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I wander far within my mind
A pensive trail from vill to vill
I travel oft and far, and find
Each time a new succeeding thrill

I oftimes wend a weary mile
With slight expenditure of will
And halt at times, to see and smile at-
Hind and buck upon the hill

The summer with its vital dew
The springtime’s rich and muddy womb
I see the skies, both grey and blue
I see the diaper and the tomb

I see the city’s murky mist,
The country ivy nod and climb
An infant’s cheek, so gently kissed
A ‘ fested bog all ooze and slime

Man well may brave the seas or span
The space in search of human kind,
For me, no venture is more grand-
Than that within the human mind.
-p (attributed to Leonard N. Shapiro)

• (This was his 1949 study of the structure and meter
of William Wordworth’s famous, “Daffodils”)

 

 

It might be a wise move to eliminate the term, “socialism” from the non-academic lexicon; it is useful in a college course on political theory,  but has  been so perverted and misused by our low information population (and those who pander after their votes) as to effectively become an epithet.  In a society where so many devalue education and wisdom,” tags” albeit inaccurate, are popular (See: Blog#28).

There is, inarguably, is no socialism in nature. A bird with a broken wing, a deer with a lame foot, an owl with impaired vision are all goners; inadequate rainfall leads to the mortality of fauna and flora alike. It would be extremely challenging to identify any human beings on this planet that have had the capacity to exist and survive without some societal assistance, especially regarding sustenance and protection.

With the rise and development of industrial mass production, the perception of the intrinsic value of the common man was depreciated and reduced solely to the measure of his potential utility and capacity to work and produce profitable goods for the industrial entrepreneur.

Charles Dickens (and others) artistically and compassionately depicted the brutal and unprincipled use of men, women and young children as instruments of labor (rather than as human beings) in the Victorian era.

Adam Smith, then denominated a “liberal,” maintained that a proper just and efficient society should be completely free of and unfettered by State (Government) control or influence. This brilliant (but errant) philosopher opined that the natural law” of supply and demand would ensure a successful society. The talented contemporary novelist, Ann Rand, shared this heartless economic theory. It simply doesn’t work; ask Charles Dickens, himself or President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In response to the “Great Depression” of the early 20^th century, FDR entered into a binding social contract with America, providing for federal participation in the operation of the American economy for the benefit of the nation and its people. This necessary entry by government into the economy and life of the people ,forever repealed the law of the jungle and its Darwinian cruelty and made way for a more compassionate and moral society. Government sponsored projects in general infrastructure, including bridges, roads, transportation, construction of colleges and museums, hospitals and countless others, for the benefit of the worker and citizen in general as well as the nation. Social security, health and labor laws, the protective oversight of hospitals, food and medicine are among a myriad of responsible life enhancing developments which evolved and which have become vital ingredients in the context of the good life of the American citizen, thus elevating him above the merciless world of Darwinism.

FDR’s contract with America worked, it still works. The proper understanding and employment of a calibrated and balanced participation and oversight by government, assures us of safety of our person when we walk the streets, travel, eat, are ill, and even when we invest.

Capitalism, happily and predictably, will always remain our American form of government.   Nevertheless, our “flat earth people,” are encouraged by that materially successful portion of our society, which greedily worships at the altar of the many-fisted profit deity, to believe that government policies of responsible assistance are “Socialism,” an evil pied piper who is leading our nation to ruin. The same modest, low information people, who, in reality, may stand in most need of government assistance, are persuaded and misled into virulently opposing all such programs .It is particularly vexing to observe that the large number of our Congressmen, ( usually Republican ) who publically decry and condemn all government assistance programs (as” Socialism”) but who comfortably accept and  enjoy salaries and benefits, health insurance (which they oppose for the American citizen),retirement benefits, travel and emoluments of all and every kind which are paid for by the federal government.

It may be possible to avoid some discord by naming our polity “Responsible Capitalism.”

-p.

