Friday, December 31, 2010
The arena culture and New Year's Eve
Today is the perfect day to witness the arena culture in action. Blustery fresh wintry winds from the north in a day awash with sunlight and low humidity. Anticipation is in the air. New Year is coming. People are looking forward to the fireworks tonight. They will oomph and aagh when the very short-distance rockets light up the sky, polluting the air and wasting money. They will have their cheap brief transcendental moments and they will go home, drunk, empty but thinking they are happy. Such is the state of consciousness of most humans. You are, unfortunately, not one of them. They often get inspired by nature. That's why they travel. Those who don't have much money would go the library and checks out some book of photographs about nature and pretend they are there. They rarely get high on ideas since they lack the capacity to think deeply and to the ultimate. They prefer to let their priests and rabbis do the thinking for them and tell them what to think, and what to believe. A great majority would believe in a God and fancy they will go to heaven after they die. Shit, you cannot go on anymore. You are going home and dream yourself to sleep. You will dream of her, fantasizing that she is good and she is kind and she is not as stupid as them. But then you never know. Looks are deceptive. When it comes to truth, humans act really funny.
Arena Culture
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/31/opinion/31brooks.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha212
Dear all:
I also have similar observations. But I think the "arena" culture is not new. It's been with us since the beginning of human history. In the past, it was often infused with religious overtones or war activities. Now, as religious influence is waning because of the advent of scientific knowledge, and war is getting too destructive and horrific, the "arena" culture gets its sustenance from sports stadiums and rock concerts where the attendants get their transcendental moments. Transcendental "whooshings" that come from quiet contemplation and meditation are the province of the more sensitive and refined folks who are rare anyway. As always, we must ask what kind of people we are and where we stand in the crowd, if we are part of the crowd at all. Where we are affects what and how we see.
Further on this subject and getting more on a slippery terrain, I have the following speculations which are developed by me, but not necessarily original because true originality in ideas is truly rare.
The arena culture is possible because Man is a social and gregarious and yet self-conflicting animal (being). He guards his privacy but delights in occasional gathering with his fellow men where he could experience feelings of communion and kinship and solidarity. Man is also easily affected by colors and sounds. He is drawn to pageantry and music. Religious leaders, festivals organizers, and political movers know about this need of Man, this longing for transcendental moments. So they stage events full of colors (banners and flags) and sound and fury in order to drive the crowd to an altered state of consciousness in hopes of winning them over. Pentecost revival meetings, rock concerts, and political rallies (especially those organized by the Nazis) are of this nature: full of colors, sounds and fury.
And the crowd responds enthusiastically. Hitler was a superb showman. He moved the crowd. He knew what the audience wanted to hear. Alas, he didn't practice moderation. He was full of excesses and thus drove the world to WW II.
China does not practice restraint either (more about this in below).
On a different note, Man is also an animal that practices momentum, not
moderation. He likes excesses and extremes. He wants to push the envelop and to test the borders. He is curious where the true limitations lie. That is why
economic activities run in cycles of boom and bust. That also explains why
empires keep expanding to the point they cannot maintain themselves. Perhaps
that accounts when a nation is on the decline---as the U.S. is experiencing---the
process is inexorable and the country seems unable or unwilling to change course
(Obama is trying but he runs into stiff opposition of the selfish and pig-headed
Republicans).The reverse is also true. When a country is rising, it keeps on rising
until it exhausts its forces of momentum. China is enjoying the positive forces of
upward momentum, with signs of catastrophic consequences for the world due to
the character of the Chinese people: undue arrogance and relentless thirst of
assimilating other races in their path of expansion. The policy of assimilation has
worked beautifully for China for thousands of years, so why should thr Chinese abandon that policy now?
Nations tend to move like an aircraft carrier: slowly and time-consuming in
changing course. To survive, sometimes a nation must move like a speedboat:
swiftly and in accordance with changing currents. Vietnam is a nation that must
move swiftly to respond to the threat of being swallowed by China. We now badly
need a new crop of leaders who love Vietnam and their fellow Vietnamese
kinsfolks more than they love themselves, who know the feelings of tribalism and
who remember the sacrifices and heroism of our ancestors in their valiant fights against the expansionist-minded enemy from the North. Let's face the truth and reality: The Chinese are not our brother; they are our historical enemy.
