Author: plinyblogcom

[Phil N. Blanks, had only recently, retired from his (“disappointing”) career as a (“bored”) Court clerk, and lived alone, since his contentious wife, Hortense, left him, after eight and one-half months of marriage,(for a bald, mustached, tenor- saxophone player from Hoboken. Getting out of bed, one rainy Monday, he happened to recall an exotic article that he read in his local barbershop, entitled: “Uncovering the Meaning of Life.” The subject article, as he recalled, concerned a certain, Nepalese Guru, who, reportedly, after seven years of dedicated fasting and silent meditation, was successful in the discovery of life’s ultimate, “meaning.”  Phil hoped that the receipt of such a fundamental revelation from the holy man might afford him some objective and mature insight, into his present, grim existence.

To condense the ensuing facts, Phil, at substantial monetary expense, great physical effort (flight to Nepal, transport by a bouncy, water buffalo-drawn cart to the crest of the mountain, the site of the guru’s residential cave) at last, arrived at the Guru’s dark cave and, as instructed on a posted, multi-lingual notice, deposited the requested, monetary donation in an empty jar (still containing a tattered, commercial label, “mango chutney”). After a period of silence, a bearded and wizened, the elderly guru, dressed in a yellow-stained toga and a green turban, asked: “What can we do for you, young man?

Phil, in nervous anticipation of an ancient, metaphysical, reply, inquired, in a respectfully, submissive tone:   “Holy Sir, what is Life?” The Guru, after a brief, period of deep inner contemplation, with closed eyes, and in chanting meter, intoned the answer; “Life, my son is a river.” Phil, confused, respectfully, but diffidently, inquired: “What do you mean, by the words, “a River”? The Guru, suddenly, shocked, and in a sudden state of panic and high anxiety, shakily, responded: “You mean it isn’t?”]

Having accumulated sufficient years to inarguably, qualify for the category of elder citizen, we feel qualified to assert certain contextually, relevant, points. It has been our observation that, in his later years, there often occurs in Man, a useless, but, irrepressible, inclination to inquire of himself, the metaphysical question: “What is the meaning (or, purpose) of life?” It is the uselessness and irrationality of this latter experience that provides the theme and context of this writing. As will be maintained below, the extent of utility of such inquiries is, at most, limited to their occasional use as an expression or release, of temporal frustration or disappointment.

To empirically, conclude that any of our Planet’s fauna (including Homo sapiens) or flora, is alive (has life) is simply to have made the determination that they are “self-functioning,” i.e. ingesting, voiding, growing, procreating. To have life (to be “living”) is, relevantly, to be self-functioning. The growing blade of grass has life, the mechanical lawnmower does not.  A horsefly, a goldfinch, a snake, a bobcat, a deer all have life until they cease functioning.

Life, itself, is a unique, singular and fortuitous, phenomenon, one that, is a mechanical-chemical-biological matter; it is nature’s grant of a fortuitous franchise, for fauna and fauna, to enjoy the privilege of function within the parameters of their innate capability and environment. Can one rationally, declare that the life of the horsefly, goldfinch, snake, bobcat and deer have any “purpose,” or “meaning,” other than to live?  Competing species, in nature, strive solely, to live and procreate, Disney Studios or the Hallmark Card Co., notwithstanding.

Nature’s singular, and priceless grant of the franchise of life, itself, is procedural, i.e. it simply and fortuitously, provides the arena, for sentient beings, i.e., Mankind, to possess the opportunity, or elective choice, if desired, to seek substantive, personal meaning and purpose. It does not carry with it, ancillary purpose or meaning; the latter qualities may be developed in the potential of the individual of the human species, himself, to derive meaning, and exploit opportunities, in his own life, or to refrain from doing so. There is no program, or implicit motive, ancillary to the acquisition of the natural franchise, to live, and, when deemed appropriate, to elect to, or refrain from, living a (chosen), rational and meaningful life.

For the five years of its existence, this blog space has been, primarily, focused on, and dedicated to, the advancement of meaningful life and has attempted to extol, among other things, an elective interest in reading good books,  appreciation of the arts and sciences, and the pursuit of individual, outside interests, and their resultant, progress toward mature understanding and acceptance of one’s inner self, the exotic potpourri of other human inhabitants of the Planet, and, hopefully, to the attainment of the ultimately, meaningful, goal of wisdom.

-p.

In the retrospective designation of notable periods in Man’s past, historians and sociologists generally select a representational reference to significant events or stages of development. In our view, the most aesthetic reference, is the designation of the period of profuse artistic creation in Paris, preceding the First World War (1871-1880), viz., “La Belle Époque.” Philosophers do have their “Dark Ages,” and “Age of Enlightenment,” Economists, their “Industrial Revolution”.

In our Nation, such designations, appear to be more prosaic, and referentially historic: “Colonial Settlement” (1600s –1763), “American Revolution,” (1763-1783), “National Expansion,” (1815-1880), “Civil War and Restoration,” (1861-1827) “The Two World Wars” (1914- 1945), “The Contemporary Era.”

