tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122943572024-03-23T03:16:31.884-07:00Joe's Comments and ObservationsThis blog addresses my concerns regarding the direction the human world is heading and my unfaltering conviction that human destiny on this planet can be positively influenced by striving for knowledge, peace, understanding, love and social justice.Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.comBlogger495125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-35727862520372794192024-03-19T09:07:00.000-07:002024-03-19T10:16:18.108-07:00The Ghosts of Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler, that “remarkable” German leader, who in about 12 years (1933 – 1945) managed to engineer and inspire a most “remarkable” war machine that in the final reckoning was directly or indirectly responsible for the death of seventy-five million human beings throughout the world as well as the physical, emotional and psychological damage inflicted on so many in the post- World War II era. He was a madman who has been dead for almost eighty years, yet his ghosts still haunt humanity. <br /><br />These ghosts have successfully populated the mind and spirit of current day madmen who have aspired to leadership positions throughout the world. Individuals such as Vladimir Putin of Russia, Donald Trump of the United States, Viktor Mihály Orbán of Hungary, Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Ali Khamenei of Iran have taken on this “glorious” mantle. <br /><br />These individuals espouse and attempt to propagate those core values as established by Adolph – <br /><br />· The imposition of autocratic and despotic rule over an entire population. <br /><br />· Unbending adherence to lies at the expense of the truth. <br /><br />· Arbitrary judgements and pronouncements at the expense of reason and the rule of law. <br /><br />· The blind acceptance and belief of the absolute superiority of a particular ethnic group and/or ideology. <br /><br />· The unrelenting focus on demeaning and undermining a particular group(s) usually a minority, those who express contradictory points of views, those who are a minority in terms of sexual orientation or religious affiliation. This kind of dogged antagonism is usually designed to inspire the loyal adherents to fascistic principles to act with malice and violence against the designated “scapegoats.” <br /><br />· The use of collective punishment directed at those deemed inferior who rebel against the ironclad and autocratic rule that defines their existence and usurps their freedom. Current examples of this practice can readily be seen in the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israeli invasion of Gaza. These two examples reflect a careless brutality and total lack of respect for human life; for the safety and well-being of children, the elderly and the weak who are treated as less than human on account of their association with what is considered to be an inferior group. <br /><br />At the end of his despotic reign, Adolph Hitler killed himself and left his native Germany in ruins. Strangely, it seems that the policies, as outlined above, still seem to have traction in this twenty-first century. The human world apparently has learned little from the clear and explicit lessons of the past.Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-39311024321781946692024-03-19T09:05:00.000-07:002024-03-19T09:05:41.327-07:00Gaza - the New Holocaust<br /><br />At the current time, February 14, 2024 it has been reported that over 27000 Gazans, mostly ordinary citizens, have perished – victims of the Israeli onslaught mostly from the air and the remainder murdered by Israeli soldiers. This ongoing war was waged in response to the attack of Hamas fighters on Isreali citizens killing an estimated 1200 indiviuals and the taking 0f hostages. <br /><br />Although this terrifying attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians is deserving of a response, it must be remembered that the people of Gaza are essentially defenseless except for the Hamas fighters that are themselves no match against Israeli military power. In addition, the majority of Gazans are children and as a result, a staggering proportion of the dead have been children. <br /><br />It is important to note that for 16 years the Israeli government with the help of the Egyptian government created a horrific situation in which over 2 million individuals were forced to live in a veritable prison in which they could not leave and a living environment in which the supply of power, medications, foodstuffs and water were arbitrarily rationed. <br /><br />Many of the victims in Gaza perished as the result of bombardment from the air. Repeatedly the Israelis dropped 2000 pound bombs, weapons supplied by the United States, in the midst of densely populated neighborhoods. The level of destruction from these weapons resulted in the total collapse of many residential structures crushing men, women and children to death and leaving many victims with grievous injuries. <br /><br />Eighty percent of the entire population of over 2 million Gazans were forced to abandon their homes and relocate attempting to find some safe haven within the Gazan ghetto. The Israelis imposed a prolonged siege on the entire population resulting in the forced scarcity of adequate nutrition, decimated water treatment facilities, diminished availability of a safe water supply and severely diminished access to fuel and therefore power. <br /><br />Currently the Israeli government plans to forcefully evacuate over a million people from the last bit of Gazan territory that was considered safe. In addition, spokespersons for the ultra conservative wing of the Israeli government have begun to propose forcefully expelling Palestinian residents of Ganza and subsequently bringing in Jewish settlers with the aim of permanently occupying Gaza – reminiscent of what occurred in 1948 during the aftermath of Israeli-Arab War and creation of the Jewish State. This idea regarding future plans for Gaza might also explain the ruthless decimation of the Palestinian infrastructure in Gaza that is currently underway with no plans to restore what has been destroyed. <br /><br />The saddest aspect of this current historic reality is that the methods employed by the Israeli government against Hamas and the people of Gaza reflects many of the techniques used by Nazi Germany during World War II including that of harsh and horrific collective punishment using overwhelming force against an essentially defenseless civilian population. This behavior also underlies the strongly held belief that Palestinians are somehow less than human and can certainly be imprisoned in such a dehumanizing environment over a prolonged period of time with no regard for the immeasurable harm that this does to the human spirit. <br /><br />It is terribly ironic, that the Israeli people who had suffered grievously from the inhumane and reprehensible impact of the Holocaust are now responsible for a Holocaust of their very own making. <br /><br /> Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-35154204212794789972023-12-02T18:47:00.000-08:002023-12-02T18:47:11.740-08:00Swimming in an Inexhaustible Sea of Information<p>I am thoroughly impressed with the sheer amount and breath of content that is swirling and streaming through the varied information portals that inundate the human world. We seem to be swimming in an inexhaustible sea of information. Much of this tidal wave consists of purely personal data amplified ad nauseum on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, anecdotal information outside the realm of personal experience, lies and misinformation disguised as truth that is mostly transparent propaganda, and a plethora of advertisements designed to sell products and support causes of all kinds. A vanishingly small portion of this informational tsunami contains real data of any significance.</p>In spite of this daunting aspect of modern human existence, the reality principle remains intact. This reality is that we are ephemeral creatures with a limited lifespan existing in a amazingly expansive universe in which we are but an infinitesimal part. Within our evolutionary journey as a sentient species on planet Earth we have “inherited” a most amazing organ, the human brain, that has given us self-consciousness and a most extraordinary tool – the ability to comprehend and appreciate this fabulous cosmos we inhabit if only briefly. <br /><br />I do whatever I can to minimize my involvement and exposure to the ever-growing virtual matrix that encapsulates the dimensions of our cultural terrain. It is an expansive space without dimension; it is infused with a light that is deficient in its capacity to illuminate; it is a joyless space where happiness is encouraged but never realized. It is a place of continual distraction. <br /><br />Humanity appears to be stuck on a treadmill of its own making – where abysmal conclusions are drawn from spurious data and the same mistakes are made over and over again in spite of what history teaches. These mistakes often lead to disastrous consequences such as war, starvation, genocide, and the cumulative impact and trajectory of these choices may well undo our capacity, as a species, for survival. Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-25676824825880365502023-12-02T18:20:00.000-08:002023-12-04T12:50:25.884-08:00On the Propensity of Humans to Do Harm to Each OtherI am struck by the complexity of the nature of human relationships when one considers the manner in which human identity is established within each of us during our lifetimes. Constantly faced with a panorama of choices that constitute so much of our dealings with the world around us, our minds must continually filter, interpret, and analyze the constant stream of data that we take in through our senses. The sense of belonging that is such a potent driver within the self and in relation to others is further enhanced by one’s association with family, tribe and nation. <br /><br />These processes are complex and overlayed by our ever-changing state of mind, and the state of health of both body and mind. In addition, all of these “cerebral gymnastics” are influenced by our variable and often volatile emotional states of being that originate from a distinctly separate part of the architecture of the human brain. These choices are also constrained by the summation and convergence of innumerable past experiences that influence so much of the decisions we make. <br /><br />I am pursuing this line of investigation into the nature of the internal world of the human mind (i.e. brain) in order to understand why there is so much suffering that can result from human interactions. It may be that the level of complexity that is inherent in each of us, as briefly outlined above, is further magnified in the arena of human interactions resulting in a vast panorama of possibilities and outcomes. To quote a line from the Bob Dylan song, Idiot Wind, “It’s a wonder we can even feed ourselves.” <br /><br />Within the swirling matrix of human interactions, differences in attitude and viewpoint are bound to surface. It is within the nature of politics to find mechanisms to assuage differences in order to reach practical and sustainable solutions to societal problems. Within this elaborate matrix of human interactions with its wealth of possibilities, it becomes inevitable that there are those who succeed; those who fail and those who succumb. <br /><br />I remember what my dear friend, Ralph, of long ago who was an immigrant from Jamaica and living in New York City, at the time, said to me. To paraphrase, he marveled at how well New Yorkers seem to get along given not only the sheer and often overwhelming population density but also the fact that so many came from disparate and diverse backgrounds. To me, this reality highlights the natural human longing to find harmony whenever possible. Sadly, this tendency is too often overshadowed by the equally powerful propensity to surrender to the emotionally-laden feelings of prejudice, bigotry, fear, and hatred.<div><br /></div>As members of a particular culture, we are taught to rationalize these darker emotions by categorizing our enemy as somehow evil or less than human. Within the framework of this kind of propaganda we are never trained to consider our own culpability. In this way we are destined to repeat this pattern again and again.Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-53099419126613576892023-10-17T09:30:00.003-07:002023-10-17T09:30:24.616-07:00The Fate of the People of GazaTo further support this pathological pursuit of the destruction of Gaza by the Israeli government is sheer madness. How could we remain silent in light of this unrelenting carnage raining from the sky with continual aerial bombardment for nine consecutive days without apparent letup? It is a massive imposition of collective punishment wrecked upon the ordinary citizens of Gaza who have already endured 16 years of a joint Israeli and Egyptian blockade that has created what is regarded as the largest outdoor prison in the human world. Within this blockade, almost everyone of the 2.2 million individuals is trapped within a very small area. An overwhelming majority of the population of Gaza are young with many very young with not hope of escape or improvement of their abysmal living conditions on the horizon. <br /><br />Further exacerbating this untenable situation is the barbaric siege imposed upoon Gaza that has resulted in the blockade of all electrical power, water, food and medical supplies. Ironically, the scale of this inhumanity as a means of collective punishment is behavior reminiscent of Nazi Germany. If this behavior continues, massive death and unspeakable suffering will surely follow. Is this the kind of future scenario we are embracing with our silence? <br /><br />After all, the overwhelming majority of the population of Gaza are not members of Hamas, or participants in the fanatical and violent extremist actions perpetrated by Hamas. Can the Israeli government actually claim innocence in the midst of all of this horror? Can they continue to propose that Hamas alone is evil as they are the originators of the horrific blockade that has persisted for so long, and as they intentionally bomb buildings where people reside, target ambulances, mosques, communal marketplaces, hospitals and even cars filled with individuals attempting to escape from the worst of the mayhem. <br /><br /> In the final analysis, in this the twenty-first century where we find humanity engulfed by two major conflicts, it seems that the human species has not learned much in regard to actively pursuing a path of social harmony and peace in over ten thousand years of civilization. This unavoidable reality still dominates human behavior even though science has clearly shown that all humans are members of the same human family and that as stewards of this planet, we continue to act in a way that is responsible for the inexorable deterioration of the ecological fabric that sustains all of life on this most remarkable planet Earth. Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-4819439552616241312023-10-17T08:45:00.006-07:002023-10-17T08:48:59.687-07:00Shadows of War<p>On September 8, the world was rocked by the incursion onto Israeli territory by gunmen directed by Hamas, the radical group in control of Gaza – from the extremely tiny territory of Gaza populated by over 2 million inhabitants that have been subjected to a severe and unconscionable blockade for 16 years. This blockade has successfully interdicted shipments of such important commodities as medical supplies, water and with effective control of electrical power that is supplied to this enclave. Free passage out of Gaza by Palestinians has been made virtually impossible. Gaza has been described as the world’s largest outdoor prison.</p><br />On Sept 8, a state of war became the second major global conflict in the human world adding to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War. <br /><br />My thoughts on this situation – <br /><br />At times like these, it is tempting to take sides and offer a plethora of rationalizations regarding the infinite wisdom of going to war and fill ourselves with a sense of righteousness ennobled by our grievances. And yet, the age-old song of violence and retribution gets played once again. And once again, humanity is infected with a bolus of rage and hatred that will ultimately get us nowhere. And once again, true human progress is thwarted. <br /><br />What is not clearly understood is that the human world is heading towards an unsustainable future, for humanity is undermining its own prospects by maintaining a structure with a vast imbalance in the distribution of wealth and the reliance on massive violence and death to sustain the status quo. This subservience to power leads inevitably to needless suffering on a massive scale. In addition to this recurring onslaught, we are collectively laying waste to the biological infrastructure that sustains all of life. <br /><br /><div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>Shadows of War </b></h2><br />Darkness once again falls <br /><br />heavily upon this tiresome human world. <br /><br />Shadows of war <br /><br />propelled by ridiculous dreams of dominance and empire <br /><br />sustained by minds <br /><br />unable to see the horrid future they project, <br /><br />unwilling to embrace the pain and suffering <br /><br />they inflict, <br /><br />unreceptive to the laments of mothers <br /><br />over the children forever lost to the shrill <br /><br />call of bombs and bullets <br /><br />as explosions rip through the fabric of neighborhoods, <br /><br />unrepentant for the death they distribute <br /><br />to the innocent like candy, <br /><br />for all the blood and bones and carnage, <br /><br />for all the wrecked lives and distorted hatred <br /><br />injected into the future, <br /><br />unable to embrace all of humanity as equals, <br /><br />ever ready to crawl into bed <br /><br />with hollow and pointless death. <br /><br />Shadows of war, <br /><br />a long and tiresome story <br /><br />revisited again and again <br /><br />the litany long, <br /><br />the dark foreboding song always the same, <br /><br />the list seeming endless, <br /><br />stretching back <br /><br />to the very beginnings of <br /><br />civilization. <br /><br />How long can Homo sapiens endure? <br /><br />how long can the natural world <br /><br />upon which we depend <br /><br />sustain us? <br /><br />when we choose <br /><br />chaos over harmony <br /><br />needless death and unimagined suffering <br /><br />over love and life, <br /><br />darkness over light, <br /><br />stupidity over real intelligence <br /><br />over and over again. <br /><br />Darkness once again falls <br /><br />heavily upon this tiresome human world.</div>Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-10674734650129800342023-08-23T08:00:00.004-07:002023-10-17T11:47:30.228-07:00Dance of the Generations<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_S-sSabkTA6hlPZbHw6pF2m6CJuvraC_6vAW4QpuMG_4dwdHCqd6dQRqixW3VmawMDn6Y2UQum90msChYQgbqSAJM36XmkW3uDDT0d3Ya3kraNEqKAh-nngySJYzCMlfj8pZ6bB_9wryPZGmNLE4Wdrhh8N1A6edf2aMPf81AktqixKHrzQIdA/s3612/father%20and%20child.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2850" data-original-width="3612" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_S-sSabkTA6hlPZbHw6pF2m6CJuvraC_6vAW4QpuMG_4dwdHCqd6dQRqixW3VmawMDn6Y2UQum90msChYQgbqSAJM36XmkW3uDDT0d3Ya3kraNEqKAh-nngySJYzCMlfj8pZ6bB_9wryPZGmNLE4Wdrhh8N1A6edf2aMPf81AktqixKHrzQIdA/s320/father%20and%20child.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Periodically I go through my collected works of art and literature and on this one occasion a particular idea inundated my consciousness with insistent clarity. An inner truth revealed itself to me. The driving force of my creativity is to capture through some medium the real nature of reality and my response to it. Art strives to peel away the layers of distraction and confusion and affect that permeates the human world in an attempt to reveal what lies underneath.</p><br />In the evolution of humans, there came a time in the development of the species that a spark lit the pyre of the consciousness of self and that startling quality of perception that instantly changed everything for the better and the worse. As a result, we have both the wondrous capacity to comprehend the nature of things and yet we can value our individual selves so highly that it can thoroughly obstruct our vision. <br /><br />Reality’s Song is vivid, persistent and exists beyond our control. Time moves forward, pushes boundaries, ushers in the constancy of change and glides into the future with precision. As individuals we are powerless within this domain no matter how well taught we may have been regarding the supernatural forces that supposedly operate purely for our benefit and work tirelessly on our behalf. <br /><br />When the mind is opened to the majesty of Reality’s Song; to the enormity and power of the cosmos, to the universe extending outward to extraordinary dimensions; to the remarkable aspects of the natural and living worlds; to the ever-present and dynamic mother Earth; to the wonders of the human brain, life reveals itself as a remarkable gift. From this perspective, an individual life journey, however brief, is a fantastic experience.<br /><br />Reality’s Song embraces everything. It touches us with inexplicable joy and immense sadness, with love’s surprise, and promise, and untold grief, with the inner-workings of the natural world; with the star-filled midnight sky, with the dance of the planets, with black holes and supernovas, with the enormity of space and the incessant rhythm of time. Although we may witness the many variations of Reality’s Song, it is not sung for us; it is not here for us. Reality’s song is an intrinsic and inescapable aspect of the expansive universe.<br /><br />Reality’s Song teaches that life is fleeting, that pleasure and pain and emotions and thought, intellect and reason are products of the human brain and have no existence outside ourselves. Reality’s Song clearly demonstrates that the cosmos is immense and that humanity is not a necessary component of its existence, and that the continued presence of the human species is far from guaranteed. Reality’s Song embraces truth and does not coincide with delusional ideas and fantastic conclusions.<br /><br />To be a sentient being existing in all of this incredible splendor is a reality that I gladly embrace and feel immensely privileged to experience however briefly. <br /><br /> <br /><br />During this final phase of my existence as an autonomous being on this earth, our only home, I would like to shift my focus to that somewhat intangible aspect of being I refer to as peace of mind. I did refer to my time in life as a final phase not on account of any serious or debilitating illness but on account of the inescapable reality that the time ahead of me is far shorter than the time that has already elapsed. Realistically, we are all dying in that as soon as we are born our trajectory is clear although the time allotted may vary.<br /><br />I have included the following poem –<br /><br /> <br /><br />Ode to the Elusive Peace of Mind<br /><br /> <br /><br />I wish to say farewell<br /><br />to all trivial considerations,<br /><br />all venal and self-serving dreams,<br /><br />all of ego’s darlings<br /><br />piled up like so many useless magazines<br /><br />cluttering the thoroughfares of the mind.<br /><br /> <br /><br />I wish to terminate the leases<br /><br />of all the shabby and unwanted tenants that<br /><br />occupy the precious real estate within<br /><br />my neuronal wonder.<br /><br /> <br /><br />I wish to finally release all the hostages<br /><br />reminiscent of bygone desires and<br /><br />missed opportunities,<br /><br />they take far too much succor to retain.<br /><br /> <br /><br />I wish to welcome all of<br /><br />life’s truly wondrous aspects,<br /><br />of nature’s magnificent presence<br /><br />and finally let all of existence consume me<br /><br />within the grasp of perfect peace.<br /><br /> <br /><br />These series of wishes as outlined above, represent both individually and collectively a challenging set of goals. Over my lifetime, I have accumulated a torturous array of tattered remnants that no longer serve any useful purpose and that, in fact, present serious obstacles to a fuller appreciation of the wondrous quality of being.<br /><br /> <br /><br />All humanity is part of the “dance of the generations” where those living move about the Earth interacting with each other and the natural world that establishes place and time. Encased within the recesses of our bony skull lies that remarkable organ that projects the essence of ourselves, maintains our intricate library of memories, initiates our thoughts and desires and that propels us forward. Each of us expend our allotted time in our own unique ways. This dance eventually propels us into the oblivion of death so as make way for the next generation. This is the inescapable truth. We may try to deny this reality, or obfuscate the implications, but that is no matter – the dance goes on. It is far better to appreciate the dance and join in the revelry rather than bemoan this fundamental aspect of the reality principle.<br /><br /> <br /><br />To quote the master (William Shakespeare) -<br /><br /> <br /><br />THE SEVEN AGES OF MAN<br /><br />All the world's a stage,<br /><br />And all the men and women merely players;<br /><br />They have their exits and their entrances,<br /><br />And one man in his time plays many parts,<br /><br />His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,<br /><br />Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.<br /><br />Then, the whining school-boy with his satchel<br /><br />And shining morning face, creeping like snail<br /><br />Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,<br /><br />Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad<br /><br />Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then, a soldier,<br /><br />Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,<br /><br />Jealous in honour, sudden, and quick in quarrel,<br /><br />Seeking the bubble reputation<br /><br />Even in the cannon's mouth. And then, the justice,<br /><br />In fair round belly, with a good capon lined,<br /><br />With eyes severe, and beard of formal cut,<br /><br />Full of wise saws, and modern instances,<br /><br />And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts<br /><br />Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,<br /><br />With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,<br /><br />His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide<br /><br />For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,<br /><br />Turning again toward childish treble, pipes<br /><br />And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,<br /><br />That ends this strange eventful history,<br /><br />Is second childishness and mere oblivion,<br /><br />Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.