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There have been times in our lives when the confirmations of our prognostication gives but little pleasure. One such instance presently exists regarding our often-expressed fear of societal damage proximately brought about by the facile use of “smartphones,” as a universal substitute for personal interactive conversation (in person or by telephone). Last evening, on the news media, we saw and heard America’s learned and elegant Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, relate the ubiquitous harm, especially to the young, caused by the exclusive use of such devices. He cited the alarming growth among America’s children in the advent and incidence of mental problems, specifically, depression and anxiety.

Since the advent of “plinyblog.com,” we have often expressed the felt insalubriousness in the decline of natural and societal, interpersonal communication. We have been consistently fearful lest the alternate, facile transmission of electronic messages, to another’s small lighted screen, often at a future and non-contextual time, would be an inadequate emotional substitute for spontaneous interaction; lacking the latter’s nuanced voice recognition, authenticity and spontaneity of relevant response. As confirmed by the Nation’s Surgeon General, we were sadly prescient.

However, Dr. Murthy seemed, strangely, to confine his observations to the subject of the “content” of social media and its verifiably unhealthy impact upon our young citizens; whose universally, idiosyncratic mode of contemplating reality and outlet for interactive expression appears to be limited to the cold and impersonal language and depiction of factual reality as manually transmitted to their hand-held smartphone. Unrealistic aspirations for such advertised physical appearances and capabilities, as electronically portrayed, he correctly observed, is a reliable source for the observable plethora of disappointed and depressive incidents.

It has been our (non-professional) view, however, that the etiology of the inarguably, increased depressive and anxiety syndrome has, indeed, a far more profound and deeper metaphysical basis than the stated unhealthy outcomes brought about by computer program “content.”

It is our understanding that fundamental, person-to-person, interactive communication is an existential need for Man living in society. It has the merit of the preservation of the necessary dynamics of society and, as well, the basis of the identity, public and internal (self-image) of its members. It has eternally been our presumption that the individual derives his self-image, or felt personal identity, in great part, from the derivative perception of an interactive and empirically based reaction to himself, by the other members of his community.

To the extent that the personal awareness of a utilitarian, identified and referable self (self-image) remains undeveloped, the individual is emotionally, rootless and rudderless in a singularly insecurely perceptive confinement and veritable oasis from others. He is out of societal sync and insecure. The unwise choice of impersonal electronic signals to the detriment of personal contact and verbal exchange is undoubtedly responsible for the resultant feelings of isolation and lonely despair.

While we are in indisputable accord with the Surgeon General’s attribution of the alarming exponential increase in cases of depression and anxiety (especially among the youth) by virtue of the employment of the subject, cold and inexpressive devices, in lieu of salubrious personal conversation, we are of the considered view that the causation goes far beyond his attribution of the irresponsibility of content, to this basic, metaphysical dysfunction of the societal Homo Sapiens.  

 –p.

*Merci, for the use of the above title, to the sociological novelist David Riesman.

Our nightmare occurs, perforce at night,
Long prior to the arrival of Morpheus
A disturbing sound like unravelling wool
Dynamically triggered by the thought-free turn
Of an inviting pillow to its cooler side.
The martial tattoo of tandem boots
Trampling on our assured humanity
Then, paralyzed by hapless fear
We sadly note the synchronized sounds
Of freedom’s well knitted sleeve, trodden down,
By the march of errant humanity.

Our precious sleeve of human liberty
Man’s nuanced ecological niche on Earth
Will remain comfortably and justly knit
As long as we stay wakeful and vigilant
Lest Tyrant and tyranny prevail.
-p.
Leonard N. Shapiro 6/17/24 (Kingston, N.Y.)

The World has witnessed the abhorrent, barbarous attack on Israel by Hamas, the kidnapping of its citizens, and the tactically planned retreat to tunnels constructed under Palestinian Hospitals. It is cognizant that the same was thus planned so that by empirical necessity, the predictable retribution could only be exacted against its intended “shield” of innocent Gazans; thereby incurring the enmity of Israel by its supporting nations. Nonetheless, we have expressed our empathic opposition to the extent of the disproportionate suffering, thus wreaked upon innocent Gazan civilians by the retaliatory action of the right-wing, Netanyahu government.

We have previously observed the significant number of loudly protesting students at our Nation’s Universities, responsive to America’s financial support of the Israeli retaliation and desire to articulate certain relevant and contextual facts.

We fully support the constitutional right of citizens to peacefully protest, yet, we have often observed in university student demonstrations, a measure of elemental sophomoric and reductive motivation, innately catalyzed by a quixotic, youthful, and myopic impatience for resolution. To be especially abhorred, contextually, is the possible element of prejudicial expression; in this case, anti-Semitism. Admittedly, there are meritorious reasons to protest the present contextual events on a humanistic and empathic basis, but little merit in reductive, sophomoric, and, most especially, prejudicial motivation. The following facts may be deemed worthy of useful and temperate consideration.

