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After many years of alternating our time between our domicile on the upper west side of Manhattan, and our country home (currently, Kingston, N.Y.), we have come to realize, a subtle, but, discernable, difference in personal mindset, and general perception associated with each, respective residence.

The many, diverse benefits of living in a large metropolis like New York City, include convenient access to places of diversion like, movies, theater, museums, parks, and as well, to shopping for food or clothing. Socialization with friends and family is facilely accommodated as are services when needed. There is a popular, universal sense of shared residential concern regarding, weather, traffic, cost of services, travel and other matters such as pollution, city cleanliness and crime. Big cities seem to be residentially appropriate for the greater amounts of human population.  An individual’s life, however, conceivably, can be lonely in the large “beehive” Metropolis, but such condition would likely to be due to a nuanced feeling of anonymity, or inconsequence. We, fortunately, are quite comfortable, being part of the city society.

In addition to our adjustment to the lifestyle of big city dwellers, we have always had an abiding love for the countryside and accordingly, enjoy our frequent residence at our country home. The latter is adjacent to and part of a verdant, forested area, abounding in birds, deer, bears and little woodland critters. In contrast to the concrete and brick Metropolitan bee hive, our country home is surrounded by forest, flora and majestic rock outcrops.

Kingston, N.Y. can permissibly, be described as “small town,” in population. However, it is blessed with a natural, unspoiled, seemingly unlimited, woodland beauty and natural forest environment. We have learned that (for us), it is possible to, simultaneously, be satisfied, and accommodated, big city dwellers and, as well, ardent lovers of the rural environment, its fauna and flora.

Our present writing, however, comprises an attempt at explanation of our personally, nuanced perception and responses, to events, as they occur, which seems to be dependent upon our residential venue at the time (i.e., city or country). It, does, at times, however, seem that as humankind, our suitable and appropriate residence is with the many others of our evolved species, residing in the city, and that we occupy the status of mere “squatters” on country land; which, for eternity, has been the natural property and exclusive abode of the local fauna and flora. This personal sense of propriety may be confirmed by the demonstration of humankind’s numerical predilection, generally, for city dwelling. In short, it is our view that mankind’s natural inclination to live in society with a sufficient population of others renders him an unnatural dweller of the forest or prairie. It is this learned mindset, we feel, that causes us to vary our reactions to stimuli, relative to our city apartment dwelling or our country home.

Last week, in Kingston, while in the process of procuring an item from our bedroom, we were shocked and surprised to see, through the glass door, a very large, dangerous and beautiful, black bear, climb over the banister of our rear wooden deck. The unusually large beast (for a black bear), seemingly, with a sense of entitlement, entered the raised deck and violently, swiped down and broke our bird feeders and trashed two attractive planters.

Notwithstanding our fearful witness of this despoliation, it surprised us to note, that our sole reaction to such aggressive acts of trespass and damage, was, solely, that of fear of the dangerous bear. For a few moments, we were puzzled as to our complete lack of angry response to the aggressive and unprovoked damage perpetrated by the big brute. We then, suddenly, recalled the lessons of the tragic saga of our pear trees, which occurred several years ago at our then, country home, in Kent, Connecticut (the subject of a prior essay) and, thereby, reestablished and confirmed our calm and accepting reaction.

 The historic facts, were as follows:  After more than a decade of disappointment, our two pear trees, mercifully, flowered and, at long last, rewarded our years of impatient and frustrated waiting, by, at last, bearing fruit. We purchased long-handled fruit-picking devices from the garden outlet, on our way from the City to our Kent country residence, only on arrival, to our shock and tragic dismay, to discover that beavers from the adjacent pond, (since the previous weekend when celebrated the eternally, awaited appearance, of the green fruit and excitedly decided upon its beneficiaries), had completely, chewed down the trees.

Somehow, at that moment, an epiphany occurred such that, after our initial spontaneous expression of shock and disappointment, a calm period ensued, overruling our previous response and in which we arrived at a rational understanding of what, in essence, was, in fact,  a natural event, thus, overruling our thoughtless anger and disappointment. The remembered, corrective insight, relative to our pears, was, in fact, identical to our developing, understanding and calm perception of what might, otherwise, unjustly, be perceived as an “outrageous, trespass” by the huge, black, Kingston bear.

Like the beavers who, appropriately, reside in the woodland pond, the black bear, exclusively and naturally, lives his life and makes his home, in the forest. In the forest’s natural environment, all humankind is, merely, visitors, or conceivably, interlopers. The perception that the denizens of Nature are our friendly neighbors, is foolish and useful, only in children’s literature or the doggerel, regularly, found in Hallmark, greeting cards. Analogously, and in fairness, the black bear or his beaver cousins would, no doubt, find it uncomfortable at Yankee Stadium.