Wissai
Dear all:
I also have similar observations. But I think the "arena" culture is not new. It's been with us since the beginning of human history. In the past, it was often infused with religious overtones or war activities. Now, as religious influence is waning because of the advent of scientific knowledge, and war is getting too destructive and horrific, the "arena" culture gets its sustenance from sports stadiums and rock concerts where the attendants get their transcendental moments. Transcendental "whooshings" that come from quiet contemplation and meditation are the province of the more sensitive and refined folks who are rare anyway. As always, we must ask what kind of people we are and where we stand in the crowd, if we are part of the crowd at all. Where we are affects what and how we see.
Further on this subject and getting more on a slippery terrain, I have the following speculations which are developed by me, but not necessarily original because true originality in ideas is truly rare.
The arena culture is possible because Man is a social and gregarious and yet self-conflicting animal (being). He guards his privacy but delights in occasional gathering with his fellow men where he could experience feelings of communion and kinship and solidarity. Man is also easily affected by colors and sounds. He is drawn to pageantry and music. Religious leaders, festivals organizers, and political movers know about this need of Man, this longing for transcendental moments. So they stage events full of colors (banners and flags) and sound and fury in order to drive the crowd to an altered state of consciousness in hopes of winning them over. Pentecost revival meetings, rock concerts, and political rallies (especially those organized by the Nazis) are of this nature: full of colors, sounds and fury.
And the crowd responds enthusiastically. Hitler was a superb showman. He moved the crowd. He knew what the audience wanted to hear. Alas, he didn't practice moderation. He was full of excesses and thus drove the world to WW II.
China does not practice restraint either (more about this in below).
On a different note, Man is also an animal that practices momentum, not
moderation. He likes excesses and extremes. He wants to push the envelop and to test the borders. He is curious where the true limitations lie. That is why
economic activities run in cycles of boom and bust. That also explains why
empires keep expanding to the point they cannot maintain themselves. Perhaps
that accounts when a nation is on the decline---as the U.S. is experiencing---the
process is inexorable and the country seems unable or unwilling to change course
(Obama is trying but he runs into stiff opposition of the selfish and pig-headed
Republicans).The reverse is also true. When a country is rising, it keeps on rising
until it exhausts its forces of momentum. China is enjoying the positive forces of
upward momentum, with signs of catastrophic consequences for the world due to
the character of the Chinese people: undue arrogance and relentless thirst of
assimilating other races in their path of expansion. The policy of assimilation has
worked beautifully for China for thousands of years, so why should thr Chinese abandon that policy now?
Nations tend to move like an aircraft carrier: slowly and time-consuming in
changing course. To survive, sometimes a nation must move like a speedboat:
swiftly and in accordance with changing currents. Vietnam is a nation that must
move swiftly to respond to the threat of being swallowed by China. We now badly
need a new crop of leaders who love Vietnam and their fellow Vietnamese
kinsfolks more than they love themselves, who know the feelings of tribalism and
who remember the sacrifices and heroism of our ancestors in their valiant fights against the expansionist-minded enemy from the North. Let's face the truth and reality: The Chinese are not our brother; they are our historical enemy.
Wissai
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Humans and little monkeys
Humans are the most interesting animals. They have a wide range of behavior, including self-deception and self-importance. What you should cultivate is the ability to view with amusement and to regard as a source of free entertainment whenever humans behave like monkeys, instead of getting annoyed and feeling superior. You look at the eyes of certain humans and you can see their simian character through and through. Their eyes dart around and scan the environment; they are always on guard to lie and cheat and pretend to be nice and friendly.
(to be continued)
(to be continued)
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Music and Poetry
Life is more than food and shelter
Sex and power.
Imagine life without music
Nor poetry,
No thee
Nor me.
How dreary
Such a life would be!
