I found this very inspirational. I've had to read it several times. Thank you.
I know you despise social networking, blogs etc, but they are modern, speedy ways of offering ideas to people "out there" who will share, discuss and nourish themselves thereby.
Sometimes I would like to share YOUR ideas, but hesitate because I'm not sure if you are posting to your students, to the public, or what.
But I get great enjoyment from a lot of what you write, and thank you again.
*
What we most need is what we find hardest to believe.
What we passively receive via the mass media is evil, false, ugly; aimed to subvert and invert our aims, to trap us in a bubble of distraction, to induce despair and wish for death.
Yet hard-nosed, common sense, data-based, rational analysis and policy making is an Iron Cage - it cannot motivate us, it reduces life to something that cannot engage us. It bludgeons, it coerces but never inspires.
Only the Incredible, that which we have been trained to regard as ridiculous, absurd, disgusting - can save us.
*
But not not, of course, anything Incredible: incredibility per se is useless; but among incredibilities is where the real, true and saving answer lies.
To find it is a risky business, there is no longer any psychologically-safe path. There is danger of embracing the wrong Incredible: real danger.
*
What use is intelligence?
Intelligence is power, intelligence is a weapon. Intelligence is indomitable - but only, at best, defensive of good - intelligence does not originate good.
Our own intelligence is outnumbered, conquest is impossible. But the intelligence of a single Man can (if they let it) defend himself and his allies against any number of foes - if they let it.
*
Intelligence is like a good shaman - who can place an impenetrable magic circle around his village, disable the weapons of the tribes' enemies, deflect the mind-probes of the aggressors to conceal his people; he has a million tricks to hold fast in a spiritual assault, and draws strength from a million hidden sources.
He cannot be defeated: so long as he fights to defend sacred ground.
Only if he allows himself to be lured into stepping-out from the gods-protected zone of rightful occupation does he become vulnerable; and then the whole tribe may be threatened with invasion, subversion; death and absorption.
*
Incredible? Yes.
The good-Incredible does not originate with intelligence, nor is intelligence able to recognise it; only to defend it once recognised
The good-Incredible originates outwith, and is recognised only by an open heart - which is also vulnerable to hurt.
*
An open heart cannot be defended, but when it is hurt (as it will be) it can be healed - however, only the Incredible can heal the hurt open heart.
*
So we absolutely need the Incredible, or else we cannot be open-hearted, and cannot discern the good Incredible from the evil; and then we will sooner-or-later be overcome; by one means or another.
But with the Incredible, we cannot, and will not, be overcome; ever.
"We need the Incredible - what can intelligence do?"
2 Comments -
I found this very inspirational. I've had to read it several times. Thank you.
I know you despise social networking, blogs etc, but they are modern, speedy ways of offering ideas to people "out there" who will share, discuss and nourish themselves thereby.
Sometimes I would like to share YOUR ideas, but hesitate because I'm not sure if you are posting to your students, to the public, or what.
But I get great enjoyment from a lot of what you write, and thank you again.
23 October 2014 at 17:52
@tlf - Thanks!
23 October 2014 at 18:51