Thursday, December 1, 2016

Zen

The "Institute", which when all is said and done is one person, is folding its tent. The founder (yours truly) recognizes that there is insufficient interest to merit sitting in front of a computer screen blabbing about matters that matter to nearly no one but himself. I have to face the fact that I'm a geezer who cherishes ideas that are no longer relevant to nearly anyone. I've been a Zen practitioner for about half a century, believe myself to be "enlightened" as to the nature of our existence in this worldly vale of tears and have concluded that in the words of the great prophet James Brown am "talking loud and sayin' nothin'·" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZkjo3mNmsA). Listen to the whole song, please.

Long ago, I was a drummer in an otherwise all black band. A white boy me, okay? I would have given my eye teeth to play behind James, but... Be that as it may, James was a genius, period, way beyond a minor talent like me. Now I'm an old guy, a geezer, a white guy who still enjoys this music, but has no illusions that it has much importance beyond entertainment and absolutely none that it truly represents a genuine contribution to the culture of the West. I taught myself to dance well to this music and the ladies liked that. Hey! But I'm still a white guy, something I haven't forgotten.

I'm very, very tired of people who believe I should apologize for what white people have accomplished in advancing the well-being of everyone else.

Okay, that said, back to the purpose of this blog: monetary reform and sovereignty plus living with small government per the Subsidiarity Principle. Ah hah hah hah! Nobody cares! And you know what? Neither do I any more. In the words of a 1959 movie (English), "I'm alright, Jack". Yeah, sure, I have to sue to get the deed to the property I bought, sadly employing a lawyer (he's called "doctor" in spite of not having any sort of doctorate) who seems incompetent and is unresponsive to complaints, even so, in a nation (Argentina) without a secure system of law, I manage. That's it, people: manage and go forward, all the rest is jive. Got it? JIVE!

Work it out for yourselves: I quit. Best of luck! Thanks for reading the bla-bla.

It's all a question of recognizing that in this vale of tears, illusion reigns and your best bet is to recognize that and transcend it.





3 comments:

  1. Dear Old White Drummer,

    I am very sorry to read that you are discontinuing your blog, as I just found this site and was delighted to read your posts. I wanted you to know that your thoughts and time transcribing them were not completely in vain.

    I started with the one on autarky, as someone commenting in another blog (yourself, perhaps?) provided a link, and then read the post that delineated what is subsidiarity. If only humans could manage to live like that... until Jesus returns, or everyone adopts Zen, it is inconceivable to think that society could exist without some people feeling the need to exercise their desire for power over others. And then there is Islam, of course.

    However, one has to start somewhere, and I really applaud you for trying to do something noble and share it with others. Indeed, I would like to get there (a small more-or-less self-sufficient farm) someday myself, although I am not in a position to do so at the moment. But it is a goal, nonetheless. Not necessarily because of the potential for the worldwide economy to crater, although there is that, but simply because the concept appeals to me and society is pretty well degraded also.

    I had heard of "Small is Beautiful" before, via a professor, and know what it is about (more-or-less) without actually having read it. I was surprised to discover from you that the concept had already been presented by a German and that is had catholic roots. I have studied a bit, and have an interest in, institutional economics - how people generate rules and regulations for self-governance and various forms of collective action (not to be confused with communism). So that is the source of my interest in your writing; as well as the fact that I am a Christian (catholic by birth) with an affinity for philosophy who has read a lot about Zen, Buddhism more broadly, and Taoism.

    I am hopeful that Trump will clean out the rot in DC, and restore the US to a semblance of what it used to be. But even if successful, I am enough of a realist to know that it would only be a matter of time before gubmint starts violating the Constitution again and people are seen as nothing more than taxpaying units to be exploited. (I have read a lot about Ancient Rome, as well.)

    I am not sure what more I should write. I will read the rest of your posts and check back here to see if you have any reply for me. I hope to encourage you to keep posting your thoughts and ideas on your website, but if not I understand. Take care, be strong, and keep the faith.

    Less Old White Ex-Guitarist

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    Replies
    1. Thanks very much! I meant to post that I'll start up again and soon. I had a fit of pique and was also computer-screened out! I need to do some thinking and try and concentrate on the subject at hand.

      I'm a cradle Catholic myself and greatly appreciate the contribution of the pre-Vatican II Church to Western culture, but the metaphysics, well, I just can't buy into them and so many years of Zen practice have me convinced, based on experience.

      More to come. A new post has begun! Please come back! Thanks again!

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  2. Are you still around?

    DS / LOWEG

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