 

Remote on a forsaken snowdrift
With windswept eyes, he faced
An enemy blown in on North winds
A terror from the elements.
Scantily clad, he waited
Teeth set, lips trembling- with
Excitement or fear, he knew not which-
Minutes passed, cold and wet ones
Fatigue and pain subservient
To self preservation.
“Let them come, I am ready”
He repeated, yet girded himself and
Tried to wrap,
What few garments he had, about him-
Melodramatic and nostalgic
Thoughts recurred- of what had been
And what would be, if only.
He weakened at several times- but
At each lapse recovered spirit.

After eternities, he shifted feet
And noticed the previous stiffness
Now, afraid to move-
Lest physical relief banish determination.
At last, temptation ever gaining ground,
With diminishing hours and increased pain-
He moved—about a step
And then, defeat followed,hot upon heels
It had come – would soon come
Now it mattered not, for he had lost.

With shame in his breast, he
Returned indoors-where
Strangely comforting-
The will to do battle left him.
He settled in the warmest corner
Where the others were resting, and …
At last, his hand let go the sword
Clenched in his tightened fist
And let it fall with a clatter
Amidst the great pile of swords
In the middle of the room.

-p (attributed to Leonard N. Shapiro, circa.  1949, w/ed.)

 

The waltz, as it is commonly known, is a ballroom dance performed at close quarters by two dancers who revolve in perpetual circles to music played at three-quarters tempo; examples are The Hesitation Waltz and the Blue Danube.

The salient descriptive features of the waltz are uncannily similar to the much extolled practice of negotiation; the latter having the purported reputation of being the superlative method of resolution of conflicting interests. Yet there are fascinating similarities between this much vaunted practice and the waltz.

Excluded from consideration here are intra-family and interpersonal disputes; a mutually identifiable, recognized issue must be identified in order to consider negotiation. In the categories of disputants cited, there is a predictable absence of identification of the basic issues truly underlying the dispute.

The recommendation to employ negotiation where the parties have reached an impasse is perceived ideally, to be the most responsible route to an equitable solution. This ideal rendition of the procedure anticipates an evenhanded peace between warriors of equal strength and prowess. This expectation requires a naiveté requisite to the acceptance of an invitation to tea from the Mad Hatter.

So salutary and constructive does the ideal concept of negotiation appear that there has evolved in human society an entirely new genus and species of preacher-like being, coaches in the “art” of negotiation. These self- anointed savants (similar in stripe to the class of “motivational speakers”), rein in substantial piles of money by recounting to enthralled audiences useless aphorisms and facts which they already know, but expressed in a hyped up and” feel-good” jargon. Like the snake oil salesmen of old, these people have learned the dark art of preying upon easily impressionable people who seem to manifest, for a very brief and ephemeral moment, a sense of determined and confident direction.

These performers, dressed in expensive garb and possessed of a rich, golden voice seem to have the perverse talent to prey upon the sensitivities of the gullible who are convinced that they require a magical amulet or special incantation to succeed at their efforts, negotiation or otherwise.

Successful resolution of a disputed issue in the formalized procedure of the negotiation does not depend upon ostensible confidence, attire or personality. These features which are the grist for the mill of the “feel good” preachers usually are unrelated to the outcome of the process.

Apart from its idealized conception and the criteria urged by the” snake oil salesmen”, the negotiation process (dance) is almost always stacked in favor of one of the disputants, viz., the party whose materials or services are needed most by the other. This is the major and usual theme and situational determinant as to who sits in the “cat-bird” seat.

Aside from the stated misconceptions, negotiation is, in fact, a useful and practical way to shorten the length and mitigate the cost of a dispute. However, the parties have to pay close attention to their relative bargaining positions in order to realistically determine, for the purpose of the specific dance, who leads and who follows.

–p.

