My Thoughts

I am reminded of Hamlet. “To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them?” It is an existential question adrift unprofitable upon the mind. A madness bellows bitter blows without surcease; where it wills there is no succor, no relief. Madness begets a madding crowd, never-ending madness ‘til all are once and truly mad. Sanity is now a fiction, reason tossed on tumbleweeds tumbling madly wherever the bitter wind would blow.

I am reminded of Einstein. “Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” The madman sits upon a one-legged footstool and considers the purpose for the chair before him. Such an odd shape and peculiar size, though, it appears to be made for a purpose, what can it be? Since I cannot imagine what purpose it is supposed to serve, let us ask an alchemist for an answer. The alchemists ponder what is before them, intone some strange incantations and think it made of something they are unfamiliar, yet unwilling to be thought the fool, declare it an uncommon toadstool which has no useful purpose and may well be dangerous to the senses. Upon hearing this, the madman declares the sky is falling, the experts have so surmised, we must do something to slow the spread of this most dangerous and deadly creature. Shall we burn it? No, the experts portend, the fumes may be worse causing widespread infestation. But we must do something, anything, what must we do, what can we do? I know, we shall proclaim a period of self-imposed imprisonment, have everyone remain encaged, avoid all contact with others, no visitations, maintain their distance, and mask themselves to avoid the fumes, as we burn all these dreadful things into ashes which we will bury underground near Yucca Mountain which is currently unoccupied.

How long shall we do this, the jester asks? Let us say two-weeks, no more, no less. That should do the trick. That is what 99.999999999% of the expert experts say. Yes, yes, two weeks is exactly fit, that should put a quick and tidy end to it. But, but what if that does not exactly fit, what then? Oh, let us cross that bridge after we have shut it down to stop the flow of unruly chair mongers. Why worry about tomorrow for tomorrow may never come?

Nine months later, without a victory, without a win, with more and more chairs appearing every day, through harsher sentences and stricter mandates, the madman still sits on his one-legged footstool and gloats in glee; look at me, look at me! Before him still in silent stillness sits that monolithic chair. It seems there are chairs and more chairs everywhere which is perfect madness for the madman still comfortably ensconced upon his one-legged footstool.

I am reminded of Faust. The erudite Doctor Faust was highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life. This leads him to make a pact with the Devil, exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. Faust is irrevocably damned because he prefers human to divine knowledge: “he laid the Holy Scriptures behind the door and under the bench, refused to be called doctor of theology, but preferred to be styled doctor of medicine;” in other words, scientist rather than theologian.

I am reminded of Socialism. How could I forget, and yet, the socialist refrain bellows like the madness to which it pays court, “This time it will work. This time it will succeed. This time. This time.” Wisdom knows it never will. Reason is of the same mind. Wake up America.

Just my thoughts for a Saturday for what it is worth.