The humanoid, formalized, legal ceremony, referred to, as the “real estate closing,” the ritualized dance, which recognizably, affords exclusive ownership of an identified, parcel of real estate to a specified purchaser, together, with its paperwork, lawyers, professional surveys, notarized documents, deeds, and mortgages, seems to be of scant interest to black bears and beavers. Certainly, we would think, not to snow geese who, at will, inhabit the entire planet.

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Humankind’s useful capacity for reason and its acquired respect for empirical knowledge, are the cornerstones of his remarkable development and sustainability. This creature, gifted by evolution with a sensibility, given agency by an advanced brain, has effected intellectual and mechanical advances from crude stone tools to micro-chip and echo-robotics.  As he has progressed, over the eons, intellectually and technically, Man has, experientially, confirmed the existential value of learning and advancement by means of enlightened reason as opposed to atavistic, and irrational tribal myth. The Sun God turned out to be a secular, planetary, source of heat and light, lightning and thunder, the meteorological response to the combined presence of certain atmospheric stimuli, and not an angry God, and fire, an existential, controllable and creative tool in the capable hands of Homo sapiens.

Notwithstanding its ever-developing enlightenment and continuing successes in empirical knowledge and consequent material advances, humankind, in general, seems to persist in its non-rational, ancient belief in the obligation to render homage to a higher being or, Deity and generally, adhere to his traditional folkloric practices, inclusive of the instilled religious system and dogma.

Biblical myths include such accounts as the tale of Adam and Eve, the serpent and the “Tree of Knowledge,” Moses, parting the seas with his wooden staff, Jonah and the Whale, the trope that the (omnipotent) God made the World in 6 days (presently estimated at more than four billion years), was tired, (contrary to the Biblical, warranty of his omnipotence) and “rested,” conveniently, on the 7th day (Sabbath Sunday)  as well as the recounting of the “immaculate conception,” as underlying and motivating the later religious stories of Christmas and Easter.

Following the unpredictable and bizarre election of Donald Trump to the American Presidency, a perceivable, general decline in the implicit virtues of factual truth and objective empiricism, was discernable.  Trump sought to please his populist supporters by declaring an all-out war on factual truth, in favor of the more convenient and subjective, “alternate facts,” and derided educational and societal enlightenment.  There, unfortunately, developed a discernable, wide-spread populist distaste for truth, in favor of tactically useful, paranoid ideation, viz., “conspiracy theories.”

The most, democratically, injurious of Trump’s false conspiracy theories, termed “The Big Lie,” aping the orthodox falsity of the Fascists, was his assertion (without a scintilla of proof) that the election was “stolen” from him. His cultish acolytes were only too happy to sign in to Trump’s alleged bugbear, consisting of a false ideation of conspiracy by the “deep government,” to deprive him of “his win.” Trump followers, thereupon, entered into a program to perpetrate the most outrageous and false, conspiracy claims, second only in National impact to his “Big Lie” (“stolen” election).

Typical of the most outrageous of the false paranoid ideations perpetrated by the deluded, Trump cultists, was that the “liberal elites,” were child abusers and traffickers, that George Soros was financing Black Lives Matter riots, that Jews are plotting to control the world, that Israel is shooting rockets down to Earth from outer space, that there exists a sub-rosa Socialist-Communist (?) plot to take over America, that, homosexuality can be taught and young children are being “groomed” to be gay, that Covid was a liberal conspiracy, that 9/11 was a CIA false flag operation, and on and on, ad infinitum, ad nauseam.

It is an eerie fact that so many, ostensibly, rational citizens, unexplainably, seem to be believers in such paranoid ideation. Our thematic question notably, concerns the possible bizarre potential of the human brain to actually, “believe” such exercises in irrationality? Can there be some primitive area of the human brain that, given the appropriate motivation or atavistic stimulus, is capable of enabling such exotic stimuli to devolve into actual belief?

Of contextual interest and salient importance, is the related, secular query: does this identical feature or, flaw, in the human brain, analogously, explain the widespread, human agency for (irrational) belief in religious miracles? To be clear, we do not attribute tactical or purposeful motivation to those of religious belief, we merely pose the question, as to the extent of propensity of the human brain to replace, empirical truth and enlightened experience, with, non-rational, cultural tradition.                                                                                                                        
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Recently, we overheard some pointed remarks, disputing the popular attribution of idealistic motivation for justice and equality, granted to our legendary, “radical” Founders. The ardent speaker, presumably, a mainstream American, supporter of humanism and the plain morality of civil rights, was harshly critical of the stated principles of democracy and equality, espoused by such men, some of whom owned slaves and whose vital grant of protected, Constitutional rights, were applicable solely to white, male landowners. This was not the first time we had experienced this specific, critique, and we would take this opportunity, to seek the critic’s understanding and, perhaps, his amended perception.

In anticipation of the expression of the intended theme of this essay, we would initially, state, that while we are in full agreement with the apparent, foundational sentiments of the overheard speaker, we cannot endorse his unsophisticated and anachronistic understanding of American Constitutional history.