The American “Contemporary Era,” has, unfortunately, been witness to substantial and contentious, National stress, the Great Depression, the Nixon Years, the Viet Nam War, the assassination of President Kennedy; but, none so dangerous to the continuance of American Democracy, as the surprising ascendance to the Presidency of an orangutan, hair- colored demagogic, charlatan whose last name, prophetically, rhymes with the word, “Dump.” We do have a measure of premonition as to notable, empirically, based, designations of our specific period, yet we await history’s choice of denomination. The American Nation and its democracy have indeed, survived flawed Presidencies such as those of Andrew Johnson, Andrew Jackson and Richard Nixon, but its bizarre and shameful travails under the one, four-year term of the Trump Presidency, can be perceived as comparable, in irrationality, to the tea party of Lewis Carrol’s “ Mad Hatter,” and in its bizarre optics, to Kafka’s “Metamorphosis.”  

In bright contrast to the capable, principled and admirable tutelage of the Nation, by the Presidential Administration of Barack Obama, his immediate successor, Donald J. Trump, effectively, evinced an unprecedented, toxic and potentially, metastasizing assault on our enshrined democratic system of government. Much has been said and written concerning this disgraceful, twice-impeached, President who, thereafter, as an ordinary civilian, has been the subject of multiple criminal indictments, Federal and State, for crimes including, the illegal use of campaign funds, voter interference, bribes and conspiracy, the misuse of campaign funds to pay-off and keep silent, porn star prostitutes with whom he has had adulterous commerce, solicitation of falsified voting results, extortion, the creation of the classically autocratic, “Big Lie” by autocratically, denying the results of a verified, National Election and, thereafter, seditiously, incurring the direct and proximate responsibility for the  January 6 insurrection against Washington, by a right-wing, Trump loyal, anti-democratic mob.

The unexpected elevation to the Oval Office, of Donald J. Trump, seemed to effect a resurrection and catalyzing of the active participation of the Nation’s vast horde of inadequately educated, disaffected and disgruntled citizens, historically, disinterested in civic and governmental affairs. Such individuals conceivably, identified with the aberrant, faux arrogant, and nuanced persona of Trump and became his loyal acolytes. Trump’s demonstrable lack of capability to function as President, and, presumably, his racial and ethnic prejudices evidently were compatible with the populist persona.

Trump, following the classic, autocratic, field manual, attacked the election process, the legitimate media, and, indeed, the societally, existential, concept of “truth.” In its stead, as an active practitioner of serial mendacity, he construed the tactically useful, concept of “alternate facts.” Additionally, he chose to designate specific racial and ethnic groups as un-American, derogated education and scientific research, abused and debased women, confused and strained America’s international relationships, withdrew from responsible environmental and mutually defensive treaties. Moreover, his advertised lack of moral compass, embarrassingly, even exceeded his colossal ignorance.

Correspondingly, there developed a stark divisiveness between the mainstream American citizen and the large number of citizens, who had, toxically, become devotees of the undemocratic, authoritarian, and immoral Trump cult. This transmogrification saw the increasing number of right-wing Christian militias, the decreased respect for the civil rights of minority Americans, including police abuse and homicide against minorities, minority voter interference, unjust treatment and abuse of transgender Americans,  book and curriculum censorship, an exponential increase in unregistered and unlimited,  gun ownership and the consequent mass murder of innocent school children. The unified and dedicated American citizen, as extant, since the end of World War Two, remains in an understandable, state of dread, concerning the survival of his rare and precious, democratic republic.

It is hoped that the democratic vote of the traditional, American citizen, will be the effective cure for the onset of the undemocratic, right-wing White, Christian pandemic of our Nation.

We would designate the current period of National history, as, “The Period of Populist Challenge,” and look optimistically, to the relevant naming of the forthcoming period, “The Period of National Accommodation.”

* Title redux

-p.

As a brief respite, or “breath of fresh air,” from the atmospheric pollution of current storm of Donald Trump indictments, we would offer a recalled experience, from early life. The subject event was especially memorable, as a startling, empirical, demonstration of a phenomenon, previously, known, but not empirically, experienced.

 Let us begin with our background prior to such unique and enlightening event. At the age of 23, having graduated from college and law school, it was our desire to start our career as soon as possible. There was a war in existence and a military draft. Under a Federal Statute, passed at the time, one could satisfy his military obligation, by securing admission into his State’s National Guard, and thereby, only be required to perform active duty with the army for a period of six months, and completing, its six required years of membership, inclusive, only, of training for two weeks each summer, plus one meeting per week. After being admitted to a company of the New York National Guard, we were shortly thereafter, shipped out to perform the mandatory, six months active service with the Army. There, following the required four weeks of Basic Training, we were sent to Aberdeen Training Grounds, in Maryland, for the balance of our six-month active service.

It was during our period of service at Aberdeen Training Grounds, that the scenario, giving rise to the narrative and the thematic purpose of this writing took place.  However, for clarity of purpose and context, we must briefly stop to furnish a few relevant observations.

For the period, inclusive of our Junior High School and High School, attendance, perhaps ten years, our family resided in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, an area populated by working-class white and black citizens. It cannot be said that the venue was free of any racial tensions, but, generally, interaction between residents was ordinarily, peaceful, if not exemplary. We, and presumably, most of our black neighbors, were, in general, accommodated to living in a mixed-color, varied ethnic neighborhood. Over the years, we were cognizant of the National problems of racial strife, but our experiences of such conflict were limited. White and black students attended class, taught by white and some black teachers, black and white boys played sports (especially, half-court basketball), and, as recalled, racial tensions were more implicit than publicly demonstrated. Among our closest friends was a black youngster, Joseph Glencamp, who, in our household, was assigned the [affectionate, (Yiddish]) name of “Yussie.” In brief, we were, certainly, aware of the egregious racial prejudice, practiced against black Americans, especially in the “South,” but, in our young, residential life, saw little of its overt dynamics.

