One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back. –Carl Sagan
Who doesn’t need a history lesson from time to time? Whether it’s the history of your family, your relationship to whatever or whomever, or a reminder of what happened when on the world stage. Context matters—nuance matters. Nothing is wasted if events are duly-noted.
Yesterday I completed listening to a long Joe Rogan podcast where he interviewed famed documentarian, Ken Burns. Can’t recommend this interview enough. It’s worth the time.
For those of you who don’t know who Ken Burns is, he produced the most popular documentary of all time, The Civil War, as well as The Roosevelts, Baseball, National Parks, etc.Now, I like Joe Rogan, but the one knock on his podcast is that he tends to be interrupty. Is interrupty a word? Now it is. Anyway, my point is that he didn’t interrupt Ken Burns once in this two-and-a-half-hour interview. That ought to tell ya sumthin’…
One thing to consider here: What has always been meant to be, was not always for you to see. Say that again in your mind’s ear, or even out loud. What has always been meant to be, was not always for you to see.
Okay, here’s where I woo woo you: Ever heard the expression, “Mad as a hornet”? They’re much smaller than we are, but you don’t want none, do ya? Where might that apply to history. Interesting fact: September 2, 1945, the day the Japanese surrendered aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay to General MacArthur, Ho Chi Min declares Vietnam’s independence. One door closes, another opens.
Back to hornets: A hornet as an animal totem represents strength, resilience, and a call to action. Hornets symbolize the importance of respecting natural boundaries, the power of community, and the need to use one’s voice or influence wisely. The hornet’s sting serves as a reminder of the consequences of disrespect or intrusion. (Google)
What boundaries await us beyond what we think of as infinity? Are, perhaps the greatest sins the self-boundaries we breach again and again? Sometimes it only takes once. I’m speaking to myself here, too, so definitely not casting any stones, but where is the regard for the discipline of discipline?
Can we say it’s akin to urinal cakes? They actually smell pretty good, but the smell instantly harkens us to an embarrassment like South Carolina’s “Welcome” Center just down I-95.
This begs the question: How disappointed will you be with how certain you were? You don’t have to write the poem, The Arrogance of My Certainty if you keep an open mind. I’m not really a poetry person, so…
The opposite of faith is certainty, which is where mystery goes to die. I believe I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating. You can have your urinal cake and eat it, too.
What histories are disdained, decided against, then discarded in dark, dingy, smoke-filled back rooms? I’m sure they have a Native American flavor. If you’re looking for reason to make something make sense, you’re going to find it. What was the Tulsa massacre? Hasn’t been highlighted much, has it? YouTube Tom Hanks’ reaction to learning of it. He’s far more eloquent than I can be on the subject in this forum. What about what America did in the Philippines during the Spanish-American war? What’s that? Exactly. What was Japan doing in China before the war? They really got down to business after Doolittle’s Raid from Shangri-La since they were already practiced in slaughter and oppression. Btw, Doolittle’s Raid was launched from the USS Hornet. Coinkydink? I think not.
Not everyone is dealt the same cards in the game of Clue called Life. Did Colonel Mustard kill Professor Plum in the Conservatory with the lead pipe? Get a clue.
Why must we always seek to blame? I’m talking about in the larger sense here. The cause of, the reason for, the motivation to become. Let it be and tell me what you see. It’s a worthwhile academic experiment. The results could give you a clue.
Knowing is half the battle. Does an army not travel on its stomach? Food is the great link among us. Food for thought is only the genesis of it all. Throw in a side of mirth with some au jeux gravy. Are you ready to be wrong?
While considering all this, keep in mind the little-spoken ending to the quote, “Great minds think alike,” is, “fools seldom differ.”
Speaking of foolish, be cautious judging history by today’s prism. You may think it makes you sound woke. It does not. Context matters while being binary oversimplifies.
When you shift your awareness, reality responds. You’re a day late and a dollar more. Yesterday’s price is not today’s. Use this notion to apply urgency. God knows I need a deadline to get s*** done.
You’re in uncharted territory. You are traveling by feel. Connect your feelings to what is in your heart and you will see the light. Some people are not confused; they are just committed to misunderstanding you because it fits their immature awareness. History will teach you that.
Remember that a soul can never be owned, not even your own. Trusting in the unknown, leaves you no choice but to trust your soul.
In the end, I’m asking myself the same question I’ll now ask you: Are you afraid of what can go wrong because of history, or are you afraid of what can go right? It’s interesting the shift in perspective that happens when you look at it that way. I’m just realizing the possibilities.