<br /><br /><br />As You Like It (Jaques, Act 2 Scene 7) <br /><br /> <br /><br />I am fast approaching my 79th Birthday (October 2023). I have had the privilege to have had “many turns at the wheel.” I have lived in many domiciles throughout this country; slept in many beds; walked many, many miles both amid the wonders of nature, and traveled through vast expanses of this human world. <br /><br />On the chalkboard of my life I have attempted to highlight those experiences that remained vivid to me.<br /><br />On my chalkboard of life there are many fanciful entries filled with preposterous expectations, and there is a multiplicity of lists enumerating tasks planned, tasks completed and tasks abandoned. On my chalkboard of life there are protestations of love and impassioned pleadings; there are expressions of precipitous joy and the howling of despair; there are intricate tapestries of proclamations of brilliant successes and barely perceptible references to utter failures; there are entire litanies of somewhat intelligible references to dream sequences and idle wishes; there are inchoate rants against absolute lunacy of the human experience.<br /><br />Throughout the chalkboard of my life there runs the very current of experience, of choices and consequences and the meanderings of love.<br /><br />On the chalkboard of my life, there is a more limiting space left for a future that still has me in it. My fondest hope for all the future generations that follow is to achieve the fullest degree of happiness, joy and enlightenment that life may bring.<br /><br />Furthermore, my deepest and most sincere advice to anyone who will listen is to imbibe fully the experience of existence; taste every moment; savor all the nuances of the space you occupy; express your feelings no matter how mundane or profound; live and love as if your breath might suddenly fail you; do not judge yourself and others harshly – better yet do not judge at all. Embrace the art of forgiveness and lighten the needless burdens you may carry.<br /><br />Lastly, and most importantly, don’t be stupid and never listen to stupid people for stupidity pays homage to lies and sows seeds of mistrust, malice and hatred. Stupidity prepares the human world for endless cycles of hapless aggression, vengeance, and dissolution. Stupidity shutters the mind and in so doing thwarts the possibility of real human progress.<br /><br /> <br /><br />These are my suggestions that spring from the cumulative weight of the lessons my life has taught me.<p></p>Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-33833748022463334142023-07-26T07:57:00.001-07:002023-07-26T07:57:26.188-07:00Reality's Song<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqtwIa8FndukTGaNo_6RyR4CZgkyhR7Xv8smQ5wPfDMpwXmBR0WQ5B0a51VRh9XQlimfvQLZkgzocj-CHO6Bt11zDJi2NOJLUcdLrQrxCwfPbDzboNqj5Jb_oHuS4RQPIiUV30pKTyjcW76-48isLymVhlu6W_Jca9Z7MvmOwqEgQA1vglw_lJg/s1121/AUTUMN%20SCENE%20a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="1121" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqtwIa8FndukTGaNo_6RyR4CZgkyhR7Xv8smQ5wPfDMpwXmBR0WQ5B0a51VRh9XQlimfvQLZkgzocj-CHO6Bt11zDJi2NOJLUcdLrQrxCwfPbDzboNqj5Jb_oHuS4RQPIiUV30pKTyjcW76-48isLymVhlu6W_Jca9Z7MvmOwqEgQA1vglw_lJg/s320/AUTUMN%20SCENE%20a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Periodically I go through my collected works of art and literature and on this one occasion a particular idea inundated my consciousness with insistent clarity. An inner truth revealed itself to me. The driving force of my creativity is to capture through some medium the real nature of reality and my response to it. Art strives to peel away the layers of distraction and confusion and affect that permeates the human world in an attempt to reveal what lies underneath. <br /><br />In the evolution of humans, there came a time in the development of the species that a spark lit the pyre of the consciousness of self and that startling quality of perception that instantly changed everything for the better and the worse. As a result, we have both the wondrous capacity to comprehend the nature of things and yet we can value our individual selves so highly that it can thoroughly obstruct our vision. <br /><br />Reality’s Song is vivid, persistent and exists beyond our control. Time moves forward, pushes boundaries, ushers in the constancy of change and glides into the future with precision. As individuals we are powerless within this domain no matter how well taught we may have been regarding the supernatural forces that supposedly operate purely for our benefit and work tirelessly on our behalf. <br /><br />When the mind is opened to the majesty of Reality’s Song; to the enormity and power of the cosmos, to the universe extending outward to extraordinary dimensions; to the remarkable aspects of the natural and living worlds; to the ever-present and dynamic mother Earth; to the wonders of the human brain, life reveals itself as a remarkable gift. From this perspective, an individual life journey, however brief, is a fantastic experience. <br /><br />Reality’s Song embraces everything. It touches us with inexplicable joy and immense sadness, with love’s surprise, and promise, and untold grief, with the inner-workings of the natural world; with the star-filled midnight sky, with the dance of the planets, with black holes and supernovas, with the enormity of space and the incessant rhythm of time. Although we may witness the many variations of Reality’s Song, it is not sung for us; it is not here for us. Reality’s song is an intrinsic and inescapable aspect of the expansive universe. <br /><br />Reality’s Song teaches that life is fleeting, that pleasure and pain and emotions and thought, intellect and reason are products of the human brain and have no existence outside ourselves. Reality’s Song clearly demonstrates that the cosmos is immense and that humanity is not a necessary component of its existence, and that the continued presence of the human species is far from guaranteed. Reality’s Song embraces truth and does not coincide with delusional ideas and fantastic conclusions. <br /><br />To be a sentient being existing in all of this incredible splendor is a reality that I gladly embrace and feel immensely privileged to experience however briefly. Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-90810769521693666422023-06-28T17:48:00.003-07:002023-10-17T09:40:36.559-07:00Ode to Existence Revisited<p>Enmeshed and so often, entrapped</p>within this human world <br /><br />distraction the norm, <br /><br />conversation distilled into <br /><br />a kind of relentless babble <br /><br />born on the wings of bits and bytes, <br /><br />joy equated with pleasure <br /><br />and childish excitement, <br /><br />happiness to be forever <br /><br />pursued and hoarded like treasure, <br /><br />a synthetic world of trinkets <br /><br />and idle possessions, <br /><br />heirlooms acquired, <br /><br />building vast fortunes <br /><br />of synthetic and finite illusions, <br /><br />all with no consequence <br /><br />all with little meaning. <br /><br /> <br /><br />And yet, <br /><br />the reality of existence <br /><br />moves along its <br /><br />indefatigable path, <br /><br />within the boundaries of <br /><br />the wondrous cosmos. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Surrounded by the matrix <br /><br />of the living world, <br /><br />passengers aboard this fabulous spaceship <br /><br />Earth, <br /><br />caressed by capricious winds, <br /><br />greeted by morning mist <br /><br />tossed upon perilous water, <br /><br />enlivened by sunlight, <br /><br />subdued by nightfall, <br /><br />intimidated by fearsome storm, <br /><br />forever surprised by the intrinsic beauty <br /><br />delicate intricacies of nature’s tendrils <br /><br />that reach into every corner and crevice, <br /><br />every delicate spring blossom, <br /><br />every blade of undulating grass, <br /><br />every tree no matter how massive or <br /><br />diminished, <br /><br />every creature within its domain, <br /><br />every idle thought that triggers <br /><br />perception, <br /><br />every substantive or meaningless dream. <br /><br /><br />Surrounded by this most amazing <br /><br />universe, <br /><br />this most fabulous galaxy <br /><br />decorating the heavens with <br /><br />innumerable stars, <br /><br />witness to the dance of the planets, <br /><br />subtleties of light and dark, <br /><br />to the wild configurations of <br /><br />shape and form and texture and color. <br /><br /><br />Blessed with this most awesome capability <br /><br />of the sentient mind <br /><br />to uncover the mysteries of <br /><br />the nature of things, <br /><br />to explore the vast and inner terrain of <br /><br />self, <br /><br />to find meaning, <br /><br />to explore possibilities, <br /><br />to appreciate detail and <br /><br />discover function, <br /><br />to search for truth <br /><br />and find it, <br /><br />to know peace <br /><br />and appreciate the essence of love. <br /><br /><br /><div>Life is a voyage and a journey, <br /><br />bounded by explosive birth <br /><br />and the finality of death, <br /><br />constrained by the <br /><br />vagaries and vicissitudes <br /><br />of unfolding time, <br /><br />life is to be affirmed <br /><br />by wrapped attention, <br /><br />life is to be possessed <br /><br />from moment to moment and <br /><br />neither squandered nor abandoned.</div>Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-52092613223946018922023-06-28T17:44:00.003-07:002023-06-28T17:44:30.500-07:00The Existential Joy of Living<p> I will start by claiming that humans living in the Western and so-called “developed world” have been sold an erroneous bunch of goods. By that I mean that from the capitalist-oriented perspective, the many aspects of an individual life have been neatly bundled into a very concise and complete package. The primary elements of this package clearly specify that if one adopts the appropriate attitudes and addresses life in the prescribed and appropriate manner, living comes with a precise guarantee of security, safety, fun, happiness, and especially prosperity. This model for living within the boundaries of a consumer-based existence is essentially delusional. In my estimation, this is all nonsense.</p>At birth, regardless of one’s country of origin, color of skin, gender, culture, economic class, there are absolutely no guarantees. It is true that throughout the world, regardless of nation, humans belong to two distinct classes – the small minority of the privileged that have accumulated exorbitant wealth and power and the rest of humanity subject to the priorities and whims of the privileged who have attained a level of influence that gives them enormous authority. This delineation of classes has been a dominant force in the history of civilization. Unless one proposes that humans will miraculously undergo profound transformation, this organizational model will persist into the future until the species undermines its own viability and moves backwards towards a more primal existence. <br /><br /> In spite of this persistent and delusional representation of reality that surrounds us, no one is immune from the vagaries and vicissitudes of life and death’s untimely arrival. No one can escape the depth and scope of human feelings and emotions. No one can avoid the consequences of the forward movement of history that is the repository of the collective choices humanity has made over time. <br /><br />In many ways, the unfettered accumulation of wealth introduces a constant source of distraction and often negates a deep-felt appreciation of existence. In my mind, it is no small tragedy to live one’s life deadened to the wondrous presence of the natural and human worlds that we are such an integral part of. It is a waste of individual existence, to move through life bound and constrained by a subservience to delusional thinking. <br /><br />As individuals, it is within our power to free ourselves of such limitations and open ourselves up to the existential joy of living – a fundamental appreciation of our intrinsic connectedness to the totality of all that surrounds us. In this way, we can appreciate the fragile, wondrous, compelling, ever-interesting and finite nature of existence within the matrix of an amazing universe. In this way, we can come to embrace our own mortality. <br /><br />Beyond the delusional fantasies that have been fashioned and refined over the millennia of human civilization, the inescapable truth is that each of us has one turn at sentient existence. It is up to each of us to decide how to experience our individual journey before our stay is irrevocably terminated. We may protest, but reality is, in fact, larger than us all. <br /><br />There is a powerful urge for humans to look with pity and with a sympathetic eye upon those who seemed to have suffered a “cruelty of fate” - overcome by a grievous illness or cataclysmic accident obviously victim of circumstances beyond their control. This response may seem altruistic, but the internal motivation of such an outlook is decidedly more complex than it would seem. In my judgment, this response also satisfies the need to uplift once own life; the first-hand experience of someone’s suffering is a potent reminder that there is no fairness in life and that we are all prone and subject to calamities of all kinds. It is a stark representation of the fragile nature of existence. Feeling pity also represents a distorted view of the experience of living. Even within the midst of profound suffering, each of us has the capacity to appreciate the joy of existence. <br /><br />Of course, there may come a time for anyone to reach a point when the intensity of suffering may far outweigh the will to live; when living can no longer embrace an appreciation of being alive. As sentient beings we do have an intrinsic right over our own lives and should feel free to make a reasoned choice to end our earthly sojourn. That is the nature of true autonomy. <br /><br />In conclusion, it is really up to me to fully appreciate and enjoy the precious and ephemeral moments that I have the good fortune to experience. After all, death will come soon enough. <br /><br /><br /><br />Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-71527617021613300932023-05-19T08:21:00.004-07:002023-10-17T09:37:58.655-07:00The Current Reality of Life in the America of Today Should be of No Great Surprise.