[lit-ideas] Re: Social Darwinism or Darwinian Socialism?

  • From: JimKandJulieB@xxxxxxx
  • To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 01:22:49 EST

Beauty has its own inherent worth, Irene.  It helps human animals get  
through some terrifying and miserable days.
 
Most days I would say that Beauty trumps Hell.
 
Julie Krueger
having fought a few years of her own in the war between Beauty &  Hell.

========Original Message========     Subj: [lit-ideas] Re: Social Darwinism 
or Darwinian Socialism?  Date: 12/29/05 2:32:24 PM Central Standard Time  From: 
_aamago@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:aamago@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)   To: 
_lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)   Sent on:    

You presumed right.  I'm as impressed with the pretty pictures as I am  with 
the ability to read.  Before you pity me, answer the questions I posed  to 
Marlena.  
 
 


 

----- Original Message ----- 
From:  _Mike  Geary_ (mailto:atlas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)  
To: _lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx) 
Sent: 12/29/2005 3:08:06 PM 
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Social Darwinism  or Darwinian Socialism?


AA:
>> I never said reading is worthless.  All I'm saying is that  if this is 
mankind's big achievement, big deal.  Yes, it's a great  escape, but humanity's 
big brain creates an environment that needs  escaping. << 
 
 
I presumed Andy would recognize my use of 'library' as a  synecdoche for all 
human intellectual achievement -- not just the skill  of literacy.  I presumed 
wrong.  Sorry.  Andy accused me  of being Pollyannaish.  I accuse Andy of 
being blind, and into his  cup I drop a pittance of pity.  See, empathy is 
alive 
and  well.
 
Mike Geary
Memphis
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

----- Original Message ----- 
From:  _Andy  Amago_ (mailto:aamago@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)  
To: _lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)  
Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2005 1:27  PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Social  Darwinism or Darwinian Socialism?



What do you think of the fact (not my opinion, a fact) that the  rainforests 
will be wiped off the face of the earth in 40 years,  that mankind with its 
big brain is exterminating 50,000 species a year, and  so on and so on?  Why do 
y
ou think Israel is necessary?  Why do  you think Napoleon is synonymous with 
victory instead of murder?   What do you think of my analogy that if a dog had 
as much food as would fit  into a McMansion and still needed to take other 
dogs' daily rations, we'd  think he was sick, but when people do it, we bow 
down 
to greatness.   Essentially, Marlena, humans pat themselves on the back for 
being barbarians  and priding themselves on acting like dogs.  Humans are so  
proud to be a species that lights an occasional candle in the darkness,  and it 
never occurs to them that maybe if they'd stop creating the darkness  they 
could have a lot more light.
 
 


 

----- Original Message ----- 
From:   (mailto:eternitytime1@xxxxxxx) 
To: _lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (mailto:lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx) 
Sent: 12/29/2005 1:19:37 PM 
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Social  Darwinism or Darwinian Socialism?



 
Hi, Andy--(for the Andy part of Irene seems to be the part of her/him  who 
spins the most in terms of wondering about the value of Life  and Humanity...),
 
Do you really think that reading does no good for  humanity?  Has done no 
good?  Would you be better or worse off  if you could not read?  Remember--many 
of those movies you like  to watch would (probably) not exist without things 
like scripts,  etc.  You'd be forced to go to your local library and watch live 
 
performances or watch plays at your local theatre...and not stay in the  
comfort of your own home.
 
I know that even the escapist literature for children has assisted  many of 
those abused ones to which you often refer.  Getting a  library card has 
totally changed some of their lives--even one of the  best young adult authors 
[for 
boys, esp] that I have heard speak, Gary  Paulsen, addresses that issue--he 
was raised by his father-an alcoholic  and basically lived most of his life in 
the woods. When the local  librarian suggested that he get a library card, he 
could not believe  it was 'free' and that HE could have something of his very 
own. It  was, he said, the first thing he ever had that was totally 'his' and 
it  completely changed his life. (he spoke at a conference of librarians  once) 
 With his being able to read and 'escape' his world, he  recognized its value 
and became a writer himself--and his books are  great for that audience.
 
