Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The Altering Eye
Listening to the radio today, I heard Blake's quote. It reminded me of many similar sayings "Looking at the world through rose colored glasses," to "When there is no illusion the "what is" is most sacred." The obvious message here is to see things objectively as they are.
With so many of us having agendas, this, apparently, not as easy as it seems. Most feminist oriented women I know interpret everything around them in terms of feminist philosophy. Viewing a traditional marriage, such a feminist may see many negative things despite however the married couple feels and lives in their relationship.
Once I heard a female cultural sensitivity trainer (or something like that) nearly go into a rage on the radio because someone had locked their car doors while she stood on the sidewalk waiting to cross the street. She took it as the person in the car locked the doors because a black person was standing close by. It sounded more like the ravings of a paranoid schizophrenic to me.
Look at the differing reactions to the Duke lacrosse team rape accusations versus the Jena 6. The response by many to these is based solely on race. The facts, "what is," matters little if at all.
Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave" speaks to the issue of seeing reality as opposed to what you think is reality. For me, the primary message of Plato's story is always be willing to discover or admit that what you think is so, may not be. This includes having a little humility about one's beliefs. But this does not mean you take them lightly either but rather an openness to explore intellectually.
Indeed, there are certain beliefs worth fighting and dying for as did Leonidas and the 300 at Thermopylae. In the The History Channel show about Thermopylae, one history professor describes the battle as the most important battle in history for the preservation of democracy.
In today's world it seems so many people have agendas and "perspectives" that "what is" not only gets lost but doesn't even matter. At best it is tiresome to be constantly bombarded with the agendas. At worst, the agenda driven actions pose a grave danger to our freedoms.
In the early 1970's, a friend of mine visited the USSR. Upon his return he described how conversations with Russians were hard to follow because the conversation changed instantly whenever a stranger walked by. One never knew who might betray them. With political correctness, I see this becoming a more and more common in the US.
The latest is State Rep. Carla Blanchard Dartez, of Morgan City, LA calling the mother of the NAACP's local president "Buckwheat." The NAACP is now supporting Dartez's opponent. I don't know if Dartez is actually racist or not. She has demonstrated, clearly, she has too poor judgement to be holding a legislative office. But let's let it go at that.
OK, I can't quite let it go at that. There are a couple of other details.
But I digress.
Let's take this and lots of other things for what they are not what we wish them to be. In this case, a somewhat ignorant politician and her corrupt husband. But, is this a reflection of all Democrats and liberals? Probably not. Maybe Robert Byrd. Most Democrats would have made a reference to Aunt Jemima. :-)
It sure would be nice if the Democrats, "progressives," Republicans, conservatives, etc. could focus on what is and work to improve it rather than color everything to fit their agenda and to increase their power. But, then again, that may be too much to ask.
With so many of us having agendas, this, apparently, not as easy as it seems. Most feminist oriented women I know interpret everything around them in terms of feminist philosophy. Viewing a traditional marriage, such a feminist may see many negative things despite however the married couple feels and lives in their relationship.
Once I heard a female cultural sensitivity trainer (or something like that) nearly go into a rage on the radio because someone had locked their car doors while she stood on the sidewalk waiting to cross the street. She took it as the person in the car locked the doors because a black person was standing close by. It sounded more like the ravings of a paranoid schizophrenic to me.
Look at the differing reactions to the Duke lacrosse team rape accusations versus the Jena 6. The response by many to these is based solely on race. The facts, "what is," matters little if at all.
Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave" speaks to the issue of seeing reality as opposed to what you think is reality. For me, the primary message of Plato's story is always be willing to discover or admit that what you think is so, may not be. This includes having a little humility about one's beliefs. But this does not mean you take them lightly either but rather an openness to explore intellectually.
Indeed, there are certain beliefs worth fighting and dying for as did Leonidas and the 300 at Thermopylae. In the The History Channel show about Thermopylae, one history professor describes the battle as the most important battle in history for the preservation of democracy.
In today's world it seems so many people have agendas and "perspectives" that "what is" not only gets lost but doesn't even matter. At best it is tiresome to be constantly bombarded with the agendas. At worst, the agenda driven actions pose a grave danger to our freedoms.
In the early 1970's, a friend of mine visited the USSR. Upon his return he described how conversations with Russians were hard to follow because the conversation changed instantly whenever a stranger walked by. One never knew who might betray them. With political correctness, I see this becoming a more and more common in the US.
The latest is State Rep. Carla Blanchard Dartez, of Morgan City, LA calling the mother of the NAACP's local president "Buckwheat." The NAACP is now supporting Dartez's opponent. I don't know if Dartez is actually racist or not. She has demonstrated, clearly, she has too poor judgement to be holding a legislative office. But let's let it go at that.
OK, I can't quite let it go at that. There are a couple of other details.
Before qualifying in September, Carla Dartez was given a summons for improper lane usage after hitting a pedestrian with her vehicle. She failed a field sobriety test but passed a later Breathalyzer test.I wonder why her husband was harboring illegal aliens. (At least the correct term for illegal aliens is used without double quote.) Could it be because he could pay sub-standard wages and make more profit?
Earlier this month, Lenny Dartez was indicted on charges of allegedly harboring illegal aliens through his construction business.
But I digress.
Let's take this and lots of other things for what they are not what we wish them to be. In this case, a somewhat ignorant politician and her corrupt husband. But, is this a reflection of all Democrats and liberals? Probably not. Maybe Robert Byrd. Most Democrats would have made a reference to Aunt Jemima. :-)
It sure would be nice if the Democrats, "progressives," Republicans, conservatives, etc. could focus on what is and work to improve it rather than color everything to fit their agenda and to increase their power. But, then again, that may be too much to ask.
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