the light is just a marketing problem
people need to be shown the light
but not just shown the light
shown the existence of a light
shown the existence of existence
the importance of existence
the importance of the light
how to use the light
how to misuse the light
where to do what with the light
when with whom to go where with the light
why the light?
how much does the light cost?
Friday, June 26, 2009
It's all poetry, don't you see?
poetry is rhymes
poetry is mimes
poetry is rhythm, beat, drumming
poetry is subtle
poetry is secret
poetry is "what the fuck does that mean?"
But isn't an essay the same thing?
Don't they speak careful words, with a hidden-obvious agenda,
exercising a politics of persuasion?
They mastermind mood and tone
with their choice of lexicon and style.
Isn't that everything?
that thing you wish you'd said
the knows-the-right-thing-to-say-guy words
his barbaric bluntness and inconsideration
her double-sided bitchiness
and the words you wish you can find
to describe her will, her passion, her strength
the moaning in the other bedroom
melodic, rhythmic and rhyming
and the bewilderment of jealousy nearby
but at the same time that spark of interest
from television, the poetry-machine
designed for the poetry of attention-capture
allowing a more comforting replacement poetry
in the stead of the unpleasant ones
surrounding your every insecure day
the music videos groovin' all sexy
a soulful yet seductive poetry
not so unlike those gorgeous news reporters we see
those journalists interpreting the world
disseminating their poetry of objectivity
fashioned, designed for as much factual consumption
and the politics that starts the world's wars
every crafted message poetry
setting tenor, tone; crafting will
the killing that ensues
the sheer magnitude of waste and tragedy captured
in the poetries of the victims
the science and technology that heals them
the cold, objective beauty of their poetic methods and equations
magical, obvious, mind-blowing, reproducible
that holiness of religion that guides them
that humility, power, righteousness, spirituality
unknowable but captured ("it MUST be!") in The Word's poetry
the debating amongst us all
the disagreements, the cooperations; political poetry
because poetry is politics is everything
for those so-called "successful" ones around us
are the mythical "perfect people"
the ones who have found their poetry
but they're only a legend for inspiration
legendary only in their remarkability
because their full personal poetry is mortality-constrained
and because your pursuit of happiness is fated
in the poetry of your mind, to discover your personal poetry is
to discover your poetry of happiness
poetry is mimes
poetry is rhythm, beat, drumming
poetry is subtle
poetry is secret
poetry is "what the fuck does that mean?"
But isn't an essay the same thing?
Don't they speak careful words, with a hidden-obvious agenda,
exercising a politics of persuasion?
They mastermind mood and tone
with their choice of lexicon and style.
Isn't that everything?
that thing you wish you'd said
the knows-the-right-thing-to-say-guy words
his barbaric bluntness and inconsideration
her double-sided bitchiness
and the words you wish you can find
to describe her will, her passion, her strength
the moaning in the other bedroom
melodic, rhythmic and rhyming
and the bewilderment of jealousy nearby
but at the same time that spark of interest
from television, the poetry-machine
designed for the poetry of attention-capture
allowing a more comforting replacement poetry
in the stead of the unpleasant ones
surrounding your every insecure day
the music videos groovin' all sexy
a soulful yet seductive poetry
not so unlike those gorgeous news reporters we see
those journalists interpreting the world
disseminating their poetry of objectivity
fashioned, designed for as much factual consumption
and the politics that starts the world's wars
every crafted message poetry
setting tenor, tone; crafting will
the killing that ensues
the sheer magnitude of waste and tragedy captured
in the poetries of the victims
the science and technology that heals them
the cold, objective beauty of their poetic methods and equations
magical, obvious, mind-blowing, reproducible
that holiness of religion that guides them
that humility, power, righteousness, spirituality
unknowable but captured ("it MUST be!") in The Word's poetry
the debating amongst us all
the disagreements, the cooperations; political poetry
because poetry is politics is everything
for those so-called "successful" ones around us
are the mythical "perfect people"
the ones who have found their poetry
but they're only a legend for inspiration
legendary only in their remarkability
because their full personal poetry is mortality-constrained
and because your pursuit of happiness is fated
in the poetry of your mind, to discover your personal poetry is
to discover your poetry of happiness
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Meet your brain the model-finder
a model of coherent truth
forming a mesh of complexity
connected the way they are
and emotions are but pattern-food
since patterns are structures in plain view
for your brain finds the pattern
coming to save the day
the right emotion newly minted
the most miraculous of saints
but then comes the saviour
rudely interrupting our every day
interferes with normal functioning
putting additional load on our brains
this gut feeling, this anchor
"please, look at me! i'm right in your gut"
nagging, pleading, persuading, manipulating
towards a more sinister sound
the visual mastery hinting
rough, splattered across the boards
for those scents are but emotions
a hint, a scent, a clue
for there's a gleaning pattern to it
a shifting madness, insanity
its a crazy thing, our brains
a shifting madness, insanity
for there's a gleaning pattern to it
a hint, a scent, a clue
for those scents are but emotions
rough, splattered across the boards
the visual mastery hinting
towards a more sinister sound
nagging, pleading, persuading, manipulating
"please, look at me! i'm right in your gut"
this gut feeling, this anchor