<p>What are the current economic, social, and political, realities living in the United States? I believe I can say with complete candor that we live in a communal environment that is essentially unsettling, unsafe, corrosive, and often dangerous. The problems we face as a people are complex, multi-faceted and fraught with ominous possibilities for the future if left unattended.</p>The current over-riding economic issue is the monumental disparity in the distribution of wealth in the nation. Ten percent of the population actually possesses 85% of the entire wealth of the nation (from a report issued by the Economic Policy Institute). Furthermore, an additional portion of this wealth is squirreled away in secret off-shore accounts. A significant number of the current holders of this wealth do not seem to have any real sense of moral or social responsibility and seem to be devoid of any semblance of a moral compass. Many seem to eschew taxation of any kind, use their wealth as a means to influence and manipulate public policy to foster their own interests, and are apparently oblivious to the staggering needs that so many of the nation’s people face on a daily basis. <br /><br />In my estimation, this endemic and distorted imbalance in the distribution of financial resources is in many ways responsible for the many social crises we are facing as a people. As a result, wealth that could be used to promote and sustain the common good has become scarce. Consequently, the United States has become a nation where so many are rendered homeless; where about one-quarter of the nation’s children live in poverty; where the nation’s poor have a mortality rate that is exceeding diminished as compared to their wealthier counterparts; where the accessibility to meaningful health care and mental health services is sadly restricted, and where essential social services are often lacking. There is no rational explanation for this kind of severe discrepancy. It is a situation that will worsen over time. This perverse situation is essentially unsustainable. <br /><br />This reality should not be a surprise, given the fact that this nation was founded on the underlying premise that members of the white and propertied class would and should rule. There was no expectation at that time that there would ever be real equity for all. It was never questioned that real power would ever be in the hands of other than the chosen few. This reality essentially remains unchanged to this day. <br /><br />In my mind, the most disturbing aspect of the current social environment that is particularly apparent within far right of the political spectrum – whose views do not reflect the sentiments of the general population - is the apparent predilection to embrace violent means to terrorize and impose their extreme views on everyone. This is unfolding within a culture that seems to have embraced the universal possession of weaponry with extremely dangerous potential. Furthermore, the endemic hatred and bigotry that are essential components of the white-supremacy movement has become incorporated into the philosophical foundations of a major political party. These developments suggest a future in which civil strife will become normalized and democratic principles of government will devolve into the imposition of minority rule that would require the use of severely repressive methods to maintain itself. This kind of future would inevitably be unsustainable and wreck enormous havoc upon the American people. <br /><br />Again, this should come as no surprise in a country that supported and maintained the institution of slavery for hundreds of years; that committed acts of near-genocide against native populations and effectively drove them from their land; that carried on many wars of aggression against people of color around the world using weaponry of mass destruction and inflicting unspeakable destruction; and that has repeatedly condoned violence directed at immigrants from foreign lands throughout its relatively short lifespan. The cumulative impact of this history has effectively imbedded bigotry, intolerance, and hatred into the national psyche. These widely-shared attitudes have worsened in recent years due to the undeniable fact the United States will soon be a white minority country. It is for this central reason that democracy has lost its luster especially in sections of the country where slavery and racism were acutely prevalent. What is particularly discouraging about this overarching reality is that race is a made-up term, for all of humanity is comprised of members of the same species, Homo sapiens – the notion of white supremacy is entirely fallacious. <br /><br />Again, in this light, the current state of the nation is entirely consistent with its past.Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-26041098175636307992023-05-05T07:07:00.000-07:002023-05-05T07:07:21.840-07:00Notes from an Existential Realist<p> <br /><br />I have been considering how I would describe my ever-evolving philosophy regarding life and its meaning. I have been on this wondrous planet for over seventy-eight years as a singular member of the species, Homo sapiens, whose total number is currently about 8,011,000,000 (January,2023). As individuals we may be special, but not that special. <br /><br />As of this moment in time, I would say that I am an existential realist firmly wedded to the concept I have repeatedly referred to as the Reality Principle. This reality embraces all that is knowable about the multiplicity of the many facets of time and space as ascertained through the medium of the human brain. Within this philosophical perspective, I make a fundamental assumption that we are our brains – the sum total of everything that an individual deduces, concludes, ascertains, surmises, and believes about the meaning and substance of conscious life has its origin within this marvelous organ. There is no other source. <br /><br />In this universe we inhabit, there is no requirement for the presence of omnipotent superbeings. The panoply of gods and ethereal spirits that is so much a part of religious and spiritual belief systems are nothing more than the constructs created within the confines of the human brain born of a need for conscious beings to invoke some semblance of order and purpose in regard to existence. Such beliefs are elaborate inventions designed to blunt the realization that the termination of the individual at the moment of death is unavoidable, complete, and final without any encore or chance at redemption. Life on planet earth is an accidental evolutionary phenomenon – the result of billions of years of interdependent processes that has brought us to the current moment. Our fate as a species is completely dependent upon the consequences of our individual and collective actions. From reality’s persistence, there is no rescue. <br /><br /> <br /><br />This may seem like a grim outlook, but it is not. As an existentialist, I maintain that there is an exquisite beauty and wonder embedded within every moment of our brief sojourn as sentient beings. Opening ourselves to this reality is the source of a true and inexplicable freedom and joy. Modern human existence has created a habitat that is permeated with continual distractions that blunt this fundamental and essential aspect of living. <br /><br />Furthermore, the totality of all the material wealth we claim to possess is illusory, for, in fact, we are born with nothing and at life’s end we take nothing with us. Although acquisition is a necessary aspect of survival, it has come to take up a predominant role in the fabric of the modern world; as a result, many individuals have lost sight of their true humanity. <br /><br />Our individual physical selves are made up of rather short-lived and unique configurations of atomic and sub-atomic particles that will ultimately break apart and rearrange themselves repeatedly within the seemingly limitless expanse of time and space. This intrinsic part of the workings of the material universe is inescapable. Ultimately, our star, the sun, will run out of its fuel as it must, and on that occasion it will consume the solar system that is a product of its own beginnings. At that moment, the entire history and presence of this most precious planet will be lost – a process that repeats itself over and over again throughout the billions of galaxies that inhabit our universe whenever a star no longer burns brightly. <br /><br />This is all within the nature of things. <br /><br />Not unlike the brilliance of the cosmos and its absolute enormity as demonstrated by that fabulous machine the Webb Telescope, there is an expansive inner universe in our mind (brain) that encompasses what we refer to as human consciousness. <br /><br />In my thinking, it is breathtaking to behold when I consider the immense variations that exist between each individual consciousness. In regard to each individual, the mind is like a complex symphonic rendering of the experience of living. The notes are complex; the scale is enormous. It is filled with the textures and the timbre that are the result of a lifetime of experiences. <br /><br />It is not a singular story that each of us weaves from the ebbs and flows of emotion, of pain and delight; of sadness and elation; of joy and sorrow; of all the variations of tone and circumstance and the twists and turns and convolutions of individual choice and fate and experience. It is like a vast inner collage with boundaries that blur and blend and intermingle. <br /><br />The totality of this inner-experience is what we refer to as the self. There is no artificial intelligence (AI) that can replicate this, for it is well beyond the limits of the digital universe we so meaningfully adore. There may be artificial intelligence, but nothing akin to artificial consciousness. In my thinking, human endeavor as expressed through the arts and literature and creativity over the eons of human civilization attempts to express some aspect of this “inner life” we all lead. <br /><br />As much as we attempt to “define” ourselves with some amount of precision, humanity invariably falls down the rabbit hole, for “normalcy” is an illusion. We all occupy some share of a vast spectrum of possibilities; we are all sub-variations of that vast symphony of the living. We struggle to find our place, but, in fact, we already occupy our position within that fleeting dance of life. <br /><br />It is our task to appreciate and enjoy!</p>Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-28806207015350276132023-04-03T11:14:00.006-07:002023-04-03T11:14:38.315-07:00Welcome to the Age of Idiocy<p> As a people, we should collectively feel a great deal of sadness regarding the current state of our nation, the United States. This bold experiment in governance once filled with hope and promise has led us to our current abysmal condition after only some two hundred and thirty-four years. What we are experiencing is an inevitable consequence of all the historic decisions made along the way. Far too often in our past, we have chosen brutality over harmony, hatred and bigotry over tolerance and compassion, savagery over intellect, close-mindedness over generosity of spirit. We have enslaved an entire people and committed grievous acts against native populations in our own country and against peoples of other cultures around the world for our own material advancement. We are now paying a momentous price for these actions.</p><br />We live in a country sadly divided over so many fundament issues. A significant portion of the population is vehemently supporting an ex-President who has survived trials of impeachment twice, who attempted to engineer a coup so as to remain in power, and who is now facing indictments for a number of his illegal activities. This ex-President is obviously mentally-handicapped, possessed and consumed by his own megalomania that he clearly is incompetent to hold any position of leadership especially that of the presidency. And yet, so many see him as their “savior.” This pattern is all too alarmingly similar to pre-World War II Nazi Germany where Adolph Hitler’s followers ultimately went to their deaths in blind support of an individual who has since been diagnosed as a psychotic schizophrenic. Apparently, the cult of personality is very much alive and has taken root in the United States – a nation that has embraced private gun ownership with a vengeance and that has been proclaimed as a constitutional right by the United States Supreme Court. <br /><br />The convergence of these historic forces is particularly troubling, for it may serve as an omen for disastrous things to come. It is not unimaginable that these stark differences within the national character can lead to violent and chaotic disruptions in the life of the nation, and tear at the very fabric of civilized society. <br /><br />It is my hope that reason and intellect will finally prevail – that truth and the rule of law will gain an unmistakable ascendence over the forces of bigotry and repression. <br /><br /> Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-74755252052145112352023-02-26T15:41:00.003-08:002023-02-26T16:21:48.345-08:00Anti-W.O.K.E. Madness<p> </p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">On,