Comprehending the context of their era, it is undeniable that the Founders were idealistic, indeed, radical reformers. Cognizant of the injustices traditionally, roiling Europe, they were keen to create a new political and social Republic, free of an absolutist Sovereign, or an autocratic Church, and, notably, free of the unjust institution of “Privileged Birth.” It is the latter conceit that motivated their discernable emphasis on “Equality.” The concept of equality of birth status, at their time in history, was radical, and its Constitutional implementation was a humanitarian advance of incalculable measure, as known to any reader of European history or classic literature.

The creation of a Nation, for and by the “People,” was veritable, “Science Fiction,” in an age (and long past history) when a Sovereign or the Pope was the autocratic head of State, and when Royal designates were the temporal overlords, often prescribing a life of misery and privation for the commoner. The Founders also, empathically, provided for the prohibition of “cruel and unusual” punishment.

The novel and thoughtful, designation of a tri-partite form of government, Executive, Legislative and Judicial, in conjunction with the innovative concepts of, “Separation of Powers,” and “Checks and Balances,” purposed to prevent the unwise, concentration of governmental power, was a new and radical innovation of the Founders and an enduring assurance against despotic rule.

In the years following the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, several Amendments, by necessity, were added, granting rights, in addition to the first ten, (“Bill of Rights”) included at the time of the adoption. In fact, subsequent to the date of the Constitution’s adoption, it appears that a full thirty-three Amendments were necessarily, adopted, inclusive of, the “Thirteenth,” prohibiting slavery, the “Fourteenth,” incorporating and declaring all of the rights, granted by the federal government to American citizens, were applicable to the State, the “Fifteenth,” regarding protection of the right to vote, regardless of race or previous condition of servitude, the “Nineteenth,” Women’s right to vote and the “Twenty-Sixth,” lowering the voting age to eighteen. Notably, the original draft of the Constitution has been in the temporal stage of Amendment, since its initial adoption as was deemed needed.

It is commonly known, that there are individuals who, atavistic manner, seem, eternally, to persist in the tired and misleading trope, that the determination of controversial issues should, properly, be based on (their perception of the) “original intent,” of the Founders. However, history has emphatically, demonstrated that our Nation is ever-changing, which at various times, has societally and legally, mandated (the onerous, process of) Constitutional Amendment.

Perhaps of utmost importance to the granting of plain justice, is the consideration of timely, relevance. The “Sociological Interpretation” of the United States Constitution, was famously, espoused by, and eloquently expressed in the written judicial opinions of Hon. Benjamin Cardozo, Justice of the United States Supreme Court  (in our view, the greatest and most brilliant Jurist to serve on America’s highest Court.) This just, relevant and pragmatic approach, recommended the application of the provisions of the U.S. Constitution in the manner in which “the Founders would have intended,” but under the prevailing conditions, applicable at the time of the litigation. Those proponents of archaic wisdom, or tactical proponents of injustice who persist in their tired and misleading arguments, based upon the bugbear, of “original intent”  in order to amend their perception of reality, need  to listen to Bob Dylan, who famously, sang, “The times, they are “a’ changin.”

It would be eminently, fair, and deservedly, respectful to the memory of our thoughtful, “Founders,” if their brilliant character and high moral compass, were (fairly) evaluated in terms of theircontextual times, rather than with a thoughtless, anachronistic, (modern-day) projection.

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It may, acceptably, be said that prejudice, against “other” groups of people, as an abstract concept, is not based on reason, or, even actual exposure. We often find it useful to refer to the English philosopher, John Locke, who famously, stated that Man is born with a blank slate, (“tabula rasa”) and that all of his knowledge is acquired by his empirical experience. It may confidently, be said, that the individual mindset for dislike of any group, inarguably, is taught, and reinforced by others, so inclined.

The earliest and most enduring indoctrination in discrimination often is unintended but, nevertheless, is perpetrated by well-intentioned, but insufficiently sensitive, parents and family. In the course of instructing their young child as to his familial and ethnic identity, responsible parents should consciously avoid the impactful and unintended (exclusionary) lesson of the words, “we,” and “they” and, beneficially, in the course of familiarizing the child with his newly acquired, ethnic identity, to do so, in the inclusive context of the existence and acceptability, of other cultures and belief systems. This is the first and, it is submitted, the most crucial (and enduring) prophylactic step against bigotry; the societal importance of which to the body politic, is as vital as the infant’s inoculation against diphtheria. To do otherwise is to permanently, instill in the young mind, the chronic pandemic of ethnocentric preference, or even, hatred.

The perverse and life-distorting lesson of bigotry is an infectious and virulent toxin, perpetuated by its own destructive pathology of pernicious speech and unhealthy atmosphere.  Ambient, hateful or insulting references, socially perpetuate the creation of an atmosphere, redolent with the foul odor of their familiar but perverse acceptability. However, the principles of public morality and human dignity, permit no occasion, whatsoever, for the tolerance of ethnic or, racially, bigoted remarks.

