerited controversy, unnecessarily surrounding the medical policy and process of vaccination is proximately, responsible for needless and rancorous debate with dire implications for citizen health. It is not, merely, a significant issue concerning the unnecessary contraction of disease on the part of the recalcitrant, but has broader implications, from a societal standpoint of the spread of infection, as well as its aspirational efforts towards “herd immunity.”

The early intensive study of “vaccination” (Edward Jenner, (1749-1823) in time, led, inarguably, to one of the truly greatest medical achievements in mankind’s history. The total eradication of smallpox, (1980), of diphtheria, polio, and the development of prophylactic vaccines for a plethora of infectious diseases, inarguably made the Planet, a far safer place. It is relevant and instructive to know that authoritative sources in the discipline of Early American History, universally, indicate that General George Washington’s prescient program of inoculation of the Continental Army against smallpox played a major role in its military victory over Britain.

Despite its empirically demonstrated merit, vaccination has, somehow, become a divisive subject, inviting considerable controversy and rancorous debate. Yet, notably, medical history has shown that in cases where the decision was made to discontinue the vaccination of one’s children, the same, uniformly, led to the emergence of the relevant pathology. An illustrative, but unhappy example, is the re-emergence of measles which, we understand, had been declared entirely, “eradicated” in the United States, in the year, 2002.

Despite the consistent, expert reassurances of safety by the World’s medical authorities, there are many MAGA-type, “alternate facts” populists and other species of humanoids who maintain and propagate the nonsensical, unsupported, meme, that vaccination causes autism. The measles, mumps rubella (MMR) shots mandatorily, required for universal entrance to school have never been shown to cause autism or presage any pathology, whatsoever. It is ironic, if not, diagnosable paranoia, to seriously maintain the ideation that a vastly researched and time-tested, simple, medical procedure, that empirically, prevents disease, is the alleged, initiator of such a serious perceptive and neural pathology. We would wonder at the extent of credibility afforded by such believers in an assertion that s’mors or pizza, are the basic, etiological causes of autism, chronic athlete’s foot, or perhaps, tuberculosis.

To our knowledge, there exist no religious proscriptions against vaccination, nevertheless, there are various people who claim to reject it for “religious reasons.” More irrational and dystopian, is the bizarre fact that, under the singular term of the Presidency of  Donald Trump, vaccination became less a prophylactic medical procedure, than a politically identifying banner; those who were, prudently accepting, of vaccination were, in accordance with the MAGA-Trump, mindset, the “enemy,” i.e. the purported,” leftist-elitist” believers in vaccination, led by the diabolical, Dr. Anthony Fauci. It is, however, our definite and clear recollection, that Dr. Fauci, the former U.S. Chief Medical Officer, performed his designated, professional duties in a fiduciary, expert, and professional manner; guiding and keeping the Nation informed and up to speed, during the pandemic, and doubtlessly, saving the lives of a great many American citizens.

By notable, contrast, history will record the great mortal damage caused by the past President, Donald J. Trump, in ignorantly dismissing the value of the effective, COVID-19 vaccine and encouraging his ignorant sycophants to turn to a farcical, “snake oil” remedy, the latter, bizarrely, a “horse wormer.” Tens of thousands of hapless, Trump followers died tragic deaths, otherwise avoidable, by the acceptance and administration of the efficacious, COVID vaccine. It is our sincere view that parents who deny their children the prophylactic benefits of vaccination are, equally, in effect, guilty of the shameful commission of child abuse, every bit as much as allowing them to play “jacks” on a busy highway.

Governmental health officials have officially, advised the public to obtain additional COVID and seasonal Flu shots. Those who do not avail themselves of the salutary benefits of such prudent and responsible advice will be hapless, players, in a hazardous, personal, (and societally, impactful), game of Russian Roulette.

-p.