putting additional load on our brains
interferes with normal functioning
rudely interrupting our every day
but then comes the saviour
the most miraculous of saints
the right emotion newly minted
coming to save the day
for your brain finds the pattern
since patterns are structures in plain view
and emotions are but pattern-food
connected the way they are
forming a mesh of complexity
a model of coherent truth
forming a mesh of complexity
connected the way they are
and emotions are but pattern-food
since patterns are structures in plain view
for your brain finds the pattern
coming to save the day
the right emotion newly minted
the most miraculous of saints
but then comes the saviour
rudely interrupting our every day
interferes with normal functioning
putting additional load on our brains
this gut feeling, this anchor
"please, look at me! i'm right in your gut"
nagging, pleading, persuading, manipulating
towards a more sinister sound
the visual mastery hinting
rough, splattered across the boards
for those scents are but emotions
a hint, a scent, a clue
for there's a gleaning pattern to it
a shifting madness, insanity
its a crazy thing, our brains
a shifting madness, insanity
for there's a gleaning pattern to it
a hint, a scent, a clue
for those scents are but emotions
rough, splattered across the boards
the visual mastery hinting
towards a more sinister sound
nagging, pleading, persuading, manipulating
"please, look at me! i'm right in your gut"
this gut feeling, this anchor
putting additional load on our brains
interferes with normal functioning
rudely interrupting our every day
but then comes the saviour
the most miraculous of saints
the right emotion newly minted
coming to save the day
for your brain finds the pattern
since patterns are structures in plain view
and emotions are but pattern-food
connected the way they are
forming a mesh of complexity
a model of coherent truth
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
You are now the hunted
He wakes one afternoon
it doesn't matter the time
for awake and asleep are but tools of the hunt
in the jungles of introspection
he decides to make a fire
and as it sparks he sees the light
the hellish heat, the welcoming warmth
the crazy random chaotic rage, the harmonic hues in simple structure
for he sees his answer in the irony of fire
his objective goal, his prey
it is his self in the past mocking him now
while hiding in the bushes of time
and it is then, when his prey is known
that his hunter emerges from the jungles
grand, powerful, skillful, deceptive
he knows he must run away
but "NO!" he declares "NOT NOW!"
not when his prey is so near
and he does something brave, he abstains
he resists his ancient instincts
his hunter knows this, it's obvious
and does something remarkable too
he stands his ground and smiles knowingly
exposing himself to his prey
confused, amazed, flabbergasted
he despises his hunter's arrogance
but like the ironic fire it is a new feeling
not bad. not good.
and in his confusion, darkness
his hunter extinguished his fire
yet it's not fear that he feels without it
but a fresh comfort; renewing
because he continues his hunt thereafter
for his prey, his former self
while in comfort he knows he's hunted
by his hunter, his future self
it doesn't matter the time
for awake and asleep are but tools of the hunt
in the jungles of introspection
he decides to make a fire
and as it sparks he sees the light
the hellish heat, the welcoming warmth
the crazy random chaotic rage, the harmonic hues in simple structure
for he sees his answer in the irony of fire
his objective goal, his prey
it is his self in the past mocking him now
while hiding in the bushes of time
and it is then, when his prey is known
that his hunter emerges from the jungles
grand, powerful, skillful, deceptive
he knows he must run away
but "NO!" he declares "NOT NOW!"
not when his prey is so near
and he does something brave, he abstains
he resists his ancient instincts
his hunter knows this, it's obvious
and does something remarkable too
he stands his ground and smiles knowingly
exposing himself to his prey
confused, amazed, flabbergasted
he despises his hunter's arrogance
but like the ironic fire it is a new feeling
not bad. not good.
and in his confusion, darkness
his hunter extinguished his fire
yet it's not fear that he feels without it
but a fresh comfort; renewing
because he continues his hunt thereafter
for his prey, his former self
while in comfort he knows he's hunted
by his hunter, his future self
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The dichotomies of war and progress
a good question is a question you can't answer
a bad question has an answer you already know
a good idea is an interesting idea
a bad idea is impossible since otherwise it's possible
a good person makes fewer mistakes
a bad person ignores them
a good mistake is never repeated
a bad mistake is fated
a good politics is a means to an end
a bad politics is only self-interested
a good science has good answers to good ideas
a bad science has good answers to bad ideas
a good faith answers good questions
a bad faith continues asking bad questions
war is righteous and evil
masquerading as good and bad
progress is honest and manipulative
masquerading as righteous and evil
a bad question has an answer you already know
a good idea is an interesting idea
a bad idea is impossible since otherwise it's possible
a good person makes fewer mistakes
a bad person ignores them
a good mistake is never repeated
a bad mistake is fated
a good politics is a means to an end
a bad politics is only self-interested
a good science has good answers to good ideas
a bad science has good answers to bad ideas
a good faith answers good questions
a bad faith continues asking bad questions
war is righteous and evil
masquerading as good and bad
progress is honest and manipulative
masquerading as righteous and evil
Strange creatures with numbers
What education encourages is a strange creature
it's a schizophrenic thing that decides very rapidly
that it's done pondering unanswered questions
at the command of a voice!