I would often be granted weekend passes and would travel home by bus. The bus stop just outside of the military installation was adjacent to an old-fashioned diner. On the weekend in question, I was quite early and so I stopped for coffee and a slice of apple pie at the long counter of the diner. I do not have the time or energy to distinguish Army coffee from regular diner coffee; let us just say that if Army coffee was any worse, it would legally, have to contain a “hazmat” warning.

I was enjoying the coffee and pie when a young soldier, no doubt also, somewhat, early for the bus and sat in the next stool. We nodded a brief hello. He was, like us, wearing the Army dress uniform with a military patch indicating New York, and I assume, awaiting the same bus. The only difference was that he was black. He asked what I was having and I replied that it was apple pie. He smiled and asked the man at the counter for the same thing. The next thing was silence and angry glares emanating from the men sitting to our right along the counter. Frankly, we were both, equally puzzled.

Finally, the counterman came over and said to the new (black) arrival, “Look, if you want coffee, I will give it to you in a paper cup, but you have to drink it outside.” He left and I, naively, was still confused, until the angry glares of the other (white) diners, communicated their hateful prejudice to me. I was at first, confused, then nervously, and uncomfortably, finished my pie and coffee, paid and disgustedly, left.

To this day, I, painfully regret, not walking out with my fellow American and brother –in arms and instead, finished my snack. The counterman, when I paid my check said “Look, buddy, it makes no difference to me but I don’t want to lose my customers,”

I was then, uncomfortably, rendered, “awoke.”

-p.

We will candidly confess to an unremitting sense of frustration, each time the mundane expression, “It’s a chicken-egg problem,” is used to describe an issue that is conveniently, relegated, by some speaker or writer, to the category of empirically, unanswerable. But, in order not to get ahead of ourselves, we would, initially, furnish our thematic narrative.

At the relevant time, we were young students at Thomas Jefferson High School (East New York, Brooklyn). Although the student body was mixed, it was amply, represented by first-generation offspring of Eastern European immigrants. The latter described students,, coming from homes still embodying an Old World, Eastern European, context, were commonly, desirous of speeding-  up the natural, gradual metamorphosis to an acceptably, modern and identifiable, “New World,” persona.

One such described, student, was Izzy Springer (fictitious name), who had boasted, that, in record time, he had, purportedly, attained the goal of fully, mastering the desired, (and, normally, gradual and experiential) journey to societal, Americanization. Izzy was the sort of personality, who, without question,  purported to know all there was to be known, which facts were accurate and those which were not, and which matters were knowable and those which were beyond human comprehension; the latter category, designated, by his recent, scholastically, adopted word, as “unfathomable.”

We confess that we would, ordinarily, try, as possible, to avoid the assertively, boastful company of the arrogant and “know-it-all,” Izzy, but there were times, in the circumscribed, high school environment, when encounters were inevitable. Izzy, as it happens, was in our “Advanced Biology” class, and on the eventful morning, (the setting for this brief writing) the classroom subject was on the subject of “Evolution” but with especial emphasis given to the emergence of the sentient, animal, viz., Homo sapiens. The teacher led an enlightening discussion on the subject of humankind’s evolved brain and its consequent ability to problem-solve by the applied use of reason. The day’s homework assignment was to write a 300-word essay on Early Man’s use of reason to solve his problems of survival.

As class let out, Izzy excitedly, approached us, as he, passionately, put it, to discuss the teacher’s morning’s lecture, on Man’s capability of reason. We could not avoid, what, predictably, would be an arrogant critique, from our “Mr. Know it All.” The eminent “sage,” Izzy, seemed to have misconstrued and therefore, criticized, the teacher’s remarks, concerning the utility of Man’s capacity to reason, as (erroneously) declaring that Homo sapiens, thus gifted by Evolution, with an advanced brain, was capable of the solution of “any” presenting problem. We did not share in his erroneous recollection, but rather understood the teacher, instead, to have referred to Man’s capability to solve his daily, existential problems such as food gathering, defense against the elements and his later ability to engage in mutual, societal cooperation. However, in order to confront Izzy, the purported, “sage,” we, tongue-in-cheek, and provokingly, asked him for an example of a problem regarding which Man’s reason is incapable to solve.  Izzy, supremely, confident in his forthcoming response, initially, recited, as stakes for the challenge, the otherworldly, munificent prize of two (2) “Chunky Bars.”  