Hamas is universally known to be a political and military Islamic movement, governing, by strict authoritarian force, parts of the Gaza Strip since 2007. It has long dedicated itself to the elimination of the State of Israel and thereby rule “from Sea to Sea.” Its extensive history of suicide and rocket attacks against Israel has caused it to be officially categorized by several Nations as a “terroristic organization.” We have shockingly observed some misguided students holding hand-held signage, declaring blatant support for Hamas, identified as the alleged, “wronged party;” notwithstanding its unjustified act of aggression and cruel and barbaric acts against the State of Israel. The same is an obvious empirical distortion of objectively verified reality. Hamas is to be especially, detested for its pathologically inhuman tactics in causing innocent Palestinians, to serve as human “Shields,” absorbing the predictable retaliation.

The international incident has provided a measure of tactical fodder (in addition to bigots of innately systemic ideation), for inadequately uninformed anti-Semites to publicly criticize and attack Jewish Americans. The media has reported on the covert phenomenon of motivated “agitators” catalyzing hatred among the ranks of enthusiastic student protestors. This sad phenomenon demonstrates the very zenith of reductive prejudice; American Jews, like their Italian, French and Irish neighbors are American citizens, and likewise, not citizens of Italy, France and Ireland. Generally, they are supportive of the State of Israel and yet a great many oppose the Netanyahu government’s overreaction. 

We have disturbingly noted that public outrage and student demonstrations are discernably selective. By illustration, where was the public outcry or loud university student demonstrations at the egregious events of the Dresden carpet bombing during the Second World War (with the exception of the Kurt Vonnegut novel, “Breakfast of Champions”)? In this context, we do not recall any such responses perforce, to our Nation’s horrendous acts of nightmarish nuclear cremations of the heavily populated Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Truman Administration

The constitutional right to peacefully petition is democratically appropriate and useful when exercised in the right context and with requisite understanding.

-p.    

---

It would uniformly seem to be the case, that slogans which purport to articulate grandiose and idealized purposes, empirically reveal themselves, before too long, to be tactically false and deceitful. The admirably worded movement name, “Right to Life,” defies its avowed moral existence by religiously protecting the human fetus while, inconsistently manifesting its steadfast opposition to governmental assistance to the needy child, following birth. Analogously perverse is the deceptively altruistic and motivational Trump movement calling itself, “Make America Great Again;” which attacks the constitution, the democratic definitional franchise to vote, as well as the latter’s tabulated accuracy, and the basics of the dynamic architecture of the Nation’s constitutional government, the societal rule of law and Man’s existential moral compass.
Commencing with the publicly advertised emergence into the political scene of the former President, Donald J. Trump, the Nation has experienced an inarguably worrisome decline of traditional American values, inclusive of democracy’s definitional vote, and the objective integrity of elections. It has, among other evils, led to an unconstitutional surrender to the influence of the religious lobby, inducing SCOTUS to determine the tragic criminalization of a woman’s private right of abortion. Unfortunately, the referenced political rise of the egocentrically, orange-haired dyed, author and proponent of the compellingly idealistic, but tactical and shamefully false, slogan has, together with the support of a substantial cult of ignorant populists, given rise to the bizarre, nightmarish menace of an unspeakable transmogrification of our uniquely liberal Democratic Republic, to that of a fascistic autocracy in the manner of Russia, China and Hungary. In previous writings, we have made considerable reference to the multifarious instances of Trump’s miscreant actions as former President, resulting in the citizens’ decline in personal liberty and increase in disrespect for the rule of law. Liberty loving American citizens have expressed their fear that were Trump elected to another term of the Presidency, the Nation will have, thereby, endangered our Democratic Republic, and rendered plausibly possible an autocratic polity as expressly declared by Donald J. Trump.
We would, respectfully, express our views as to the need for certain existentially vital alterations of our Nation’s current policies and practices intended on the prevention of a tragic transmogrification of our laudable Democratic Republic to a despotic State, as promised by Donald J. Trump. The following (five) highlighted proposals, of which the reader may be cognizant, have been expressed in earlier writings.

[1] Vetting of candidates for President and Vice President:
In our view, it appears to be no less than bizarre that applicants for mundane employment, such as office clerks and shoe salesmen are obliged to seek approval at a mandatory initial interview by a representative of the prospective employer, yet prospective candidates for the Presidency and Vice-Presidency of the most powerful and consequential Nation on the planet, escape this pragmatic pre-requisite. Such a grotesque head of State, like the inimitable, Donald J. Trump, could thereby be identified and filtered out, for the good of our Democratic Republic and its citizens. We are confident that a modern Nation, capable of soil studies on planet Mars, is fully capable of construing a way to designate an appropriately qualified and impartial panel, taxed with this existentially important, prophylactic duty.
[2] Elimination of the Electoral College:
Notably inconsistent with the publicly avowed and definitional democratic right of citizens to vote, the President and Vice-President are, instead, selected by an official board, known as the “Electoral College.” The latter is comprised of members respectfully allocated to each State. It is notable that the American people, contrary to their National slogan of “one man, one vote,” do not choose the President and Vice President; instead, the Electoral College selects the President and his V.P. by the vote of the right combination of States, albeit without necessarily a majority of the popular vote. History indicates that in the years, 1824, 1876, 1888, 2000 and 2016, Presidents were selected by the Electoral College, contrary to the results of the popular vote. This procedure is inarguably, antithetical to the foundational democratic concept of popular election and warrants elimination.