A brief search into the history of the Seventh Century (Bronze Age) will disclose a widespread religious belief in an antagonistic competition between the forces of light (goodness) and dark (evil). It was the Persian philosopher, Zoroaster, who is understood to have codified this belief and founded a major religion, Zoroastrianism.

In the present age we continue to witness the competing forces of dark ignorance and that of enlightenment. It is disappointing and agonizingly painful to observe that ignorance and superstitious belief systems not only persist but seem to have metastasized.

There is a heated debate between people, alarmingly aware of environmental threats to our planet and its atmosphere, based upon reports from our leading scientists to the effect that it is caused by the consumption of traditional sources of energy, like coal and oil, and others, who reject all scientific findings and wish to continue such consumption.  People, concerned with such scientific reports, see man as the responsible trustee of our planetary health and champion alternative non-polluting sources of energy, like solar and wind power.

Concurrent with (and perhaps, related to) this vital debate is an even more fundamental antagonism which pits the value of man’s most precious natural resource, his human intelligence and capacity for reason, against the too resilient forces of ignorance and superstitious belief. The latter have unremittingly under- valued and deprecated, that most precious and valuable resource, man’s reason.

Indeed, most of our “mainstream” folks evince a devaluation and disrespect for the intellectual in favor of the knowledge-limited, but glitzy and attractive, “dude” or “diva.” (See: blog #29). The subject of science, the arts and the humanities, so vital to the development of the self and to the enhancement of life, go unexamined in favor of the worship of transient and ephemeral style and fashion, and the pursuit of shallow amusement. The latter choose to remain blind to the fact that the natural resource of human intelligence has unlimited potential for the solution of difficult problems, existential and otherwise, and exists as an available and renewable energy source capable of unlimited problem- solving and untold creativity.

The great English philosopher, John Locke, maintained that knowledge is gained through the accumulation of experience, rather than by vain attempts to consult external sources. Science, reason and logic, he reasoned, are the only true sources of our meaningful progress as human beings.

P. has consistently refrained, to comment on political matters. But recent events are so startling and alarming as to embolden his inclination to violate this consistent precedent.

A nominee to run for the highest office in our land is enthusiastically selected by millions of American voters, despite the evident knowledge that he lacks the requisite wisdom, intelligence and temperament to govern and occupy a revered place in our American history. More than embarrassing and shameful, it is a threat to our way of life and culture, our relationships with other countries, and to world peace.   This result could only have been attained by the accumulated effort of our vast low information population who uniformly suffer from the chronic and contagious diseases of ignorance and illiteracy.

The medieval period is referred to by historians as the “Dark Ages.” This was a period of time famously featuring ignorance, illiteracy, superstition, atrocities and general social and intellectual decline.

“The Age of Reason” which  followed in due course , ( “The Age of Enlightenment”) saw the questioning of despotic and institutional rule, overcame superstition and  proclaimed the enlightened notion that humanity does best when it employs reason, logic and respect for empirical reality.

Thus, the lack of utilization of the unique, vital resource of brain power (reason) is a problem much more existential than the contested choice of natural power sources; it is no less than lethal. The choice between the relapse of a new dark age of ignorance, primitivism, fear and superstition and a bright world of enlightenment, of wisdom and intelligence needs to be carefully and wisely considered.

p.

The recognized rules applicable to the sport of Track and Field make the identification of the winner of a race simple and incontrovertible; it is the first of the runners to cross the designated finish line. Additionally, such result is often publicly announced amid the adulation and congratulatory cheers of the crowd. Further, the winner is traditionally given a medal or trophy cup as an official symbol of his successful effort. Thus, from the standpoint of those rules, the identification of the winner is visibly simple; by the same rules, the identification of the ostensible losers is similarly, simple and obvious; it is everyone else who ran.

Separate and apart from the aforementioned rules, there are other (unwritten) criteria whose application, by contrast, would make it difficult to correctly identify the losers.