Before proceeding further with the subject narrative, we would like to enlighten the contemporary, reader as to the empirical context and esteemed value, of said proposed stakes, in 1954, East New York, Brooklyn, to the young, economically, challenged, denizens of that milieu. The individual “Chunky Bar,” was a chocolate square, approximately, 1.5 inches square, (about 3 to 4, judicious bites) infused with nuts and raisins, and “expensively,” priced at ten cents each (the then contemporary cost of a one-way train or trolley trip or a public phone call) and, with a determined value to the resident, Brooklyn youngster, of an Olympic Gold Medal. This wager, it is to be, especially noted, entailed no less than two (2) of these rarefied, albeit, eatable, trophies,  Izzy, smiling and highly confident of easily, winning this magnificent prize, confidently and gleefully, recited the thematic, “unfathomable,” dilemma, viz., “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”

Recalling the morning’s lesson on the dynamics of Natural Evolution, and, after applying a moment of rudimentary logic, we responded, “The egg.” Izzy, upon hearing such answer, and jubilantly, anticipating the easy acquisition of the invaluable prize, in fact, anticipating the taste responded, with a smirk, demanded, “Oh yeah, well where did the egg come from?” His face, visibly, fell as we responded, “The egg was laid by the immediate, evolutionary predecessor of the chicken; that egg, when hatched, was, thereafter, evolution’s first known, chicken.

Despite the passage of multiple decades, we can still recall the victorious, taste of the magnificent Chunky Bars, but, to this day, frustratingly, continue to ponder two questions, (1) why has no one else logically, solved this so-called enigma? and/or, (2) why we have, at this late date, yet to be accorded historic recognition, for its solution [at 15 years of age]?

-p.
  

Functionally analogous to the proverbial, expression,“the apple, that spoils the barrel,” it inevitably, seems that among the vast multitudes of lovable and cherished children, there exists a rare few, whose persona and behavior, when revealed, prove to be dysfunctional, embarrassing and, frustratingly, incorrigible. This category of individual is often referred to, in the French lexicon, as an “Enfant Terrible.” By way of illustration, the term would embrace the sort of child that might, despite the certain expectation of consequent punishment, kick his seated mother in the shins, to foster his neurotic and insatiable need for exclusive, personal attention. Predictably, such damaged and needy species of Homo sapiens, achieve maturity, only to reside in an insular bubble, generally oblivious to everything and everyone, except insofar as it, or, they, can be seen as contributing to his being placed in the limelight. Whatever, conceivably, can be perceived by him, as advancing this neurotic aspiration, is, ipso facto, acceptable, irrespective of the possible cruelty to, or mistreatment of others.

It is our considered, view that the enigmatic dilemma, encompassing the dynamics of the bizarre and wrongful behavior, official acts and factually, unsupported declarations, of former President, Donald Trump, can be attributed to the foregoing etiology, regarding the empirical, adult devolution of the enfant terrible. As a factual matter, Trump, albeit, a three-time election loser, of, has been inordinately successful in obtaining, neurotically, needed, vast, populist, attention, especially, on television and other media.  In fact, it may, be realistically, (and alarmingly) maintained, that our Nation’s structural, two-party system, exemplified by the Democratic and Republican parties, has, of late, effectively, been morphed or transmogrified, into two parties, one for, and one against, America’s  Presidential species of enfant terrible, viz., Donald J. Trump.

With respect to his bizarre and completely, inept, four-year term as President, nor, in the period following, it would be fruitless to attempt, to summon up any recollection of his statements regarding policy, on foreign or domestic matters, any elucidation of held, economic or political doctrine, nor, indeed, regarding any subject of importance to the Nation.  By contrast, the television public witnessed regular and unabated praise of himself and derogation of perceived or actual enemies.

Unforgettable and eternally, unforgivable, is his cruel burlesque, performed before the vast television audience, consisting of his shocking and unabashed, mimicry of a reporter with the characteristic (uncontrolled, shaking) symptoms of cerebral palsy, presumably for the entertainment of his underbelly, populist supporters, and in contrast with his own apparent physical normality.

 In his addresses to the American public, he failed to evince any position, or indeed, any interest, in political policy, international, or domestic, nor indeed, on any nationally, significant matter. In addition to his numerous statements of personal praise, he, ignorantly, misinformed and misled the American public, regarding the pandemic, with notable, tragic results, revealed his personal bias toward minorities,  autocratically, deprecated education, the media, and intellectual advancement, literary achievements,  curried the favor of the gun lobby,  thus, ingratiating himself with America’s huge populist underbelly. He befriended Putin, and the fascistic leaders of Communist China, and Hungary, in his aspirational fantasy to, himself, acquire autocratic rule over our Nation.

His narcissism and lifelong need for adulation and “star status,” led him to invite his populist supporters to stage a violent (failed) insurrection against the American Government, based upon his electoral defeat by Joseph Biden, in an attempt at a second Presidential term. His narcissistic and entirely, unfounded, and, factually, unsupported, allegation was the basis for his irrational claim (and the compliant, battle cry of his compliant, populist, insurrectionists), that the election had been “stolen” from him. Trump, in his early, pre-election statements, in fact, brazenly, forecasted the insurrectionist event, in the event of his defeat. In the neurotically, deluded mind of this adult, enfant terrible, there were only two possible outcomes of the forthcoming election, personal victory, or illegitimate defeat.

We have eternally, and frustratingly, called for the consideration of a mandated, prudent and objective, vetting policy, for all nominees for consequential political office, as empirically, is mandated for all applicants for private, and inauspicious, employment.

-p.