At the very outset of this writing, as a matter of ethical public disclosure, we would candidly confess to our consummate love of the arguably cutest of all forest critters, the beguiling and playful chipmunk. In our former country house in Kent, Connecticut, there appeared to be a large resident group of these furry, brown-striped cuties; we surmise, due to the nuanced feature of our property’s sizeable and penetrable rock garden. It was our presumption that the little guys had been regular tenants of the dozens of safe, domiciles, established by them in the safe, but chipmunk-penetrable, spaces among the many assorted rocks and decorative plantings. As I recall, we used to refer to the Rock Garden as “the Condominium.”

Chipmunks, being talented, professional, circus-quality performers, we regularly saw excited young members of the various broods, hi-jinxing, tumbling over each other in play, scampering, and exhibiting superior agility. They were quite trustful of us, as familiars, and would carry on with their playful ruckus in our presence, sometimes, even under our seated chair. But I digress from our theme.
We have observed that chipmunks, in their quotidian search for food, after much nose-wrinkling, reconnaissance, and upon happening on a substantial quantity of eatables (i.e. acorns, nuts, seeds, and berries) will, predictably, and instinctively, observe the following sentient procedure. Being hungry, they will consume the first few items of food, to assuage their natural hunger, then they will stuff their small, but, pliable and immensely, stretchable cheeks to their huge, orbicular limit with food, for express transport to their family nest. In passing, he would notify his fellows of the large cache of food and may even return for some further indulgence, depending upon his eating capacity; but, notably and most relevantly, there, exists a limit that a chipmunk may reasonably need and can hungrily, consume.

Motivating our present, (tri-partite) theme, of “need,” “consume,” and “use,” were the media reports of a (suspicious) two billion dollar gift by Saudi Arabia, to  Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of the former President, Donald Trump. Relative to our theme, we might take notice of the plethora of other publically known, billionaires, inclusive of, the Koch Brothers, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffet, and Mark Zuckerberg. We might, as well, contextually, reference those many other Americans whose regular earnings are in the millions. Many of these extraordinarily wealthy people had previously chosen to, totally, dedicate their lives and creative propensities, to a mutually, misplaced, drive, to exceed others in a  contest to competitively, amass, vast quantities of wealth; and other stereotypic, public symbols of success, viz., great residential mansions, airplanes, helicopters, yachts. In the process of this neurotically, Quixotic, competitive aspiration, many have, elected to sacrifice considerations of family, academic, or aesthetic opportunities and the dedicated pursuit of personal growth; the latter, inarguably, healthier, and ultimately, far more satisfying, personal lives, than one, in thrall to a limited lifetime, gauging the competitive scoreboard of material acquisition.

It requires but little empirical experience, to rationally and pragmatically, declare, that no human being, reasonably and objectively, requires billions or millions of dollars, to live a comfortable and materially, satisfying life. Those who avidly, and competitively, have sacrificed and striven to obtain a superlative degree of material success may, in the course of life’s later retrospective, be disappointed in their ultimately, deliberated realization, that their humanistic sacrifices, previously deemed, by them as appropriate to compete in such a comparative asset scoreboard were, upon reconsideration, too rare and valuable to have been surrendered.

Our candid speculation is that if some unexpected, mega-wealthy party were to, suddenly, and unexpectedly, gift us with millions of dollars, the present context of our way of life would not noticeably, change.  Like, our dear friends, the furry, stuffed-cheeked chipmunks, we only can consume, (or need) so much. By contrast, our lifelong love of reading good literature, writing essays and poetry, and appreciation of the fine arts and of Nature have, in our later years, happily, given us an invaluable sense of self-fulfillment and aesthetic happiness.

-p.

The clandestine term, “Fifth Column,” may acceptably, be defined as a cadre of people whose motivation is to undermine a Nation from within its borders. An illustrative example existed during World War 2, when the Nation was dangerously, and insidiously, confronted with a sub-Rosa, fifth column, whose efforts were designed to undermine America and, thereby, assist Nazi Germany.
Any thoughtful analysis of the contemporary American scene would, in our view, result in the disturbing, observation that Donald J. Trump and his MAGA supporters are, (perhaps, in some cases, unwitting), agents operating in such a way as to undermine the Nation’s Constitution, Laws, and foundational institutions; and, by so doing, acting in a manner which, undeniably, subverts the interests of the American Nation.

