General Crosstalk - A Spot for the Odd Comment

Do you have a conversation topic that doesn't seem to fit any of the other conversations? Here is where we discuss ANYTHING about Joseph Campbell, comparative mythology, and more!

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CarmelaBear
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Post by CarmelaBear »

You are not under the heel of the supposedly "nice" guys who seem unaware of climate change in the face of a fossil fuel economy and protect their nuclear capabilities against all comers. Neither of the candidates are in a position to address the only two issues that mean anything at all to humanity as a whole and actually affect the human species.

Two bad eggs in a frying pan do not make a meal.

It's not a choice. It's a market basket full of the feeling that voting is a waste of time.

I'd like to be the Clinton running mate. Isn't that crazy? Why would I want to have anything to do with a party that deliberately and knowingly marginalizes whole ethnic groups and classes of people, en masse...by the boatload.

I am a financial failure, and I have made more mistakes than I can recount, but the reality of me is awesome and downright wonderful.

I am asking others to suggest my name to Clinton. I would do it if that would work, but my vote is only one. If no one is listening to me, then I would rather go back to my retirement, where I can do other things and think about other things.

My ambitions, such as they are, represent the total impotence of the poor, the Native American, the Hispanic, the obscure woman, the one who has been the designated punching bag for frustrated parents and teachers, older siblings, boyfriends, friends, acquaintances and strangers, and the one who worked for years to help a disabled woman to live a good life. My belief in my ability is a fantasy hope and a hallucinogenic belief in the future.

The IDEA of America is larger than the nation or the state or the market or the military or the intelligentsia or the people. It is big enough for humanity and the animals and the trees and the water and the air. It is the right to be, just as we are.

America is more than freedom to be. It is the right to be. We are entitled to live next to the Islamic believers who are suspected, only suspected of God-knows-what....
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/i-a ... 80141.html

~
Once in a while a door opens, and let's in the future. --- Graham Greene

Dionysus
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Post by Dionysus »

Hi Bear. It's tough for us as politically aware "old-timers". My rabble-rousing days are a distant memory. Before i discovered The Tao, The Buddha and Joe c. Since then i have followed my bliss and I tell folk that I must have wanted to be a starving artist, and that is the one thing i was eminently successful at.

I regret nothing. I have served as a mentor for many and a life-line to not few. My poverty does not influence those around me to negativity, Start out each day with an affirmation. Do not EXPECT disappointment. Practice the Law of Attraction in your life (I know that you do) and the good that you do will return to you. I love the world. I love its people and creature inhabitants. I fear not the future. "They" can only kill me. So what. I'm gonna die anyway. Carry on. That's what I do and occasionally i direct a play and hope that I can make a statement about the human condition that will infect my audience and encourage them to lean towards the light.

JamesN.
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Post by JamesN. »

Just watched this panel discussion link taken from the JCF facebook page; (very cool)! I don't know how long this link will be active so I would watch it soon if interested.

While the relationship of Narnia and Christian texts has been widely acknowledged, new sides of the world are opened up when explored through the lenses of other cultures and the works of Joseph Campbell. A panel discussion featuring David Latham, Theatre Training Consultant at the Stratford Festival, First Nations author and critic Lee Maracle, and Leigh Melander, who holds a doctorate in cultural mythology and is on the Board of Directors of the Joseph Campbell Foundation.

This event at the the Stratford Festival (Stratford, Canada) will be streamed live on Wednesday, June 22, 10:45 a.m. to noon, Eastern time zone

https://www.stratfordfestival.ca/Watcha ... utm_source
What do I know? - Michael de Montaigne

Dionysus
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Post by Dionysus »

Thanks, James. I'm not a facebook guy (fossil), but I appreciate the thought. -- dio

JamesN.
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Post by JamesN. »

Dio that is the link to the actual discussion itself. The discussion took place at the "Stratford Festival" in Canada. It has no relation to facebook at all. (Just so you know I don't have a facebook account either. But I do check in on the JCF page now and again just to keep up with info like this.) The discussion was great and covered a lot of different perspectives. Very thought provoking. 8)
What do I know? - Michael de Montaigne

CarmelaBear
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Post by CarmelaBear »

Dionysus wrote:Hi Bear. It's tough for us as politically aware "old-timers". My rabble-rousing days are a distant memory. Before i discovered The Tao, The Buddha and Joe c. Since then i have followed my bliss and I tell folk that I must have wanted to be a starving artist, and that is the one thing i was eminently successful at.