It would otherwise, be just be another early, Kingston morning, but this morning, perceptibly, the woodland seems to evince a repressed hush of expectant joy, in its anticipation of the advent of a familiar, perennial event. The chilled winds and blankets of white snow have, recently, and mercifully, removed to another venue, the air is refreshing, moist, electric, and comfortably, cool.

Soon to occur will be the Planet-nourishing showers, prompting winter-naked, branches to leaf and awakening the still-sleeping forest critters, alike, furry and smooth-skinned, from their wintery somnolence. Steady downpours will soon fall, with mellifluous, tympanic sounds on the freshly emerged, green arboreal leaves, refilling the dry streambeds and rock crevices and offering universal refreshment to the surging flora and the soon to be awakened and reenergized fauna.  

On a coming, morning, one can espy the early, blooming, emergence of a plethora of tiny, multi-colorful, crocus,  tender bulbs, and daffodils, strategically, located to facilitate the performance of their annual responsibility of seasonal reconnaissance of the new ambiance, to reassure the safety and timeliness of the arrival of larger perennial plants and flowers.

At such a preliminary stage of the new season, astonishment would be appropriate, in response to the sudden, kaleidoscopic, spectacle of multiple species of returning migratory birds, flying about or roosting in the trees, having magically, appeared, as if the woodlands were suddenly photoshopped, or computerized; yet, their sundry songs, chirps, and trills, lend mellifluous assurances of empirical reality.

A joyful, seasonal sight, is the re-emergence of the small forest denizens, the tactically, stationary bunny rabbits, the scampering, furry-tailed, squirrels and most entertainingly, the small, fur-striped, eternally, playful chipmunks, who remarkably, appear to prefer cavorting and high-jinx, to eating and filling their expandable round cheeks with tasty berries, seeds, and acorns.

Our cheek is the surprised, recipient of a floating, tiny, blue and white wing feather, serving the office of a soft, tactual cue, that the time has arrived to purchase the patio flowers.

-p.

Despite the existence of much sound and fury, evinced by the persistence of the Nation’s problematic, race relations, it is our view, that an attempt at the examination of said singular and divisive, issue in a dispassionate and analytical context may tend to be of pragmatic use in its amelioration.

Initially, we cannot resist the impulse to observe, that the metaphysical, dynamics of American race prejudice, grave and complex as it, inarguably, is, has its own bizarre, empirical dynamic. Unlike the antipathy for example, of the Armenians against the Turks, for their cruel historical mistreatment, or the Chinese against Japan, for the “Rape of Nanking,” the extant racial hatred and bias in America, is bizarrely, evinced by the descendants of the White Christian slave owners, (i.e. the “wrongdoers”) against the modern descendants of the victims, (the “wronged”) of black enslavement. The prejudice, albeit, historical and profound, is thus, not retribution, but is empirically, skewed and conversely, irrational; yet is profound and dynamically, reflexive, i.e., requiring, merely, the mere, visual ascertainment of non-white, skin color.

A second, preliminary observation, is that the MAGA constituents have, profitably, added another tactical misnomer to their arsenal of ignorant epithets, viz., “woke.”  The previously, misused word, “socialism,” has been generously employed by Trump sycophants, for any and all government programs of citizen benefits, (inclusive of their own beneficial receipt of the same). It appears to be an entirely, futile exercise to, eternally,  remind the sage, MAGA conspiracy mongers, that “Socialism,” inapplicably, is a belief in the complete ownership and control of industry and business by government desired by, absolutely, no one. Their chosen epithet du jour is “woke,” which, in reality, simply means, presently aware (viz., of the fundamentals of the race issue).

“Woke,” in essence, simply, stated, is a descriptive adjective signifying that the attributed individual has a mature and objective understanding of the extant, unconscionable and eternal persistence of the institutionally, demeaned, status, which, had, historically, been assigned to the enslaved, black, individual. There seems to exist many American citizens, who, albeit, sincere and ardent opponents, of slavery, and racial discrimination in general, but, nevertheless, are not sufficiently, cognizant of the atavistic, societal, persistence, of such institutional perception. At sometimes it is subtle, at other times, it is more easily discernable; the exemption from such impediments, termed, “white privilege,” may well, circumstantially, go unnoticed, by its beneficiary. The informed, awareness of the contemporary, persistence of the subject phenomenon (the persistence of the institutionalized, differentiated racial status) is our understanding of the meaning and social context of the term, “woke.”

Some illustrative, examples of such atavistic, institutionalized, perceptions and consequent, differentiated, treatment may, at various times, be observed in the context of real estate and apartment rentals, admission to institutions of higher education and golf and country clubs, loans and mortgage finance, employment, the criminal justice system, and automobile drivers’ interactions with municipal police, and sadly, in personal relationships.

Enlightenment, more to the point, the maturation of Man’s perception, is a vitally, important ingredient in the foundational keystone, of personal development and, as well, of desirable, National cohesion.

-p.

As one departs from childhood, he observes that his early, timeworn, response to critical comments or insulting accusations, “Sticks and stones may hurt my bones, but words will never hurt me” is, in fact, empirically, inaccurate. The employment of accusatory or critical words can have truly devastating and enduring results upon an individual’s reputation or the perceived value of an asset or idea. If a statement is false and causes injury, the wrong can be redressed in a lawsuit for the tort of defamation. Such false and injurious statements (defamation) may be oral (“slander”) or written (libel).