 Mr. Trump possesses a vacuous mind, a brain that is, doubtless, wrinkle-proof and entirely, free of intellectual dynamics. He is, indeed, not a believer in autocracy nor, for that matter, in democracy. His neurotic mindset is inflexibly focused, solely and narcissistically on himself, independent of any theoretical, political, or philosophical rationale. In our view, he admires the autocratic leaders of Russia, China, and North Korea, not because of any political predilection for their political philosophies, nor even the academic theory of totalitarianism, itself, but, solely for the demonstrated phenomenon of their unlimited power, whatever the theory underlying such authority may be. His blind egocentrism, combined with his total inability to determinatively reason beyond the boundaries of his overinflated sense of entitlement and implacable self-justification, makes analysis of any political theory, out of reach for him and determinatively, irrelevant.

Analogous to the stereotypical, attention-demanding toddler, who chooses to kick his mother in the shins, to command notice (albeit, punitive), Trump is an overgrown, neurotic-child-adult, addicted to the attractions of public notice and personal attention, which he, self-interestedly and pathologically, transmogrifies into respect and admiration. This personal, self-serving, idee-fixe, fuels his demagogic inclinations and encourages his grandiose assumptions of personal prowess, despite his empirical incapability and profound, ignorance.

Trump’s observed unorthodoxy and total disrespect for social and institutional propriety, as well as his derogation of the media, education, and of intellectual prowess, have, endeared him to our Nation’s inadequately educated and unsophisticated, populist citizens who have become his ardent supporters. It would appear that a considerable number of populist citizens possessing a sense of real or subjective grievance have cast their lot in with the irreverent, Trump, many of whom, may be described as “Trump cultists;” approving of his doctrine of “alternate facts,” accepting or overlooking his serial mendacity and his criminal, and (no less than) treasonous behavior.  Trump and his acolytes’ bizarre conspiracy ideations have been subscribed to by this populist “underbelly” who, uniformly, following his lead,  have opposed exigent policies beneficial to our Nation and its allies.

The most historically impactful example of their ubiquitous opposition to the Nation’s (and the Free World’s) interest, is evinced in Trump’s (and his cult’s) opposition to America’s support of Ukraine’s defensive war against the wrongful incursion into that sovereign Nation by Putin’s Russia. The latter, notwithstanding the cogent possibility that the undisturbed success of Putin, would, in addition to violating the U.N. Charter, International Law, and international morality, might, empirically, presage a program of successive aggression by Russia against other sovereign Nations, and conceivably, lead to a Third World War.

Thus, in their vocal opposition to the vital program of U.S. aid to Ukraine, such undermining parties, additionally, qualify for the disloyal role of “Fifth Columnists.”  This observation is consistently, and disturbingly, notable, in their support of  the  MAGA tactics of non-funding of the government, derogation of the established media, attack on the existential existence of “truth,” election denial, violent insurrection against the Government,  civil rights travesties, voter interference, the program of tactical road blocking of necessary military appointments, general incitement of National divisiveness and discord, and shameless, rebuke of the provisions of the Constitution, which actions are inarguably, contrary to the National interest, and, notably, in the identical style of “an enemy within,” or “Fifth Columnists.”

It is existentially necessary, that mainstream American citizens be constantly aware of this danger to our Democratic Republic and take appropriate defensive action, most particularly, by means of their impactful vote, to continue to sustain our traditional American way of life.

-p.

The Vote

The assertion that the citizens’ right to vote to determine the leadership policies of their Nation is the definitional dynamic and exists as the existential hallmark of a democracy, requires little in the way of argument. As it happens, the United States election procedures are elucidated in Article 2 of the U.S. Constitution. Historically, the 18^th Amendment justly awarded the right to vote to African Americans (1870), and the 19^th finally, to Women (1920), extending the franchise to all citizens of legal age.

It would appear that the Constitution assigns primary responsibility for the administration of federal elections to the States, with specific oversight, reserved to the Federal Government.

Unfortunately, in recent years, it appears that States have put, various and sundry barriers at the ballot box. The media reports the State’s imposition of strict voter ID laws, its tactical limitation of voting times, restrictive registration, purging of voter rolls, and the imposition of unreasonable burdens on racial minorities the poor, and elderly citizens. Additionally, it appears that certain State Legislatures have pushed to restrict voting and undermine faith in the electoral process. As we can perceive, the geographical divide of past years, relative to universal equality, seems to disappointingly, endure, with some states attempting to provide more liberal voting legislation, while the (predictable) others persist in their policies of restriction.

Thus, after much consideration, we would take the liberty to suggest certain critically needed alterations to the process of the American voting system to ensure its fairness and efficacy.

Given the contemporary, plethora of instances of voter interference, claims of election fraud, and election rigging, we would suggest that new legislation be proposed, providing that, regarding all federal elections, hereafter conducted, voter registration be pursuant to Federal law and under Federal oversight. The same would, appropriately and constitutionally, ensure Constitutional propriety by providing, one, uniform, standard, and egalitarian system of voting and, as well, the spurious claims, relative to the counting of votes. It would tend to avoid the conspiracy claims of voter fraud as well as actual instances of the same. One just and ubiquitous procedure of voting and logistics of vote counting, would reliably, tend to be fair and be recognized as such.

The citizen (redux)

We have, in prior writings, strongly urged the existential importance of the responsible vetting, by an appropriately, selected body, of any and all aspirants seeking nomination to run for the Presidency of the United States; so that we may avoid the cataclysmic, experience enjoyed by the Nation, under the former President. In support of the basic necessity and pragmatism of the same, we have emphatically and ironically, observed, that it is mandatory and normal practice to thoroughly interview applicants, perforce, for mundane, unskilled, entry employment.

-p.

An intriguing and significant article in the current (September-October, 2023) edition of Smithsonian Magazine, was revelatory of yet, another profoundly, infuriating, instance of the invidious and repugnant blemish on the body of “Civilized Humanity,” viz., religious evangelism. Although we have designated it, as the “Eighth Deadly Sin,” for recognizable, literary purposes, considering the horrific extent of its temporal harm, in combination with the implicit arrogance upon which it is founded, in our view, it is deserving of “FIRST” place, in any listing of human degradation.

As prologue to this essay, we would contextually, refer to an American travesty, best known in historic literature, as “The Trail of Tears,” in which more than 60,000 Native Americans, largely, people of the Choctaw Nation, were removed from their ancestral homes in the fertile lands in the south-east portion of the country to “more suitable lands for the ‘injuns’” to the arid land of Oklahoma. This outrageous period in our history (1830-1831, under the flawed Presidency of Andrew Jackson) saw upwards of 2,500 peaceable Choctaw Indians die along the forced march. Certain odious, but, “upstanding,” “God-fearing,” powerful members of the Federal government, hatefully, stated that the “red man” was beneath contempt, “even more than the black man.”

Recent historical research has revealed that the Native American families, forcibly, uprooted from their fertile, ancestral homes and exiled to the windy, barren Oklahoma Territory, were, thereafter, prey to an arrogant and perverse, evangelical program to proselytize, and thereby, humanize,” the “savage redskins.” This delusional and inhuman program, consisted of the forcible, kidnapping of young Indian children from their families and installing them in designated foster institutions so that they might be, “properly,” converted to Christianity.

 Various public relations efforts of late, have been undertaken to apologize and effect some limited reparation for such inhuman policies, but history, attests to the lasting, if not permanent, damage, done by such evangelical, “humanizing,” transgressions. The rich culture and nature-oriented religious belief and traditional folkways, of such first Americans, were permanently damaged by ignorant, cruel, and contemptible religious ethnocentrism and misguided sense of propriety. History is replete with instances of great cruelty and irreparable harm done by such short-sighted ideation, most especially regarding the promotion of irrational and biased belief in religious salvation.