April, 22, 2022, the Stop W.O.K.E. bill was signed into law.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This masterful piece of stunningly backwards
and broadly encompassing legislation is crafted to codify policies identified as woke as
illegal in the State of Florida.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
might ask at this juncture, what exactly is woke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to the Merriam Webster dictionary
the word woke refers to that state of mind where one is “aware of and actively
attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial
and social justice).”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The ire of the proponents of this
legislation is particularly focused on so-called “critical race theory” whose
main supposition is that racial bigotry remains extant in the larger culture
and that the study of the origins of this mindset is essential if its
deleterious impact upon racial and social justice is to be corrected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Critical race theory (CRT) primarily stands
for the proposition that the US cannot eradicate racism and fulfill its future
promise without facing its past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
is a very telling photograph that was in the news that showed the Governor of
Florida, Ron DeSantis embracing this anti-woke mentality with a throng of
adolescent and overwhelmingly white supporters behind him exhibiting signs that
clearly depicted their collective distaste of CRT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are students at the Mater Academy
Charter Middle/High School in Florida.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This is a sad and disturbing
testimonial to the determined effort on the part of political leaders
especially in the state of Florida and elsewhere to demonize and make illegal
the very pursuit of vital historic information and knowledge that is such a critical
part of education in its truest sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is in serious error and essentially self-defeating to actively and
purposefully thwart the educational process and incite in young and burgeoning
minds a hatred of not only ideas but the individuals who espouse them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ironically, the sign directly in front of the
governor reads, “Freedom from Indoctrination” is strangely reminiscent of
George Orwell’s Doublespeak – enforcing indoctrination of a conformist and
bigoted ideology is the not so subtle aim of the Stop W.O.K.E. bill that was
passed by Governor DeSantis’ political party.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In my estimation, this kind of
extreme political posturing mirrors the underlying fear of those who support
this hateful message that their world is changing and that they may be left
behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The primary tool at their
disposal to derail human progress in this regard is the power of the state to
suppress the truth and promote and legislate obeisance to constrained and
repressive thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This strategy may
seem successful in the short term, but the forward movement of history will
clearly demonstrate the underlying fallacy of this kind of thinking.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Humanity will move forward towards a
more just and peaceful future once it discards bigoted notions and truly
embraces the indisputable reality that all individuals on this earth are
members of the same human family. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-80859420047477961332023-01-17T09:03:00.008-08:002023-01-17T09:03:47.568-08:00Why Peace?<br /><br />There are many armed conflicts being waged all over the planet in the beginnings of the twenty-first century. The one predominant war that is currently raging is the Russian-Ukrainian War. This conflict has left many thousands of death and has devastated the infrastructure throughout the Ukraine. There are also many civil wars like the ongoing conflicts in Columbia and the Sudan. Others represent territorial conflicts like the battle between Pakistan and India over Kashmir and the long standing conflict between the Palestinians of Arab descent and the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. There is also a strong religious component to these conflicts as well. Other conflicts fueled by powerful religious and ethnic differences are exemplified by Lebanon’s civil war in the 1970s due in large part to the enmity between Muslims and Christians. Of course, the horrific and tragic genocide that took place in Rwanda can not be overlooked. This is by no means an exhaustive list of the various trouble spots that exist in the precarious world of humans. Overshadowing all of these calamitous events is an inexorable deterioration of the global environment.<br /><br /><br />On examining the ferocity of warfare, it is not difficult to come to the conclusion that the human species has failed to learn very much over its protracted history. The history of Europe from the Ancient Roman and Greek civilizations to the present, as an example, is replete with the carnage that is the inevitable outcome of innumerable wars. These conflicts helped shape not only the geopolitical contours of modern-day Europe, but also nurtured a sense of cultural superiority that propelled forward the colonial ambitions that so impacted the rest of the world. Many of the contemporary areas of instability and unrest are a direct consequence of the policies and actions of the colonial powers of the past. <br /><br /><br />Within the individual human psyche, there exists a constant tension between the force and power of the emotions driven by the passions embodied in territory, tribe, and nation, and that of reason. The more reactive emotions stem, in large part, from the evolution of the species in an environment that was essentially hostile and in which the forces of nature that impacted human experience were not understood and the causes of calamity were attributed to the gods, malevolent spirits or a particular enemy. <br /><br /><br />In the beginnings of the humankind, ignorance was prevalent, and fear and suspicion dominated and shaped human behavior. Although the advancement of science and technology has shed light upon many aspects of the human experience that were once shrouded in mystery, the inherent tendency to strike out violently against that which is feared and poorly understood remains to haunt human societies. What is particularly unique about humanity in the twenty-first century is the inescapable reality that the application of overwhelming force against a perceived enemy is no longer a viable solution especially considering the destructiveness of modern technological weaponry.<br /><br /><br />Over the thousands of years of human civilization, great empires have risen and eventually fallen. The cycle of empire-building and dissolution has generally followed the same inexorable path. The beginning stage is represented by the rise of a local community of common origin followed by a gradual accretion of power, usually by force. Success at this initial stage leads to an ascendancy through the use of superior military strength that overshadows all opposition and leads to the conquest of local adversaries. As power becomes increasingly concentrated into an overweening empire, there is a tendency to expand and overextend the sphere of influence and domination. This ultimately leads to an exhaustion of resources both material and human. Finally, the empire contracts and ultimately dissolves. The entire process might take place over a thousand years as exemplified by the Roman Empire or hundreds of years as demonstrated by the now defunct British Empire. <br /><br /> <br />In all of human history, these cycles of expansion and contraction were tolerable given the low density of human populations on the planet and the relatively benign effects of the primitive weaponry on the global environment. This model of collective human behavior where economic, political, and social differences and rivalries are settled through violent means is no longer tenable in the modern era. <br /><br /><br />The essentially tribal nature of human interactions has evolved over the millennia of human civilization into competing national sovereignties. The idea that each nation state is a power unto itself is no longer compatible with the rapidly evolving global character of human endeavor. There is currently too much at stake in maintaining the status quo, especially in regard to the survival of the species. The development of technological weaponry, especially nuclear and chemical weapons, has created a situation in which warfare necessarily leads to horrific consequences. Examples of the disastrous effects of protracted conflict can be seen both locally for the populations involved and globally due to the environmental impact as witnessed in the nuclear attacks against the civilian populations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the use of anti-personnel cluster bombs in Cambodia, the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam, the deployment of land mines in Afghanistan, the use of chemical weaponry during the Syrian Civil War, and the use of Depleted Uranium (DU) hardened ordnance in Iraq.<br /><br /><br />The daunting issues that face humanity are no longer local but rather global in nature. The remarkable savagery of the First and Second World Wars of the Twentieth Century awakened the idea of a world organization as a forum for international communication so as to foster dialog between nations and forestall the possibility of future wars of such magnitude. The first experiment in a world organization as a vehicle for adjudicating international disputes was the League of Nations that was created at the aftermath of World War I. This international body met with limited success and was eventually disbanded. This experiment in world governance was followed by the creation of the United Nations at the end of World War II. The United Nations is still extant but remains hostage to the dominance of the special interests of the powerful industrial nations that constitute the Security Council.<br /><br /><br />The will to empire is still very much with us. Apparently, no significant lessons have been learned from the horrid and often repeated mistakes of the past. The absolute necessity for true international cooperation as a means to effectively circumvent a catastrophic future that now seems so inevitable is still not recognized. Many nations remain fixated on the ferocious competition for dominance and supremacy at the expense of those sovereignties that are weaker and more fragile. A poignant present-day example of this is the Chinese annexation of Tibet, a process that is currently going on. This competition has usually been over the natural and human resources required to fuel and sustain national economies. The needs for additional natural resources such as land for expansion of national populations or energy and mineral resources have often been the focus of international aggression. As needed resources such as oil or water become scarce, the competition will, by necessity, grow increasingly explosive. <br /><br />This particular mindset has become problematic; the species is in desperate need of a completely new paradigm. The model must be based, by necessity, on a spirit of cooperation and giving. The chasm that currently exists between the so-called “haves” and “have-nots” both within and between sovereign states is helping to sustain the extreme level of violence that continues to plague humanity. Fundamental issues of social and economic justice need to be uppermost on the agenda. Such a focus would require a serious implementation of the role of social responsibility and conscience in the behavior of individuals and governments. The idea of belonging wholly to one nation must be superseded by the idea of being a member of the world community. This, of course, represents a huge leap in understanding, tolerance, and compassion; it requires an obligation to act in the best interests of all humanity. At the core of this change in worldview is the incorporation of non-violent behavior in inter-personal relationships. <br /><br /><br />The first images of the planet taken from space clearly demonstrated, for all human beings that the earth is our only home. This conception has, in my judgment, become such an integral part of human consciousness that the current and obvious threat posed by global warming may offer some impetus for change. The time may be right to open more effective channels of communication between nations with the focus of developing sustainable economies that would help insure a livable planet for future generations of not only the human species but all the magnificent creatures that constitute the living world. Simply moving through life with self-interest as the guiding principle is not enough to forestall a major calamity that only concerted human action can avert. <br /><br /><br />In my judgment, the human species is facing an impending crisis that may ultimately challenge its ability to survive on this fragile planet. The forward momentum of what is referred to as “human progress” has led human societies to a rapidly changing world where there are cavernous divisions in religious and political beliefs and a grievous imbalance in the distribution of wealth. These differences are intertwined with each other and provide the impetus for unrest and violent behavior. For the first time in human history the convergence of these forces on a world with limited resources and an ever-expanding human population has created a situation in which the future of the species is no longer assured. The question remains as to whether we are collectively smart enough to overcome these difficulties and work together globally in ways that can divert a catastrophic future.