We were inwardly, pleased to learn of the two pending lawsuits, by plaintiffs, Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic, USA, against Fox News and Fox Corp., together with certain of their popular television hosts, seeking damages in the billions of dollars for defamation. The charges principally consist of the intentional, broadcast of false statements, proclaiming that the presidential election was (in the words of Donald J.  Trump), “stolen,” by the mechanical, switching and altering the votes, in order that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were the winners.  Successful results in said lawsuits, we are advised, could put Fox News out of business; a result, which, in our view, would be entirely, salubrious, to our Nation’s body politic, and its democracy.  Fox News, eternally, has held itself out as a legitimate, News channel, when, in empirical reality, it is, a tactical, full-time, purveyor of right-wing propaganda.

However, such positive events, per se, do not constitute the intended, contextual theme of this essay, viz., the positive, function of such pending (and devastating) lawsuits, as a sorely, needed and conspicuous,  public reaffirmation of the basic, societal necessity, of factual, truth.

The shocking, elevation of Donald J. Trump to the Oval Office (largely, by the poorly informed and misguided, populist, “underbelly” of the Nation, financed by several of the Nation’s irresponsible anti-regulation, industrialists) was, predictably, regressive, and anti-democratic. In addition to his profound ignorance, his shameful bias and lack of moral compass, Trump, from the day of his inauguration, set out on the path of the autocratic, trade- mark policy of, demeaning factual truth, castigating the responsible media, and introducing to his large horde of compliant and deplorable acolytes, the concept of “alternate” facts, viz., information, subjectively, tailored to suit one’s temporal interest.

We have written, copiously, on the subject of this bizarre, Marvel Comics style, villain, his miscreant behavior, as previously specified, ranging from treasonous (promoting Putin’s propaganda) and greedy violations of the “Emolument Clause,” express bigotry, shameless incompetency and publicly demonstrated, lack of moral compass.  Nevertheless, the totality of said, specified, immorality, in our view, does not attain the deplorable level of the societal (i.e., anthropological) crime of demeaning the existential concept and humanistic, commitment regarding, “truth.” Without the mutual confidence and the eternal pragmatic, assumption of factual truth, the vital element of interactive communication would be untrustworthy or non-existent, and thus, societal life would be rendered, impossible; thus relegating Man to his early, primitive state, as living a lonely, insecure and hazardous life. “Truth” is the existential epoxy of interactive communication, and ultimately, of the existence of society.

Trump’s active and demagogic  campaign against truth (“alt, facts”) was especially, successful among his populist acolytes, and succeeded in  being an effective, catalyst for the creation and dissemination of his supporters’ susceptibility to delusional, conspiratorial ideations, such as:  liberals are child abusers, the Jews seek control of the World, 9/11 was a U.S. false-flag operation,  Israel (not climate change) is causing the unnaturally, large number of forest fires in the Southwest, by shooting rockets from outer space, and other creative, “revelations.” Many such paranoid ideations (revelations) were construed and disseminated by Trump’s cult-like supporters, loyally, compliant, with his denigration of truthful reality.

By far, the most shocking and damaging conspiratorial creation was Trump’s autocratic style, election denial, (of his loss to Biden) viz., “The Big Lie,” resulting in substantial National discord and, ultimately, an historically, notable, violent insurrection, which tragedy, at his invitation took place, at the Washington Capital Building two years ago. It will be recalled, that, the relevant election had been certified as valid, by several professionally, accredited sources. Nevertheless, said intentionally, false and neurotic, election conspiracy (The Big Lie”),  asserted by Donald Trump, and adopted by his large cult, of sycophants, frustratingly, and incomprehensibly, persists, to date.

Mankind’s existential, moral and pragmatic standard of truth, where needed, is highlighted by the two above-mentioned, cases, which concern a fundamental subject, required for the essential survival of humankind.

-p.

  In order that this writer avoid the depressing conclusion that the empirical outcome of the Founder’s  “Radical Experiment,” in the creation of a Democratic Republic, disappointingly, evinces, the triumph of experience over hope, he finds it metaphysically, necessary to construe an explanatory ( sociological) assumption, viz., that the experiment, itself, has changed and has become more societally, convoluted.

It may be useful, as an explanatory illustration, to reference the mathematical discipline of geometry, in the understanding of the contemporary stress-laden condition of American society, in contrast to the Founder’s dedicated efforts towards a just, peaceful and utilitarian, Nation. In Geometry, one is presented with certain established propositions, (the “Given”) and by applicable, logical process, deduces the desired, conclusion, (QED). Utilizing such geometric lexicon, the Founders’ optimistic perception was, evidently, based upon a distinctly, differentiated, “given,” (societal milieu) than the contemporary precepts, held by mainstream, right-minded American citizens.

In 1787, when the Founding Fathers completed the drafting of the United States Constitution, much of the Planet had, historically, been under the abject rule of despotism, monarchial or ecclesiastical. The architects of our Republican Democracy intended that their archetypal and radical creation, avoid the unjust, autocracy of a Monarch or Pope, eschew the unjust class system, based upon “privileged” birth, and, establish a “universal” equality. They, optimistically, anticipated that the outcome of their unique experiment would be, the political antithesis of autocratic rule and privileged status.