One section of children's literature deals with the issue of  
bibliotherapy--of which, I am sure, Irene is familiar (but not Andy  <g>).  
There is so much 
research done on how that assists,  especially children, in terms of dealing 
with issues of Life which  affect them. (some changes and issues are healthy 
and some are not--but  change for many, whether leading to constructive good or 
not, is often  difficult)
 
In fact, what caught my eye in your post was the Jungian sychronicity  thing 
again.  That is, I had just gotten done looking at this piece  in the One 
World update that I receive.
 
Do you really think that reading is completely worthless and  does not affect 
humanity in a positive way?  If so, then would  'politicians' really want to 
keep people illiterate?  
 
There are other thoughts that I have in regards to your posts on  
children/parenting/health of a community/etc.  Mostly I wonder what  child 
advocacy 
organizations that you are involved with that are affecting  change?  Very 
gently I 
will agree with you that the need is  great--and that your care and concern 
would be most welcome in a local  Boys and Girls Club, a Campfire Organization, 
a Girl Scout or Brownie  troop, one of the local CASA organizations (those 
are the Child Advocates  within the justice system who are 'there' as advocates 
when a child is  taken into a foster home, is involved in a nasty custody 
case, an abused  situation, etc.  They are connected to the local court systems 
and, I  believe, are always looking and needing people who are willing to be  
trained and dedicated to assisting these children.)  In addition,  there are 
battered women/men's shelters who often are in need of  assistance. (I took a 
group of boys to one yesterday to help break d own a  'holiday store' that 
served 
about 50 kids this season...most of them in  really crummy situations).  
 
There is an organization called Youth Friends which is sweeping the  nation. 
If it is not in your area, I will be delighted to put you in touch  with the 
ones who can assist you in getting it set up in your school  district. An adult 
is trained, screened--and then matched with either  a child or small group of 
children--and meets with  the child during the school day [often during the 
kid's lunch time]  and will do all sorts of things with/for  him/her.  Often it 
is reading to the child--for few, as you  know, get read to [and the results 
of not having literate parents is,  in spite of what you say above <g>, hard 
for a child to deal with  and so being read to is a treat. Well, it's still a 
treat for  me, actually, and I'm a grown-up!]  Sometimes the adult  will help 
the kid out with various subject needs--and sometimes they  just meet and talk. 
 There are so many kids, all around the country,  who have signed up for this 
program--and it is harder and harder to get  volunteers as the people who 
work for corporations or even small  businesses are not allowed time off to 
participate.  (part of  our wonderful globalized and commercial culture which 
does 
not see  itself as part of a community--but that is another topic)  
 
I, too, often get 'tipped over the edge' and can easily enter into  despair 
over how the Other is treated. I have found that actively *doing*  and 
*helping* gets one 'out there' in order to see the incredible people  who have 
dedicated themselves to making the world.
 
If you could only meet some of them--put your shoulder next to  theirs--you 
would see that even a small candle lit helps to create more  light.
 
Reading--oh, reading!  It DOES help create light.  It does  so much more than 
you can possibly imagine!  
 
Use that empathy thing within yourself--and imagine what your life  would be 
like if YOU could not read!  
 
Why, we would not even be able to communicate with each other on this  list!  
And how much richer are our lives because of the thoughts of  one another 
just HERE?  
 
Best,
Marlena in Missouri
   
POLITICIANS KEEP PEOPLE ILLITERATE: MURTHY
------------------------------------------
(29 dec 2005) Chairman of Infosys Technologies
Limited N.R. Narayana Murthy on Wednesday said
corruption has become pervasive in institutions
in the country and there is a strong incentive
for politicians to keep people ignorant and
illiterate.
_http://southasia.oneworld.net/link/gotoarticle/add_ 
(http://southasia.oneworld.net/link/gotoarticle/addhit/124880/1893/54729) 



hit/124880/1893/54729



-----Original  Message-----
From: Andy Amago <aamago@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To:  lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thu, 29 Dec 2005 11:19:54  -0500
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Social Darwinism or Darwinian  Socialism?


What a great achievement that humans can read.  Wow.  That their reading does 
them not one whit of good is unmentioned.  No love is required to
 reproduce, only sex.  Sex, money, food are what make humans "human".  Money
 is used to buy food and sex.  And some of us are appalled by WWII.  Most
 don't care about it or don't know about it except to glamorize it and wish
 they looked like G.I. Joe dolls.  When it comes to being a successful
 human, the lower the standards, the better.
 


Other related posts: