Missing Miss Sadie:
As civilization, nay the whole human race, hurtles toward disaster and probable annihilation despite my every effort, I sometimes consider what an outside observer would think after it was over. What would they think drove us to a doom so obviously avoidable?
We may or may not lose the human race, but one of the best bits is already gone. Her birthday would have been last Friday. I call her Miss Sadie, because that is what she called herself, although she also made it clear that this was not her real name. She was a loyal friend, diligent worker, imaginative thinker and poet.
By contrast let me mention Friedrich Nietzsche. I never met the man, but I did read his stuff. From what I understand he was brain damaged by syphilis, which puts him in a category of those who are going to have to win me over if they wish me to be patient. What he is said to have said, (couldn’t prove it from my reading) is that there are only two motivations: lust to power and fear, and the only fear is the fear of loss of power.
When I look at real people, I can see it, but not on any great scale. The only lust seems to be to put the other guy down and the only fear is the fear of not putting the other guy down.
Miss Sadie, by contrast was motivated by such things as love of truth, love of family, loyalty to friends, loyalty to family, love of beauty.
From day to day I run into people who are looking for a cheap, safe put-down. Can’t say their judgment is any good even for such trifling ambition. A man today was standing in a lane in a parking lot, holding forth to his friends. I waited in my car for a few moments before rolling gently toward him. His awareness of his surroundings took a salubrious turn. But of course he knew all along I was there. He was just making occasion to show he had power over me. The slow approach of the vehicle simply broke his nerve, what there was of it. I’d say overall he was pretty typical.
So our putative historian will conclude that we died for meanness. Any of Sadie’s virtues would have saved us. We would have made emotionally sound mating choices, and they would have been biologically sound. I do miss her.
There have been 72 visitors over the past month.
No, I have no idea why my program Dreamweaver seems to be weirding out today. It seems to be a choice between all bold type and arbitrary some bold and some not. Sorry. See you in a couple days.