Thanks for that Ash. Utopia is an odd word, coined in irony in Thomas Moore as not existing but supposed. For Hegel the big thing was that a society capable of history had arisen - but we now know this history was bunk. There an actual project called DARPA looking at how we might organise ourselves for the stars. Plato planned out massive training for his Guardians, but even he admitted corruption would get past even this.
My contention is that we lack politics almost entirely - hard to swallow when you look at news reporting, but I believe we are tranced as surely as some poor cult victim. I guess the trance works by consuming us with 'justice' when we start to question it. On Jun 17, 6:23 am, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > Retirement is a new chapter not terribly different from the others in > adjusting to although graduation is grim. :-) > > You can still learn to play- most music schools have older students. > Yes- the piano- but had flings with bongo drums, guitar, dulcimer and > I guess I was serious about singing well- jazz- but not enough to > become a performer. And dancing. Can't imagine a world without music. > > On Jun 15, 11:57 pm, paradox <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Sounds to me like you have earned your wings :) Is it all it promises > > to be? > > > Thank you! Yes, i'm on an isle but not Greek. I think you're more > > "seer" than you might think or might let on :) > > > Well, nothing like a little motivation to a good cause, your son might > > say :). Music (playing) is another strand of learning that i was > > deprived of; actually, this may have been self inflicted, since the > > music master was also the designated holder of the school whip; didn't > > pay rewards to get too close :) Fortunately, my daughter plays piano > > and clarinet. Do you play? > > > On Jun 15, 7:49 pm, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > I've earned "retirement", believe me! :-) > > > > Funny, I guessed you would be on some Greek isle- so I guess that's as > > > close as can be expected for an amateur seer. Have a great time! > > > > Well, theoreticals need practical applications or they are just arcane > > > amusements. I suppose it helped though his teacher was a seductive > > > sort for 9th grade boys- and he had no choice- 8th graders were simply > > > divided up on the basis of some test. As another example, music must > > > be played. > > > > On Jun 15, 3:56 am, paradox <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Lucky for some! :) > > > > > Excellent point on the arts, thank you. I think the same. > > > > > Yes, i agree; solving equations was always such good fun; when you > > > > solved them...:) Sounds like a great course your son did; is he > > > > finding it very useful? I'd imagine so. > > > > > This vacation, i'll be in a near vegetative state on a sandy beach > > > > with the family somewhere on the mediterranean coast of Europe, > > > > burning up and dreaming of what it would be like to sail along the > > > > coast for half of the year with the essentials; great wine, fine > > > > cigars, a good book, and song :) > > > > > On Jun 15, 4:25 am, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > Everyday is a vacation! :-) > > > > > > I am going to have some work done on the house so I plan to see that > > > > > through- went over the general plan today but I have the feeling it > > > > > will be a leisurely sort of "attack" as I know this young man. I need > > > > > his muscles and sweat. > > > > > > Sometimes our reaction to the arts has nothing to do with the artist's > > > > > intent or character- we read into them what we desire. > > > > > > As for math, I too have felt dazzled seeing three or four blackboards > > > > > with numbers approaching a grand army (once walking into the wrong > > > > > classroom). I did like geometry and early algebra but that was all > > > > > that was required at my highschool- it was fun to get a "solution" to > > > > > something concrete. But I think I have used those rudimentary skills > > > > > in a practical way running a home and with various interests so all > > > > > was not lost. My youngest son took an algebra course that was designed > > > > > to improve discussion and explanations for people in the sciences as > > > > > there is a need to translate theoreticals into mere language and > > > > > exchange information. > > > > > > That is a nice memory of your father. We should all hope to retain our > > > > > smiles forever. > > > > > > What are you doing this vacation? > > > > > > On Jun 14, 4:03 am, paradox <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > Quality memories :) > > > > > > > I wasn't suggesting that you might have been making the comment > > > > > > regarding his moral compass, rigsy03; i did think the author of the > > > > > > quote was freely sharing though :) > > > > > > > Yes, i agree; doesn't time just help to put things in context. Fond > > > > > > memories of my octogenarian father; his solution to our daily > > > > > > existential crises was the most accomodating smile you could > > > > > > imagine :) > > > > > > > Are you planning a summer vacation this year? > > > > > > > On Jun 14, 4:20 am, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > The correct title of Raphael's Madonna painting is "Madonna of the > > > > > > > Chair" so perhaps it was included in the exhibit. And all these > > > > > > > years > > > > > > > I dismissed the chair as a spindle! :-) It reminded me of my > > > > > > > daughter > > > > > > > and her younger brother when they were young somehow and I liked > > > > > > > the > > > > > > > old circular frame- dark teal with gold flourishes and borders. > > > > > > > Well, > > > > > > > I've learned something new about it- so thank you. I believe the > > > > > > > painting resides in Florence. > > > > > > > > Was I commenting on his moral