I just finished reading The 48 Laws of Power, by Robert Greene, and am currently plowing through Christopher Hitchens' biography of Thomas Jefferson. It's a good, short book. There are few people I trust to write about the founding fathers objectively. Biographies of these guys tend to be either sycophantic or calumnious. I trusted Hitchens to do it right, and my trust was rewarded. Next I'm going to read The Magic Mountain, by Thomas Mann. I tried to read it once before a few years ago, but don't think I was ready. We'll see where I'm at now.
I'm taking a lot in these days. I just found out that the man I saw get hit by a car a few weeks ago died on the 6th. I don't have anything to say about that at this time.
After listening to an older person babble on about 'blacks are so violent', and 'President Obama only takes care of the blacks', I wrote the following paragraph:
My wife and I watched a movie the other night called The Ledge. It was a good movie, and worked on me profoundly. I really appreciated the performances of Charlie Hunnam and Terrence Howard.
That's all. I feel bad when I don't write frequently. I wonder if it's akin to the feeling athletic types get when they're out of the gym for too long.
this is funny:
I'm taking a lot in these days. I just found out that the man I saw get hit by a car a few weeks ago died on the 6th. I don't have anything to say about that at this time.
After listening to an older person babble on about 'blacks are so violent', and 'President Obama only takes care of the blacks', I wrote the following paragraph:
I am no longer offended by racists, sexists, and homophobes. After years of hearing their narrow opinions and seeing their dull stamp on every institution in our country, I am merely bored by them. To take offense at the beliefs of this mercifully dying order is to give them too much esteem. They are vulgar people, with weak minds and fearful spirits. The sooner the last of them shuffles off this mortal coil, the sooner the rest of us can get on with it.I intended to put it in a longer piece, but don't really think it's necessary. I want to learn more about Sally Hemmings and Emma Goldman. One of the historical figures that got a lot of mention in The 48 Laws of Power was a guy named Tallyrand. I'd like to read some more about him, too.
My wife and I watched a movie the other night called The Ledge. It was a good movie, and worked on me profoundly. I really appreciated the performances of Charlie Hunnam and Terrence Howard.
That's all. I feel bad when I don't write frequently. I wonder if it's akin to the feeling athletic types get when they're out of the gym for too long.
this is funny:
Wow man, so you basically saw that guy get killed. 40,000 deaths every year by car--and that doesn't include the wars for oil or the health ramifications of bad air. But hey, dont smoke weed!
ReplyDeleteMaybe that's a petty comment. Anyway, I think that Terrance Howard's a real good actor. He's interesting. If he were white he'd be as big as Leonardo DiCaprio or Matt Damon; but..he's not. So he's not. I dont know, maybe that's a petty comment too.
Magic Mountain. That's a book they always talk about.
Wish I could say I agreed with you that American racists are a dying order. But to borrow from your gym analogy, racists and racism are like the fat that builds 'round society's waist when it gets lazy and stops going to the gym. You've gotta stay on top of that all the time or it'll grow. Its always waiting for an opportunity to come to the surface 'cause its the easiest answer to all life's problems. Like beer. And sadly I dont think either are going anywhere.
You're probably right about the racism issue. We've got a long way to go!
ReplyDeleteRace problems are here to stay, it's sad to say. Just head down south, and not that it's just the south but with the history of hate, and have a conversation with some of the white folks. It's not that it's shouted out but whispered. Things are getting better slowly with the young, but it's going to take a while.
ReplyDeleteLove the cartoon.