The mid-19^th Century saw the autocratic and heartless treatment of Ireland by England; the latter, a deluded, self-proclaimed paragon of religious rectitude, advanced human civilization, supported by formidable, military (naval) power. Dominant and heartless, England deprived the Irish of its entire production of food, including meat and vegetables, only permitting the retention of its potato crops; the latter, an inadequate source of nourishment for the primitively, housed, Irish people. In the historic potato famine, the Smithsonian article reminded the reader that more than one-eighth of the 19^th Century Irish population, died of malnutrition. Unfortunately, the only crop that failed in the Irish Nation at this time was the potato; wheat, barley, corn, oats and grazing land for livestock were flourishing; but these were “cash crops,” mandated for export, by the “admirable, and civilized” people of the religiously, pious Nation of England.

As reported, a certain Irish -American citizen, friendly with the people of the greatly, impoverished Choctaw Nation  in Oklahoma, communicated to the Choctaw people that mass starvation and land evictions were taking place in Ireland, (half a world away) and of the dire condition of the Irish people. The indigent Choctaw people, were greatly moved, and despite their own dire poverty, managed, somehow, to raise a substantial sum of money to assist the starving Irish. It is to be, especially, noted, that at the time of their humanistic donation, less than one decade had passed since the Federal Government’s forced, tragic and heartless dispossession, of the Choctaw Nation from their ancestral lands in the southern United States, known as the “trail of tears; most of whom, as stated, were, themselves, living in extreme privation and poverty. It is difficult to imagine people less well-positioned to act in a philanthropic manner.

 This example of empathy and humanistic generosity, is a moral lesson indeed, an instructive avatar, for the arrogant, ego-centrism of the universe of misguided believers in arrogant, self-delusional, religious evangelism.

-p.

In the course of a pleasant, relaxed and meditative mood, this past week, we happened to think of the elder of our two cats, “Kudu,” (named after a beautiful elk-like animal, (the “Koo-doo” seen by us on safari in South Africa, some years ago). Kudu, sadly, in common with his two feline predecessors (“Cicero” and “Anchovy”) had developed a deadly disease at or about the usual (feline) terminal age of 13, and had to be “put to sleep,” by the Veterinarian.

As expected, we felt pain and mourned their loss, almost as profoundly as if they were human. A nurtured and beloved pet becomes an integral and familiar part of the family household; its loss, affirmatively, results in substantial regret and for some time is the protagonist of considerable nostalgic, recollection.  

The cataclysmic loss of a family member,  close relative, dear friend or other loved one, summons up the predictable, and tragic, stereotypical feelings of intransigent denial, irrational anger and then, finally, acceptance and profound sorrow. In some cases, the essential “spark” of life may, suddenly and unexpectedly, be extinguished, “out of the blue,” as opposed to occurring following the previous advent of a critically mortal diagnosis, or the normal and gradual occurrence of terminal old age. Whatever may be the cause, the empty place left by the absence of the deceased, person, leaves a perceived, barren, empty space in the family household and considerable emotional pain, possibly enduring for years.

Universal knowledge of the inevitable, and unavoidable prospect of the end of life, is a universal subject of man’s eternal dread, causing a great many individuals to look (perhaps, vainly) to religion for answers, understanding, or at a minimum, comfort and reconciliation. Inescapably, the unique franchise of “life” is inevitably, and eternally, paid for by the burnished, gold coin of inevitable mortality.

There appear to be individuals who, in their lifetime, choose to, tactically and sophomorically, aspire to avoid the natural concomitance, between the precious, but vulnerable, establishment of loving relationships and its eternally, concomitant and predictable, excruciating pain of loss. Such individuals thus, strategically, wherever possible, avoid intimate relationships, (personal close relationships, marriage, children and even, pets). Such individuals may, conceivably, succeed in decreasing the numerical instances of such inevitable, painful loss, but by so doing, thereby, imprudently and wastefully, decrease their singular, and ultimately, priceless, potential for a fulfilling quality of life.