<br /><br /><br />Unfortunately, violence continues to be the essential driving force for resolving serious disputes between nations and peoples. The contemporary rise of what is referred to as terrorism (although the use of this term conveniently bypasses the terror tactics so often employed by nation-states) is indicative of aggressive behavior that knows no clear territorial boundaries. This does not have to be the case. There are many alternative ways to address controversial issues without necessarily employing violent methods. Why is it that raw aggression is so often the method of choice in resolving economic, political, and social disputes?<br /><br /> <br /><br />The leaders of nations often use their positions of power to exploit the fears and emotions of their fellow countrymen to fulfill hidden agendas, often economic in nature, that serve the powerful. It is the young, uneducated, and threatened members of the population who are most susceptible to the propaganda that is used to amplify the fears and uncertainties that are such an integral part of the human experience. From a chauvinistic viewpoint, the adversary is pictured as evil and somehow inimical to civilization. The enemy, so described, is often seen as less than human and, therefore, worthy of elimination. Those who are lured into doing the fighting are subsequently told that they must abandon the normal societal prohibitions that the rest of the society is taught to live by. <br /><br /><br />In war, civilized behavior is abandoned as young men (and women) are placed in situations where their main function is to kill and avoid being killed by the adversary that they face. For individual soldiers, survival becomes the impetus for their actions. Their behavior is rationalized by the idea that they are fighting for a higher purpose. Without, this set of beliefs, wars would not be possible. <br /><br /><br />The burden of war and the carnage and devastation that it brings is no longer tenable in the modern world. Technological weaponry has grown too deadly and sophisticated and the global environment, which is already in serious jeopardy, needs humanity’s undivided attention. There is, after all, one common thread that binds us: we are members of the same species depending on our planetary environment to sustain us. <br /><br /><br />It is imperative that national leaders embrace this reality and work towards finding common ground, especially with those who are perceived as dangerous adversaries. We face a global crisis that requires global solutions. The grinding hunger, poverty, ignorance, and despair that haunts the lives of billions of human beings must be addressed, along with finding ways to avoid the serious impact that unabated global warming will bring to ourselves and most importantly, future generations. There are, of course, many barriers to such a degree of international cooperation, but in reality there is no viable alternative. The world, with all its wonders, is for us to preserve or destroy. <br /><br /><br />These thoughts do not, by any means, represent new concepts or ideas. Quite to the contrary, throughout human history there have been voices putting forth the idea of peace and suggesting methodologies to achieve this elusive goal. <br /><br /><br />THE END<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-69744701603639001092023-01-02T09:40:00.002-08:002023-01-08T08:37:52.303-08:00The Fallacy of the Notion of Special CreationAs the days move me along time’s irascible trajectory, I come to recognize with greater and greater clarity the soulful poignancy, sadness, joy and exhilaration of living – of seeing, through the portals of my vision, the breath and depth of the human world intertwined as it is with the natural world and all bundled within the seemingly unfathomable cosmos of which we are a miniscule part. The elixir of religion is no cure and cannot provide any sustained relief from this experience called living. Once that very first breath is taken, the journey begins in earnest. That journey is mostly uncharted and the events and choices that will bind us to our fate are mostly unknown and endlessly unpredictable. <br /><br />In my seemingly relentless pursuit of understanding of what it means to be human, there exists as a corollary to this question another one, namely: Why is the human world and especially human civilizations enshrouded in such chaos and violence and upheaval now and as it has been over its history of some ten thousand years. <br /><br />Human civilizations over the eons, have gone through a familiar cycle: birth, growth, expansion, retraction and finally dissolution. How can this cycle be explained? Can the nature of the individual human experience shed any light upon this? <br /><br />The individual conscious human brain (mind) can only navigate safely through the human and natural worlds by filtering all the chaotic incoming data so as to create an inner reality with some semblance of an ordered and comprehensive structure. Without this ordering process, civilized society would be impossible and life untenable. Given identical input, no two individuals will draw the same conclusions nor construct the same reality. Herein lies an essential vulnerability in regard to societal cohesion. In spite of this, civilized societies manage to encourage and enforce a relatively consistent and conforming reality that allows for such cohesion. The particulars of this reality can be referred to as culture. <br /><br />Impregnated within human cultures is the idea of special creation – that humans are of special significance on this earth. This central idea is essential to most religious beliefs, for without it the concept of god would have no relevance. Yet this notion that humans are a special creation is at the heart of most of humanity regardless of their religious affiliation and even exists within the minds of those who claim to be atheists. <br /><br />The potency of this idea comes into sharp focus around the issue of human abortion especially within the United States. This has been carried to a ridiculous extreme with the notion that human life begins at conception. It is true, of course, that the dividing newly fertilized female ovum is alive, but that aborting what is, in fact, an amorphous clump of cells following a precise genetic programming to develop into a human being is an act tantamount to murder is crazed thinking devoid of even a modicum of intellectual analysis. <br /><br />If this idea of humans as a product of special creation is juxtaposed with human behavior on an individual or global scale it elevates this concept to surreal proportions. For example, currently on planet earth, there is horrendous war occurring in Ukraine in which atrocities are being enacted between humans on a massive scale; humans in the so-called advanced societies are wrecking havoc upon the future of their own species by consuming prodigious amounts of carbon-based fuel in order to sustain their exaggerated lifestyles - knowingly introducing enormous amounts of greenhouse gases into the environment, and humans are irrevocably decimating much of life on planet earth and diminishing the very diversity of living creatures that is synonymous with a “living” planet. <br /><br />In what way are these examples compatible with the idea that humans are a product of special creation? The answer to this question is obvious. <br /><br />The individuals within any culture are constantly evaluating their external environment so as to make choices to ensure their continued survival. There exists within the architecture of the human brain an inherent duality that influences conscious perception. That duality necessarily produces an unavoidable conflict between the lower brain – the seat of the emotions and the site of survival mechanisms honed through the evolution of the species– and the cerebral cortex and frontal lobes where the essence of judgment, reason and intellect reside. How this conflict is resolved results in particular choices and consequences both in regard to the individual and the larger society. It is the summation of choices made on the societal level that establishes the historic development of human civilization. <br /><br />Modern technologically-based and consumer-oriented civilizations – as typified in the Western World - have an added vulnerability that exacerbates and accelerates the elements of the cycle as described above. This vulnerability lies in the fact that in modern culture, individuality has become the primary focus at the expense of the common good. As a result individual choices and behavior are shaped by the pursuit of individual aggrandizement often at the expense of the “greater good” for the community. This emphasis on the individual places significant stressors upon the structured reality that defines the norms of behavior, and when enough individuals choose to reject the accepted conventions, the underlying stability of civilization can be placed in serious jeopardy. The origins of discontent can have many sources depending upon historic forces peculiar to a the time, place and circumstances. Under the right conditions, these kind of forces may lead to a period of inexorable chaos, disintegration and ultimately dissolution. <br /><br />I would like to conclude this topic with the following proposal. Human are no more a product of special creation than a chimpanzee, a warthog, a stand of aspens or even a paramecium. Our existence is no real mystery in as far as we are a product of evolutionary forces that have been at play on planet earth for some three billion years. All living entities on planet earth are a result of the particular programming contained with that remarkable molecule referred to as DNA. The chimpanzee is such a close kin that we share 99% homology within our respective DNAs.<div><br /></div><div>That programming directs our development from a fertilized ovum to the moment of birth. We are biological creatures dependent upon other living things for the nutrients that sustain us; we are driven by the inherent circuity in our wondrous brains to avoid pain, seek pleasure, reproduce, and survive. In addition, we have this addition faculty of self-consciousness with which we attempt to make sense out of our individual existences. <br /><br />Our individual deaths are certain, and I would add absolutely necessary. Without death, our species would quickly overrun the entire planet and strip the earth of everything. In fact, the entire solar system that we inhabit will ultimately be erased without ceremony in a spectacular event when our star, the sun, ultimately runs out of the fuel required to run that marvelous solar furnace. <br /><br />This is unvarnished reality that we need to acknowledge and accept if we ever hope to transform our destiny. We are only special to the degree that we can shape a more sane and harmonious future. If we collectively fail at this, then we would have done an abysmal job.</div>Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-7960486699421178972022-12-31T08:36:00.002-08:002022-12-31T08:36:38.223-08:00 A Hopeful DreamTruth no longer a whisper<br />but a flood of clarity,<br />guns and all weapons of <br />bad intention or ill feeling<br />reduced to their base metals<br />and fashioned into implements of healing,<br />all who are hungry<br />are fed,<br />all who are afraid<br />are reassured,<br />all who are pariahs<br />brought into the human fold,<br />all who are filled with the bile of hatred<br />cajoled with sweetness and caring,<br />all who suffer needlessly <br />from their own lack of faith in themselves<br />see the blazing light of true wisdom,<br />all who have hearts weighted by greed<br />free themselves from the onerous weight of possessions,<br />all who love ignorance<br />witness the rapture and wonder of learning,<br />all who usurp themselves and others with power,<br />come to recognize their own impotence,<br />all who are crippled and torn apart by disease<br />see their true worth,<br />artists and lovers of knowledge and thought<br />are finally appreciated,<br />all without homes<br />find shelter in the heart of humanity,<br />all who are fractured<br />made whole,<br />all who are obsessed by race or creed<br />are freed of their limitations,<br />all limited and pernicious ideas<br />fall to oblivion from their own weight,<br />all who are demagogues<br />find a life of true service,<br />all ideas born of avarice and rooted in war<br />are finally dead,<br />all embrace all<br />as members of the human family.Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-54531981585362671602022-12-18T08:06:00.005-08:002023-01-08T08:41:51.471-08:00Pathetic Emperors of Greed<p> </p>At this moment in time as the year nears its end, certain individuals of the male persuasion - supposedly worth billions of dollars - are regularly depicted in the news. These individuals are particularly vociferous and manage to project their personalities into the public consciousness with a stunning regularity. This has inspired me to create the following piece entitled, <br /><br /><br /><b>Pathetic Emperors of Greed </b><br /><br /> <br />Within the preposterous shadow of <br /><br />accumulated wealth <br /><br />these two bit emperors <br /><br />surrounded by their phalanx of <br /><br />bodyguards and <br /><br />sycophants ever ready with <br /><br />meaningless phrases and shallow praise, <br /><br />inject their toxic venom into the <br /><br />public space to perpetually remind us all <br /><br />of the rarified space they occupy. <br /><br /> <br /><br />From shallow mind to <br /><br />slimy tongue <br /><br />they elaborate lies <br /><br />implausible fictions <br /><br />deleterious conclusions <br /><br />based upon nothing of substance, <br /><br />designed to foster hatred <br /><br />upset balance <br /><br />incite confusion <br /><br />incite turmoil. <br /><br /> <br /><br />These preposterous idiots <br /><br />enamored of themselves <br /><br />forever admiring their <br /><br />reflections in silver mirrors <br /><br />their constant companions, <br /><br />bathing in their own stupidity, <br /><br />emersed in the chaos they engender, <br /><br />murdering empathy <br /><br />compassion and <br /><br />the common good <br /><br />with utmost precision, <br /><br />suggesting violence, <br /><br />inciting hatred in <br /><br />confused minds. <br /><br /> <br /><br />These pathetic emperors <br /><br />of their shallow kingdoms, <br /><br />embrace an image of themselves <br /><br />within their tortured and <br /><br />infantile minds, <br /><br />without real substance <br /><br />frantically attempting to <br /><br />smother their desperate aloneness, <br /><br />and the perpetual fear of their <br /><br />monumental inadequacies. <br /><br /> <br /><br />These pathetic emperors of greed <br /><br />steeped in the fallacy of their <br /><br />exaggerated importance <br /><br />carry the insatiable urge <br /><br />to constantly remind us all of their <br /><br />inspired presence, <br /><br />like hapless juveniles they <br /><br />insinuate themselves into the public space. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Like all the petty tyrants that <br /><br />preceded them <br /><br />they demand unequivocal attention <br /><br />threaten the peace and <br /><br />should be thoroughly and completely ignored.Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-8712387065988975132022-11-21T19:04:00.002-08:002022-11-21T19:12:31.814-08:00What does the Future Entail for a Country in which Everyone is Armed?<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Thanks to the inexhaustible efforts of the gun industry and gun lobby together with the remarkable assistance of the United States Supreme Court, the ownership of guns in all of its various lethal configurations has been declared and sanctioned as an inalienable right of every citizen; a right supposedly embedded within the U.S. constitution as the Second Amendment. A straightforward reading of this succinct amendment would demonstrate that this a rather far fetched interpretation especially considering the advances made in weapons technology in the modern era where unimaginable destruction can be done by a single shooter.<br /> <br />This insanity has ultimately led to the current state of the nation in which the use of deadly violence initiated by private citizen(s) often leading to mass killings perpetrated against the gathering of ordinary American citizens in such commonplace venues such as schools, universities, churches and synagogues, bars and clubs, concerts, shopping malls or simply on neighborhood streets has become quite commonplace. <br /><br />The collective impact of these unsettling and traumatic events has been to implant a feeling of trepidation and fear into the minds of many who have become fearful about the safety of themselves, their children, their families and their communities. This feeling of fear and instability can inspire even more violence and needless death. <br /><br />There is a real danger to the society at large should these chaotic and deadly incidents continue with regularity, and that danger is that it may lead to a bizarre and surreal normalization of the use of deadly violence against nearly anyone at any time. Such a state of existence would be essentially untenable, for it would undermine the kind of stability that is an absolute requirement for any civilized society. <br /><br />Should this insanity continue unabated, our future viability as a free and democratic people remains an open question.Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-88846292171232474492022-11-09T18:01:00.010-08:002023-04-17T08:55:03.408-07:00Fundamentalist Christian Religion, the Abuse of Truth and the Decline of American Democracy<p>In some respects, it is difficult to fathom that a considerable portion of the American population currently embraces an ideological perspective that flaunts statements, distorted propositions and absurd notions that not only challenge and abuse the truth but seek to undermine it. Those who espouse such ideas seem to be so cavalier in their pronouncements that they do not recognize the essential damage that this inflicts on the body politic. This worldview is extremely distorted and out of synch with the realities of the human world in the twenty-first century.</p>However when one takes into account the role that religion and, more importantly, Fundamentalist Christian religion plays in the lives of its followers, this reality becomes more readily understandable for so much of the tenets of religious thinking are delusional in nature and are not representative of reality. As a matter of fact, the alternative reality that is presented as given often runs counter to ordinary experience. <br /><br />There is, in fact, no spirit world nor any supposedly divinely-inspired compendium of edicts or unassailable commandments that must be obeyed. Fundamentalism paints a picture in which humanity is constantly pursued by evil and satanic forces that can only be subdued by those who conveniently align themselves with a truth woven from a completely manufactured version of reality. From this perspective, individuals and groups that desire to see and accept the true nature of things are seen as a menace and a threat and, therefore, are both feared and despised.<br /><br />From this myopic perspective, science and the progress of human knowledge are held suspect. This point of view does not abide democracy, for the essential character of democracy holds that all individuals are equal and have the inherent right to express and share their views and participate fully in the political life of society. From the fundamentalist standpoint, this cannot be allowed, for it is clear that when a people choose to take this path, fundamentalist thinking would rapidly become obsolete. <br /><br />Theocracies such as those in Saudi Arabia and Iran provide a glimpse into the extremes of violence and relentless repression that religious fundamentalist rulers will utilize to counter the movement of true human progress. It would be most unfortunate if the experiment in American democracy were to be undermined by a blind embrace of such a delusional worldview.Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-21251708871510472192022-10-06T07:58:00.004-07:002022-10-06T07:58:26.774-07:00A Window into ExistenceBorn into the scope of<br /><br />sun and moon and stars and night <br /><br />into mother’s sweet embrace <br /><br />upon an ever-spinning and wondrous planet <br /><br />servant to its parent star, <br /><br />expelled from the womb of darkness <br /><br />and transformation <br /><br />in a state of sweet oblivion. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Born into the prospects for love and hunger <br /><br />laughter and grief and <br /><br />ceaseless adventure <br /><br />with a unique genetic imprint <br /><br />yet simply another member of <br /><br />the human race – Homo sapiens. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Born into family and tribe and nation <br /><br />yet forever alone with the <br /><br />wonder and burden of self. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Born into a kaleidoscope of <br /><br />emotions, <br /><br />a labyrinth of escalating ideas, <br /><br />the enigmatic world of dreams and <br /><br />the wonder and enormity of <br /><br />consciousness. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Born into <br /><br />a living world, <br /><br />a reality devoid of guarantees, <br /><br />filled with the many textures <br /><br />and surprising dimensions of <br /><br />the unexpected. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Born into the living world <br /><br />moving inexorably <br /><br />along time’s arrow <br /><br />tied to the cosmic symphony <br /><br />ultimately destined to the finality of <br /><br />the joy molecular. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Eventually to discover <br /><br />there is no <br /><br />singular solution to the <br /><br />enigma of existence, <br /><br />no one way to live a life, <br /><br />no escape from <br /><br />life’s ultimate conclusion, <br /><br />no mysterious rescue, <br /><br />no salvation from the <br /><br />tenacious grip of reality <br /><br />and the forward movement of time. <br /><br /> <br /><br />Ultimately to learn <br /><br />the art of surrender <br /><br />to the ultimate truth <br /><br />that promises no alternative outcomes. <br /><br /> <br /><br />A magnificent and wildly haphazard <br /><br />trajectory from birth <br /><br />to death <br /><br />within the rhapsody and dance <br /><br />of the cosmos. <br /><br />On occasion, my mind careens through my past and collides into the sweet and bitter taste of memories of friendships come and gone. Over the years I have experienced the deep loss associated with the death of many friends. The names that occur to me are Beatrice, Samiha, Najma, Warren, David, Bill, Chris, Robert, Nina, Noburu, Philip, Michael, Robert, Frivold and others. <br /><br />I imagine that they have all gathered, both living and dead, in one place as if summoned to a sumptuous feast filled with color, and light and erotic and sensory images of the fleeting past. At this gathering, I envision a continuous slideshow displayed on a big screen in an endless loop – you know the kind I am thinking of as on display in the memorials of the recently deceased. Such displays rarely if ever display the individuals involved not at their best and most gracious selves. At this imagined slideshow, there is no such inhibition. <br /><br />All the beds slept in both luxurious and mundane with erstwhile partners. All the exquisite and banal couplings with organs engorged and engaged at the beckoning of love’s insatiable fever. All the anticipation realized or diminished. All the passion spent or eroded by circumstance. The dance and inherent rhythms of bodies in their thirst for both substance and pleasure. <br /><br />All the friendships accumulated in idle remembrance and fond recollections over the years. The bond created with childhood friends on the block outside the tenement apartment (1E) in my Bronx neighborhood. Visions of sultry summer days with the neighborhood fire hydrant spewing its content, and the bitter cold of winter sequestered in our fortresses of snow and ice as we staged joyous assaults upon our manufactured enemies with our hastily made collections of snowball weaponry. <br /><br />Friends and enemies intertwined within the web and matrix of all things past. All the intense conversations of youth; all terribly meaningful at the time, but more reminiscent of that self-absorption so characteristic of adolescence. <br /><br />At this spontaneous banquet, the guests awaited an erudite statement of some significance from their host regarding why they were all summoned. With a great deal of embarrassment, I realized that I had nothing either cogent or significant to say to them. I was speechless. What I finally uttered was pathetically inadequate: I said, “You are all here by pure happenstance; how this came to happen is a mystery to me It seems to be the physical manifestation of one of my exotic thought dreams.” This comment was met by an agitated state of annoyance and confusion. <br /><br />My dear friend Beatrice, who died many years ago at the young age of forty-one, was never one to mince her words, spoke out, “Are you kidding me, This is why I came out of my sweet repose!” <br /><br />In a hurried attempt to rescue some semblance of respectability I then said, “Beatrice, I am sorry; I did not mean to offend. I have such fond memories of you. To all of you, my dearest friends, gathered here, my sincerest apologies. I just didn’t know what to say – I was overwhelmed by this amazing gathering. Since you are here, please enjoy yourselves.” For some reason, this pathetic explanation was considered plausible enough and the party continued. Many of those present had no connection whatsoever with anyone else. I did my best to introduce as many as I could to others. As a result, many stories were exchanged that provoked uninhibited laughter, surprise, amazement and sometime disbelief. It turned out to be a wonderful event. <br /><br />I noted that of those in attendance, a preponderance were women. This reality reflected the fact that I have always felt more comfortable in the company of women than with those of the same gender. However, regardless of their sexual orientation, they were all kindred spirits to me. I have remained in contact with some of these friends, but many have moved on with their lives. I wonder about them and where there lives have taken them. <br /><br />In life, we accumulate friends, lovers, companions, acquaintances and colleagues. The experiences that are associated with them are all stored in long-term memory – to be called upon later. In life, one is born into a family of one kind or another, a locality we recognize as place and a tribe or nation. Bundled with all of these intricate and interwoven facets are a particular language(s), culture and an unwritten code of acceptable behavior. In this way norms are established that are viewed as natural to young and innocent minds filled with enthusiasm and excitement in the mere and daunting prospect of living. It is only later in life that these imposed values are subjected to scrutiny and questioned within the elaborate matrix of the thinking brain.