There appears to exist, certain individuals who are, at a minimum, uncomfortably, aware of their feelings who, to avoid negative personal feelings about themselves, when they act or speak on such matters, attempt to construe some (purportedly) justifiable, reason. Yet, there are numerous others, who have long been schooled in the art of social hatred, who, customarily, (and shamelessly) seek the company of others who share in their social pathology.

The baseline principles of human morality and dignity, concededly, would permit no occasion, whatsoever, for the acceptability or tolerance of bigotry, ethnic, racist or sexual. The salient question remains that, since prejudice is learned, can it be unlearned? We would surmise that the success rate in such an endeavor would be less than desirable; however, the principles of common morality, as well as our traditional American (and humanistic) inclinations oblige us to keep trying.

It is our considered view that the proper upbringing of children, (from earliest childhood) in a humanistic, principled, household is the most effective, permanent assurance of future social rectitude. As to others, long soiled by the contaminants of bigotry and hatred, conceivably, the encouragement of multi-racial-ethnic, social interaction (i.e. picnics, dinners, sports attendance) might be of assistance in disabusing the haters of their groundless, predisposed antipathy.

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Regular followers of this blog space no doubt, are aware, that we have eternally had a penchant for attempting to solve, purportedly, “unsolvable questions,” typically, of a philosophical or logical nature. To date, our “finest hour,” may, actually, have been enjoyed, long ago, as high school students, in  relating the solution to the age-old conundrum, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” As reported in an earlier essay, we, personally and proudly, revealed the logical answer, viz., that the egg came first; the same being laid by the animal (bird), immediately, preceding the chicken in Evolution’s schedule;  that egg when hatched, eventuated the first chicken. Our success, from the relevant challenge, was, as reported in that earlier essay, two (2) delicious Chunky Bars, but unfortunately, no public recognition. It is especially, frustrating to us that the aphorism of this so-called, insolvable question, (chicken-egg) is still used to signify an issue’s (purported) impossibility of (empirical) resolution.

Over the years, we have been tantalized by the challenge of remote, or exotic, questions, and often frustrated by our inability to attain their explanation. Even the mysterious “black holes,” of outer space, have been identified and explained. We are advised that a “black hole,” is defined and described, as a place where gravity is so intense that even light cannot escape.

In contrast to the latter issue, relating to an exotic question, there are in existence, a myriad of tantalizing questions, relative to many everyday, simple phenomena, respecting which there appears to be no ready, or available, explanation. In point of fact, the utter complexity of the specifically chosen question, prompting this writing,  regarding a familiar item, is misleadingly, disguised, by its apparent, but, nevertheless, essentially, convoluted, simplicity.

In aid of our desire to seek the answer to such labyrinthine question, shortly to be revealed, it would seem prudent to start with the revelation of some well-known, non-complex, facts. The unanswerable question relates to the simple, well-known object, known as the” bagel”.  As commonly known, the bagel is a species of bread roll, shaped by hand into a (hand-size), circular shape, made from yeasted dough, boiled in water and then baked. It is immediately, recognizable by virtue of  its unique, circular configuration (often with a topping, such as sesame seeds, cinnamon, onion, salt, or even, garlic.)

The revelation of the subject issue, as cautioned, predictably, will appear, to be so simple, even, tautological, as to appear comical; however, the reader has our considered, assurance that the same is metaphysically complex and, necessarily, will require a measure of clarification, prior to any attempt at its resolution. We would, respectfully, request that the reader withhold his (predictable) reaction, pending the question’s explanatory, clarification. Any (understandable) conclusion of absurdity, or possible, tautology, will, sadly, miss the true, esoteric and deep labyrinthine mystery, implicit in the challenging issue.

The subject question (kindly, resist any spontaneous, reaction, pending our, explanation) is: “Can, or does, a bagel have a hole in it?” We will undertake to redeem ourselves with the following explanation of the intrinsic rationality and context of the posed question.

Wooden planks, indisputably, are solid objects, manufactured from trees and used most often in the building trades for home construction.  If one were to take a plank of wood and drill a hole in it, the plank, would thereby, have demonstrated its capability to sustain holes. The same would, by extension, demonstrate, that wooden planks, in general, can, indeed, sustain a hole.  The same facility can be experienced and concluded regarding, virtually every other solid object, viz., a torn shirt, cardboard box, footwear (especially, socks), umbrella, rowboat, etc.; virtually, every solid item,  except the troublesome bagel; the latter for reasons,  metaphysical, logical and empirical, to be revealed.

In an attempt to simplify the present, truly, arcane question, we would again point out, if necessary, that a bagel is a baked, circular roll, and thus, by its unique and definitional design, contains a blank (or empty) space, within the confines of such baked, circular dough. What metaphysical wizard can construe the existence, or the manufacture of a hole within its conceded, classic and definitional shape? The empty center, (around which is found, the circular baked dough) does not feature the requisite solid matter, for the construction, or maintenance of what would reasonably qualify as a “hole.”  Stated somewhat differently, the unique, definitional, bagel design, cannot furnish the physical subject matter, requisite to the making, or maintenance of holes. As a matter of elementary physics, an empty void will not sustain the making, or empirical existence of holes, thus, please take note that the bagel, by definition, stereotypically, has a characteristic, empty center, but, no possible hole. [QED.]

