Are Heroes Okay? Spirituality Could Be Tried? 5. Who is Getting No Respect? People who reside in Des Moines don't get any respect because they don't deserve any respect. A work of caution here. Des Moines has an Interstate highway running north and south and also an Interstate highway running east and west through the "metro" area. Be careful to watch the fuel gauge as you near the "metro" area so that you can buzz through without a stop. If you stop, the clerk at the gas station will tell you: "We live in Des Moines because we like it here." I have no idea whether any introverts live in Des Moines even though I doubt it. I would like to say something positive about Des Moines at this juncture because I'm feeling guilty about what I just wrote. People in Des Moines are seeking meaning too, I suppose. Anyway, Des Moines generally does not pretend to be something that it is not. On the other hand, we have the so-called Minneapple. This is Minneapolis' extremely desperate attempt to compare itself to Manhattan. I know. Of course Minneapolis isn't even Chicago and another giant mall or two isn't going to change things. The mention of Chicago draws my mind back to a more relevant line of discussion and that is the problem of little or no respect being accorded to us geek persons whether we live in North America or Asia. Amerikan Culture, which is being exported to every corner of the globe, loudly sings the praises of the outer life. Us geeks submit that inner life deserves more attention but we are not naive enough to even consider asking for equal time. Yesterday I visited my friend Mr. Li in his lab at the local university. I told him he would be appearing in my book and specifically chapter 4. However, I have moved him to chapter 5. Mr. Li is from mainland China. I can't say "People's Republic of China" because my Taiwanese friends get upset when I do this. They point out that mainland China is not a "republic" and of course they are right. Mr. Li is working on a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. Mr. Li observed many years ago that he thought it was odd that no Amerikan heroes appear to have a Ph.D. even though American universities turn out thousands of Ph.D.s. Understandably, Mr. Li was not aware that a former football coach in Nebraska had a Ph.D. and that some considered him a hero due to his high skill level in managing violent criminals as well as the totally wholesome. Mr. Li, in my view, felt and feels that academic achievement is not getting enough respect. I will now try to explain this situation and propose some minor changes. I was recently stayed at the Shaker Village in Pleasant Hill, Kentucky in a room available to the traveling public. The room of course had a large television but otherwise was furnished from days gone by. I turned on the tube and Bill Clinton appeared presiding over a forum on sports and race. Billy said that Amerika is crazy about sports "for better or worse." Billy is clearly correct in saying that Amerika is sports crazy. I have been sitting here for a very long time by Amerikan standards (30 minutes) thinking about why this is. I'm frankly not sure what to think but I think Marie-Louise knows what is going on. She takes the position that it is a whole lot easier to mindlessly worship some "celebrity" than it is to get your own life. Anybody can stand and cheer and then call if some form of service. The question remains why are the sports people the focus of these worship rituals. Well, the sports people are on the tube constantly. The question then arises as to why they are on the tube constantly. It would appear that we have a cycle here which is spinning faster and faster and sucks more of us in with each passing year. Michael Jordan imagery is everywhere. I think the time has definitely come for me to climb off of Mike's back and direct some attention to the ultimate Mr. Loud, Jerry Seinfeld. I recently was subjected to some Seinfeld rhetoric in a motel lobby in Wausau. The proprietor had posted several quotes from the celebrity circuit which included a Seinfeld observation that the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason. I haven't spent any quality time with Jerry in person or via the tube so I really have no idea whether he actually said this but as Amerika's Mr. Loud it certainly sounds like a Seinfeld-type observation. I watched the final Seinfeld episode and a collection of parts of assorted "best" episodes before the final episode. The final episode was my first episode. The neighbor man assured me that the final episode was intentionally extremely weak so that the fans would not miss Jerry so much. I certainly hope Mr. Neighbor has this right. Why are these so-called comedians getting so much respect for demonstrating how to be inhumane? Do they really pay these people millions? Congress should enact a tax to shift some of this money to the nation's day care centers and to Scott Peck so that his books could be distributed for free by the Gideons. I wonder what road Jerry will be taking in retirement. My guess is that he will take any road that leads to a place where he can endlessly talk about himself while coming up for air only to sign autographs and make fun of people who don't have orgasmic experiences with themselves. Society could use some spirituality instead in my view. Are Heroes Okay? Spirituality Could Be Tried? |