[3] Presidential Pardons:
In a Nation that prides itself on the principle of legal equality, the atavistic, Monarchial privilege of arbitrary Presidential pardon, should be eliminated and swept into the dust bin of history. If deemed necessary, Congress might legislate an alternative procedure, nevertheless, based upon a fair hearing and a requisite showing of objective, pre- established criteria, justifying such forgiveness. Such a change would tend to increase citizen faith in the universally applicable equality of the Rule of Law.

[4] Immigration:
It may be pragmatically possible to eliminate the roiling populist “Immigration Problem” in a way, mutually beneficial to the Nation and to the plentitude of immigrants, fleeing danger and in personal need, seeking entrance to the United States.
We would begin with a widespread attempt to eliminate xenophobic bigotry often based upon the misguided perception, catalyzed by MAGA propaganda, that “recent immigrants” are undesirables. Instead, we should rationally and empathically see them, as were our forebears, seeking a safer and healthier family existence. It would appear to be selfish and morally ungrateful for those of a Nation, inarguably inhabited by the descendants of immigrants, to withhold from others the life-saving opportunity granted to our forebears. Humanism and empathy ought not morally evaporate at the Nation’s southern border. In fact, as stated, our view is that the subject “problem”, is capable of being solved in a creative manner; to the mutual benefit of the immigrant and the American Nation.
Those of us who have experienced a cross-country flight will visually recollect that there exist thousands of square miles of arid, unproductive territory, notably, in the Southwestern United States. Initially, prospective immigrants might be temporarily housed, while being processed, in constructed, livable quarters, just South of the border. Of those who are admitted, many may voluntarily consent to an arrangement whereby they are granted a parcel of land in one of the western unused, arid venues, to be employed at government salaries, in building residential areas, with developed sources of water as well as future places of commerce. Such a program would be analogous to the 1948 reclamation of the Sinai Desert by the fugitive European immigrants to the State of Israel; now itself, a major player in the commercial flower business. Their residential towns, which would supersede the necessary temporary residences, pending their completion and occupation, might be built with the assistance of non-immigrants, if necessary. The result would, mutually, benefit the immigrated families (home and monetary income) as well as the Nation (restoration of the formerly valueless wasteland to a positive increase in value and gross national product, taxes, military service and otherwise.) This inventive and pragmatic conception would effectively and usefully, convert a heart- braking and acrimoniously divisive problem, to an appropriate and universally winning solution.

[5] SCOTUS REFORM:
Recent unexpected revelations concerning certain identified Justices sitting on the historically revered Supreme Court of The United States (“SCOTUS”), makes exigently necessary a reappraisal of the criteria for the appointment, performance and (lifetime) term of its constituent Justices. This constitutionally established Judicial Third Branch of our polity’s constitutional architecture, was established as the ultimate overseer of the Nation’s constitutional promise of equal and impartial justice. The High Court by its historic succession of exemplary jurists, had previously earned the respect and confidence of the Nation noting its responsibly wise and impartial decisions on many major determinative issues by the fiduciary determinations of such venerated Justices as, Holmes, Brandeis, Brennan and Cardozo.
As observed in a previous essay, [M. 71, “Bright Sunlight on Dirty Linen,”] commencing in the year 2000 with the historically, perverse and unprecedented, SCOTUS decision to accept cases of a political nature (Bush v. Gore), in precedential conflict with the constitutionally prescribed, “Separation of Powers,” the High Court has suffered an observable decline in historical and ethical responsibility, ultimately resulting in an inappropriate, partisan appointment of many Justices, receptive to the interest and influence of big business and religious interests..
Justice Samuel Alito, the author and major proponent of the Supreme Court decision, overturning its half-century affirmance of the natural right of women to seek abortion, has publicly revealed himself as catering to the interest of the evangelical religious lobby, resulting in the suffering and tragedy in the lives of countless American citizens. Moreover, Samuel Alito has been shown himself to be assertively proud of his previously concealed support of the White, Christian Nationalist movement by brazenly flying the signature flags of the 1/6 insurrectionists on his two properties. This undeniable assertion of personal support for such anti-democratic causes is flagerantly analogous to a referee at a well-attended soccer game, wearing the signature shirt of one of the contesting teams.
Another such egregious example of moral lapse in fiduciary and ethical responsibility of SCOTUS, is the recent revelation that Justice Clarence Thomas has been the shamelessly immoral recipient of millions of dollars of financial gifts from an identified billionaire who has a major interest in matters coming before SCOTUS. To put “icing” on the reprehensible “cake,” Thomas is married to, and reportedly influenced by, a right-wing politically influential spouse, supportive of the January 6, 1923 insurrection.