-p.

 In this essay, we have undertaken to express certain principles which we have found useful in the exercises of spoken and written (as opposed to electronic) communication. It is felt that the regular observance of the foregoing principles will result in the minimization of misunderstandings and unnecessary errors. We have, for purposes of clarity, presented the same in separate categories.

The Golden Rule of Communication:
Fundamentally stated, speech is the thoughtful art of deployment of chosen words to convey intended thoughts. As is universally the case, relative to the all-encompassing world of the “arts,” there empirically, exists regarding this indispensable capability, variations in skill or aptitude.  The confident and candid assumption that something has, indeed, been said, is objectively, reliable (only) to the extent of the speaker’s personal skill at precision in the apt communication of his intended thoughts. Stated otherwise, the degree of confidence that something, intended to be conveyed, has, indeed, been effectively expressed, is based upon the objective clarity and exactitude of its actual expression and not on the actual intentions or subjective recollection of the speaker. The beneficial observance of our selected, “golden rule” of communication, will  tend to avoid unnecessary, misunderstandings, and contentious strife.

Conveyance of Specifically Intended Message:

The accurate and precise communication of ideas, by spoken, and (most especially) written, words, is pragmatically dependent upon the discernment and selection of appropriate vocabulary, uniquely and precisely (as opposed to “generally”), expressive of the desired communication. The latter admonition is the very soul and lifeblood of poetics, but, as well, vital for meaningful verbal communication.

In specific relation to the art of written and spoken interaction, we would, emphatically, caution against the facile reliance upon a thesaurus, as a solution to the cogent selection of words, expressive of one’s intended communication. Our determined priority regarding the vital accuracy of intended expression, over the years, has, confidentially, led us to the radical belief, that there seldom exist exact synonyms, such that, on the relevant occasion, adequately or precisely, describe our intended and nuanced feeling. Examples, “hot” as in tea, vs. “torrid,” as in sexy, flamingo dancer; “cold”, as in milk vs. “frigid,” as in the artic; “cautious,” as in “discerning,” vs. ”cautious,” as used when crossing the avenue. For those, properly concerned with the accurate transmission of the nature and extent of his feelings, seldom will other similar words will be found to be descriptively adequate.

The Misconception Regarding “Big” Words:

The thematic message of this writing, and the irrefutable, sine- qua- non, of successful communication is the selective use of words that precisely, express one’s intention. Such being the primary criterion we have, eternally, been perplexed by the sophomoric characterization of “big” and “plain” words. It would appear that such misconceived categories are meaningful to those who are not avid readers.

It appears that the descriptive, “big” in such comments has reference to the fact that the word, in the experience of the critic, is not to his discernment, in the popular parlance, rather than objected to, based upon the number of its syllables; to illustrate: the words, “vegetarian” and “international,” inarguably, are commonly used, and accordingly, easily understood, (i.e., not “big words,”) albeit, multi-syllabic.

In sum, effective communication requires the literary sensitivity to select those words, clearly and most expressive of the speaker’s, or writer’s, intended expression.

-p.

[“What’s in a word?” Shakespeare, “Romeo and Juliet”]

The persistence of the bizarre, unsupported canard, by Trump and his blindly, loyal cult followers, that Joseph Biden’s victory in the 2020 Presidential election, was, somehow, “stolen” from him, most especially, in the face of the multiple, consistent dismissals, by the Courts, State Officials, and relevant, federal agencies, of such entirely, unfounded claims, has become, intolerable.

The substantial numbers of otherwise, seemingly sane, American citizens, who continue to be Trump’s ardent supporters, notwithstanding the latter’s criminal, immoral and anti-democratic behavior (a substantial demonstration of which, having been viewed on public television) is bewildering. The wide and multifarious scope of the former President’s willful, errant behavior spectacularly, spans the entire range of wrongdoing, from basic payoffs and bribery, relative to his commerce with prostitutes, tax fraud and criminal negligence, to felonious interference with the right to vote and solicitation of voter record distortion, violations of the emolument clause, and inarguably, the serious of all, the solicitation of National insurrection and treason.

