Goatee Entries November 2004

°2004.11.30.tu | Thanksgiving

I noticed that the local events magazine, Time Out New York, no longer includes personals. This disappointed me because I always enjoyed seeing what people listed as the things they "could not live without." Most often people would list things like their books, iPod, laptop, etc. I couldn't disagree with their urbane choices, but I was really looking for those people who were able to distill and recognize the features of modern living that I am truly grateful for. Presently, my three selections would be: indoor/heated plumbing (toilets are so clever, and hot showers are divine), fresh produce, and public libraries.

°2004.11.30.tu | The Path

Don’t follow in the footsteps of the old poets, seek what they sought. - Basho

°2004.11.19.fr | History

I'm surprised by the surprise expressed over Afghanistan's turn towards becoming a Narco-Mafia state. That is exactly what it was before the Taliban took power, and it is also why we supported the Taliban, so as to suppress the opium trade. Many Afghanis were so fed up with the drug warlords that they didn't resist the imposition of a strict theocracy. Since we have failed to reform the economy in that country, old ways return. It's the least we could expect.

This apparent ignorance of history is also what truly frightens me about the neo-conservative campaign in the Middle East. As Karen Armstrong shows, fundamentalism is a 20th century phenomenon: a response to modernity and secularism.

History can tell us a great deal about the profile of these movements. Over the centuries people have often resisted colonial domination or oppressive governments by evolving millennial visions that amounted to a systematic repudiation of the mainstream culture. These millennial groups usually developed after a crisis or disaster had in some sense destroyed the world they had known. Inspired by a corrosive sense of political helplessness, they fought for a new world order, in which the first should be last and the last first.

The "fundamentalist" movements that emerged in every major faith tradition during the 20th century conform to this pattern. Wherever a western-style, secularist society has been established, a religious counterculture has developed alongside it. The persistence of this militant piety shows a disturbing and worldwide alienation from western modernity.

So it makes absolutely no sense to try to impose "democracy" via Western imperialism. For example, in the 50's the Muslim Brotherhood was radicalized in the prisons of Egypt when they resisted the "western" policies of Gamal Abdel Nasser. That's how Islamic fundamentalism started. What do the Neo-Cons expect to achieve with actual Western armies?! Fuel to the fire.

Of course, I'm not fond of Muslim fundamentalists, nor any other sort. As a secular humanist their beliefs are loathsome to me; as an atheist I merit execution in their eyes. I do sometimes despair about the plight of the decent and ordinary folks there, and the morass we've jumped into. Worst of all, I hate the sense of loathing and disgust these people prompt in me. Fortunately, some Muslim are speaking out, lessening my sense of alienation from this large part of humanity. Vincent West is an inspiration, and many commented on Abdel Rahman al-Rashed's recent statement that, "It is a certain fact that not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is equally certain, and exceptionally painful, that almost all terrorists are Muslims." If Muslims are willing to entertain this question ... I feel like I could understand.

°2004.11.19.fr | Tofurkey

This year, I will have to do without drumsticks -- Turtle Island Foods removed them because they have hexane, which is common in many soy products. However, I don't think I will miss them that much as I always made stuffing anyway; plus, now we get cranberry/apple dumplings.

°2004.11.09.tu | Yes sir, another please

One of the notions I often become confused about in Buddhism is that when confronted with suffering we are counseled to appreciate it as an invitation to awaken ourselves, but we also work to reduce the suffering of others. Or, we might silently thank the rude for an opportunity to learn a lesson about our own reactivity, but we attempt to limit such behavior in ourselves — and we certainly would not expect to be thanked for our own thoughtless acts: "By being rude I'm giving you an opportunity to transcend, damn it!"

Is this simply a recognition of the asymmetry between ourselves and others — contrary to the notion of interdependence? We can control our own intention and the interpretation of others' acts; we can't control how people misunderstand us, or their intentions towards us. That makes sense, I like reminders that my intention and perspective are responsible for how I experience the world. But in some renditions (e.g., we should be thankful for our suffering otherwise we would not have joy) I often end up rather muddled and contemplating some rather absurd implications.

°2004.11.08.mo | Evolutionary Materialism and Meaning

Discussions with anamnesiac got me to thinking about how to reconcile the implications of Darwin's dangerous idea with the quest to find meaning in life, so a draft for your perusal: Shelving God?

What are the implications of Darwin's theory of evolution on man's search for meaning? In this paper I delineate a range of positions on a creation/evolution scale and identify those who still claim a limited role for a God with respect to our ultimate beginnings or our consciousness. While more palatable than most creationists, I critique these positions with respect to intention and consciousness from a material evolutionary perspective. I then review a number of attempts to reconcile the desire to find meaning in life with the modern ethos. I conclude by noting that Frankl's theory of logotherapy identifies a source of meaning in light of human suffering without recourse to supernatural claims.

Also, (for Google) Thoughts on Facilitation from Dennis Bohn.

°2004.11.01.mo | Houston and Mercer

The man who lives beneath a pile of sheets and tarp sweeps the sidewalk in front of his home.

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