You are on a tear, David. Keep listening, my friend, and keep writing. They say we are living in the age of consequences. Your 'lethal without spilling blood' points in that direction, toward consequence that is not punishment.
Thanks so much Adam. Age of consequence feels right. Helps me to sense there are bigger quieter things happening somewhere, apart from all the noise. Also helped me to see you with your dog the other day.
I wanted to send you a picture, a before and after of a navajo (Diné) man, but I can't add it here. In the before, his skin is dark and glistening, his hair is long, big hoops in his ears. He is beautiful. In the after, he is pale, his hair is cropped short and he's been squeezed into an ill-fitting suit buttoned to his throat. For the past couple of years, it has been my emblem of all that is wrong with this Empire. As James Hillman once said, "Americans are dedicated to ugliness."
I've been possessed of late by the writer/mystic Peter Kingsley who asserts that the real seeds of Western Civilization were planted by Parmenides and Empedocles, who were not rationalists but the Ancient Greek version of shamans and those seeds came from revelation, were prophetic in the sense that they were simply giving voice to the Divine. He speaks often that in their time, they were considered "Lawgivers" in that they did not create laws but communicated the laws of the Divine. I have mulled for many months over this, compared to your poetic of no laws and more recently, to the faction of white, Christian nationalists in the current evil, empty regime that has taken over the country where I live, who guide the supposedly divinely-inspired Project 2025. This piece and particularly that quote from Russell Means, which I know well, resolve much for me.
Thanks Jack. This Russell Means speech has meant so much to me. I always feel odd quoting it, because he starts off saying how little he cares for the written word, but I'd still love everyone to read it.
The Benjamin quote comes from his essay Critique of Violence, which can be found in the collection titled Reflections. P297, schocken, 2007. This essay has been really paradigmatic for my understanding of the relationship between messianism and law, though Benjamin doesnt talk about messianism directly there.
You are on a tear, David. Keep listening, my friend, and keep writing. They say we are living in the age of consequences. Your 'lethal without spilling blood' points in that direction, toward consequence that is not punishment.
Thanks so much Adam. Age of consequence feels right. Helps me to sense there are bigger quieter things happening somewhere, apart from all the noise. Also helped me to see you with your dog the other day.
Really appreciate the recordings of these articles - nice to read and listen concurrently, helps with the absorption process.
I wanted to send you a picture, a before and after of a navajo (Diné) man, but I can't add it here. In the before, his skin is dark and glistening, his hair is long, big hoops in his ears. He is beautiful. In the after, he is pale, his hair is cropped short and he's been squeezed into an ill-fitting suit buttoned to his throat. For the past couple of years, it has been my emblem of all that is wrong with this Empire. As James Hillman once said, "Americans are dedicated to ugliness."
I've been possessed of late by the writer/mystic Peter Kingsley who asserts that the real seeds of Western Civilization were planted by Parmenides and Empedocles, who were not rationalists but the Ancient Greek version of shamans and those seeds came from revelation, were prophetic in the sense that they were simply giving voice to the Divine. He speaks often that in their time, they were considered "Lawgivers" in that they did not create laws but communicated the laws of the Divine. I have mulled for many months over this, compared to your poetic of no laws and more recently, to the faction of white, Christian nationalists in the current evil, empty regime that has taken over the country where I live, who guide the supposedly divinely-inspired Project 2025. This piece and particularly that quote from Russell Means, which I know well, resolve much for me.
Thanks Jack. This Russell Means speech has meant so much to me. I always feel odd quoting it, because he starts off saying how little he cares for the written word, but I'd still love everyone to read it.
Very helpful, David, and so apposite. Especially the three violences…
Do you have a reference for the Benjamin quotation?
The Benjamin quote comes from his essay Critique of Violence, which can be found in the collection titled Reflections. P297, schocken, 2007. This essay has been really paradigmatic for my understanding of the relationship between messianism and law, though Benjamin doesnt talk about messianism directly there.
Thanks. I’ll definitely get hold of it.
Thanks David.
This brings excellent insight and is so apposite for our current time.
Thank you Paul. Blessings
Thank you for this, it has helped with my perspective on our current situation as humans in disharmony
Thanks Steve. The days are hard 🙏🏻
Superb. A good ground for this day. Thank you.
Thanks for reading Penny
Brilliant
Thank you Lisette 🙏🏻