There are individuals who enthusiastically choose to participate in sporting contests despite their certainty that they have little prospect of winning. They do so for the experience and personal pleasure of participation. These individuals deserve our commendation. Such acts are indications of healthy sportsmanship, personal security and even, perhaps, strength of character.

There are also many who run for more profound, especially meaningful, personal trophies.  Such people are those hampered by disability, physical or mental, recent convalescents and others who seek the personal award of self-assurance and a” can-do” sense of competency. The valuable prizes earned by such people, the feeling of assured competence and a personal sense of adequacy, by virtue of such performances, are rewards far exceeding medals or public recognition. Their brave efforts, usually unknown to the spectators, are all victorious, regardless of the order in which each has reached the finish line.

There are. notably, a plethora of “winners” and “losers,” outside the stadium setting; many of whom  experienced  poverty, disability or  other unfortunate settings in early life.  Many have laudably overcome such misfortune and dire adversity by their sheer will and effort; sometimes to such a degree that they are in fact, celebrated and honored by an adoring public.

P., it should be noted, reserves his greatest accolades and fanfare for those who begin their lives with such impediments, whether economic or physical, and who, by perseverance,  have succeeded, in attaining a decent life for themselves and family. These individuals whose admirable success,  while not of such magnificence and scale  as to engage public notice and social recognition, are indeed deserving of the greatest of commendation, albeit their success is not broadcast to stadium spectators.

We may need to re-think our sensitivities in the employment of the words, “winner” and” loser.

-p.

Some of us may be in a select bubble; still avid readers of great literature, avoiders of celebrity magazines, maintainers of home-based land phones and critics of television’s eccentricities (reality shows, low information discussion groups, dumbed-down history and market- based propaganda).

With the exponential increase in transmission of information, by way of the internet and smart phones, albeit limited in content, one expends much less cognitive effort than in independent review and study. With all the warehoused facts in such electrical device and  all the available “App” choices, our innate capabilities of reason and aesthetic discrimination are atrophying by disuse and becoming vestigial.

Often, the users of such mechanical devices will remonstrate, “It saves time and effort”. It may well be inquired as to what positive use has such savings been applied? Apparently, it would seem, not to activities leading to personal growth, life enhancement or self- knowledge. Such people have apparently become the dependent servants of their own electronic robots and not the intended reverse.

“Keep it short and sweet,” “Just give me the skinny,” “Keep it simple” (as if one always has the choice), and “I’m in a rush,” are often heard in inquiries as to questionable events or disputed facts.

The Latin phrase, reductio ad absurdum, refers to the oversimplification of events, issues and personalities (by the elimination of relevant facts) as leading to erroneous and distorted conclusions.  For example, the unfounded conclusion, by reductive reasoning, of a causative relationship between events that follow each other, based upon the sole fact that one event merely preceded the other.

We can never uncover truth by lazy oversimplification. As stated above, the inclination to make such easy and quick judgments seems unfortunately, to be the style du jour.

Personal knowledge, by its intrinsic nature, is subjective; but is of no use unless it is consistent with objective reality. To avoid the required effort to take into consideration the attendant and relevant facts, for any reason, is to court disaster. Events normally have multiple, often interactive, causes and to seek easy, quick conclusions usually leads to unfortunate (and avoidable) results.

Judgment as to the quality of people by their physical or ethnic characteristics, or the acceptance of ostensibly negative events, without reasonable efforts to learn further ambient facts is ungenerous and irresponsible. Some reductive reporting can be observed even in some of our television media. We have the clear duty to ourselves and society, to make necessary inquiry as to related facts and the context of the reported event and personally reach a mature rational and fair judgment.

Fair independent inquiry and thought s especially valuable at election time.

-p

Great beasts of burden, tended by the strong
Old wise folk, some with brood
Followed in huddled groups of five and ten
Laborers, craftsmen, water carriers-all
Bent silent under a scorching, mocking sun.
At seldom times, each looked up from his feet
Which left but shallow footprints in the sand
To gaze, tear-eyed into the desert wind.
Silence prevailed throughout, disturbed alone-
By the sound of straining animals and men.
They plodded on, as ere, mysterious, grim, determined.