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It would, be accurate to (merely) refer to the Brooklyn Bridge, as a conveyance, constructed, in the mode of an engineering hybrid, combining cable and suspension elements, and spanning New York’s East River, between the Boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, that It opened for bridge traffic May 23, 1883, and, further, that at the time of its opening, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world.

Nevertheless, the statement would be shamefully, insufficient as an adequate or appropriately, respectful, reference to this unique American icon, this veritable (architectural and historical) jewel in the National crown, presently celebrating its one hundred and fortieth birthday. In fact, in our view, there exists no greater nor more articulate, expression of human creativity nor aesthetic beauty and pragmatic accomplishment, to be seen in the contemporary Western world.

Those who, by means of literature and film, may be aware of the early, New York City street scene, are aware of its overcrowded indeed, veritably, claustrophobic, atmosphere.  Streets were so overcrowded with pedestrians, horses and wagons, tradespeople, and pushcarts that pedestrian travel was, by necessity, often effected between rooftops. The ghetto-like, over-crowdedness was unhealthy, as well as physically, confining. Diseases such as the dreaded, tuberculosis, enjoyed the unhealthy windfall of filthy streets, redolent of horse droppings and a myriad of other pernicious sources of infection.

With the opening of this life-changing, bridge, the affected (and infected) New York Boroughs were opened up to travel to the outer reaches of the City and State for healthier air and robust commerce. The new and wondrous conveyance was, especially for the economically, modest residents of New York City, a miraculous means to a less confining and more rewarding life.

European critics and New World naysayers, were, irrefutably, made aware, of the demonstrated, miracle of New World (American) capability, empirically, demonstrated by the Herculean erection of this marvelous suspension bridge, and, that a well-earned and appropriate, respect for the former, English colonies, previously, existentially, threatened by a disastrous Civil War, was, indeed, warranted.

The Bridge, officially certified as a National Historic Landmark, is a strikingly, beautiful edifice, with roadways passing through magnificent portals of gigantic gothic archways, asserting themselves as no less than, appropriately, triumphal. In our view, the Brooklyn Bridge invests the entire East Side of New York City, with the grand and elevated context of a permanent outdoor art and history museum, as well as an everlasting symbol of American ingenuity and courageous accomplishment.

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We are confident of the receipt of a satisfactory response, from an obstetrician or a midwife, if inquiry were made as to the medical reason a newborn child,  upon emergence from the womb, is, summarily, slapped on his bottom. Our surmise is that the dynamic practice encourages crying and the consequent, initiative, process of breathing air.  By bright contrast, however, we have no conception, regarding the motivation of the prospective purchaser of an automobile, who, traditionally, kicks its tires.  Nevertheless, we do have a proposed, albeit, fanciful, or symbolic, explanation for this usual, aggressive display of rubber tire terpsichory, which we undertake to reveal at a latter portion of this essay.

It might prove to be an interesting and creative challenge, to the essayist,  to endeavor to press on with the previous comparative between the automobile, viz., an inorganic, mechanic contrivance, and the singularly, organic, sentient life of humankind, the latter’s creator and user.

The likelihood of a shocked response, to such a radical challenge, might be somewhat tempered, by reference to the analogous, functional similarities, appropriately attributed, to hospital care, and, as well, to the automobile repair center. For example, the medical transplant of organs (the furnishing of new catalog auto parts), the surgical repair or replacement of broken or non-functioning limbs, (mechanical repairs and replacement), transfusion, dialysis, the medically, therapeutic, draining of fluids (change of oil, lubricants), and the repair of a flat tire (podiatric services). [We would request the reader’s kind tolerance of  our contextual effort to construe a literary and fanciful, anthropomorphic, analogy of the attributes of man and automobile.]

When a newborn baby has arrived at the family venue, there then begins a non-stop ritual of its constant cleaning, powdering, oiling, bathing, wiping down, and nurturing. Relatives, neighbors and close friends are invited to admire the newly arrived addition to the family, in his luxurious digs, the lavishly furnished baby room, decorated to proudly, showcase and admire the newly arrived, miracle child. Thereafter, the baby is the recipient of constant, royal inspection and treatment, any new pimple or minor scratch receiving the degree of attendance and care, equivalent, in intensity and dedication, to a broadcasted, code blue, regarding a hospital patient, precariously, assigned to intensive care supervision.

The new car owner, after the exercise of extreme caution, and with the utmost of fiduciary care, pilots his new, immaculately shining, baby blue car into his house-adjoining garage. Before summoning his family members to partake of his indescribable joy,  he turns off the engine and gratefully, sits for a few minutes to survey the ambient wonder of his newly acquired, automotive, Valhalla. In short order, and with a joyous shout, calls the family to see the new mechanical member of the household and to go for a short, but, exuberant drive.

