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Re: The Herds

"Inasmuch as at all times, as long as there have been human beings, there have also been herds of men (clans, communities, tribes, peoples, states, churches) and always a great many people who obeyed, compared with a small number of those commanding--considering, then, that nothing has been exercised and cultivated better and longer among men so far than obedience--it may fairly be assumed that the need for it is now innate in the average man, as a kind of formal conscience that commands "thou shalt unconditionally do something, unconditionally doe something elese," in short "thou shalt."" 

(Beyond Good and Evil pg 111, Trans. Walter Kaufmann)  

Nietszche goes on to explain this herd mentality as a characterization of the ethos of modern Europe.  He engages the psychology of the herd and considers why it villainizes the outliers who's thought doesn't line up with the status quo.  He illustrates that this villainizing is for the sake of creating a moral paradigm of their own for comfort and power's sake.  

Still reading BGE and it is seemingly the catalyst of Postmodern Thought that I heard it be.  Nietzsche prooves himself the audacious philosopher of his time he is said to be.  Rather than simply just bizarre in his philosophy (such as a Spinoza in my opinion), he is a constant challenger of his contemporaries as one fully engulfed in 19th century Europe.  It seems that Nietzsche has a distinct propensity for challenging the status quo.  

I find that his "free spirits" are a bread of thinkers and critics that roam this earth, critiquing whatever context within which they are established.  In my opinion, you must be one to recognize one.  They are usually the ones biting their tongues in a seminary, or standing on the sidelines while Republicans and Democrats bite each others' heads off, those too grossed out to watch cable news.  It is truly a talent to be able to shut up and fully think through issues before raising one's opinion.   The immaturity of outspokenness seems prevalent in America today. I prefer Nietzsche's free spirit philosophers that undergird society, quietly contrasting, juxtaposing, critiquing, envisaging, shedding new light, and perspectivising the abstruse of our human condition while jettisoning the trite, perhaps with a dash of indignation.  

Exoteric Truth?

In Beyond Good and Evil pg. 49, Friedrich Nietszche writes (Walter Kaufmann translates) 

"Nobody is very likely to consider a doctrine true merely because it makes people happy or virtuous--except perhaps the lovely "idealists" who become effusive about the good, the true, and the beautiful and allow all kinds of motley, clumsy, and benevolent desiderata to swim around in utter confusion in their pond.  Happiness and virtue are no arguments.  But people like to forget--even sober spirits--that making unhappy and evil are no counter-arguments.  Something might be true while being harmful and dangerous in the highest degree.  Indeed, it might be a basic characteristic of existence that those who would know it completely would perish, in which case the strength of a spirit should be measured according to how much of the "truth" one could still barely endure--or to put it more clearly, to what degree one would require it to be thinned down, shrouded, sweetened, blunted, falsified."

What I am excavating from this text is that Nietzsche argues the purity of truth will always be concealed (in many ways more than this quotation leads; ie language).  As some form of truth hits the masses of society it will be watered down to fit their lack of mental capacities for "purer" truth.  When said burgeoning truth is birthed to the masses it is "...require[d] to be thinned down, shrouded, sweetened, blunted, falsified."  

This particular pericope has a context in an argument apropos of a new society of philosophers Nietzsche calls "free spirits," but I find it to be applicable for other versions of trends/fads of truth that our human history is wrought with.  Whatever ethos a time and place may embody, it seems that Nietzsche's claim is relevant.  As a twenty-first century man in America, I am considerning Christianity.  Perhaps the "truer" version of Christianity is concealed in America contemporarily?  Could it be the case that American Christianity looks more like American idealism rather than Christian "truth"  (I keep quoting the word "truth" due to the irony of that would occur if it were used as an absolute while reading Nietszche).  Perhaps it is essentially capitalistic Christianity where both capitialism and Christianity are "thinned down, shrouded, sweetened, blunted, falsified."  

And what of other "Christianities" in its 2 millennia history?  Would all of these be some "thinned" version once becoming and exoteric truth? well, part truth?  If Nietzsche's proposal is correct, all things closer to the truth must essentially be esoteric.  Perhaps this is reason for Christians to look to the church in Acts for the most truthful form of Christianity.  But how can Nietzsche make claims about truth, or use it in his vocabulary altogether?  Are we not simply deduced to our drives anyway?  Hmmm... I am curious where he will go next.  

