In case you're interested, here's a somewhat related rant I wrote to my mom recently. It touches on similar ideas of observing the world clearly, and accepting it for what it is. The liberal's love of big government is also denial of death. They look to it as solver of the unsolvable, and they ignore the dangers:
The parent of a student lent me a fascinating book. "What If", a collection of essays from top-drawer historians (McCullough, McPhereson, etc) taking key turning points in history, and asking what if the outcome had been reversed. What if Charles Martel lost the the Muzzies, what if the Persians beat the Greeks, what if Robert E Lee won the war. Also looks at quirks of fate/weather/one man's deeds that seemingly changed the course of these events, and therefore of human history ex, the guy who gave his life rescuing Cortes from an early demise in Mexico.Anyway, the effect is to peruse the history of civilization from 700 bc Jerusalem, with stops in Greece, Persia, Macedonia, Rome, Germany, etc. And the broad picture is consistently viciousnous. violence, and greed of the highest order. In an odd way it's a comfort to me. I can't say I relate or understand why this is the way the world is, but I feel more relaxed, seeing it so clearly, knowing and accepting it for what it is.
Bob Dylan's got a line in a song called "Series of Dreams" that goes "and the cards are no good that you're holding....unless they're from another world." I take the line two ways. One the one hand, it could be a Christian message about salvation. But it's also a simple put-down of this world. It's a broad brush, but it's saying, if it's from this world, it's rotten.
So why does that comfort me? Because it's easier to live in the world when your expectations are inline with reality. Anxiety comes from the inability or unwillingness to accept things as they are, and leads to utopian delusions. We're here, so we might as well try to make a good showing; I'm not a nihilist. But the expectations should be modest, and the powers granted to anyone should be jealously, violently guarded; individual liberty is not the norm. Far from it.
I like - very nice! Or as Leonard Cohen would say, when it all goes wrong - and nothing can be done - throw up your hands and say Hallelujah...
Huck, I sent you a private reply re: music stuff. After reading your rant yesterday, my husband wanted to know who you wrote for. Not bad for random thoughts on a Sunday morning.
“...it’s easier to live in the world when your expectations are inline with reality. Anxiety comes from the inability or unwillingness to accept things as they are, and leads to utopian delusions. We’re here, so we might as well try to make a good showing; I’m not a nihilist. But the expectations should be modest, and the powers granted to anyone should be jealously, violently guarded; individual liberty is not the norm. Far from it.”
One of my favorite songs right now is “I Don’t Want To Get Adjusted To The World”. I sing it to every audience I get in front of, whether they want me to or not ;-) We can accept the world, we can live in it, but not be of it. You’re right about individual liberty not being the norm. Dependency,oppression and slavery seem to be. Takes more energy, thought and effort to stay free.
Get out there and get your blog on Huck my friend. Again, some good reading.