My strategy is to try to laugh at the world's absurdities through the words of Kurt Vonnegut "I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different."
I would like to paste everything you wrote right here into this comment just to emphasize how moving it was, but for the sake of economy, I will limit that urge to these few that follow:
“I’ve been clawing at the hollow cave of meaning for weeks, looking for even the faintest crack. What once were fingernails are now raw stubs. When my head collapses into my hands, as has happened each day, blood smears my temples, my ears, my thinning hair, too; and my heart breaks yet again. I have rescued no solace, recovered no linings of silver. For even a sprinkle of comfort, I must resort to dharmic visions of the universe-as-cosmic-dream.”
This has been my life since I turned 54 approximately 2 years ago. For me, it has not been about a loss of meaning as meditation had dispelled that myth a few years before.
It has been about the slow merciless decline of my human body towards failure. I don’t have a disease & I’m not on death’s door, but my body nonetheless relentlessly slouches towards the abyss. I had hoped that there was a natural way to turn the tide: more wholistic foods & supplements, more consistent exercise & diet control, less stress. But this body will take it all with it as it descends into the indescribable.
Today was the day that I put aside childish imaginings such as hope: I stopped clawing at the walls and washed the blood from my thinning hair and raw temples. I must say, it is feels like relief. ❤️
Thank you for this. I’ve been trying to write something about hope, and I just can’t summon the words. It feels flat, like the empty thoughts and prayers trotted out after every mass shooting. I still want to hope - desperately- but the idea that we’re not ready for it is poignant. Much to think about.
I haven’t read your latest post (where you may have followed up on or circled back on this one) but I haven’t been able to get this title out of my head. When I initially read it about a month ago the first thing I thought of was the flowers that only bloom from a forest fires. I couldn’t articulate it in a written way but then I read this science article yesterday (link at the bottom) and it came to me. :)
I’m with you in that it’s delusional to be hopeful about all the violence against humanity in the Middle East. That said, the science article made me wonder what the way forward in time will be. Whether there are seeds being planted now that will save the Middle East in a thousand years or death for all of us or something in between... I find expansiveness when I can reflect from this angle. And maybe that’s what we need right now since “everything happens for a reason” hope is toxic bullshit anyway??
Emily, this, this. For one, I love flowers. The last time I was in the desert I saw, for the first time, the ones that only bloom at night. Nature has something profound to teach us there. I often wonder how we, as a species, can be good compost. Thank you immensely for this
I think all hope is false hope. It's all fantasy building. Hope and fear operate on the same spectrum, they are rooted in living outside the here and now and instead living in a fantasy world filled with expectations that are unlikely to come into reality in the manner in which you think.
Truly giving up hope is a liberating experience, though getting to the point of surrender is usually rife with suffering.
So. The argument is this: capitalism needs or ought to be, ideally, innocent and free. With too much planning, the situation becomes degraded and outcomes are not as good as we had wanted them to be. This is called "Natural" capitalism, or "dynamic" free markets. Nothing should be DESIGNED. It should just work by itself and on its own.
It is not a good argument---it lacks context. It is not clear where economics ends and other sorts considerations begin. The characteristics of these arguments of the "economists' " is that the arguments tend by default to become general prescriptions about living. This is no longer economics but a sort of moral argument. Economics must always end up being the sole and final authority and ruler.
All this is mostly over today, as the neoclassical paradigm in economics is mostly gone.
We are not ready for hope, for we know not what to hope for. We are not ready for hope because we are not ready for thought—because we do not know how to think. Worse still, we do not know how to feel. At the root of all, since the beginning, has been our collective inability to grieve the fate that awaits each and every one of us.
Looking for these characteristics in my chosen leaders...ones who can guide these processes. Hoping to become one of them myself.
My strategy is to try to laugh at the world's absurdities through the words of Kurt Vonnegut "I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different."
this is the correct take, ha
Giving myself permission to not understand. 🙏
bless you, Jodi
I would like to paste everything you wrote right here into this comment just to emphasize how moving it was, but for the sake of economy, I will limit that urge to these few that follow:
“I’ve been clawing at the hollow cave of meaning for weeks, looking for even the faintest crack. What once were fingernails are now raw stubs. When my head collapses into my hands, as has happened each day, blood smears my temples, my ears, my thinning hair, too; and my heart breaks yet again. I have rescued no solace, recovered no linings of silver. For even a sprinkle of comfort, I must resort to dharmic visions of the universe-as-cosmic-dream.”