Prior to the single and singular, four-year term of Donald Trump who, in his brief term of office, shamefully accrued no less than two Congressional impeachments, there existed a tacit, pragmatic, presumption that Presidential candidates were undoubtedly, upstanding and moral in their private and public lives. Donald Trump, however, uniquely, demonstrated that an American President is factually, capable of being selected, notwithstanding a lack of moral compass. In his ignorance, egocentricity, serial mendacity and complete absence of principle, Trump demonstrated that with a sufficient number of cultish support, moral, societal and humanistic, principles were not (for him) personally, binding.

Most astonishing, and emotionally, exhausting, is the Franz Kafka-Lewis Carroll- fun house mirror degree of distortion of reality, evinced in Trump’s behavior and his, delusional,  Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, claim of a rigged or “stolen election.” One of the plethora of Federal and State indictments, charges his unabashed, fraudulent, telephonic request, then demand, that the Georgia Secretary of State, fraudulently, add a certain number of fictional, non-existent, votes to his election count, to grant him a Georgia State victory. Such criminal and unconstitutional, request to illegally alter the tabulation of vote results, happily, was dutifully, denied. Fortuitously, the illicit telephone request was televised and the shameless crime, in all its venality, viewed by the American public.

It is to be, especially noted, that this, televised, criminal attempt, and a plethora of additional perverse acts, intended to rig, or “steal” the vote, was, observably, performed by Trump, personally, (or in his behalf, by his minions). Yet the former President, the serial prevaricator, himself, miraculously, charged the Biden supporters with rigging the election. Irrefutably observed, however, it was the greasy, orange-haired, (Trump) hand, that was inserted in the proverbial cookie jar and, empirically, witnessed by all, (including the large, irrational, populist underbelly, of accusatory cultists, doggedly, supportive of Trump).

A reasonable application of the elegant-sounding, designation, “cognitive dissonance,” can, permissibly, be identified in a situation in which one’s actions are inconsistent with his personal and fundamental beliefs.

We are reasonably confident of the rectitude of our humanistic, assumption that, at minimum, many of the most ardent of Trump cultists, in their private (family, neighborly, societal, collegiate) lives, do, in fact, personally, conform to the societally, approved, customs, habits and social expectations; notably, as to the existential, societal requirement of truthfulness (as opposed to “alternate facts”). An instructed recollection, concerning these appropriate personal behaviors, together, with a reasonable degree of societally, aware, un-Trump-like, reminders of the diversity of other members of the community, might prove to be personally, ameliorative. It would seem implausible to imagine that Donald J. Trump’s, brazen and inane, demagoguery is of such nuclear, lethal impact, that, universally, every general listener’s persona is, thereby, involuntarily, and permanently, transmogrified into one of, unadulterated, chronic psychopathy.

From a positive and humanistic point of view, there may exist a cogent possibility as to such, unfortunately, brainwashed, Trump acolytes, of appropriate restitution to the status of confident, well-adjusted and useful mainstream, citizens. As a matter of National and moral responsibility, reasonable efforts, in such direction, on behalf of such misguided, American citizens, may be worth considering.

-p.

The reflexive recollection of a long-past event, feeling or contextual setting, ignited, by means of some random and notable, taste, smell, sound, or even ambiance, would appear to be a universal phenomenon. The momentary scent of fresh salt air may elicit personal thoughts of a seaside beach, conceivably, together with certain memorable experiences that occurred there. The sound of a school bell may summon up, sundry images and feelings of early childhood, many decades past, as can the anecdotal sight of a high-flying, kite, evoke current reveries of young, childhood experiences. Only recently, we were subjected to the contextual experience, by the fragrance of mushroom-lentil soup, the latter, by contrast, a somewhat, unremarkable, but notable experience of our younger life. We have chosen to perceive the dynamics of this associative, “mental phenomenon” as a “Pavlovian,” triggering of experientially, nuanced, associative, memory (the Pavlov response, itself, by contrast, involves, “action,” induced by the introduction of an effectively, proven, stimulus).