I regret nothing. I have served as a mentor for many and a life-line to not few. My poverty does not influence those around me to negativity, Start out each day with an affirmation. Do not EXPECT disappointment. Practice the Law of Attraction in your life (I know that you do) and the good that you do will return to you. I love the world. I love its people and creature inhabitants. I fear not the future. "They" can only kill me. So what. I'm gonna die anyway. Carry on. That's what I do and occasionally i direct a play and hope that I can make a statement about the human condition that will infect my audience and encourage them to lean towards the light.
Thank you, Dio. Presidential election cycles are hard for me, because I have an imagination that places me back in the days when I was a young whipper snapper of a college student who made waves during a period of political activism and upheaval. I developed a set of great expectations that were completely dashed over the years, and as an older person, I'm struggling to come to terms with what actually happened, not only to me, but to everyone. We had some amazing success in some things and suffered tragic defeats in other things.

I'm okay....the best thing is waking up with the realization that I'm not at all important and my ideas are being mostly ignored. That's not a bad thing. Actually, it's reassuring, because in spite of the tendency toward ambition, I am most comfortable living a quiet, private life. Public matters are an interesting topic for thought and learning and discourse, because the issues stir up strong emotions. For me, the outrage and righteous indignation over public issues are just not capable of overcoming an introvert's isolation. Attempts to re-ignite the glory days have proved to be a waste of time.

This forum is a haven for me. The chance to just be myself and know there is someone here...well, it makes everything okay. I'm aware of how human experience can be messy and all over the board. For some reason, I don't mind risking the exposure of my personal faults and foibles. There is a self-confidence in this location that is entirely unique.

It is absolutely true that I love writing here. It's turned out to be an unexpected success of sorts. It's not popular in a general sense, but the conversations enjoy the attention of a small slice of the world. All I have to do is try to be elsewhere or do something else to appreciate how perfect this is.

~
Once in a while a door opens, and let's in the future. --- Graham Greene

JamesN.
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Post by JamesN. »

Hey folks; sorry about the rant I just delivered. It felt good for a moment to let off steam; but in the end it still was about that and not about offering something more constructive. :idea:

Here is something better I just got from the JCF "MythBlast".

https://us-mg5.mail.yahoo.com/neo/b/mes ... T8&fromId=


(Incidentally for those unaware here is a link to the JCF "YouTube" channel. There are several hundred different clips to explore of Joseph's material. I have found them to be unbelievably useful and spend quite a bit of time going through them.)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtsNRw ... m6w/videos
What do I know? - Michael de Montaigne

Roncooper
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Post by Roncooper »

James,

Some people think we need to learn from the Sufi poet, Rumi. I think this is a better way to use the sign.


https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/ ... e=580BB96F
If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants. -Isaac Newton

JamesN.
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Post by JamesN. »

Roncooper wrote:James,

Some people think we need to learn from the Sufi poet, Rumi. I think this is a better way to use the sign.


https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/ ... e=580BB96F
Thanks Ron; nicely put.
What do I know? - Michael de Montaigne

CarmelaBear
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Post by CarmelaBear »

Cool sign, Ron.

James, there is much to be said for passionate verbal expression. If we edit too much, we sound like machines. Maybe it's just me, but I enjoy reading what you call "rants".

Academics write for each other, use footnotes and bloodless prose. I like our humor, our outrage, our irreverence and our vulnerability.