<div class="WordSection1">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" /></span>Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-44176300497118834912022-10-06T07:52:00.000-07:002022-10-06T07:52:02.243-07:00Golden MomentOutside in Early Morning <br /><br />hours before dawn <br /><br />camping on the oregon coast <br /><br />full autumn moon <br /><br />breaking free from the <br /><br />embrace of tenacious clouds, <br /><br />castes its light <br /><br />upon my solitary figure <br /><br />creating a multitude of shadows <br /><br />everywhere. <br /><br /> <br /><br />A flood of clarity <br /><br />fills my being <br /><br />the subtleties and magnificence of <br /><br />this wondrous convergence of <br /><br />air and sky and the moon’s caress <br /><br />upon the living world <br /><br />awakens me. <br /><br /> <br /><br />As a creature bless with consciousness <br /><br />transient and fallible <br /><br />yet capable of understanding <br /><br />the true nature of my <br /><br />minuscule place within <br /><br />the wondrous nature of the cosmos. <br /><br /> <br /><br />A golden moment <br /><br />I want to share <br /><br />with dearest Julia, <br /><br />here we stand within <br /><br />our brief sojourn <br /><br />with reality <br /><br />uncluttered <br /><br />by the human propensity <br /><br />for distraction.Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-74072190972615425982022-07-15T08:52:00.008-07:002022-07-15T08:52:44.892-07:00Beauty and its Manifestations<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD9ttxB0PYYBkGDwlG-OPtxlulJf5-2snhStdKsWaoh7LoNESlaHNmeo_hmQDqLqfxFIxRP-z0rDb48Ph1kjIYO0QfOx74isjrtkpRxXSzFQpOYIFx8D1ul0Si1DparBK7FxRHr5dvLJufOhOn8XWpW_gvkIe7iA5YZk83ZDL_4gF7kJj4XmA/s3456/IMG_3848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD9ttxB0PYYBkGDwlG-OPtxlulJf5-2snhStdKsWaoh7LoNESlaHNmeo_hmQDqLqfxFIxRP-z0rDb48Ph1kjIYO0QfOx74isjrtkpRxXSzFQpOYIFx8D1ul0Si1DparBK7FxRHr5dvLJufOhOn8XWpW_gvkIe7iA5YZk83ZDL_4gF7kJj4XmA/s320/IMG_3848.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Modern humans who are living in the world where reality itself has been manipulated and distorted by the imposition of an artificial and contrived environment have become disconnected from the intrinsic beauty of existence. This disconnect I believe is the source of much of the upheaval and apparent violent and destructive behavior of so many individuals. <br /><br />There seems to be an unravelling of the social order. Turmoil, confusion and fear seems to have taken residence within the fabric of a society that has placed far too much emphasis on the individual at the expense of the common good. The dissonant nature of this kind of existence stripped of meaning has placed humanity on a collision course with a dystopic future. <br /><br />Beauty can be found everywhere. It is everywhere apparent once the veil of the make-believe has been shattered. It is resident in every moment – <br /><br />In the dance of sunlight in the morning sky, <br /><br />in the infinite textures of light and shadow <br /><br />that expose the diversity of the natural world, <br /><br />within the myriad of expressions of the human face and <br /><br />the wondrous wealth of life that permeates <br /><br />this most incredible planet. <br /><br /><br />Beauty is resident within <br /><br />every breath, <br /><br />with the way the oceans greet the shoreline, <br /><br />within the timber and rhythm of conversation, <br /><br />the wondrous flight of birds, <br /><br />the sheer power of storms, <br /><br />the incessant pull of the moon and the <br /><br />power of night, <br /><br /><br />Beauty encircles the day with <br /><br />outstretched arms, <br /><br />embraces the fiery displays <br /><br />of sunset and starlight in <br /><br />the dome of the evening sky. <br /><br /><br />Beauty reflects the symmetry <br /><br />of the simplest flower, <br /><br />swirling movement of rushing rivers <br /><br />power of wind, <br /><br />tempestuous seas, <br /><br />belligerent volcanoes, <br /><br />the many manifestations <br /><br />of an active planet. <br /><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Beauty inspires the artist <br /><br />to approach the awaiting easel, <br /><br />visits the adventurer <br /><br />through fantastic dreams, <br /><br />sharpens the senses of <br /><br />poets and musicians, <br /><br />makes the world <br /><br />sing. <br /><br /><br />Without beauty’s evident presence, <br /><br />we are all lost <br /><br />within a shallow and baren <br /><br />existence. <br /><br /><br />Beauty is connection, <br /><br />beauty is love, <br /><br />beauty is the eternal hope <br /><br />for sanity and grace <br /><br />in a tormented human world.</span></p>Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-2748041618360283682022-06-26T09:47:00.008-07:002022-06-26T09:47:45.711-07:00Religious Fundamentalism and Its Negative Impact upon Basic Human Freedoms in the United States Circa 2022Religious Fundamentalism can be found in all of the world religions including, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism. It is an extreme form of religious ideology in which the followers passionately believe that they embrace immutable truths and principles upon which not only their personal salvation depends, but also the fate of humanity. <br /><br />As a consequence of this kind of irrational and highly charged thinking, overt intolerance of human behavior outside of the particular belief system comes to represent normative behavior. Those individuals within groups based upon fundamentalist principles necessarily adopt conformist attitudes and lifestyles and adhere to well-delineated sanctioned behaviors and societal roles. Within this myopic worldview there lies the concept of a people chosen specifically by god to embody his teachings. This concept is either implied or explicitly stated. <br /><br />It is not unusual and often quite likely that ingrained thought patterns that embrace fundamentalist religious ideology lead to intolerance, aggression and violence towards those who hold differing beliefs – such individuals are invariably seen as a threat to the existence of the constricted universe in which true believers reside. This kind of hatred has its origin in fear. <br /><br />Although those individuals who claim themselves to be Christian Fundamentalists do not in any way approach a majority of United States citizens, they seem to have gained an inordinate influence within the political arena and especially within the Republican Party. It is through the Republican Party operatives and through their influence within the Supreme Court that their constricted and highly repressive worldview is now being foisted upon the entire population. <br /><br />This authoritarian-based worldview is predicated upon a system that seeks to actively suppress and undermine a woman’s inherent right to her own body and her reproductive system and that seeks to caste withering judgements upon consensual sexual behavior and sexual identity that deviates from a self-imposed norm they wish to apply to everyone. One of the guiding principles behind this kind of behavior especially in regard to women is that they have a clearly defined God-given purpose and, therefore, must never be allowed to deviate from that pre-determined role. <br /><br />Another inherent aspect of this Christian Fundamentalist mentality is a belief in the inherently dominant role played by male of the species and the seldom-stated belief in the supremacy of the white race. This attitude was made especially clear after a highly intelligent and eloquent black man was chosen as President of the United States. This new reality was seen as shocking evidence that national attitudes were changing in a way that seriously threatened an entire universe of belief. Rather than finding a reasoned and intelligent pathway to acceptance, the choice was made to obstruct and undermine in any and every way possible. Rather than accommodate a changing world, the choice was to use whatever means possible to repress and thwart the movement of history. This strategy, of course, led the way to the rise of Donald Trump – clearly, a diseased personality that reflects and amplified these views and gives them credence while he holds none of them to his heart. These fundamentalist views are held so strongly that even democracy and the rule of law are no longer worthy of preservation if their dissolution is required to achieve the desired end as the violent assault on the Nation’s capital on January 6, 2021 clearly demonstrated. <br /><br />Since the system of beliefs that is representative of the fabric of Christian Fundamentalist ideology is essentially delusional in nature, truth is not of any real significance and in the right environment and under the appropriate conditions the lie becomes the fundamental vehicle for both validation and control. The lie has been effectively used in a brazen attempt to undermine the peaceful transition of power in the last presidential election; to postulate that the global threat of climate change is, in fact, a well-engineered hoax; that science is not to be trusted and even individuals who dedicate their entire lives to the wellbeing and health of the nation like Dr. Fauci are to be construed as enemies of the people and that the deliberate termination of a newly fertilized human ovum while residing within a woman’s body well before the time it is, in fact, a viable human being is to be regarded as a murderous act. <br /><br />The above represents my analysis of the horrific social and political circumstances we currently face. It must be remembered that the views encompassed by Christian Fundamentalism are not held by a majority of the nation’s population, and if our Democracy and the Rule of Law remain intact, we have the collective capacity to make our voices heard especially for the sake of future generations of Americans. Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12294357.post-84395497950933328822022-06-07T18:08:00.001-07:002022-06-07T18:11:57.736-07:00What is PatriotismCurrently, there seems to be a ineluctable rise of white supremacy and ultra-conservative posturing in this country. The proponents of the political philosophy that embodies these views, often claim themselves to be patriotic. This got me thinking about what patriotism actually is. <br /><br />First, I would like to state categorically what it is not. Patriotism has little to do with boisterously showing and waving the flag. The flag is a symbol of the values that this country supposedly possesses – it has little to do with reality of life in the United States. This symbol is too often used to celebrate America’s military might, or to applaud bigotry and repression, or flaunt a sense of racial superiority on behalf of the white population. <br /><br />Patriotism has little to do with the storming of the nation’s capital on Jan 6, 2021 in a vain attempt to thwart the peaceful transition of power following a national election. <br /><br />Patriotism has nothing to do with the use of extraordinary and extralegal means to suppress the truth and encourage violence in the name of extremist ideologies that infect the body politic with distortion and unreality. <br /><br />In my mind, patriotism is a mode of action that is motivated by the ideals upon which the Democratic Republic of the United States was founded. To be patriotic is to stand for freedom for all; to believe and practice the rule of law and support the democratic precepts of equal rights and equal opportunity for everyone; and to accept the basis of any true democracy - that being the right to vote and the rule of the majority while honoring the essential and substantial role of the minority in the democratic process. To be patriotic is reject the lie and support the truth. To be patriotic is to own up to the mistakes and excesses of the past and work towards a “more perfect union.” <br /><br />Patriotism does not need to rely upon mere symbols, or play lip service to the democratic ideal. To be patriotic is to look toward the future and act in a way that preserves the fundamental precepts of our democratic system for future generations. Joseph Aprilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09146849288862816584noreply@blogger.com0