orientation
It is a difficult challenge that confronts all of us. In a time of intemperance, anger and hyperbole how can we remain civil?
How do you disapprove, disagree and dislike attitudes and beliefs of friends and associates but not disrespect them?
The old adage about avoiding religion, politics and sex never took with me. We have brains and spirit, passion and thoughts and we'd never fully engage our humanity if we did not exercise, fully exercise, our intellect and freely explore thought and especially those boundaries between us.
The challenge, it seems, is to probe those lines of demarcation, so as to understand and learn, but do so in a way that does not threaten. And perhaps that is a flash point, threatening. It is difficult to watch and listen to an attitude or policy that seems anathema to those ideas and values one holds most dear. But, how to respond? I suspect this will be a growing challenge.
whither
into storms?
or
into light?
My father Karl was also my best friend. I was particularly blessed that way.
A WWII combat veteran, political activist, competitive athlete, church officer, humanitarian, believer in human dignity and full human rights, he reared my brothers and me with the toughness of the drill instructor he had been but also with love and a liberal dosage of wisdom. A quote I grew up with was "I disapprove of what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it."
Nothing was off limits in our dinner table conversations and they were lively. My parents often had guests in the home who held different views and politics. There were disagreements, but they were civil and often my dad would inject that quote.
By the way dad would frequently say "... as attributed to Voltaire..." I asked him once why he said that. He said it was what Voltaire thought but there was a question about whether he said it in those words specifically. On later research it appears it was a summary of Voltaire's thinking and written as such by historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall in her book The Friends of Voltaire. She also wrote The Life of Voltaire. The wisdom and capacity of the philosophy is none-the-less a fundamental principal of a civil society.
In the last analysis it's all a matter of where we stand as to how we see things.
green extension
The magic green carpet of California's Central Coast extends into wine country as well.
See you down the trail.
I had a tolerant father, but he had his limits. He tossed a life-long friend out in the snow during a holiday party for reciting the common, John Birch Society rant that "Eisenhower was a commie dupe."
ReplyDeleteNever spoke to him again.
Birchers are annoying. Almost as annoying as they are dead wrong. I'm practicing restraint. An inner me wants to say "as annoying as they are nuts."
DeleteYou're right, Tom. But it's hard,isn't it? To listen to the things Trump's minions (or handlers) are saying at the conservative coalition conference going on near DC today.
ReplyDeleteWhen one is so diametrically opposed to the core values of another person, how do we remain civil? When we despise the things they say and believe, how do we respect them? Voltaire (or whomever) was correct, and I believe the first amendment is one of the most important, I have trouble with the prospect of respecting not only their views, but them as people, the ones espousing them.
Lovely pictures, and some really good wines come from your region.
Cheers,
Mike
I wish the great score keeper and arbiter would mandate that people are not entitled to practice politics until they can pass a reasoning and logic exam. Those who seek to limit or expunge freedom or to engage in a prejudgement of any sort simply are ill equipped to play with the big boys and girls. But sadly talking trash today will earn you respect in those quarters with limited cerebral horsepower. And in fact they win fans at CPAC. I call that Limbaugh disease..lots of noise and fury...intellectual auto eroticism...and devolution of the specie.
DeleteIt's hard to feel tolerant when the current people in power were so disrespectful to Obama. We're told that the president is beyond being questioned but for eight years they trashed everything Obama did, even when he tried to work with them.
ReplyDeleteTolerance is indeed tough! Obama himself operated with grace, dignity and class.
DeleteNone of that can be found in the current White House.
Intriguing post. As to "lines of demarcation", I see a varied spectrum, and believe emotional restraint is a good policy. A quote suggests itself:“I once asked [Bertrand] Russell if he was willing to die for his beliefs. ‘Of course not,’ he replied. ‘After all, I may be wrong.'” --Leonard Lyons, The New York Post, June 23, 1964.
ReplyDeleteGeo-Thanks for providing the Russell quote. It gave me one of the best laughs I have in a while! Indeed we all may be wrong. Great is the man who has suspicions about his own certitude!
DeleteWe all have our faults, we're all sinners, we all fall short!!! My choice for natl leader wasn't even on the ballot in Indiana. For a long time I hope that a Pres or VP would have a great capacity for business, for running the country with a balanced budget as best we can. Now a days our political system is like being basketball referee. You seem to only have the capacity please half the people. Bring on yesterday's politicians who could arrive at compromise.
ReplyDeleteIt seems there was once a time when putting community good came before political advantage. There was also a time when the media and the candidates themselves focused on tangible programs and issues and not just personality and slogans. And I think it was better when both parties had a conservative and liberal wing. That way the parties could come to compromise and so could participate in legislative programs that had support. We have too many ego driven politicians working in a system that is ruled largely by how much money is raised, or given. What promises are expected when money dominates, instead of public service?
DeleteI love your first photo and would love to be up in that tower, able to gaze from those windows.
ReplyDeleteThese days you'd see a sea of green, undulating in linearity and the promise of vintages to come.
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