This has been my life since I turned 54 approximately 2 years ago. For me, it has not been about a loss of meaning as meditation had dispelled that myth a few years before.
It has been about the slow merciless decline of my human body towards failure. I don’t have a disease & I’m not on death’s door, but my body nonetheless relentlessly slouches towards the abyss. I had hoped that there was a natural way to turn the tide: more wholistic foods & supplements, more consistent exercise & diet control, less stress. But this body will take it all with it as it descends into the indescribable.
Today was the day that I put aside childish imaginings such as hope: I stopped clawing at the walls and washed the blood from my thinning hair and raw temples. I must say, it is feels like relief. ❤️
Karl, this is beautiful. The sincerity in your words has bathed me in relief
I was floored by this. I will need some time to read it a few more times and process. ❤️
Thank you for this. I’ve been trying to write something about hope, and I just can’t summon the words. It feels flat, like the empty thoughts and prayers trotted out after every mass shooting. I still want to hope - desperately- but the idea that we’re not ready for it is poignant. Much to think about.
can't summon the words because it's beyond them, I think? And thank you, Sonia
Hope behind hopelessness. A well crafted one. You are not alone and thank you.
with gratitude
I haven’t read your latest post (where you may have followed up on or circled back on this one) but I haven’t been able to get this title out of my head. When I initially read it about a month ago the first thing I thought of was the flowers that only bloom from a forest fires. I couldn’t articulate it in a written way but then I read this science article yesterday (link at the bottom) and it came to me. :)
I’m with you in that it’s delusional to be hopeful about all the violence against humanity in the Middle East. That said, the science article made me wonder what the way forward in time will be. Whether there are seeds being planted now that will save the Middle East in a thousand years or death for all of us or something in between... I find expansiveness when I can reflect from this angle. And maybe that’s what we need right now since “everything happens for a reason” hope is toxic bullshit anyway??
https://www.science.org/content/article/ancient-redwoods-recover-fire-sprouting-1000-year-old-buds
Okay, on to your latest post lol.
Emily, this, this. For one, I love flowers. The last time I was in the desert I saw, for the first time, the ones that only bloom at night. Nature has something profound to teach us there. I often wonder how we, as a species, can be good compost. Thank you immensely for this
I think all hope is false hope. It's all fantasy building. Hope and fear operate on the same spectrum, they are rooted in living outside the here and now and instead living in a fantasy world filled with expectations that are unlikely to come into reality in the manner in which you think.
Truly giving up hope is a liberating experience, though getting to the point of surrender is usually rife with suffering.
https://youtu.be/IFjttC_AGsU?feature=shared
Omg, this is absolutely incredible
Yeah, classic ...
Here is another really great one:
https://youtu.be/5U1-OmAICpU?feature=shared
If we are not ready for hope, we haven't yet found the truth of what is really worth hoping for. Hope lives in the truth, and the truth never dies.
because we haven't yet found the truth of who we are
Indeed ✨
"birds singing round rooftops designed especially for them" I definitely heard that one.
--
RIP eco WeWork
So. The argument is this: capitalism needs or ought to be, ideally, innocent and free. With too much planning, the situation becomes degraded and outcomes are not as good as we had wanted them to be. This is called "Natural" capitalism, or "dynamic" free markets. Nothing should be DESIGNED. It should just work by itself and on its own.
It is not a good argument---it lacks context. It is not clear where economics ends and other sorts considerations begin. The characteristics of these arguments of the "economists' " is that the arguments tend by default to become general prescriptions about living. This is no longer economics but a sort of moral argument. Economics must always end up being the sole and final authority and ruler.
All this is mostly over today, as the neoclassical paradigm in economics is mostly gone.
Too short dude.
I was hoping for more!
Do you have other posts, per chance?
Okay, well I have to go now...
I have only a few, none as real as this one though?
What a beautiful way to put these worlds in an art form to nourish my my soul through my eyes :) Thank you
thank you :)
"There’s no lesson here. I hope you believe that."
Even hoping that no lesson seen is a hope. Lessons will taken or not taken. Always.
a circular self, like time, the flat circle
Mmmmm
We are not ready for hope, for we know not what to hope for. We are not ready for hope because we are not ready for thought—because we do not know how to think. Worse still, we do not know how to feel. At the root of all, since the beginning, has been our collective inability to grieve the fate that awaits each and every one of us.
Looking for these characteristics in my chosen leaders...ones who can guide these processes. Hoping to become one of them myself.
no hope - you are such a leader, Melissa
https://substack.com/profile/100124894-steven-berger/note/c-41601423