Ballad in Plain D

This is what makes Dylan great: So much music I hear today has no lyrical significance. I love Dylan because I love stories. He can tell anecdotes with more than just words. His words stand on their own, but the ingenuity of his works is that he adds melody to produce the visceral aspect of the story. AHHH, I love this story....Enjoy!

"Ballad in Plain D" from the record Another Side of Bob Dylan 1964

I once loved a girl, her skin it was bronze.
With the innocence of a lamb, she was gentle like a fawn.
I courted her proudly but now she is gone,
Gone as the season she's taken.

Through young summer's breeze, I stole her away
From her mother and sister, though close did they stay.
Each one of them suffering from the failures of their day,
With strings of guilt they tried hard to guide us.

Of the two sisters, I loved the young.
With sensitive instincts, she was the creative one.
The constant scapegoat, she was easily undone
By the jealousy of others around her.

For her parasite sister, I had no respect,
Bound by her boredom, her pride to protect.
Countless visions of the other she'd reflect
As a crutch for her scenes and her society.

Myself, for what I did, I cannot be excused,
The changes I was going through can't even be used,
For the lies that I told her in hopes not to lose
The could-be dream-lover of my lifetime.

With unknown consciousness, I possessed in my grip
A magnificent mantelpiece, though its heart being chipped,
Noticing not that I'd already slipped
To a sin of love's false security.

From silhouetted anger to manufactured peace,
Answers of emptiness, voice vacancies,
Till the tombstones of damage read me no questions but, "Please,
What's wrong and what's exactly the matter?"

And so it did happen like it could have been foreseen,
The timeless explosion of fantasy's dream.
At the peak of the night, the king and the queen
Tumbled all down into pieces.

"The tragic figure!" her sister did shout,
"Leave her alone, God damn you, get out!"
And I in my armor, turning about
And nailing her to the ruins of her pettiness.

Beneath a bare light bulb the plaster did pound
Her sister and I in a screaming battleground.
And she in between, the victim of sound,
Soon shattered as a child 'neath her shadows.

All is gone, all is gone, admit it, take flight.
I gagged twice, doubled, tears blinding my sight.
My mind it was mangled, I ran into the night
Leaving all of love's ashes behind me.

The wind knocks my window, the room it is wet.
The words to say I'm sorry, I haven't found yet.
I think of her often and hope whoever she's met
Will be fully aware of how precious she is.

Ah, my friends from the prison, they ask unto me,
"How good, how good does it feel to be free?"
And I answer them most mysteriously,
"Are birds free from the chains of the skyway?"

Generating Conversation...

I don't believe in a fiery hell

I don't believe in a God who has the power to fix things but doesn't

I don't believe in an unchanging, immutable, stoic, sky-God 

I believe God is processing through this world with us
I don't believe I'm elect and you're not

I believe Calvin missed the big picture

I don't believe in tradition for tradition's sake

I believe God is the supreme Liberator
I believe a lot of my beliefs are relative and subjective
I don't believe Jesus is relative

I believe in subversive living
I believe in the outrageous
I don't believe God is small enough to depend on me to save God's creation
I don't believe I'm right and you're wrong

I don't believe my problems are always God's problems
I believe God can help fix our problems if we agree to take on God's problems
I don't believe Jesus is magic
I believe it is self-sacrifical love that makes the world go 'round
I don't believe you have to agree with me, just don't be an asshole about it

Summer Listening: Avett Brothers, Bon Iver, and Delta Spirit

Is anyone still trying to find that record that's going to perpetually remind you of summer 2008? Well, thanks to my David Brent-Quoting friend Will Frei, my music collection expanded immensely. Here's what I've been listening to lately and recommend.

Avett Brothers- South Carolina punk-bluegrass pop fusion. A must! Enjoy the melody drenched, pure, non-pitch corrected harmonies. It's catchiness and authenticity (recording and lyrically) rolled into one. Check out the record "Emotionalism" for your first listen. You may find yourself needing their earlier stuff subsequently. That's great too.

Avett brothers Myspace

Bon Iver- If you haven't yet, what planet are you living on? Wisconsin cabin-dweller, Justin Vernon hibernated for a winter in Northwestern Wisconi with an old reel-to-reel recording set up, and produced one of the most emotive and evocative records I've heard in years. Eerie at times, this mostly falsetto sung record has a unique production quality and should be listened to intently. This one is not for the happy-go-lucky drive to the beach, but more for the summer morning coffee situation. Check out Flume here on youtube. I love this song passionately!