With the exception of my academic degrees and membership in the State Bar of New Mexico, I am nobody special with no outstanding achievements. I have to discount my professional accomplishments with reference to being a woman in a man's world, a younger sibling to five brilliant and remarkably intense siblings, an Hispanic in an Anglo republic, a low-income older person in a youth-worshipping market society, and a powerless citizen in an oligarchy of militarized financialists.

I have every right to be angry about any number of things, and after reading Campbell, the anger is channeled into just obscure, prosaic thinking and reading and journaling and little conversations online or with strangers and acquaintances and a few good friends. I will never be involved in anything important, and that is the chief reason why I can say whatever I like. If this were a big deal, someone would have removed us from here, and we would be replaced by important people writing crucial things for influential readers.

Here, Campbell is a very big deal, and the other less famous but significant folk avoid us and this forum like they avoid the bubonic plague. Unless we somehow offend the mostly unflappable Clemsyman, we can rant until the cows come home. Nobody beyond a small, tolerant circle is reading this.

~
Once in a while a door opens, and let's in the future. --- Graham Greene

JamesN.
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Post by JamesN. »

CarmelaBear wrote:Cool sign, Ron.

James, there is much to be said for passionate verbal expression. If we edit too much, we sound like machines. Maybe it's just me, but I enjoy reading what you call "rants".

Academics write for each other, use footnotes and bloodless prose. I like our humor, our outrage, our irreverence and our vulnerability.

With the exception of my academic degrees and membership in the State Bar of New Mexico, I am nobody special with no outstanding achievements. I have to discount my professional accomplishments with reference to being a woman in a man's world, a younger sibling to five brilliant and remarkably intense siblings, an Hispanic in an Anglo republic, a low-income older person in a youth-worshipping market society, and a powerless citizen in an oligarchy of militarized financialists.

I have every right to be angry about any number of things, and after reading Campbell, the anger is channeled into just obscure, prosaic thinking and reading and journaling and little conversations online or with strangers and acquaintances and a few good friends. I will never be involved in anything important, and that is the chief reason why I can say whatever I like. If this were a big deal, someone would have removed us from here, and we would be replaced by important people writing crucial things for influential readers.

Here, Campbell is a very big deal, and the other less famous but significant folk avoid us and this forum like they avoid the bubonic plague. Unless we somehow offend the mostly unflappable Clemsyman, we can rant until the cows come home. Nobody beyond a small, tolerant circle is reading this.

~

Oh dear Carmela; I just simply cannot agree with this. My rant was just that; (a rant); and of course we all get frustrated sometimes; and it's good to let off steam once in a while as long as others sensibilities are not offended or abused. When I looked back at my previous post after I had cooled off I saw that and took it down. (And if one stops and thinks about why the global political atmosphere is so toxic "ranting" I would say is a larger contributor. Yes there should be constructive criticism; but Ron I think had a good point of view to offer. There certainly could be others of course; but in the larger scheme of things finding a more constructive "middle ground" and taking a more measured approach as an overview instead of (criticizing moderators or just commiserating about how bad things are) is more helpful. And BTW if you think people are not reading these posts I would strongly disagree because I see it all the time. At any time of the day or night; 7 days a week across the planet; if one looks at the bottom of the index you will see them come and go. (Just because they don't necessarily post doesn't mean they aren't viewing. Behavior matters!) And just because there is not much visual activity does not mean the guidelines, forum protocol, and "plain ole common courtesy" does not apply; because it absolutely does. Do I make mistakes? Of course I do. But I do not consider these forums to be my "Personal Blog" where I can just say anything I want; and being only human I always try to remember that there are those who come here that suffer more than I do; whose pain is deeper than mine; and whose sense of hope seems so much more unattainable than they dare to reach that indeed perhaps this very reason just may be why they come here; (yes?). (That is why I took the rant down.) Yet even though I may falter sometimes I would also hope that anything I say in these discussions would never be taken as unkind towards anyone; ("do unto others" I recall the saying goes; yes?) And although these may be somewhat trying times for our little community; there are folks behind the scenes that give tirelessly of their time and efforts so that this website and Joseph Campbell's legacy will endure.