We would confess to the complete, contemporary, inability, to, rationally comprehend the sincere and dedicated, aspiration to prescribe a “universal,” equality, but, one which was applicable, exclusively, to propertied, white male citizens. Many of the founders, like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were, at one and the same time, slave owners, and advocates for “equality.” Excluded from the category of democratic, free citizen, were the enslaved black, whose legally, and socially, assigned, status was, that, of a mere agricultural chattel, the property-less male and the entire population of women. Thus, the status and complexity, of the Founders’ stated, “Experiment in Republican Democracy,” in 1787, was circumscribed, and, inarguably, far more limited in scope, and complexity than today.

Judging by today’s altered and expanded, criteria, despite the relatively, recent, legislated standard of equality of female treatment and, significantly, the grant of their voting franchise, the Nation evinces far less than universal compliance, with Statute, and case precedent, in the establishment of constitutional equality to Americans of color. It is the latter impediment in the main, together with certain (not unrelated) cultural factors (see, below) that continue to complicate the classic aspiration for a successful outcome from the great, experiment in Republican Democracy.

We would briefly, categorize and list the three salient factors, as we perceive them, most responsible for the added, complexity or enhancement, to the Founders’ (conception of) the “radical experiment in democracy.” Unfortunately, they uniformly, appear to be cultural, and consequently, difficult of amelioration. We list them, according to our perception, in ascending order of significance:

[Religious interference] The Founders, mostly Deists, all too cognizant of the historic, injustices and autocratic cruelties of the Church, clearly and unequivocally, made provision in our Constitution, for the non –involvement of the Church in governmental rule (“Separation of Church and State.”) The “Establishment” Clause, prohibits government interference with, or participation in, religion.

Nonetheless, the express prohibition against governmental participation in religious matters has been, at various, times, violated. The existence of “Sunday Blue Laws,” (now unenforced), alcoholic prohibition (now discontinued),  tax exemption for profitable Church institutions, persisting prayer at school and public events,  discrimination against trans-sex individuals and same-sex marriage, book censorship, and the most draconian, callous and life-threatening, the SCOTUS abolition of a woman’s right to abortion. The supporters of the latter, inhuman and unconstitutional strictures, tactically, and deceitfully, had arrogated to themselves the misleading name, “Right to Life.” That the falsity and misrepresentation of such name, (selected for public relations purposes), is inarguably, deceitful, is shown by their eternal opposition to programs of assistance to the needy child, (i.e., after birth), their general opposition to gun regulation (despite the plethora of tragic public shootings), opposition to refugee immigration, and support of capital punishment. SCOTUS’s banning of abortion was erroneous since religiously, based.

[Culture] The unfortunate, existence, in a Nation of a large inventory of a less than adequately, educated, and poorly, informed, citizens, poses an imminent danger to the existence of democracy. Founder, Thomas Jefferson, famously, declared that in order for a democracy to succeed, it is necessary to have an “educated and informed citizenry.”

That such basic and mandatory requirement has not been realized, is unequivocally, made evident, in the daily media and in personal experience. It is the large “underbelly,” of populist-ignorant members of the American society that is useless to any Nation that is dedicated to governance, by, and for the people. Moreover, it is this class that is most vulnerable to “snake oil,” demagogues, political and religious, and with the self-serving, financial support of anti-regulation big business, succeeded in the election to America’s Oval Office, of the autocratic, ignorant, immoral and biased, Donald Trump. We have, in earlier essays, previously, described his incapable and bizarre term of office (resulting in not less than, two, Congressional impeachments). 

It is among such populist underbelly, citizens that there exists, fertile ground for the perpetuation and transmission of delusional conspiracy ideations, and Christian White Supremacy militias, supporters of anti-democratic undertakings, not the least of which, was the Trump inspired, “false election,” or autocratic style, “Big Lie,” that, shockingly, led to the violent, January, 26 rebellion against the Capitol Building, in Washington, D.C.

Historically, the 18^th Century Founders had, naively, anticipated an entirely differentiated, population of Americans, who, in neighborly manner, would, regularly, and informatively, debate the extant, controversial issues. The result of the debates was anticipated to be useful as a guide to the Nation’s policymakers, as appropriate to a government, by and for the people.  Instead, differences in opinion led to sharp, divisive, rancor between insular, groups of like-minded citizens at “cold war” with other such groups, but of disparate opinion. The empirical character of the population had been optimistically, misjudged, no doubt, due to the Founder’s naive projection, of their erudite character and morally, dedicated, expectations. Again, the experiment had radically, changed.

[Race Relations] The 19^th Century determination, outlawing slavery, following the Civil War, regarding which, black enslavement, was the salient issue, unfortunately, did not, by any means, signal the end of the anti-democratic, dynamics of race prejudice. The problem was not an ingredient in the Founders’ declared “experiment,” since, as observed, above, they,  in the context of their historical period, did not (somehow) perceive that the agricultural enslavement of black human beings, was immoral or unnatural.

By contrast, the overpowering, moral and legal issue in contemporary times is that of white-nonwhite, racial prejudice. The absence of this issue in the early aspirations of the Founders for success in their conceived “Experiment in Democracy,” renders their archaic estimation of such experiment simplistically, irrelevant.