Several times along the way, Caravan met Caravan
Traveling opposite ways, still silent and detached
No exchange of words, no waves, not a glance
But like huge blinded turtles, passed each other
Blinking, straining toward the horizon-
As if “there” life would begin; as if “here” it had ended.

All processions look the same, and perhaps-
The last one passed was passed before
Yet eyes saw not, minds detached, bodies moving mechanical
Nor was there day nor rest at night, for even-
When they could not see, they strove toward a dark horizon.

-p (Attributed to Leonard N. Shapiro ~1950)

Full laden, she rocked the waves
Hull full with gems
Facet-less but diamond- like
Many sized, divers sourced
From brown, from white from yellow—
Glittr’ing, shiny
Jewel boxes, treasure trove
Sea chests much bestuffed
With tears-
Tears- most precious of man’s jewels
Ripped ready- refined
Pure, Holy

Tears of expectation, of joy
Some borne of laughter, of crying
Most precious- tears of love
Wind-swept tears
Tears of growing up, of getting old
Longing Tears
Meeting and parting tears
Missing you tears, tears of relief
Salt-bedecked, rich warm greeting rears
Little girl tears, delicately dropped
From loving temples
Tears from blind eyes- like jewels
From a mine of darkness

Onward it sailed
Toward the edge of Earth,
This magic ship
Could I but discover the destination–
A velvet World of diamonds!

-p (attrib. Leonard N. Shapiro 195- on the death of baby Debbie)

 

 

When we travel abroad, our lifelong inner conversation becomes more focused and intense due to the absence of the distraction of our repetitive daily experience and routine; the latter does not call upon any singular awareness. When we go abroad and encounter new environments and “foreign” people, our attention becomes focused purposefully elsewhere.

Our previous blogs have meditated principally on the great significance of the inner nature of our lives, feelings of worth, success and self-fulfillment, often residing in ourselves in projected comparison with our contemporaries. We have maintained that significant and meaningful self-evaluation is the accumulated total sum of such inner takes and perceptions.

On the subject of travel, itself, we have observed that long distance and truly exotic voyaging can be meaningfully experienced through the Arts, especially fine Literature.

Actual travel can free the mind from useless preoccupation with banal stereotypes and mindless preconceptions and liberates our capacity for the understanding of others and, by extension, ourselves. An example is in the attainment of a better and objective understanding of grammar from the study of a second language. By analogy, a spontaneous realization and recognition of our own routine folkways and practices is gained by the observation of differing practices. For example, observation of people who eat with the assistance of chopsticks, obliges the western visitor take particular notice that he does otherwise, he eats with the aid of a knife and fork. By travel, we thus become more aware as well of our own practices, patterns of thought and routine behavior; travel is always potentially an additional voyage of discovery of ourselves.

A cogent subject for consideration in our ongoing inner conversation with ourselves, is the objective reconsideration of our limited “cookie cutter” expectations and related “group think”, a benefit derived from the perspective gained from travel, (see blog # 55).

Actual delight is experienced in the recognition of a place, previously familiar to our inner self, as a site recognized from the reading of literature and history.

In confronting and experiencing variations in the ethnic or national life of others, the visitor may choose to be especially accepting and deferential in his behavior in an effort to make a good impression. Would that we could all tailor our sensibilities and behavior after his return home.

Of greatest importance is the realization that despite ostensible differences in appearance, folkways and patterns of thought, we come away with the certified realization that all mankind is uniform in its aspiration for peace, good health and self-fulfillment.

ADDENDUM: It is hoped that in the not-too-distant future, travel  tours would place somewhat less emphasis on forts, cathedrals and statues of gods and  generals and more on people viz., post offices, food stores, schools, local meeting places and the like.                                                                         -p