It is only a matter of less than two decades, before the previous, pristine, mechanical wonder fades (in interest and appearance), and declines in family importance and efficiency, to the mundane status of a pragmatic necessary contributing but little, yet often, requiring expensive repair. This predictable, bleak future, is a possible, impetus, as above, for the new car, tire kick.

In those comparative years, the new human addition to the family has exponentially increased in size, functionality, reason and ability to communicate. Simultaneous with the slow, but steady decline in appearance of the once beatified, jalopy, by contrast, the human addition to the household has made great strides in his appearance, personal education and mature perception. By the time the family jalopy was surrendered to a used parts vendor, the family child had succeeded in being awarded a PhD. and enjoyed the academic position of assistant professor of fluid mechanics at Stanford University.

One can, with equal (and non-fanciful or allegorical) effect, easily discern the contrast between the lives of those valuable, American Citizens who by dedication to learning, strive towards wisdom and mature perception, with those hordes of jalopy-like citizens seemingly, content to merely, age and rust, without aspiration for personal growth and mature understanding.

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In our view, of all the noteworthy portals passed through by which one acquires an alternate status or amended perception of reality, graduation from an institute of higher learning, may be the most pivotal. Concededly, such milestone events as marriage, having children and becoming a grandparent are momentous and life-changing; nevertheless, we would resolutely, and, perhaps, radically, maintain that the individual’s transitional, milestone of (college) graduation is, ultimately, the most impactful and foundational. The reader might, generously, elect to reserve any, understandable, skepticism until a later point in this essay.

To be clear, our stated recognition of the great significance, or major dynamic impact, of the event of graduation, is relevant to the subject of university or graduate education. The “graduations” from schools of lower level education are not within the context, nor applicability, of this essay.

This is the perennial season of college graduation, and the joyous event is being universally, replicated in all its academic pomp and ceremony. According to our research, such formal and elaborate ceremonies, including the wearing of the traditionally, appropriate cap and hood, date back to the European 12^th Century, and include a formal, academic procession, attired in Middle Ages style, robes and hoods.

The traditional event symbolizes and celebrates the publically, recognized accomplishment, or conclusion of hard work, during stressful years of study, and affords the deserved individual, the opportunity to celebrate the significant accomplishment, together with the others who have, jointly made the similar, successful voyage.

The classic setting of the college graduation, having been, described, sufficient for the thematic, purposes of this writing, it would now seem appropriate, to  express our promised views on the “paramount” significance, to the involved individual and his society, of this perennial “Rites of Spring.”  

To properly evaluate the merit of our views, regarding the singular, importance of college graduation, it would appear to be useful, to, very briefly, examine the landmark event, from each of its points of reference, personal, sociological and political.

For the graduating individual and his family, the event ushers in the beginnings of a gradual realization,  as too his acquisition of an independent, capability to reason maturely, and to maintain confidence in his observations. It marks the conclusion of his perceived, earlier role in life, evincing, dependence, (traditional or empirical) on parental or other sources, for needed guidance in judgmental decision-making. The ceremony of college graduation, universally, and realistically, termed a ”Commencement,” has publically, and ceremoniously, confirmed his newly acquired status as a recognizable adult citizen. From the point of view of development, the landmark ceremony is an affirmation and certification of the production of additional, responsible, members of the American community. From the graduate’s personal perception, his new status is a long-awaited moment of self-affirmation. His familial relatives can enjoy the successful accomplishment of an intended and responsible goal. The Nation and society,  benefits from the graduate’s signature accomplishment and his future value, as a useful citizen.

The prevailing turmoil and divisiveness, presently, roiling the Nation, to the terrifying, extent of rending vulnerable, the Democratic Republic, is empirically, the proximate result of its numerous hordes of inadequately, educated, poorly informed, and easily misled, citizens. To, once more, reprise the wise, and notably, prescient, admonition of Thomas Jefferson: “For a Democratic Republic to succeed, it requires well-educated and well-informed citizens.” As the Nation has traumatically, learned, the most profound and dangerous divide in the American Nation exists, between the educated and well-informed citizens, and those whose education and political-social awareness, are determinatively, lacking.

The satisfactory, productive yield of educated and useful Americans is of existential necessity to the continuance of our Democratic Republic, the sine qua non of its continued existence. The benefits of enlightenment to society, in general, are especially inclusive of, rational and just laws and policies.

The individual citizen’s vital capacity for reason, his accumulated knowledge and maturely, developed perception, are the quintessential requirements for the success of our democratic republic. The award of a college degree is a notable indication of the potential worthiness and usefulness of the citizen, willing to accrue the responsibility of enlightened citizenship.

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* Thanks to Igor Stravinsky, for the use of the above title.

