Privilege

David Brooks reports that the two indicators of “privilege” in American society are race and education. I think wealth factors in as well. But while these may predict success and economic security, I’m not certain that this kind of privilege guarantees happiness and self worth.

For me, the real indicators are a set of good parents and a happy childhood. These let the individual know they are loved, they are worthy and they must love in turn. To have this in life is privilege.

The impulse to make art

Where does the impulse to make art come from?

1. The need to create something.

2. The need to create something that has meaning.

3. The need to create something that communicates meaning.

4. The need to create something that has meaning for a viewer.

5. The need to create something that has timeless meaning.

6. The need to create something that creates you.

Mystery and absurdity

Some believe that the human construct of mathematics, the language of science, is what forms our image of the natural world. Others believe that the natural world demands mathematics to unlock its workings.

In this age of creationism, anti-vaccination, Bible literalism, climate change denial and more, science has come under attack and challenged with cynicism, even while science has more than demonstrated the beauty, complexity, connectedness, mystery and startling absurdity of the world.

This mystery and absurdity have nothing to do with magic or the occult. Rather they are the very things that put us in awe of the universe and of our own existence.  Great discoveries like the structure of DNA, the structure of the solar system, the nature of bacteria, the discovery of radiation and the moon landing were never ends in themselves. Each unlocked more questions, more mystery, more unchartered places to go.

As busy human beings trying to be happy, to survive, to raise our children, we mostly don’t think about mystery and absurdity in the world. So we mostly don’t let ourselves enter into a state of awe. In many ways this is why we can seem so lost and feel so empty, trying to fill ourselves up with stuff.

Assholes

With the presidency of Donald Trump, there has been much recent interest in the phenomenon of “assholes.” Here are some new titles.

The Art of Living with Assholes by Leticia Buttstrom

History’s Biggest Assholes by Prof. Evan Gluteus

Assholes: A Proctologist’s View by Dr. Richard Anusson

How AA (Assholes Anonymous) Saved My Life by Joey Bottoms

Born an Asshole: A Memoir by Art Q. Bumstead

Redemption

Let’s put religion aside for the moment. It was damned hard work Jesus did to help us see the power of redemption. Damned hard work. Redemption is one of the fundamental tenets of Christianity and a sure measure of the true Christian, to be able to forgive another as a way of active participation in the process of redemption.

But now we have a soulless president who replaces forgiveness with division and fear, all for political ends. The other is not forgiven but rather demeaned and turned into a satan. Many Christians have made this man their savior and, without thinking, turned their backs on the teaching of Jesus.

Claims that America is a fundamentally Christian nation are made questionable by this behavior. There are many things in America that need fixing, but there are many in need of forgiveness and redemption as well.