January 12, 2009
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Humor?
As the days go by and I become more introspective of my actions I become less amused. What is happening to me? I ask this of no one in particular, I ask it of myself, and ponder if this is the correct path. Perhaps I am supposed to be amused and giggle through this life, but, if that is the case, I find it unsatisfactory. Life is serious. If we spend any time contemplating it; either in amount of time we spend here, or the contents of this life; it cannot reach any other sum than a serious one, although, I must admit, it is filled with absurdities, comedies: not in the Mel Brook sense but in the Sophocles sense. However, what is the trick that one must attempt or practice to find this ephemeral joy amongst this serious contemplation and actions of duty?
I have joy, I do, when I tickle my child and I see sunrises, but it is always tempered by the understanding of the duality of the moment e.g. my child will come to harm eventually, the skies are pink because of the smog arising from the highway. Perhaps, and I have thought about this more, I am overly informed and that a smattering of ignorance is good for the small Man. We have not contemplated that ideas that information is not inherently postive or negative and is, in fact, a moralistic dilemma no different than killing e.g. killing one person is a crime that is punishable by death. One must be able to think upon, and shape their insistence and persistence to acquire information, to understand if their education is up to the task of incorporating more information. If one has not been able to understand that which he has already bitten off then what purpose is there to take another bite? What is the information for? Is it useful to the attempt?
It is here where I must say that the problem arises. I have an tendency to enjoy study, but, at times in my life it was purely for the enjoyment. I became, and am to some degree still, a person awash in information without any actual purpose for it. I had to invent purposes like expositions on subjects I am wholly not qualified to utter on. Or, cocktail conversations and trivial games. I still enjoy these, but it is an illustration of inventing purpose rather than attaining information for a purpose.
I have, more recently, tried to do this. To focus my energies into what I think matters; goodness, love, caring, understanding (trying) the world around me so that I can access it more readily to attempt the previous three goals or tenets. These must be primary to my amusement, for, to be honest, when I read into theories on Time Space, Event Horizons or some such, it is amusement. I must first, I think, be honest in the my attempt of information, to see what it is that I wish to know and why e.g. I read a bit on economics and nation building, the history of American inception, and Japanese reformation (Meijii reformation) because I was interested on how Tibet could follow, or not follow, in Her quest for independence. I have been very concerned with the purely romantic notions of Tibetan Independence and wanted to be an assistant to it in a pragmatic, socially acceptable way. But with self honesty-truly, I am not up to the task.
I would have been better served contemplating a small business and helping my neighbor move (I did by the way, and shoveled their snow) than anything too big. For, when am I going to have to know nation building? To know how to delegate an Interim Government in a land that was previously occupied, to disseminate that information to the world, to make sure that the infrastructure remains intact while power is transfered over to a soveriegn Tibet? I wrote an entire treaty trying to do this, and, perhaps it was more for pride than of anything else.
We would all be better served, myself paramount, to live small-to take care of our small plot, to urge growth and goodness in our betters who come from our small plots. I will try to do this. Perhaps the best I can do is put down the books, the journals, go to sleep earlier, and ease my worry into the background for it is a symbol of my arrogance that thinks I can do something on a large scale. Hold my daughter close, my wife close, and admire the pink sky.
Be well
G
Comments (5)
Your post makes me think. It's just funny that there are so many of us who sit around blogging, but we all still get more joy out of the smaller, simpler things in life.
It makes me think we all really write stuff out because we like the clicking of the keys.
Good post btw
@realisticallyoverratedreality9 - Perhaps that is it. The clicking of the keys. I think that there is very little that one can do to persuade anyone nowadays. We have not the attention span nor the intellectual humility, or humility at all, to accept that we could be wrong on issues. I think this arises because we have this football mentality to 'issues' that it is either win or lose, rather than get the best policy.
Perhaps the clicking of the keys is just a self aggrandizing and preaching to ourselves, the original choir so to say.
Be well
My friend
G
One of the hardest parts of life, for myself, is resignation to one's station. Some can write it off with their amor fati or pursue other outlets with that otherwise productive energy.
In self-education, or in formal electives, there isn't much escapism in learning about the world you're in; the hows, whats and whys. To make the step further in exacting change upon that world you're mysteriously brought into takes something I'm not quite sure exists. Maybe a mix of random luck, predisposition, or maybe it's all nepotism and innovation since the dawn of civilization. Some have that natural ability to just command authority, seizing their Greatness and ordering change.
With your efforts on a free Tibet, I don't think it is as so much as you failed, but that fates have conspired to have you fail. The overwhelming odds against geopolitical harmony is a major tide to stand in front of with words and ideas. The purity of your effort is enough alone to validate the time spent learning and applying gained knowledge and earned wisdom. I don't think you should abandon this ambition, but temper it until the time is right for both your continued effort and possible receptivity.
It is also equally important to live your normal life, to nurture and appreciate the domestic duties. I think this is as equally necessary as attempting change, because it can foster the idea in the people you associate with, or children raised. If you can influence even one more person to think towards your goal, a step is taken--or at least a toe is raised on that foot about to step.
There is still time; and even if statues aren't erected in your honor, how you spent your regular, everyday life will still make it worthwhile.
PS: I too studied the Meiji Restoration, fascinating time period of drastic technological and social advancement (before, of course, being corrupted by Imperialists). I never thought of how it might work towards Tibet.
@monkegeist - Yes, you are right, I bow in your direction. I know that I cannot stop but, perhaps, as you say, I should spend more time in my domestic duties. It makes it hard when you think on such subjects that there could be change, or proper conduct, and yet there is not. it is frustrating. As to trying to change peoples minds, I have relegated that to a very small fraction of what I do. Who can tell those that which they don't want to hear when, in fact, I think, that they are incapable of the hearing in our modern age. When reading and concentrating for more than a hanful of minutes is tiresome and difficult, for us all, or even the best of us, then what hope is there for the rest of us that can't even hold a line of thought for a few seconds?
Thank you so much for suggesting Neil Postmans Amusing ourselves...it was an eye opening read because it gave credence and words to what I have thought for a long time, and exposed me to the language of the argument. It was wonderful not in the illustration, which was a horrible picture indeed, but wonderful in his exposition and ability to frame the argument.
Yes, I was, and am, interested in a Free Tibet but one that is ready to be free and not a puppet for some other interests whether by purpose, or by dint of them being the catalyst to framing the 'new nation' e.g. Afghanistan had eight days in Bonn to come up with a 'plan' mostly put in motion by the west. I hope for a plan that can adhere to the best of what we have to offer, but in order to do so we have to be able to give to the world what it needs. I have dreamed of a Nation ran on the principles of what HH the Dalai Lama has said when asked if he would believe in a free tibet through a violent revolt, "if it means one Chinese person is hurt for a Free Tibet? Yes? Then I say let them have it, all of it."
Who could stand up to that onslaught of truth? When he asked the Palestinians and the Israelis to Lhasa and asked them to forge a peaceful resolution what would hang in the air is this: I was turned from my country violently, they murdered over a million of my people, all of my country's religious centers were burned and desecrated, and still I loved them, not with just empty words but with my exile and the blood of my people rising in front of me, still I prayed publiclly and privately for their prosperity and happiness, I said publicly that I breathe in their hate, and bad karma, I take it, and I give them my good karma and love, still I said for them to keep the land,and only would accept it without their harm, with mutual benefit. And here you are before me and you bathe each other in blood and pain, you come from traditions that speak of peace, your God speaks of Love, and yet you, Man, seek only violence. How can you stand before me in such hate when I have shown such love that you say you adhere too-you say it is irreconcilable and yet I have reconciled, you say it is ancient, and I say that is no reason for their not to be what has never been seen.
He could answer any philosophical query into the efficacy of Love and show that it works.
Tibet could be, and will be, I truly believe that because of many differing reasons that are pragmatic namely genetics e.g. the Chinese cannot live there-they even have to have their children in the deep valleys in order to keep them alive-it could be the conscience of the world, the Truth and best of us. It will be. I think. Or so it was prophesied nearly 1300 years ago. I hope he was right.
I will keep trying and trying, but with a mind on my station.
Be well my friend
Thank you for your advice
I heed it in its pragmatism and reason
as well as because of its origin
G