I read about Diem Xua of Trinh Cong Son today. I also read about Bui Giang's love for Kim Cuong. And I could not help thinking of you, of me, and of us. How once a beautiful love was sullied by your abrupt departure for sex and money and glory. How life would have turned out if you had stayed with me.
(to be continued)
Sex and power.
Imagine life without music
Nor poetry,
No thee
Nor me.
How dreary
Such a life would be!
I read about Diem Xua of Trinh Cong Son today. I also read about Bui Giang's love for Kim Cuong. And I could not help thinking of you, of me, and of us. How once a beautiful love was sullied by your abrupt departure for sex and money and glory. How life would have turned out if you had stayed with me.
(to be continued)
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Flashbacks
Here you are, not a veteran of any war or a witness of any grisly murder, yet your mind is full of flashbacks that only drastic actions would restore the tranquility. What you have here is a simple case of delayed cry for justice. There's nothing you could do right now but to live long and wait . Meanwhile work out, mentally and physically.
Beyond the quite ugly, jangly ruckuses involving a monkey and a less-than-real artist, most of the folks didn't know anything about you. Not that you really wanted them to know about you. You have lived for love and art. Now you are struggling to live with truth and reality. You have a tendency to imbue a search for peace and tranquility with a faux mysticism. You make it sound like nobody has heard of mysticism until you come along. What you have presented to us as mysticism is nothing more than an inarticulate expression of the wonder of human existence. What you should do is to transcend and transform your time and your life, and not to ape somebody else's words and deeds. You must find your own voice. You must not rehash what others have said. To live well and in peace is an art. So you must be an artist about life as well as about words. You don't go through life as if you were giving an operatic performance. You should go about your business in silence and diligence.
The more you think of the circumstances that gave rise to the ruckuses, the more you realize certain animals must be condemned and stayed away from for they are carriers of disease, literally and metaphorically.
The freaking and ignorant coward opened his mouth again. He nauseated you to no end. This time, however, you just went behind the bush and puked your guts out and turned your back on him and resumed your journey. Silence is strength. Love is the cure. Understanding is the first step. You understand what turns on an animal like him. You understand that it is no use to talk to a selfish, stubborn, ignorant coward like him. You only talk to those who care about and respect knowledge and truth.
Beyond the quite ugly, jangly ruckuses involving a monkey and a less-than-real artist, most of the folks didn't know anything about you. Not that you really wanted them to know about you. You have lived for love and art. Now you are struggling to live with truth and reality. You have a tendency to imbue a search for peace and tranquility with a faux mysticism. You make it sound like nobody has heard of mysticism until you come along. What you have presented to us as mysticism is nothing more than an inarticulate expression of the wonder of human existence. What you should do is to transcend and transform your time and your life, and not to ape somebody else's words and deeds. You must find your own voice. You must not rehash what others have said. To live well and in peace is an art. So you must be an artist about life as well as about words. You don't go through life as if you were giving an operatic performance. You should go about your business in silence and diligence.
The more you think of the circumstances that gave rise to the ruckuses, the more you realize certain animals must be condemned and stayed away from for they are carriers of disease, literally and metaphorically.
The freaking and ignorant coward opened his mouth again. He nauseated you to no end. This time, however, you just went behind the bush and puked your guts out and turned your back on him and resumed your journey. Silence is strength. Love is the cure. Understanding is the first step. You understand what turns on an animal like him. You understand that it is no use to talk to a selfish, stubborn, ignorant coward like him. You only talk to those who care about and respect knowledge and truth.
I wonder and wander in the wonders of others
The Growing Capacity to Focus and Direct while Dwelling in Chaos
Oh, if the soul only had to wonder at simple things. Are there any simple things in the face of growing wonder? I think not.
Things are layered, swirled, tumbled and twisted. Things rise, sparkle, dance and dim. Things delight and disturb, stimulate and soothe, confound and clarify.
We do not wonder in our sleep. Wonder wakes us up. But wonder needs the support of focus and direction.
