Unexpectedly, I found myself near tears toward the end, in sadness, I think, for the absence of such thoughtfulness in our national discourse; in longing for the quiet pleasure of observing intelligence at work, gentleness, comparing ideas such as these to those we hear daily, hourly, incessantly leaking like toxic waste from our political leaders and their enablers on talk radio, on propaganda television. Shouting, stupefying, destructive, mindless.
And it's not really about the message per se. It's about the sense of loss, the realization, by its absence, of the pleasure of hearing thoughtful people talk. About anything.
Drowned out are people like this, by the din of fear and destruction and needfulness and stupidity and hate and magical thinking as they overtake our country. Thence the tears. For the damage being done by choosing irrationality over reason at a time when we need it most.
Thank you for 34 minutes of respite from the cacophony of babble surrounding us all just now.
ReplyDeleteLarry
Aren't we as humans, our own worst enemies? Sid, you've gone to great length to point this out. It's sad, frustrating, and in most cases, simply unconscionable. It's unnerving to watch our former political greatness spiral downward- unprecedented decadence, blatant and proud intentional ignorance. Overwhelming irresponsibility and greed driven behavior are morally acceptable to our complacent, epidemically obese, faith addicted, consumer driven population. Three steps back, and no steps forward. As you've pointed out, it's enough to make one physically ill. However, I was recently able to get away into one of our great national forest for five days! No computers, cell phones, pavement, or cement! And mostly NO FRICKIN THIRD GRADE POLITICS! It was FRICKIN GREAT! There is life outside of politics! Your "Meditations For A Sunday" was a breath of fresh air, just like that national forest. It's refreshing. Sid, when was the last time you went camping or sailing for a few days?
ReplyDeleteThanks to you, too, Larry.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks, Cory, also. It's been too long since I was camping or hiking in a wilderness; over a year. And, yes, it's reinvigorating.