Archive for September, 2009

Beyond discontent

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

One would think there’d be no shortage of information about the right stuff that human beings like to know, and need to know. But about the significant place the good fight has in our lives, there is little data of import. Just how disappointing, meaningless and unfair life is remains a problem to be solved. Especially now.

Of course, much of this discontent is covered up. We, ourselves, have probably been conditioned to look as if we’ve sucked it up, so to speak. Looks are only skin deep, however, and the problem persists. And what about the circumstance that leaves millions of us ill-prepared, by dint of birth and/or limited opportunity, to prevail in the challenge that life is? If we have even a shred of conscience, we feel the moral obligation to endure, to stand up and be counted, to make it matter that we lived at all.

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Acquiring the right stuff

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

During the long march from creature to culture, always at play and usually dominating the play is the rivalrous impulse. We are born with it, bred to it, conditioned by it and rewarded for it.  We are also saddled with it, subject to it, undone by it and, as illustrated by Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel, punished for it.

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