Ron:
Some people think we need to learn from the Sufi poet, Rumi. I think this is a better way to use the sign.

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/ ... e=580BB96F
All things considered I really do think Dio offers some good suggestions here; but as Joseph mentioned each of us must find our own path. I consider Clemsy, you, and everyone else on these forums to be my friends and it is a privilege to be here. "The world is what it is" and we all must do the best that we can with what is before us within our own separate journeys. That does not mean we should not engage and try to make things better; but to try and live each day in recognition of both the suffering and the joy as "reflections" of the gift of life as best we can; not that it should be some sort of mirror of how we think things ought to be. Yes we lean toward the light; but as Joseph quoted from the Thomas gospel: "The Kingdom will not come by expectation; it is spread before us and men do not see it." Yes there is pain; yes there is suffering; yes it is difficult; but by god you are alive. We all have but one life to live and to be alive in the world with all of it's wonder as well as all of it's suffering as far as I can tell "is" the message. It is about finding your own individual path within your own unique individual journey; and your "Raison 'D Etre" or meaning of living" while on that path that is what Joseph was talking about (IMHO).


Dio
Hi Bear. It's tough for us as politically aware "old-timers". My rabble-rousing days are a distant memory. Before i discovered The Tao, The Buddha and Joe c. Since then i have followed my bliss and I tell folk that I must have wanted to be a starving artist, and that is the one thing i was eminently successful at.

I regret nothing. I have served as a mentor for many and a life-line to not few. My poverty does not influence those around me to negativity, Start out each day with an affirmation. Do not EXPECT disappointment. Practice the Law of Attraction in your life (I know that you do) and the good that you do will return to you. I love the world. I love its people and creature inhabitants. I fear not the future. "They" can only kill me. So what. I'm gonna die anyway. Carry on. That's what I do and occasionally i direct a play and hope that I can make a statement about the human condition that will infect my audience and encourage them to lean towards the light.

We all struggle; life is struggle no? But it is also many many other things as well. I am no different in being on my own journey to find the answers in my life; (should we not all be engaged in similar such endeavors for ourselves?)


Namaste
What do I know? - Michael de Montaigne

CarmelaBear
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Post by CarmelaBear »

Wiser words are rarely spoken, James. I see your points and find them persuasive. I try not to be hurtful, and don't mind criticism or removing my idiocies or having them removed. Just glad there is a place where folks like us can learn and grow.

~
Once in a while a door opens, and let's in the future. --- Graham Greene

CarmelaBear
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Post by CarmelaBear »

Have been reading about repressive governments that censor and punish political speech and dissent. Maybe, we have that sort of Orwellian regime internalized. Not sure.

Maybe this forum is like us...old.

Don't know.

~
Once in a while a door opens, and let's in the future. --- Graham Greene

JamesN.
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Post by JamesN. »

After looking at my last post it just didn't feel right so I took it down.
What do I know? - Michael de Montaigne

Roncooper
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Post by Roncooper »

Carmela wrote,
Have been reading about repressive governments that censor and punish political speech and dissent. Maybe, we have that sort of Orwellian regime internalized. Not sure.

Maybe this forum is like us...old.

Don't know.
Why do you single out political speech? It seems to me communication of any kind is difficult. I don't paint it in some sinister way. It is just a reflection on the state of the human race at this point in evolution. I hope for a brighter future even though I won't be here to see it.

So what are we old ones to do? I am too old to hold up a banner, and besides I did that many years ago. Spent time in jail and all that.

When I came to this site I thought we could create the new mythology that is so badly needed, but that go shot down.

So what should we old ones do?
If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants. -Isaac Newton

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