Awake, our souls wonder at all these things: All our thoughts, all our feelings, all our intentions and all the stuff of our stories, our perceptions and our bodily sensations. Most of us automatically tune out most of what is going on in our souls, but as we grow our capacity to focus, we can direct more and more of the creative chaos we dwell in.
Can you smile an inner smile when you find yourself in a wondrous chaos? Can you choose one thing and direct your attention to it? And go deep into it? and deeper again? Can you direct your wonder so that your questions become illuminating, focused on the true, the beautiful, the good? Do you focus on the past, the present, the future, the very flow of time?
Our souls grow the capacity to dance between the forest and the tree.
Tonight recollect your soul's vast numbers of encounters and experiences of just today. Choose one experience or encounter and focus into it. If you are journaling, write down a question about this one thing and then begin to answer your question. Stay focused and maintain your direction into deep meaning. Be surprised.
Here's a sweet suggestion: If you love Christmas music, like I do, choose one carol or one song. Listen to it. Now focus on one phrase like "Angels we have heard on high," "Let heaven and nature sing," "Joyful and Triumphant," or "I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams." Now focus on this one phrase and direct your attention to what this means to you.
Focusing and directing warms your heart without sentimentalizing. Enjoy and grow your soul's capacity.
Dear all:
Those are the thoughts of somebody sent to me. While I acknowledged the sincerity and earnestness of the sentiments, I was not overwhelmed or moved by them for they were somehow platitudinous and prosaic to me. I realize it is crass and rude and plainly cruel to make light of somebody's spiritual musings, but in truth (or at least the version it makes sense to me) I trust, so goes I:
First and foremost, I am typing this, lying in bed, and on top of my head, without notes, without organizing my thoughts. I let my right index finger do the walking and the shining of my interior.
Second, please remember words are an imprecise tool, albeit useful, in communication because people tend to read their own experiences into the words used by others, and not trying to understand what the author really wanted to say. Very often, we are guilty of reading too quickly and couldn't wait to get up on a soapbox and pontificate what we want to say, which has little to do with what we just read. That's the tragedy and the farce of what is often passed up as comment and criticism. So, I am aware of my own faults, too. Boy, I am so self-conscious today on this post-Christmas Sunday. Without further ado, however, let me take a plunge into the murky water.
Christmas is meant to celebrate the birth of a man viewed by the believers as divine and who could and would and actually did many wondrous and miraculous things. I am not here to debate the validity of the theological assertions put forth by Christian theologians who are in the business of bending minds and influencing what gullible and logic-deprived folks how to think and believe. I would feel much better and think more highly of the theologians if they had said that Jesus of Nazareth was the incarnation of unconditional love and if they had stopped at that and gone no further. Anyway I am here to state that some folks around this time of the year get more spiritual than usual and thus pen their thoughts. The person whose message was pasted at the beginning of this email of mine was one of them. Since the style of writing seemed to suggest that it was a female, I would refer to that person as such.
She maintained that things were not simple and we needed to excercise the faculty called wonder and then she went on and on exhorting us to wonder and yet she kept referring to generalities and stock phrases which are true but still trite. She sounded like she was the first human who was given to introspection, which is not true.
To live is to make sense of the experience of living and assign it a meaning. I wish she had said that. Also, she could have said that not all meanings were the same. Some humans are in this world to get as much pleasure and power as they can; others want knowledge because the very existence of the universe and their own fascinate them; still others have a lingering feeling that they are made of finer and superior stuff than most of their fellow humans, and they constantly look for evidence to substantiate that feeling.
Wissai
Oh, if the soul only had to wonder at simple things. Are there any simple things in the face of growing wonder? I think not.
Things are layered, swirled, tumbled and twisted. Things rise, sparkle, dance and dim. Things delight and disturb, stimulate and soothe, confound and clarify.
We do not wonder in our sleep. Wonder wakes us up. But wonder needs the support of focus and direction.
Awake, our souls wonder at all these things: All our thoughts, all our feelings, all our intentions and all the stuff of our stories, our perceptions and our bodily sensations. Most of us automatically tune out most of what is going on in our souls, but as we grow our capacity to focus, we can direct more and more of the creative chaos we dwell in.
