'Out of the cradle, endlessly rocking...'

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

i hear the humanities are dying...


     It always puzzles me that we commend the study of one or another of the humanities, not because of the discipline itself, but for the sake of some ancillary benefit. So, study history, not because the study of history is worthwhile for its own sake, but because it instills something called 'critical thinking'. In fact, 'critical thinking' seems to be the universal yield of all the varied humanistic disciplines. It hardly matters which one you choose, for no matter how arcane it may seem, you will nonetheless obtain, develop, or somehow find yourself with 'critical thinking', or, even more impressive, 'critical thinking skills'. (What, after all, is a degree worth if you don't develop skills?) As a sales guy, let me tell you, that is a bad pitch, because it takes attention away from the discipline(s), and places it on some 'skill' abstracted from any particular course of study, a skill moreover that one can probably attain through the study of mathematics, say, or economics. What, one might reasonably ask, is the point of studying history, or classics, or neo-classical architecture, and not finance or mechanical engineering, if one can get 'critical thinking' from them all, and the later might just yield gainful employment in the bargain? I studied history all those years ago, because I found that I liked studying history in a particular place with particular people and that was that. The result is that I learned how to study history, which was the point.

Friday, October 14, 2016

'o the humanity!'...

     Amidst all the Election Insanity and Rumours of War, this appeared in today's Columbus Dispatch. Someone had An Idea, you see.

This could have been avoided if those in charge had watched enough classic television:





Thursday, October 13, 2016

reading the news...

And who but Rumour, who but only I,
Make fearful musters, and prepared defence,
Whiles the big year, swollen with some other grief,
Is thought with child by the stern tyrant War,
And no such matter?   

                                    Henry IV, Part 2.

let's try this again...


    Well, here's where I begin to grow skeptical and wary of all these quick condemnations of Herr Donalt, including my own. It bothers me when a consensus forms so quickly, so easily, that adopting the regnant position is practically a reflex that entails no risk and no second thoughts while erasing all complexity.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

an aside...


     Well, here's where I begin to grow skeptical and wary of all these quick condemnations of Herr Donalt, including my own. It bothers me when a consensus forms so quickly, so easily, that adopting the regnant position is practically a reflex that entails no risk and no second thoughts while erasing all complexity.

tradecraft...

     It's been a while since I waxed all aphoristical. It's a perishable skill, like playing the flute, say, or reading the news without praying for death.

   

a heartfelt query...

     Yeah, I'm still a compatibilist. Why don't we get a convention every now and then?

Monday, October 3, 2016

another revision, because i sometimes show my work...

A Satisfactory Conclusion



     He felt the woman standing over his shoulder and looked down, shaking his head and laughing softly.
     Never thought you’d find me
     The woman leaned on the bar and said, I knew I would eventually.
     Should have known better I guess. 
     I guess. There was silence for a minute or so, then, Want to finish your drink?
     He held up his glass and looked through the scotch, bemused at this turn in his affairs. That’d be good. 
     Take your time, I’ll be outside.     
     I’ll be along directly. 
     He watched her leave, finished his drink, then all unhurried wrote something on a napkin. He left it with some money on the bar and carefully walked across the nearly empty space, admiring once more the high coffered ceiling with its intricate designs.
     When he reached the revolving door, he stopped, smiled slightly, said to himself, So this is how it is, and walked into the light of midday.

a story, revised...

A Very Short Story



     He felt the other standing over his shoulder and looked down, shaking his head and laughing softly.
     Never thought you’d find me
     The other leaned on the bar and said simply, I knew I would eventually.
     Should have known better I guess. 
     I guess. There was a pause, silence, then, Want to finish your drink?
     He held up his glass and looked through the scotch. Yeah. That’d be good. 
     Take your time, I’ll be outside.
     I’ll be along directly.
     He watched the other leave, finished his drink, then all unhurried wrote something on a napkin. He left it with some money on the bar, carefully stood and slowly walked across the nearly empty space, admiring once more the high ceiling with its intricate designs.
     When he reached the revolving door, he stopped, smiled slightly, said to himself, So this is how it is, and walked into the light of midday.

a story...

A Very Short Story



     He felt the other standing over his shoulder and looked down, shaking his head and laughing softly.
     Never thought you’d find me
     The other leaned on the bar and said simply, I knew I would eventually.
     Should have known better I guess. 
     I guess. There was a pause, silence, then, Want to finish your drink?
     He held his glass and looked through the scotch. Yeah. That’d be good. 
     Take your time, I’ll be outside.
     I’ll be along directly. 
     He watched the other leave, finished his drink, then all unhurried wrote something on a napkin. He left it with some money on the bar, carefully stood and slowly walked across the bar to the door leading to the street. When he reached it, he stopped, smiled slightly, said to himself, So, this is how it is.
     With that, he opened the door and walked into the light of midday.