Epsilon Theory PDF Download (Subscribers Only): The Stupid War
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The Stupid War
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Thank you Rusty, I truly appreciate your insights and encouragement to avoid taking sides. Instead, looking for ways to help and not blame.
To this, Epsilon Theory has helped me to “see” better, given context and dare I say, greater wisdom than I have had in the past.
Rusty
I find this to be your best essay in the short time ( 10 months) that I have been aware of and subscribed to ET. Thank you so very much.
My niece teaches art in the Santa Barbara School District in Southern California which has been either notified that they will not open or possibly will not open based upon state decree.
The adjoining Goleta School District, which is under the same decree, has laid off all the art teachers and some other categories of teachers with what I understand is the reasoning that their curriculum is not conducive to distance learning and the need for the district to save money.
No point to made here other than my 100% agreement that it is important for all of us to help others thru this time to the best of our abilities.
I’ve been reading Rusty’s work for a long time (5 years), and I agree … this is his best essay yet.
No PDF download or am I not too bright…?
One thread in this that’s interesting - the idea that the groundwork for the conflict was related to the Treaty of Tordesillas (the Pope Julius-thing) - the drawing of an artificial border without regard to the future inhabitants of these places (and maybe I’m reaching here) - but specifically, the Papal ratification of the treaty which lent it a moral authority beyond the mere expediency of a 15th century legal claim. If we look at the “demarcations” of American social life in regards to public education (and more broadly at the entire ethos of modern American consumerism/capitalism) what top down claims have we impelled upon American citizens which we are feeling the burdens of now? Public education and taxation and teachers unions and standardization and school lunches and education-as-childcare are emergent expressions of what we have collectively viewed as “important” in American life and codified and sanctified like Julius II’s Papal Bull. That is to say, these divisions we have over this subject are both “exploitable” and tribal because of decisions and paths taken long ago (not enough of an expert on the history American education to say so definitively, but this is what I suspect).
The point of this ranting is: what so much of this current crisis/disaster and the other “problems” of American life push me toward is the idea of radically revising what appear to be the ingrained social attitudes of our culture about what is important to us. A monumental task it would seem that first requires the rejection of old authorities, which have so much of their appeal in inflaming our cultural divisions. Deprogramming our immediate and insensate and comfortable left vs. right divisions maybe should be what we try to do? Beyond helping our neighbors, of course. Or is the solution to reject it entirely and JUST focus on helping our neighbors? I don’t know.
There will be a PDF! Just haven’t gotten it up yet.
The connection you’re making with the moral authority of Tordesillas is such a lovely one that I wish I had, too. Yes, the moral loading of our “arbitrary” structures, which could have gone very differently with different ordering of historical events, is a part of what we are adjudicating. It is a thoughtful parallel.
As to your last proposition, the answer is yes AND yes, because I don’t see these as mutually exclusive any more than I see Clear Eyes and Full Hearts as exclusive. Revolution of a kind on some of these dimensions does seem necessary (clear eyes), but the best way to get there is together, with grace and mercy for the path that others need to follow to get there (full hearts).
I am heartbroken over some of what is happening to the arts and arts education in particular through this process, so I wasn’t heartened to hear that. But I am grateful that you found value in reading this and appreciate your kind words.
Peter, I am glad to hear that we have been helpful. We are grateful that you are here, too.
Gotcha, didn’t mean to rush on PDF, my father is a bit of an aficionado (oddly enough) of BOTH the 19th Century wars of South America and of early 20th Century Louisiana politics - so I wanted him to see this. Thanks for taking the time to respond.
I’ve spent the last thirty years trying to end my love affair with the moral high ground. I had a good two decades of success, but during these last 3+ years my lover has returned with unmatched persistence, and the makeup sex is oh-so-gratifying…
I admire your ability to keep searching for grace. Thank you for reminding and encouraging me to do the same.
Hah! Kim, if ever there were a three year period where relapse was tempting all of us, it has been this one. I have good days and bad days, too.