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In accord with the intended context of this essay, we would request the reader, to momentarily, put aside his natural feelings of dismay and horror, regarding the unjust bloody war of aggression, initiated by Russia’s aggressive, autocratic, President, Volodymir Putin, against the sovereign Nation of Ukraine,(led by its democratically, elected, courageous, President, Volodymir Zelensky.) We would further ask that, during such elective moments of “time out,” he might, metaphysically, observe the fact that, were the subject events portrayed in contemporary literature or theater, it would be observably, analogous, in form and content, to a secular form of classic, medieval morality (or, “Everyman”) play.

The eternally, contending forces, of good and evil, are respectively, represented and evident in the protagonists, viz., Putin (aggressor-sin) and Zelensky (innocent victim-virtue). The moral challenge waged is, eternal and is waged between the two, morally contrasting leaders (protagonists); in this case, mutually, named “Volodymir,” in lieu, perhaps, of the age-old, traditional, “Everyman.” In this context, we would describe Putin’s persona and appearance as unsmiling, ferret-like, menacing, and with the expenditure of little eye contact during an interaction. We would, by contrast, describe, Volodymir Zelensky, the elected President of Ukraine, as oval-faced, light-bearded, warm and amiable.

Putin, the evil and ambitious autocrat and titular President of the globally, immense, Russian Nation, evinces a veritable, Napoleonic desire for power and conquest, and little inclination for empathy. He (sinfully), unlawfully and absent provocation, deploys Russia’s immense military forces to violently and unmercifully, overwhelm and, swallow up the weaker, innocent Nation of Ukraine. Putin is reported to have boasted that it was his expectation to take Kviv in no more than one week, install a personal lackey as President, and put an end to any European Union, NATO or any Western cultural expansion. His avaricious dream was to increase his power, as well as that of the former, fascistic, Soviet Union.

Putin, accurately and pragmatically, described as Russia’s dictator, may also be identified as its richest and most corrupt, oligarch. Following the (predictable), economic, failure of Marx’s “Scientific Socialism” [Communism] in Russia, (a subject, of utility, it appears, only for late evening, coffee house debate) the Russian Nation, by degrees, clumsily, morphed into an entity, politically and economically, controlled by corrupt, billionaire, business oligarchs, under the sovereign authority, of its richest, most powerful and singularly, corrupt, “President,” Putin; the latter, a power-hungry autocrat, and former KGB,  master at manipulating informers and suppressing information.

 As universally, reported in the World and National media, it was the megalomaniac, Putin, alone (and not on behalf of Russia) who desired and implemented the Ukrainian adventure,

Putin has defensively, expressed several spurious reasons, for his declaration of war on Ukraine. Among his publically, declared, (faux) justifications was his tactical (and false) assertion that Ukraine was under Nazi influence” and, thus, posed a continuing, existential threat to peace. Of all his falsely stated “justifications,” this, may constitute the most empirically, and historically, ludicrous. It should require no supporting argument, to declare that Jews, have eternally been the singularly, despised objects of Nazi hatred, pathologically, deemed by them, to be fit only for the WW2 death camps. The falsity of Putin’s assertion of the presence of Ukrainian, Nazi influence, is empirically, revealed by the democratic election to the office of Ukrainian President, (the “virtuous” Volodymir, in our analogy to medieval morality plays) and, additionally, the Nation’s Prime Minister, both popularly, known, to be Jewish. In sad fact, the grandparents of our virtuous, protagonist, were killed in the holocaust. At this point in the writing, we would seek the reader’s indulgence for a brief, but relevant, digression.

The reader may recall several of our earlier writings, based upon our various recollections, as first-generation Americans, residing in the 1930-40’s ambiance of the old-fashioned, Jewish, Brooklyn neighborhood. Our experiences now reveal an interesting and curious phenomenon, relative to certain observations made in the present writing.

In the early days of our Brooklyn childhood, it was not uncommon to hear, in English or Yiddish, observations made by European immigrants, to the effect that the Ukrainians were the most implacable and cruel haters of the Jews; that, as such, Ukrainian military personnel were usefully, and preferentially, assigned to  Jewish Death Camps. It was, indeed, many decades ago, that we had heard narratives, of cruel, anti-Jewish, Ukrainian and Polish abuse. The current situation, as above related, hopefully, may enable the empirical conclusion, that atavistic prejudices can, in time, be eliminated.

Returning to our contextual analogy to the medieval morality play, it is our sincere belief and expectation, that Good will soon triumph over Evil, and that the virtuous, Volodymir, will doubtlessly, prevail.

-p.