Can you smile an inner smile when you find yourself in a wondrous chaos? Can you choose one thing and direct your attention to it? And go deep into it? and deeper again? Can you direct your wonder so that your questions become illuminating, focused on the true, the beautiful, the good? Do you focus on the past, the present, the future, the very flow of time?
Our souls grow the capacity to dance between the forest and the tree.
Tonight recollect your soul's vast numbers of encounters and experiences of just today. Choose one experience or encounter and focus into it. If you are journaling, write down a question about this one thing and then begin to answer your question. Stay focused and maintain your direction into deep meaning. Be surprised.
Here's a sweet suggestion: If you love Christmas music, like I do, choose one carol or one song. Listen to it. Now focus on one phrase like "Angels we have heard on high," "Let heaven and nature sing," "Joyful and Triumphant," or "I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams." Now focus on this one phrase and direct your attention to what this means to you.
Focusing and directing warms your heart without sentimentalizing. Enjoy and grow your soul's capacity.
Dear all:
Those are the thoughts of somebody sent to me. While I acknowledged the sincerity and earnestness of the sentiments, I was not overwhelmed or moved by them for they were somehow platitudinous and prosaic to me. I realize it is crass and rude and plainly cruel to make light of somebody's spiritual musings, but in truth (or at least the version it makes sense to me) I trust, so goes I:
First and foremost, I am typing this, lying in bed, and on top of my head, without notes, without organizing my thoughts. I let my right index finger do the walking and the shining of my interior.
Second, please remember words are an imprecise tool, albeit useful, in communication because people tend to read their own experiences into the words used by others, and not trying to understand what the author really wanted to say. Very often, we are guilty of reading too quickly and couldn't wait to get up on a soapbox and pontificate what we want to say, which has little to do with what we just read. That's the tragedy and the farce of what is often passed up as comment and criticism. So, I am aware of my own faults, too. Boy, I am so self-conscious today on this post-Christmas Sunday. Without further ado, however, let me take a plunge into the murky water.
Christmas is meant to celebrate the birth of a man viewed by the believers as divine and who could and would and actually did many wondrous and miraculous things. I am not here to debate the validity of the theological assertions put forth by Christian theologians who are in the business of bending minds and influencing what gullible and logic-deprived folks how to think and believe. I would feel much better and think more highly of the theologians if they had said that Jesus of Nazareth was the incarnation of unconditional love and if they had stopped at that and gone no further. Anyway I am here to state that some folks around this time of the year get more spiritual than usual and thus pen their thoughts. The person whose message was pasted at the beginning of this email of mine was one of them. Since the style of writing seemed to suggest that it was a female, I would refer to that person as such.
She maintained that things were not simple and we needed to excercise the faculty called wonder and then she went on and on exhorting us to wonder and yet she kept referring to generalities and stock phrases which are true but still trite. She sounded like she was the first human who was given to introspection, which is not true.
To live is to make sense of the experience of living and assign it a meaning. I wish she had said that. Also, she could have said that not all meanings were the same. Some humans are in this world to get as much pleasure and power as they can; others want knowledge because the very existence of the universe and their own fascinate them; still others have a lingering feeling that they are made of finer and superior stuff than most of their fellow humans, and they constantly look for evidence to substantiate that feeling.
Wissai
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Christmas 2010
Roberto's car battery conked out today. All the shops selling batteries were closed because of today was the Christmas Day. So he had to take a taxi. What a bummer! The sky was overcast and the air was cold. Day didn't start out right. All the repressed feelings came back. And of course he felt angry and uptight. He learned that he had to avoid the mistakes others and he himself had done. Most humans are simply animals when tested.
At the end of the day, he came out all right. Life can be really tough some day. Be flexible and amiable at all times. Our actions are the seeds of our destiny.
At the end of the day, he came out all right. Life can be really tough some day. Be flexible and amiable at all times. Our actions are the seeds of our destiny.
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