Obituaries and Biographies

After reading some lately- I don't think I ever want one written- some of them are just so badly written.

Philosophy of Social Science

I lament the fact that people do not see history as a Hegelian procession -like a river- you cannot view the events of the past through the lens of today. You can, however, deconstruct it through a historical lens via an archeology or genealogy (hurray Foucault!) There is a sore lack of appreciation for social science theory and philosophy (alas!)

I write this little brief rant because I read a piece on DailyKos discussing Native American history that devolved into a discussion of how Native Americans had slaves. Well- Duh! Some of them did, as did many ancient and not so ancient civilizations. But, in the time period they were studying, it was mostly as a means for the Cherokee, specifically, to show how "white" they were, in the hopes that they would not be removed off of their lands. In the end, it turned out to merely be a continuation of the "modernization" of the Cherokees so that they appear "civilized" (sadly, I believe that this rhetoric and subsequent actions are still largely the prevalent model for development, as imposed by Western countries on the Third World. But I digress).

So yes, if you are going to produce critical history and comment on it, please please please, try to understand it through a historical lens- not your own.

Thick Skulls

For some reason, it always seems that the lessons that we need to learn the most, and the quickest, are also the same mistakes that we keep making. It is so difficult to learn from mistakes- and not make them again and again. Each time, you feel more worn out and more dense for not learning the first time. The conditioned response does not seem to form, despite numerous trials....successive learning events....and successive negative outcomes when learning is not completed.

And its finally when you hit the bottom that you realize the past mistakes that you have made over and over and it weights like a great rock in your heart- choking you and making it difficult to breath- causing you to be dizzy, as if hit with a great realization that your mind can't make sense of.

I am a human.

Philosophical Ponderings on the (Mis)Treatment of Animals (Humans) and subsequent (Re) Actions (A Poem of Questions)

Do you remain silent, in steely resolve? Or do you raise a hand to block the hand that strikes you? Or do you succumb, and become less human with each act of degradation?

And what if the other person doesn't share your same sense of what respect means? are you at an impasse? do you have but two options to choose from? continue...or.....?

Jesus Christ said turn the other cheek- but how many cheeks can you turn?