it's an insecure beast discouraged from expression
for when in justice it dares question authority
the question is disfigured, made ugly and ridiculed
Was that a stupid question?
but at the same time this creature is patronized
told obedient monotony will bring fairytale fortunes
while the masters think a false truth
that this patronage is only practical
lest the beast be told by the magic of The Grades
that it's fated, in the false apparent truth of the magic
obviously, to be a beast is to be a beast-to-be
since the magic is truth and truth is magic -- common sense!
while those prodigious few divined by those holy numbers
perhaps more faithful in spirit, but defiled
mindless, alone and drenched in obscurity
wasteful. wishful.
it's a schizophrenic thing that decides very rapidly
that it's done pondering unanswered questions
at the command of a voice!
it's an insecure beast discouraged from expression
for when in justice it dares question authority
the question is disfigured, made ugly and ridiculed
Was that a stupid question?
but at the same time this creature is patronized
told obedient monotony will bring fairytale fortunes
while the masters think a false truth
that this patronage is only practical
lest the beast be told by the magic of The Grades
that it's fated, in the false apparent truth of the magic
obviously, to be a beast is to be a beast-to-be
since the magic is truth and truth is magic -- common sense!
while those prodigious few divined by those holy numbers
perhaps more faithful in spirit, but defiled
mindless, alone and drenched in obscurity
wasteful. wishful.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Seeds in people
To change someone is to reap what you sow
since a seed's sown so small, subtle, secret
and the distant fruits to bear unimaginable
from a fantasy fiction for fools
but virtuous grace can sustain the mission
and with it, the harvest; self-sustaining
can be the boast of beauty, bountiful
like it was destined to be
but disregard through desertion, disfigurement
is destined for deserved disappointment
wilting, thirsty, ugly as it idles
in a wasteland void of spirit
because the seeds in people are holy
like the child in the womb nurtured
and like a father's anticipation through it
the seeds must pervade our future
since a seed's sown so small, subtle, secret
and the distant fruits to bear unimaginable
from a fantasy fiction for fools
but virtuous grace can sustain the mission
and with it, the harvest; self-sustaining
can be the boast of beauty, bountiful
like it was destined to be
but disregard through desertion, disfigurement
is destined for deserved disappointment
wilting, thirsty, ugly as it idles
in a wasteland void of spirit
because the seeds in people are holy
like the child in the womb nurtured
and like a father's anticipation through it
the seeds must pervade our future
A & Q : Religion, politics, learning and teaching
Religion
Religion is faith in something that explains everything for you.
Politics
Politics exists in every social situation.
Politics is an explanation of motivation; a narrative for actions; a sense of purpose; a guiding light.
Religion provides you the ultimate goal of these politics.
How can you employ a politics of superiority with a lack of true understanding as to WHY your opponents face you?
That is, how can you be audacious enough to assume superiority in a social situation without an acceptance that the existence of your opponent's opposition is in and of itself something that is interesting?
Learning
How can we proceed an argument without a genuine spirit of learning?
Doesn't there exist a science and art - an agreeable model and methodology of shared experience - to learning?
Isn't it imperative to teach this 'learning science'?
Teaching
How can we possibly expect good education to take place when there exists a systemic culture of ignorance (because ignoration is not a word)? That is, how can you be encouraged to learn from someone who is not encouraged to learn you?
Isn't good teaching at the fundamental level, good learning too?
Isn't it imperative to teach teaching to teach learning?
Religion is faith in something that explains everything for you.
Politics
Politics exists in every social situation.
Politics is an explanation of motivation; a narrative for actions; a sense of purpose; a guiding light.
Religion provides you the ultimate goal of these politics.
How can you employ a politics of superiority with a lack of true understanding as to WHY your opponents face you?
That is, how can you be audacious enough to assume superiority in a social situation without an acceptance that the existence of your opponent's opposition is in and of itself something that is interesting?
Learning
How can we proceed an argument without a genuine spirit of learning?
Doesn't there exist a science and art - an agreeable model and methodology of shared experience - to learning?
Isn't it imperative to teach this 'learning science'?
Teaching
How can we possibly expect good education to take place when there exists a systemic culture of ignorance (because ignoration is not a word)? That is, how can you be encouraged to learn from someone who is not encouraged to learn you?
Isn't good teaching at the fundamental level, good learning too?
Isn't it imperative to teach teaching to teach learning?
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Proofless truth is as convincing as falsehood
I will attempt to persuade you of the following claims that I'd like to make:
1. A piece of truth that is provided without proof will inevitably be drowned out by falsehoods that are just as convincing. And this is bad.
2. Communication without proof is instinctive, pervasive and tragically subtle.
3. Becoming aware of one's own tendencies for proofless communication should be an important part of anyone's self-introspection.
I use the words truth, proof and falsehood without absolute definition. I use these words to refer to the precise range of emotions that is experienced in considering these words in the context of the truth-falsehood dichotomy.
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