We can do better and proudly resume the singing of the praises of a proud and exemplary Nation.
-p.

                     

We, like many mainstream American citizens, share a feeling of mystery concerning the underlying basis for the apparently, large populist following of a repugnant personality such as the former President, Donald J. Trump. In past writing, we. for lack of a more cogent explanation, have suggested that his appeal was based upon the confluence of two factors, the populist eternal grievance and discontent, arguably, due to a less than satisfying life (the causes of which are projected to government, and others) and second, feelings of personally needed redemption, subjectively derived from a reductive perception of his miscreant statements and actions signifying that he was, in their behalf, “showing the middle finger” to the objectionable establishment.

While, to an extent, such conception may warrant a respectable degree of empirical validity, we are of the view that an alternate societal explanation may deserve a greater degree of verisimilitude. Viz., the desire for the personal security derived from a communally designated and accepted niche (“branding”), in the “group think,” of their social milieu.

It seems inconceivable to presume that such a substantial portion of the American population would, rationally and pragmatically, choose to be in his corner. It is reasonably predictable that, if  asked, few if any of Trump’s plethora of sycophants would, candidly express  personal approval of his serial acts of  adultery with porn stars and prostitutes, his serial mendacity, his treasonous friendship with autocratic leaders of countries known to be enemies of America, tactical opposition to “truth,” his opposition to governmental assistance to the needy, his denigration of military service, specifically, his designation of wartime, captured, wounded and killed American servicemen as “losers” or “suckers,” his large tax cuts and self-interested acts of favoritism towards the rich, his opposition to labor unions and to health and safety regulations regarding labor, food, water and medicine, his illegal and unprincipled use of the Presidential office to deceitfully garner unconstitutional profit, his opposition to free trade economic policies, the latter subjects, resulting in increased employment  and cheaper prices; all of which are matters of vital interest to the classic populist; as well as the demonstrated inventory of ubiquitous unprofessional and criminal acts to the extreme extent of treason against the United States.

There exists no conceivable possibility of a confluence of political or economic theory since, as shown, neither Trump nor his cultish followers have, empirically demonstrated the slightest degree of interest or motivation by political or economic theory and any doctrinaire mind-set. Trump’s own reductive persona is guided by no stimulus other than his neurotic egocentricity; his MAGA adherents are motivated by personally perceived grievance and mutual alliance.

Our contextual presumption is that his large coordinated following is due to empirically derived, or inherited adherence to nuanced social expectations, i.e., “branding.”

Regarding those individuals who lack the contemplative inclination or capacity to have developed a stable and referable self-image (in our view, accumulatively derived from inter-personal interaction), the assigned,  or established, personal identity of the brand-identified MAGA cult populist appears to  express itself in the coordinate, acceptable “group-think,” choices;  personal identity and acceptance is existentially dependent upon conformity with the group’s joint endorsement of Donald J. Trump.

During our childhood in the Borough of Brooklyn, New York, it was no less than the commission of mortal sin to be branded a Yankee (Bronx) fan, rather than a booster of the Brooklyn Dodgers. We are identifiably known (‘branded”) by our personal choices. Is one, predictably, a drinker of coffee or tea? “Coke” or “Pepsi?” Do you favor savory or sweet menu choices? Vanilla or Chocolate? baseball or football, or both? Do you favor government authority or unrestricted liberty? Your publicly expressed position on issues of immigration, police, global warming, gun control, racial relations, formal education, the death penalty, women’s rights, environmental concerns, sports, labor unions, agricultural parity, military superiority, charity, arts and education, vaccination church and state, voting equity, racial and religious equality, work ethic, economic disparities, gender issues, marijuana use are singularly identified by your publicly assigned and accepted branding, whether or not consistent with your differentiated personal view. In such context, there is perceived to be, too much at personal stake to campaign or vote in accordance with a held, divergent opinion. The less taxing (and less principled), easiest and pragmatic route is to express your support to the candidate consistent with the group’s perception of your compliant brand.

Supporting a person for political office, founded upon one’s neurotic need for group social acceptance, rather than the candidate’s individual attributes, is a sad reflection of one’s equivocal self-image and, as well, an unhealthy exercise of existential irresponsibility respecting our precious and uniquely free, yet vulnerable, Democratic Republic.

-p.