 It is our present intention to address (only) various recollected matters of general, societal (as distinguished from personal) relevance, reprised by our recent experience with the subject stimulus.[It is our sense that our previous observations on the  past decades of the American political scene, as well as our nuanced, childhood and maturing life experiences have been sufficiently expressed.]

The savory, fragrance of the newly recollected, mushroom lentil soup, resurrected, albeit, momentarily, an ephemeral, mis-en-scene of the sights, atmosphere and nature of societal (and personal) life in decades past. The olfactory stimulation, itself, was brief, nevertheless, the image as recalled, was all-encompassing, and perhaps, best described in salient categories.

[INSTITUTIONAL]:

 (a) Police: Past experience saw familiar neighborhood police, peripatetically, and dutifully, patrolling their assigned, local neighborhood. These municipal public servants wearing official City badges and blue uniforms, communicated an assurance of societal order, safety and assistance in times of emergency.  The movie portrayal of the stereotypical member of the constabulary, was the middle age, Irish cop with graying hair and an incessant, paternal twinkle in his eye for familiar, neighborhood schoolchildren. There are publicized, instances of these dedicated public servants, assisting at emergency births and in catastrophes, such as tenement fires.

Today, most notably, following the advent of the highly profitable, illicit drug trade, in combination with the metamorphic effect of the infiltration of undesirables into the constabulary, the citizen’s apprehension of the policeman became and remains, only slightly less than that of the known criminal.

(b) Mail: Friendly, familiar letter carriers, dutifully and laboriously, trudging along their assigned huge, with their large, weather impacted, leather bags, would greet their neighborhood recipients, upon meeting them and stop for a moment to discuss the weather or time of day.

There is little or no human interaction relevant in the contemporary, mechanized, wholesale, delivery of mail or packages and the recipients; indeed, the bulk of such interactive communication, including, shopping, purchases, payments and returns are effected by way of robotized and impersonal computer messaging.

In general terms, the contemporary, outside world is composed of strangers, residing somewhere beyond the outside of our firmly, locked and professionally, protected residential door, or, reliably, programmed into our various computer accessories. 

(c) Schools and Public Libraries: The comportment and mindset of the typical young person at school or pursuing research at the local library was, with rare exceptions, serious, industrious and inquisitive. There was, in that mainstream, a firm, socialized sense of the importance of success at learning and as well, an associated high regard for the teacher. At present, unfortunately, it would not be especially unusual to witness young students at school or, regarding those students who do attend at public libraries, surreptitiously, glancing at smartphones, held beneath the table or desk, communicating with friends or checking the latest sport scores.

[COMMUNITY]:

Social Interaction: Neighbors, living in close proximity, traditionally, enjoyed an informal, and friendly interactive, relationship which we would, appropriately, denominate, as “quasi-familial,” in its degree of mutually, exchanged, social intimacy. Conversations “over the picket fence” regarding matters of familial concern and that of tools and equipment, especially those involved in gardening, which, subsequently, were loaned and borrowed.  Events were often mutually celebrated, and Sunday dinners and joint projects were common.

It would, generally, be highly unusual, universally, to find the replication of the same quality of intimate, neighborly interaction in the impersonal, computerized (and divisive), context of our contemporary times.

[FAMILY INTERACTION]:

In a past essay, we attempted to portray the common experience of the family, sitting together in the living room or parlor, involved in jointly, listening, on the family radio to the broadcasted, news and entertainment.  The essay was intended, essentially, to convey, the point that the era of such family intimacy and mutual identification, is no longer existent.

When we recall the pleasant, aromatic smell and taste of mushroom barley soup, we, essentially, are caused to accrue a rather poignant reminder, of a presently, non-existing, and foreign, contextual world.

-p.