[lit-ideas] Re: Geary feeling the cool breeze
- From: Mike Geary <jejunejesuit.geary2@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2013 14:57:26 -0500
Just want to clarify a couple of comments I made that Lawrence Helm seems
to read a bit differently than was my intended meaning. I don't believe
there's any irony in my "socialist" beliefs vis-à-vis my living in
government subsidized housing -- actually an apartment building housing
nearly 300 geezers (minimum age 62 -- I'm 69) or physically disabled folk.
It is owned by the Catholic Diocese of Memphis and rents are subsidized by
HUD depending on one's income and net worth. Since I have a negative net
worth and a very uncertain income, I qualified for an efficiency at $440
mo. Certainly not as generous as I think a person of my caliber deserves,
but I'll take it. What I do find ironic is that I should be beholden to
the Roman Catholic Church for their material support when I have so often
denounced (sometimes in very profane and even obscene language) the
very existence of the Catholic Church -- the Mother who educated me for 16
years and even suckered me into throwing away two years of my most amazing
life to study to be a priest. Fie on them! I find that ironic.
As to the proximate cause of Geary's financial embarrassment one would have
to understand that Geary hates Capitalism and the business world and money
and just generally the way the whole world is organized. However Geary
tries to get along. Knowing Geary's predilection for contrariness and
knowing that he is 99% Irish, it might not come as a surprise that he likes
his beer. And has liked it for too long and after an episode of esophageal
varices the damned old doctor said "keep drinking: die soon /quit
drinking: die a little later" And for some reason Geary decided to quit
drinking. Life has lost some of it fundom but not much. As to Larry's
comment that I do not like being subsidized -- well, I only have to look at
the major corporations of America and realize that Holy Shit! What a piker
I am when it comes to getting subsidized. American Capitalism not
only survives, it thrives on Government subsidies. I'll bet even Larwrence
knows that.
My gratitude to Larwrence for his expressions of concern. But I don't
think life has slowed my down very much yet.
Pax vobiscum,
Mike
On Wed, Jul 17, 2013 at 11:21 AM, Lawrence Helm <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> wrote:
> I’ve often noticed comments taking off into some philosophical realm and
> looking back at the cause think someone has taken a wrong turn, and that
> wasn’t what he meant at all. In the case below, Geary’s “irony” about
> socialism, I “understand” something utterly different from the subsequent
> comments.****
>
> ** **
>
> I understand Geary to have been injured or ill to the extent that he is no
> longer able to support himself full time with his Air Conditioning
> enterprise. He has applied for and received subsidized housing. He
> doesn’t want to say this in so many words, and he doesn’t like being
> subsidized, but he can rationalize it – at least in conversation – calling
> it Socialism. ****
>
> ** **
>
> And what am I rationalizing by calling myself a misanthropist? I got
> caught up in his predicament almost at once; feeling quite concerned, and
> thinking as I always do, is there anything I can do? And is there anything
> I ought to do – missing all the fine philosophical banter.****
>
> ** **
>
> Lawrence****
>
> *From:* lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:
> lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] *On Behalf Of *Mike Geary
> *Sent:* Monday, July 15, 2013 9:56 AM
> *To:* lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> *Subject:* [lit-ideas] Re: 12 minutes****
>
> ** **
>
> Do I count as a new member? It's been a while (or is that "awhile"?)
> since I've contributed. My philosophy is still as it was before: "it is
> what it is." Doesn't leave much room for debate. Should and ought have no
> standing when it comes to is. Anyway, I have missed Phil-Lit-Lit-Id if
> only because it is usually the only email I ever get got gotten. Still
> fascinated by cool breezes. Still try to count the number of
> nitrogen-hydrogen-oxygen molecules smashing into my face every fraction of
> a fraction of a second. And looking at oak trees I'm still grateful that
> trees can't walk. God was good when he made that rule. The only
> difference in my life now is that I'm a socialist. I've always believed in
> socialism, of course, but now I'm a real live rooting-tooting socialist.
> That is, I live in U. S. government subsidized housing sponsored by the
> Catholic diocese of Memphis. Life is sweet. It took a couple of
> life-style threats to my life to soften these people's hearts, but at last
> I am victorious. Ironic, you say, that I should end up back in the arms of
> Holy Mother the Church. Not at all, I gave them 25 of my best years, time
> they done did some good unto me. Ha! I've even got God involved in this
> Socialism. Take care, my droogies. ****
>
> ** **
>
> On Sat, Jul 13, 2013 at 7:32 PM, Robert Paul <rpaul@xxxxxxxx> wrote:****
>
> Omar asked****
>
> Not very related, but I am wondering why we aren't getting any new
> members here ? Is the list somehow covered, or the emailing lists are
> out of fashion now ?****
>
>
> It's just that we're all returning from wishing we were on vacation.
>
> Robert Paul,
> thinking of what to say, if asked
>
>
>
>
>
> ****
>
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