For purposes of clarity and economy of expression, we would begin this writing with a small, but relevant glossary of terms:
“Shiva” is a Hebrew word, meaning “seven,” and referring to seven days of formalized mourning by the members and close friends of the deceased. “Desecration” is depriving something of its sacred character or the disrespectful, contemptuous or destructive treatment of something considered sacred or holy. “Memorial Day,” is a yearly National holiday, honoring Americans who have lost their lives in military service to the Nation. Many American citizens additionally mark the somber, commemorative occasion as the official calendar advent of Summer.
This year’s Memorial Day was observed on Monday, May 27, 2024. It is instructive to note that the justly reviled ex-President, Donald J. Trump, was not included among its sober celebrants. In addition to his officially determined guilt and publicly acknowledged, perpetrator of multifarious crimes against the nation and his empirically demonstrated absence of moral compass, he desecrated the patriotic memorial by publicly declaring, in many instances, that killed, maimed, or captured prisoners of war are simply and dispassionately, “losers;” One such Trump maligned and desecrated “loser” was the late Arizona Senator John McCain, a valiant air force bomber pilot, captured and imprisoned in a Hanoi military prison where he underwent painful torture and famously refused an “out of order” release. “McCain was a loser,” declared the then, plainly execrable former orange-dyed, egocentric in chief; whose pathologically syndromic charge of “rigged,” deceitfully avoided military service by an apparent confluence of influential intercession and the assertion of a petty claim to a “bone spur” in his heel.
Millions of Americans who. having lost fathers, brothers, and sons in our Nation’s efforts to protect our Democratic Republic from the dreaded scourge of tyranny, have been haplessly privy to the shameless and determinate proclamations of that draft-dodging, egoistic, former President,( and caterer to our autocratic enemy leaders) that, if elected, he will be a “dictator;” mindless of the many Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect and preserve our democratic way of life. Memorial Day, one would assume, based upon Trump’s public declaration of his sentiments, is a day in wasted, “celebration of losers.”
This contextually chosen and highlighted facet of one of the multi-faceted features of Trump’s non-empathic, ego-oriented lust for Nazi-style power, should be sufficient in itself, to reject the orange pathological, egomaniac from holding office; notwithstanding the substantially recited plentitude of additional, shamelessly immoral and substantive grounds for objection, recited in our previous writings.
-p.

We might acceptably describe the word “stain,” as a discoloration produced by a foreign matter having penetrated into a fabric, evidenced by an unattractive spot, or fabric blemish, not easily removed. This writing is concerned with the existential need to remove the serious threat, herein analogically portrayed as a “stain,” imposed upon the precious and vulnerable fabric of our Democratic Republic by the penetrating taint of Donald J. Trump, together with his extensive band of deluded acolytes. To further exploit the chosen analogy, we would observe that stain removal in instances where the stain is pervasive and of longstanding duration is empirically difficult.
The ominous danger to the endurance of our Democratic Republic, posed by the cult-like, attraction of Donald Trump, to our Nation’s prodigious inventory of inadequately educated and discontented populists, is palpable and has already imprinted its unattractive stain upon the fabric of our body politic. We have extensively written of Trump’s multifarious undemocratic, amoral and criminal acts, including the commission of acts of treason. Trump’s malicious campaign against “truth,” the Constitution and the Nation’s foundational of rule of law, his utter lack of moral or responsible compass, his treasonous disloyalty and his unconstitutional behavior, not to omit his public declaration of intention to be a dictator, until the present, had received no legal retribution. Indeed, his unpunished mafia-style political operations have earned him the celebrated title of “Teflon Donald.” Mainstream, traditional American citizens have uniformly expressed frustration with the apparent “pass” afforded him by the legal and judicial guardians of our precious democracy.
However, such Teflon coating recently was found to be somewhat ineffective. Trump, after being the recipient of the full motherlode of protections (which he has promised he would eliminate, as “dictator,” if elected) as fairly and uniformly provided to all criminally accused, was unanimously found “guilty without a reasonable doubt,” of thirty-four felony charges, following a properly conducted New York Criminal Court trial. Our sigh of relief and legal affirmation by such decision, was mitigated by Trump’s egocentrically delusional (or tactically based) claim that the trial was “rigged.” (See: our immediately preceding essay, “CHUTZPAH” # M. 74). It is also to be despairingly noted, that in response to such multi-count conviction, donations from his MAGA cult of misguided lemmings, were disturbingly enormous in amount, demonstrating to citizens dedicated to the support our vulnerable Republican Democracy, that the removal of this deep, widespread and ugly stain, will take especially energetic and proactive effort. The abhorrent stain of MAGA fascism, alarmingly, has already extended its noxious pollution to one of America’s two institutional political parties, to its House of Representatives and most incredibly, to its Highest Court.
Just as the removal of marring stains on fabric requires an effective cleansing agent and the expenditure of determination and concentrated effort, the ridding of this analogical fabric blemish, inclusive of its widespread, undemocratic spread, will require such significant effort and ardent, personal dedication. The shamelessly aggressive populist, anti-democratic tactics of the contextual enterprise seeking the disfiguration of the constitution and the atavistic discarding of the societal rule of law, calls for ardent application, with a dedicated and tireless hand, the persuasive cleansing agent of the defense of truth and civil morality. However, a response consisting merely of the practice of conveyed theoretical admonition would appear haplessly impotent to counter the growth of that politically toxic and metastasizing reprise of Nazi-ism. Michele Obama’s recommendation, “When they go low, we go high,” is commendable and a tribute to her intellectually wise and sophisticated persona. However, in our experientially, pragmatic view, in dealing with the subject, vocal, active and dangerous insurgents, we would suitably recommend, an effective amendment to such morally principled declaration, viz., “When they go low, we go low.” Totalitarian bullies pay scant attention to academic or philosophical admonition. Our efforts to cleanse the Nation of the danger of autocratic, tyrannical rule, must be affirmatively expressed in ready, vocal argument, and when relevant, legal redress; and inarguably, by the proper exercise of our vote. We cannot, as mere spectators, permit our historically unique form of humanistic polity and its assured personal liberties go the tragic way of the 1930’s Munich. The dynamics of choosing a leader by the mode of terrorism is systemically abhorrent to the normally socialized American citizen; as is the toxic defiling of the Supreme Court, House of Representatives and one of the two traditional political parties. The mainstream American citizen needs to wake up to the impending threat with an affirmative, Paul Revere- type exigent alarm. (ref.: M. 74 “LEFT AND REICH”).
In keeping with our Nation’s history of overcoming political tragedy, viz., Civil War, Great Depression, the Viet Nam War, McCarthyism and the like, we retain our systemic optimism that with regard to the present hazardous threat, our precious and vulnerable Democracy will endure; based upon the historically empirical, dedication of its traditional mainstream citizens. It is our further expectation that traces of the contextual stain will not be entirely obliterated from the fabric of our Nation, like that of the Civil War and Jim Crow; but that they will exist as faded, but enduring, instructional reminders.
-p.