"Flume" Live

Delta Spirit- Right now I am listening to these cats. This one of the bands Will introduced me to. Don't know much yet, but so far the record, "Ode to Sunshine" and song "People, Turn Around" are rocking my face off. The feel is quazi-folk and anthemic in nature. Beautiful and melodious. Enjoy this one too...

"People, Turn Around" Live

What are you listening to? Let me know your summer listening...What do you recommend?

If you're going to San Francisco...

This past weekend, I took my second trip to San Francisco. As I wandered around the city I found I had great affinity for this place. San Fran is a melting pot of people with architecture and culture unmatched by most cities in the states. Now I am no expert, but did some research and dragged my lady-friend around as I explored. What a good sport she was! Here are some of the places I visited and recommend.

First off, if you are gay, and haven’t been, you’re simply missing out. This place is as gay as two dudes watching “Will & Grace” in the dark. It truly is your Mecca. Go there! Gay or Straight, if you love culture, San Francisco is wrought with it. Someone told me that in San Fran, you can go anywhere in the world and eat any kind of food imaginable, anytime you want.

If you are a reader: Do not miss visiting the “City Lights” bookstore. It’s more than a bookstore really. Arguably the Mecca of bookstores in the states (that’s two Meccas in one city!), this was the home of the Beats. Here you can browse around upstairs wherein lies City Lights’ exhaustive collection of Beat literature. We got caught up in this small yet, overflowing den of introspection for far longer than we planned. I accessed my inner elementary schooler and enjoyed picture books of the lives of the Beats while Janelle enjoyed some beat poetry (who’s I can’t remember) I wanted to buy up most of the Beat section, but due to my student-induced poverty, I opted for a poster of my boys Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady.

“City Lights” is in the North Beach district, adjacent to Chinatown, and a block from Little Italy. As I see it, the North Beach district is the culmination of culture in San Fran. This was the highlight of the trip. After we finished up in “City Lights” we cruised up Columbus St. and got ourselves a couple of Philly cheesesteak sandies at “Buster’s Cheesesteak” on the corner of Vallejo and Columbus. We sat and ate on a bench on the sidewalk, listening to the conversations of the passers by. It was at the turn of 2am when we were sitting here, so you can imagine the types of conversations we enjoyed. It was colorful to say the least. It felt like I was shoved into an episode of This American Life.

(And don’t miss Chinatown. It’s said to be the most authentic Chinatown in the states. You’ll see why…)

As the Beats led to the Hippy Movement, so “City Lights” led me to the Haight-Ashbury district. Contemporarily, it seems to not be the Haight-Ashbury that birthed the Hippies, but there are still remnants of the movement. The streets are now lined with head shops and vintage clothing stores. It seems to have taken up a Hippy tourist vibe that seems subversive to the Hippy sentiment, like “manufactured hippydom.” If I were a hippy, I’d be pissed at its disingenuousness, but fortunately, I’m not a hippy and loved it for its history. We found a bookstore called, “Anarchy Books” that truly had anarchist literature. As you walk in, there is a picture of John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama. Atop their photos it read, “Fuck These People.” Then it proceeded to tell me why I shouldn’t vote at all. These people infringe on my freedoms and are simply puppets of the big bad government. I was thoroughly entertained!

As Janelle and I walked up (and I mean vertical!) Haight street, we conversed about the ethos of the Haight-Ashbury district. I commented that we had just seen the center of what was going on in the sixties. But then we tried to figure out what is going on today. In the nineties it was Seattle’s grunge-alternative Nirvana-led vibe. But what now? Is there anything? Where is it and what’s happening today? We were perplexed and pretty let down. If you know, please inform me! I wanna go!

I suggest you skip the Fisherman’s Wharf. Yeah it’s a tourist’s staple, but it is probably the most unoriginal place in San Francisco, full of outlanders and some San Franciscan entertainers. San Francisco is chock full of culture, expression, and I suggest you avoid the tourist hotspots. You have the chance to get cultured in San Fran and the best way to see it all is by walking. (Or, if you trust your brakes and navigability try renting a scooter. You can whip around quick from spot to spot and parking is less of a bitch with a scooter. Don’t drive! If you need to get into the city from a surrounding city or town, take BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) similar to LA’s Metro, or Minneapolis’ light rail.)

Again, I’m no San Fran expert. I was led by a quick read of San Fran’s wikipedia article to all these places. So I’m sure I missed a bunch. Please, if you’ve been there, share your San Fran experience and where you suggest I go next time!