compass? I didn't mean to but I > > > > > > > liked > > > > > > > the quote- to be reminded of the Pagans. > > > > > > > > Beyond discernment are some inevitable shifts. Children were a > > > > > > > common > > > > > > > bond with some groups, I'm back to a few tried and true and we all > > > > > > > seem to savor a kind of relief from our busier pasts. I think it's > > > > > > > normal. > > > > > > > > On Jun 13, 11:44 am, paradox <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Well, i was hoping to make the Holy See an offer it can't > > > > > > > > refuse :) > > > > > > > > > I was fortunate to see a collection of Raphael's works at the > > > > > > > > National > > > > > > > > Gallery in London a few years back; his imagination is truly > > > > > > > > captivating. I can't really comment on his moral compass; i'm > > > > > > > > just not > > > > > > > > qualified, i'm afraid :) > > > > > > > > > Guess you're right, we cannot shut ourselves off from the world > > > > > > > > around > > > > > > > > us; but i'm not sure we're obliged to take in more than we need > > > > > > > > or > > > > > > > > want to (most of the time). It's not so much a call to > > > > > > > > solipsism, more > > > > > > > > a call to discernment. > > > > > > > > > The "d's" sound like a great life balance to me :) > > > > > > > > > On Jun 13, 12:12 pm, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > And just how, pray tell, to you propose to wheedle that > > > > > > > > > painting from > > > > > > > > > the Vatican? Besides, dear Paradox, it is a fresco! I also > > > > > > > > > have a copy > > > > > > > > > of his "Madonna and Child" in my bedroom- sometimes she looks > > > > > > > > > stern > > > > > > > > > and at other times, amused. A critic writes of Raphael- > > > > > > > > > Taine: the > > > > > > > > > "unique blessing of a twofold education which, after showing > > > > > > > > > him > > > > > > > > > Christian innocence and purity, made him feel pagan joy and > > > > > > > > > strength." > > > > > > > > > Amen. > > > > > > > > > > No one has absolute freedom/liberty but there are degrees- > > > > > > > > > relative to > > > > > > > > > the particulars of one's existence and one's desires. And > > > > > > > > > there are > > > > > > > > > possible adaptations/solutions to culture clamps. One can go > > > > > > > > > along to > > > > > > > > > being a recluse to committing suicide- quick or slow. We > > > > > > > > > cannot avoid > > > > > > > > > being social animals, however- even a recluse needs > > > > > > > > > groceries. :-) > > > > > > > > > > Those were just the "d's"... > > > > > > > > > > On Jun 13, 3:39 am, paradox <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > Sounds like you have a serious living space indeed :) I'm > > > > > > > > > > saving up > > > > > > > > > > for the original; i expect to have enough just about when > > > > > > > > > > i'm wise > > > > > > > > > > enough to apply :) > > > > > > > > > > > Last i read Hume was for an undergrad political philosophy > > > > > > > > > > module many > > > > > > > > > > lives ago; thanks for the reference; i'll make sure i read > > > > > > > > > > the > > > > > > > > > > "Dialogues...". > > > > > > > > > > > I take your poiint about relative liberties, but wonder how > > > > > > > > > > relative > > > > > > > > > > and free our choiuces if we're "allowed" them; maybe that's > > > > > > > > > > the point > > > > > > > > > > you make about the "claustrophobia" of culture, and the > > > > > > > > > > trade off of > > > > > > > > > > freedoms for security (in an social sense)? > > > > > > > > > > > Hmm, dreams, delights, and duties...the 3 d's...so now we > > > > > > > > > > know about > > > > > > > > > > the 03 in rigsy03 :) > > > > > > > > > > > On Jun 12, 1:06 pm, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > I have a copy of that painting in my living room. My > > > > > > > > > > > living room is a > > > > > > > > > > > serious space. :-) > > > > > > > > > > > > Re Hume: I took a grad course in literary criticism- it > > > > > > > > > > > really took > > > > > > > > > > > me- that included some further handouts beyond the > > > > > > > > > > > laborious > > > > > > > > > > > textbook= Hume's "Of the Standard of Taste" which I > > > > > > > > > > > pulled from > > > > > > > > > > > basement files yesterday before I slogged through some > > > > > > > > > > > passages of > > > > > > > > > > > Hume's "Dialogues on Natural Religion". The former still > > > > > > > > > > > has sway and > > > > > > > > > > > sense- at least to me. I daresay we could live quite > > > > > > > > > > > happily without > > > > > > > > > > > modern warfare, politics and culture which resembles a > > > > > > > > > > > huge > > > > > > > > > > > contraption (I have forgotten the word for an evil, > > > > > > > > > > > menacing machine) > > > > > > > > > > > but there are also great gifts of modern times so we have > > > > > > > > > > > accepted the > > > > > > > > > > > trade-offs, it seems- at least we who have freedom and > > > > > > > > > > > liberty are > > > > > > > > > > > allowed. > > > > > > > > > > > > The juggling: dreams, delights, duties. > > > > > > > > > > > > On Jun 12, 12:31 am, paradox <[email protected]> > > > > > > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > Perhaps we're "just as deluded and misled" because we > > > > > > > > > > > > have all these > > > > > > > > > > > > communication tools, rigsy03 (not that we could do > > > > > > > > > > > > without them now); > > > > > > > > > > > > and maybe not enough time to "think" in the traditional > > > > > > > > > > > > sense. It's > > > > > > > > > > > > not nostalgia, btw; i'm not old enough to remember the > > > > > > > > > > > > School Of > > > > > > > > > > > > Athens :) > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yes, i know exactly what you mean about home > > ... > > read more »