Those first-generational offspring of Ashkenazic Jewish immigrants to America may be fortunate enough to have retained some passing knowledge of the singularly cultural richness and expressive feature of descriptive nouns and adjectives attributable to Yiddish. The exotic tongue is overflowing with a full panoply of empirically based, expressive vocabulary, quite distinct from the more prosaic, American English, the latter, ubiquitously useful in the preparation of bills and invoices. For example, the word, “mensch“ or “menshlikite,” which in our lexicon translates merely to “man” and “mankind,” carries with it, in Yiddish, a positive affirmation of admirable character, possessing sincerity, compassion, and the valuable humanistic capability for empathy. The word, “fahrschtant,” in the Yiddish context means more than its derivation, the German word for comprehension; it carries with it an intimation of depth and emotionally based, insightful understanding. The word, “gonif” translates to a ubiquitously expanded designation of more than the literal, “thief,” or “crook,” and may be utilized, when relevant, to designate a person’s systemic inclination to be systemically untrustworthy.
However, our recollected and usefully expressive, mot de jour, is “chutzpah.” The latter, is a word which, to do its syntax justice, would require an arsenal of descriptive English adjectives and a relation of analogical experiences. At the risk of reductionism, we would, for contextual purposes, merely state that said Yiddish judgmental noun refers to “extreme nerve,” presumption,” or, perhaps, “shocking factual presumption.” An illustrative example might be the apocryphal murderer of his parents who pleads with the Judge for mercy because he is an orphan.
In our view there is no more astounding demonstration of “chutzpah,” than yesterday’s statement by Donald J. Trump. After being afforded the entire juridically appropriate measure of criminal due process, in asserting that his conviction (by a unanimous jury, of all 34 counts of felony) was “rigged.” It was equivalent in rational merit to the spurious orphan claim by the murderer of his parents, or, perhaps to a conceived charge of anti-Semitism lodged by Adolph Hitler against Golda Meir. Words taken from the American lexicon, such as “inappropriate,” “nervy,” “undeserved,” or “shortsighted,” are, sadly, emotionally insufficient and expressively impotent. We would contextually declare that the only sufficiently descriptive term for Trump’s astoundingly inappropriate, cynical and myopic complaint is pure and unadulterated, “chutzpah.”
It was Trump, the unabashed public declarant of a firm resolution to be a dictator and despenser of the American Constitution, the trademark owner of the societally damaging concept of “alternate facts,” the business record deceiver and tax defrauder, the serial adulterer, the rapist and conspiratorial hush money practitioner, tactical vote denier and (television witnessed) soliciter of State officials to alter voting results, the purloiner of National top secret documents, surreptitious inciter of the insurrection, user of the Presidential Office to surreptitiously garner profits for his private business interests, in substantial violation of the “Emolument Clause” of the U.S. Constitution, utilizer of undemocratic tactics to deceitfully delay qualified candidates for SCOTUS in order to secure Justices receptive to his personal influence, practitioner of serial mendacity and an ample record of ubiquitous criminality that cried foul, as a response to his conviction by the unanimous vote of twenty impartial law abiding citizens.
Over the years, it has been the unjust and disturbing observation that autocratic opponents of democracy, demandingly, brazenly and tactically, avail themselves of every conceivable right and principled democratic protection, in their attempted goal of the destruction of the institution from which those rights are derived. In the subject prosecution, the Court and the juridical system took great pains to afford to Trump, all of the constitutional rights and laws applicable to New York defendants, charged with criminality; a practice which undoubtedly would be obsolete should Trump succeed in his stated intention to be an autocrat, if elected to the Presidency. It is truly disturbing that Trump, having availed himself of the services of a reputable defense attorney of his own choosing, and being the recipient of the strictly mandated protections afforded to all criminal defendants under the solicitous New York Criminal Laws, been fairly adjudged guilty of all 34  felony charges, by a unanimous jury of citizens, would declare that the trial was “rigged” against him by his political opponents. Such assertion can only, under the presenting circumstances, especially considering his ubiquitous acts of deceit, be denominated no less than classic “chutzpah.”
-p.