In, solely analytic, societal, (and in avoidance of the use of humanistically, reproachful) terms, the long decades of institutional debasement of the value of people of color, during slavery, has, to varying degrees, and for various possible reasons, been atavistically, and ignorantly, perpetuated, especially, but not, exclusively, in regard to many, “underbelly” individuals, but empirically, more significantly, in many of the Nation’s institutions and practices. In many cases, these are subtle and properly, denominated as white (usually, unperceived) privilege. The advocates for “Critical Race” education, are especially, interested in this latter phenomenon.

We have chosen to persist in our optimistic expectation, that the “Radical Experiment in Democracy,” albeit, demonstrably, enhanced, and complicated, will, in time, enjoy a result, universally, satisfactory to all right-thinking, moral American citizens.

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[For a momentary diversion from the angst of the contemporary scene, we have acquiesced to a reader’s request to, once more, return to our exotic past. We have, previously, devoted several writings on our childhood, as first-generation progeny of poor Eastern European Immigrants].

By the late 1940s, our family had moved to the Brownsville section of East New York, to lease and reside in the downstairs apartment in a two-family dwelling, owned by our maternal Aunt and Uncle. It was at this era in the lives of myself and my twin (fraternal) brother that the relevant action took place.

It is because the currently, inauspicious coin, viz., the dime, has a prominent place in the adventure to be related, and, further, because some brief observations of the ubiquity of the same, in the 1940s, might be of assistance in imparting a partial picture of that singular period, we would indulge in a brief, but factually, related, diversion, concerning that relevant item of exchange.

The ten-cent coin, the “dime,” contemporaneously, occupying the hapless, financial status as a feckless nuisance, by contrast, had some significance, in an era when prices, and wages, were, so low, as to now appear incredible. Yet, in the 1940’s it was a minor, but, nevertheless, utilitarian, medium of exchange.

The coin’s ubiquitous significance in this era, was evidenced by the following, illustrative, uses: “The March of Dimes,” (fund for the eradication of polio), “Dime Stores,” (still in use for low-priced consumer marketing), “The Dime Savings Bank,” (would distribute, for deposit purposes, small cardboard dime holders, for saving the coins until the same reached, the depositable, total, $3.00), expressions like “a dime a dozen,” (of common character, ordinary), “In for a nickel, in for a dime,“(totally dedicated), “the car can stop on a dime,”(it has excellent brakes), the stereotypical panhandler’s request: “Mister, you gotta dime for a cup of coffee?” and so many other contextual examples.  Notably, the cost of a ride on the subway and the charge for the use of a public telephone, likewise, was the then, ubiquitous, dime.

Our “new” neighborhood, albeit, quite modest, conveniently, had a public pool, “Betsy Head Pool,” with admission at nine cents per patron. On warm summer afternoons, my brother and I would go there to swim, and took the price of admission from our meager weekly allowance. Our hard-working, immigrant father, like most other families in our milieu, unfortunately, was the recipient of low wages, and could not afford to give us a better weekly allowance.

As recalled, it was on a sunny, hot Friday, and predictably, my brother and I decided to go to Betsy Head Pool, where the price of individual admission was nine cents. Since it was the end of a week, we investigated the balance our mutual financial resources. Happily, we discovered that each of us, had retained, the identical sum of thirty cents (i.e. three dimes); sufficient to pay the cost of admission to the pool (.09) and the charge for the subway, going (.10) and returning (.10). Our mother gave us two towels, and, as expected, a greater number of mandated, instructions after which we went swimming.

We, at this juncture, each having remaining balances of eleven cents, just enough for our return subway trip, and upon exiting the pool, feeling refreshed and energized, we spied an Italian ices truck (lemon ices! Price, per cup, 10 cents). We were, at once, struck with frustration, and truly devastated, at our monetary shortfall. Italian ices, especially, lemon flavor, at this stage of our lives, was “Nectar of the Gods,” however, we each needed our dimes for our return subway trip.

We, sadly, descended the steps of the closest subway station with the intention to return home and discovered that the selected portion of the station facility was not central, but an auxiliary, unmanned one with simple, a turnstile for the deposit of fare, and a revolving door, which was mechanically, activated, and allowed entry into the station, upon deposit of the dime entrance fee.

We, shrewdly, looked at each other, then, wordlessly, ascended the stairs, and purchased a delightful cup of lemon ices, and, slowly and passionately, consumed it. Thereafter, we again, descended the steps of the deserted, auxiliary subway entrance, with only the wherewithal, (one dime) for one admission. We merely looked at each other as the cue for dynamic action. My brother, being the slimmest and most agile of the two of us, mounted himself, upon my shoulders, as I, compliantly, crouched. I then deposited the one dime in the turnstile slot, pushed into motion the now unlocked, revolving door and proceeded, shoulder-mounted with my sibling, into the train station, for our mutual ride home.

Prior to the described offense, and, moreover, in the seventy-five succeeding years, I have never committed, even the slightest, criminal offense. Accordingly, I remain eternally, hopeful that this singular, (ancient) theft of a dime’s worth of services, will legally, be barred by some applicable Statute of Limitations, even, possibly, annulled, so that, officially, I will be enabled to continue to exult in the recollection of a lifetime, of otherwise, unimpeachable, behavior.
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