*[The above title has been temporarily, borrowed from Frank M. Stockton (1882), “The Lady or the Tiger,” a short story in which the protagonist has to hazard a choice between two unmarked doors, one enclosing his love, the other a ferocious, large-toothed, orange Tiger]

It, should not be hyperbolic, to observe that, at present, our Democratic Republic is perilously, divided and existentially, vulnerable. For decades, hotly contested issues such as race relations, guns, abortion, election integrity, immigration, tax and economic disparity, the social status of gay and transgender Americans, resulted in the development of “tribally,” divided, insular groups of “group think” citizens, engaged in virtual, “Cold War,” with similarly configured groups of disparate views. This, notably, was in stark contrast to the prognostications of our optimistic Founders, to the effect that informed citizens of goodwill would constructively, debate the contested issues of the day, with the results, being useful to the governance of a Nation, “by and for the People.” To the contrary, an unanticipated, divisiveness, was to develop, then worsen and, finally, metastasize.

The unfortunate and consequential addition of an effective catalyst to such existent divisiveness was exacerbated by the surprise (and, ultimately, tragic) elevation of an incapable, former second-rate, television game show host and real estate grifter, to the Oval Office. Shortly, thereafter, the historically, perceived, high moral stature of the American Nation, palpably, declined, both internationally, as well as domestically. On the international scene, Trump’s total ignorance of the Nation’s international relationships and treaty agreements lent our traditional allies an unpredictable, “Jack-in-the-Box” perception of its policies; America’s supportive relations with its traditional allies became confusing, while Trump’s developing, love of autocracy, and its signature feature of unlimited power, motivated him to befriend the leaders of the Nation’s historic enemies, Russia, China and North Korea.

The most troubling and vexatious characteristic of Donald Trump appears to be his unique ability to completely alienate certain groups of people, and utterly, captivate others. It is not difficult to comprehend the dynamics of his censure by the mainstream, American citizen. His complete incapability, coupled with the negative, empirical results of his excessive neurotic arrogance, his disrespect and antipathy for learning and advancement, shamelessly, inclusive of medical and scientific research, (as evidenced during the pandemic), his demonstrated, complete lack of moral compass and failure to adhere to tenets of societal morality and acceptable behavior, were ultimately, terrifying, and unpredictable; his neurotic theories, all self-serving, would appear to qualify for the most original of paranoid delusionary constructs.

On the domestic scene, Trumps programmed action to disparage America’s media, his perverse preference for subjectively construed, “alternate facts”) demonstrated his un-American love of autocracy, and is consistent with his amply, demonstrated, lack of moral compass. The reader is doubtlessly  aware of the multitude of serious crimes perpetrated by this bizarre National Leader, inclusive of the payment of bribes to silence call girls with whom he, apparently, had  regular commerce, attempted rigging of the election results by illegal and improper demands to Secretaries of State and otherwise, attempting to sabotage  the (certified as accurate) election results, fomenting an insurrection on the alleged grounds that the election victory was “stolen,” from him, without a scintilla of supporting evidence,( when it was he, himself, who  demonstrated  autocratic chutzpah, in his attempt to alter the voting results (viewed on public television), invited, caused and extolled a bloody insurrection against our Democratic Republic,  expressed his praise and support for the insurrection by the right-wing  Christian White National, fascistic militias and to other citizens, too dense to realize that an (alternate) autocracy would, also, suicidedly,constrict their own freedoms. [See our earlier essay: “Lemmings”). Despite two Congressional impeachments, several, separate, imminent criminal indictments for the most egregious of Federal crimes, including sedition, as well as a host of civil cases now pending against him, including tax fraud, the orange-haired sociopath has publically, and brazenly, declared his intention to run again, for the American Presidency; another Herculean Labor of hubristic chutzpah. Remarkably, the right-wing media continues to publish his disproved lies and delusions regarding the subject of election and his false statements on the subject of social politics.

Trump’s large, cultish, horde of populist underbelly citizenry, no doubt, instinctively, attracted to him by his unorthodox, anti-establishment and errant social behavior, is the mother lode of his politically, pervasive, power. His denigration of truthful facts (“truth”), in favor of subjectively, preferred, “alternate facts, has metastasized into advanced conspiracy ideations, such as, “The Stolen Election,” “The Great Replacement Theory,” ”Pizza Gate” and enough bizarrely, conceived, notions as might bedazzle a casserole cooked with the savory ingredients of Franz Kafka, Louis Carroll and  J.R.R.Tolkien.

It is extremely worrisome that many, non-delusional Republican lawmakers and politicians seem to be inclined to support Trump and his followers, solely for fear of losing the votes of his vast inventory of populistic supporters. Republican politics has, indisputably and regrettably, morphed into the concern for votes from the vast, National inventory of populist, Trump supporters, rather than the responsible concern for constituents and for National issues, political and economic. Our traditional, two-party, political system has effectively, and shamefully, degraded to the singular issue of Trump’s acceptability or non-acceptability. Political and economic issues are the proper, subjects of our two-party system, but, like the proverbial, apple barrel, it has been spoiled by our rotten, Orange-haired, apple.

The existentially, vital route back to the satisfactory choice of the correct door, leading to the continued existence and proper functioning of our democracy,( inclusive of our traditionally, two-party system), is to affirmatively, vote for it. Success will favorably, be rewarded by the beneficial avoidance of the democracy-eating, autocratic tiger.    

-p.