For the purposes of our present theme, we have chosen to borrow the title and architecture of the thrilling and dramatic violin concerto of the venerable baroque composer, Antonio Vivaldi. In the infra- structure of his brilliantly conceived work, the discrete meteorological seasons are serially portrayed by their appropriate musical strains and nuanced tempo, symbolically referable to their respective universal characteristics.
We see expressive utility in our chosen analogy between the format of said musical composition and the varied theme of Man’s nuanced reaction to the discrete progressive changes, natural to his “seasons” of life. In the interest of literary candor, we will confess to the possibility of subjectivity of treatment and will confine our observations and remarks to our perceptions of the mainstream persona. Like Vivaldi, we have employed the format of four seasons, albeit, arbitrarily selected and perceived: “toddler to age 20, “young adult”, ages 21 to 40, “mature adult,”” 41 to 60, over 61, old age.” N.B., for purposes of simplicity of presentation, we have chosen to model our observations on the universally observed traits relative to the dynamics and self-perception of the maturing member of mainstream America, omitting the nuance of minority status, economic class or disability.
SPRING:
Regarding his first season of life, (childhood) there is little to be contextually observed, relative to the variation of Man’s subjective propensity for temporal adjustment and perception to life’s evolving process of maturation. During this early period the human persona has not, by virtue of the absence of inclination, nor sufficient instructive interpersonal interaction to have enabled the formation of an established and referable self-image. Dependent upon his parents and others. by temporal necessity, he submits to their supervisory care and autocratic authority; often, as relevant, submissive to their expressed observations concerning his character. There pragmatically, z paucity of empirical observations possible. relative to our theme of temporal adjustment and appropriate perception, with the possible exception of an increasing, impatient aspiration for greater personal agency and capability, as available, when they are older.
SUMMER:
During the ensuing and radically changing period encompassing adolescence to young adulthood, the factor of self-image and capacity for inner personal awareness and thought has had some time to develop. Nevertheless, sufficient interactive experience is developmentally necessary to the establishment of a consistent and usefully referable lifetime self-image. In the earlier part of this season of life, physical prowess and endurance are at their highest level of capability and are proudly taken for granted. In the space of a couple of decades, a subtle, but noticeable amelioration of the same is subtly and disturbingly noticeable. The individual, at times, accordingly, feeling a degree of limitation and a sense of developing vulnerability, longs for his earlier physical aptitude and empirically confirmed, confidence in his physical prowess. In contrast, however, his personal awareness of his distinct persona, has been in the empirical process of development toward the destination of a referable inner identity and stable perception of himself and his environment. During this season, he may choose to marry and start a young family, with the accompanying implicit prestige and sense of maturity; however, as a contrasting feeling of disappointment, he mourns a presenting subtle, but noticeable, decline in physical capability. Often, he seeks, vainly, to reprise his prior level of physical capabilities by joining a gym or participation in a regular “rehabilitative” and “restorative” regimen of physical exercise.
FALL:
With the advent of this human season, self-image and personal identity have had time and experience to have established a stable and referable basis; and a personalized, nuanced interactive identity is internalized, which regarding normally socialized individuals, is not notably dissimilar. Disturbingly, strength and physical endurance have declined noticeably, by painful subjective comparison with that of earlier seasons of his life, now complicated by subtle, and not so subtle, changes in personal appearance and in the physiology of muscle mass and consequent capability. He may suffer the poignant recognition of observed changes from his former youthful appearance to one of mature aging. This specific. temporal discovery empirically, seems more exigently discomforting in the women. It is the latter’s perceived “catastrophic” and insecurity of perception that exponentially enriches the coffers of the purportedly, restorative, cosmetic industry and their incessant advertisers. This emotional reaction is In temporal synchrony with the recently acquired empirically useful experience-based sense of self identity and referable self- image and the emotionally corrosive panic of aging and looking the part.
WINTER:
In the fourth season of life, we observe, for diverse people, the culmination of the lifetime personal success of self-fulfillment or, contrastingly, feelings of depressive degeneration, dependant upon the individual’s development of a contemplative and mature perspective on the natural dynamics life, or depressive bitterness about the accompanying physical features of an approaching old age. Physical prowess has radically declined, joints and backs evince pain, in many cases, ambulation is dependent on a cane, a walker or a wheelchair, hearing aids and corrective eyeglasses are required and family members or others are required to assist in various physical activities. For those who have been wise or fortunate to have developed a mature sense of perception and understanding, there is the innate feeling of gratitude for the franchise of life, itself and (hopefully) for reasonably acceptable health; for others, unfortunately, sense of despair and depression.
The professed intention of this writing is the emphasis on the personal benefits of a rational, mature perception and appreciation of the eternal procedural orchestration of life. As we have consistently proposed, the same can be attained by the lifetime process of self-improvement through reading good literature and involvement in the arts and sciences; thereby, one contemplatively advances towards the goal of a mature perception and a development and in useful consequence, a rational acceptance of the universal and inevitable changes in the normal orchestration of life. The qualities of character and persona, as well as physical beauty are empirically and appropriately evaluated, in the relevant context of the naturally occurring stage of one’s lifetime symphony; vain attempts at altering one’s naturally evolving personal appearance by vain cosmetic subterfuge, restoration of anachronistic youthful prowess or other feckless examples of demonstrated immaturity are revelatory of a superficial and unrewarding life experience; and, additionally, an aesthetic failure to see beauty and value in their appropriately applicable settings.
Like Vivaldi’s great symphony, all of life’s stages, in context, can aesthetically and valuably be perceived as beautiful.
-p.

In further and definitive support, we would proffer our principled disdain for aphoristic “wisdom” as our thematic example of the common chestnut: “Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat the same mistakes.” The implied message of this tired admonition is that the knowledge of past mistakes enables their informed avoidance. In such quotation, as is universally the case with aphorisms, there is a notable conflict between the facilely expressed, pseudo-wisdom, and empirical experience.
Nowhere is this critical observation more instructively cogent than in the contemporary right-wing, MAGA efforts directed at replacing our democratic form of government with an authoritarian, religiously inspired, Nazi-like polity, analogous to the 1930’s corruption of the democratic Weimar Republic in Germany, (1919 -1933) to Hitler’s appalling and horrific Third Reich. Modern history tells us that Adolph Hitler used his demagogic, albeit neurotically, egocentric skills to exploit the general economic grievances of his hapless Nation to achieve dictatorial power [ N.B., not merely for “one day,” as enunciated by our own contemporary Orange-dyed egocentric and neurotically amoral demagogue.]
In our view, an enlightened comparison of the eternal mistakes of the past, accompanied by their consequent tragedy and societal suffering and the factual replications of the same, metaphysically, are not founded in the failure to learn from historical experience but rather, as the eternal perpetuation of unremitting flaws in Man’s innate psyche. Our often repeated panacea would be Man’s achievement of personal enlightenment and self-improvement; not, necessarily in perusing history.
Our thematic apprehension consists in the eminent possibility of a catastrophic transmogrification of our desirable Democratic Republic to an authoritarian dictatorship by the pronounced, “one-day” dictator and his cultish acolytes by sowing our free American society with the fast growing and invasive seeds of totalitarianism. We are of the worrisome opinion that not enough mainstream citizens, notably inclusive of the unthinking, suicidal MAGA lemmings, are sufficiently aware of that alarming eventuality and its effects upon his personal life and liberty (ref. earlier blog “LEMMINGS”). Our deep concern resides in our fear that contemporary minds seem to be ill- equipped to embrace the dire realization as to how easily democracy could thus disintegrate, which inability is destined to lead to tragic regret.
Indeed, fascism, known to be not an uncommon the history of Europe is, by no means a novel political pathology in America. As illustration we would cite the Jim Crow Laws of the American South, the Ku Klux Klan, the exponential rise in America’s nativist and xenophobic hostility, the 1936 German Bund, the past widespread and pernicious anti-Semitic influence of Father John Coughlin, Charles Lindberg, a Nazi sympathizer, the internationally famous architect, Philip Johnson, the poet, Ezra Pound (supporter of Mussolini), Lincoln Rockwell, founder of the “American Nazi Party, and too many other notables, numerically far outweighed by an uncountable population of today’s right- wingnuts. One might, relevantly, refer to the fear-inspiring novel by Sinclair Lewis, “IT CAN’T HAPPEN HERE,” to comprehend the novelist’s warning that it, definitively, “can” happen here.
Readings in the relevant contextual area on the subject of fascism, reveal that a great many notable political scientists and historians (Ex. Griffin and Payne) authoritatively maintain that the term “fascist” is appropriately accurate to describe the politics of Donald Trump. The latter, the would-be dictator, uses classic fascistic techniques to win over and excite his large base in eroding liberal rights. In 2017, visiting Hamburg, Germany, Trump publicly and ominously stated, “Hitler did a lot of good things.” In 2022, President Joseph Biden referred to the Trump, MAGA agenda, as “semi-fascist.”
Trump’s signature red baseball caps, emblazoned with the prominent white letters, “MAGA,” dutifully worn by a sizeable multitude of visible Trump supporters, is an abbreviation of his tactically, deceitful meme, “make America Great Again”; and an understood and implicit intra-cult, dog whistle message, stating, among other pernicious, anti-American sentiments, personal affirmation of Trump’s Nazi-style, racist anti-Muslim, and Mexican border wall xenophobic propaganda.
It is our present intended theme and earnest desire to convey the realization and clear-sighted understanding that in the next Presidential election, there is singular existential significance to the endurance of our Republican Democracy, relative to who America votes against, rather than who he affirmatively votes for.
-p.