My gratitude to "Fail Burton" on the next thread, who knows when with this worthless system, for informing that old comments are still in Google Cache.
Therefor for posterity and in defiance I have retrieved for my records and offer here my "lost comment." It has what I take to be the distinction of being the last comment entered before PJM management deleted the archives.
------
6. Blast From the Past
Carruthers climbing over the rail is immaculate in his bespoke suit from Savile row. Behind him scrambles his American friend Toby looking distinctly rumpled in something from Moe Ginsberg. Toby however remembered to bring ammo.
Current events illustrate big themes.
Do you mean that every thread isn’t about the P-51?
February 19, 2013 - 2:01 pm
The irregular blog posting of late has been due to three things. First, the pressure of work. I am trying to finish a key component of a project and it’s proving more complicated and involved than anticipated. Second is the time required to read more books, which currently mean Jonathan Foreman’s Aiding And Abetting: Foreign Aid Failures and the 0.7% Deception and Eben Alexander’s Proof of Heaven — and more in the works as snail mail arrives. The third factor has been a variety of long neglected and deferred chores that are claiming their due.
These are the obvious explanations. But on reflection there was yet another factor that was harder to express. The simplest way to put it is that the times now call for fewer words, or least for words of a different type. That is because most of the things that are easy to say have already been said on the blogosphere. While it would be easy to run on about the miserable state of the world and the folly of politics, this corner of the blogosphere is victim of its own success. The readers know that stuff already. We have beaten it nearly to death in these pages. What they need now is ways to do something constructive within the limits of their situations, otherwise these realizations lead to bitterness and bitterness to futility.
This may mirror what is to some extent a general trend; a change in mood that is palpable in the air. The British authors of yesteryear would probably have written “Carruthers sensed a subtle difference in the beat of the ship’s engine. He realized that his chance had come …” or hackneyed phrases to that effect to convey the shift in the story line if it were an adventure story. It may only be imaginary, but I think the game is changing — to what, I am not sure.
Whatever befall, I’ve resolved, for my part, to do more in the context of ordinary life; and to write fewer current events pieces in favor of more broadly themed items. The goal is to make the Belmont Club more fun, but not in a mean way. Whether it works out … time will tell. Let me check to see how well Carruthers is doing. He should be climbing over the rail by now.
The Three Conjectures at Amazon Kindle for $1.99
Storming the Castle at Amazon Kindle for $3.99
No Way In at Amazon Kindle $8.95, print $9.99
Tip Jar or Subscribe or Unsubscribe
February 19th, 2013 - 12:40 pm
Click here to view the 13 legacy comments
Click here to hide legacy comments
13 Comments, 13 Threads
Comments are closed.
So–more big picture stuff? Sounds good to me.
Your ”three things” that were slowing you up reminded me of something years ago when I was a 3rd year med student. The resident in charge of our group had sort of a dry personality that you wouldn’t have expected to contain much humor. He was also very thorough and every morning we would review any new patients that had come in overnight, then review all the others for the past 24 hours. He would then grill each of us about all the necessary chores and never overlooked anything.
He would ask ”did you do this? did you do that?” ad infinitum until, without fail, he’d come to something you hadn’t done.
One morning he got to that with a fellow who, when asked, ”Why didn’t you do it?” answered, ”I just didn’t have time.”
With a perfectly straight face, the resident said: ”Oh, yeah? What were you doing between 2 and 6 in the morning?” To this day I doubt if any of were sure if he was joking or not.
So, Richard … what were you doing between 2 and 6 in the morning?
Thanks for the peek behind the curtain, Richard. Being self-employed and having the demands of a young family, I can certainly relate with being pulled in about nine different directions at the same time.
Yes, the Game has moved up to the next level. Anyone who has the self-interest to educate himself about current affairs (outside of the government-media complex) knows this, even if it’s only subconsciously. It’s time to adapt to conditions accordingly.
As much as I like BC in its current form, I think it’s a good thing you are shifting gears a bit. As I wrote in the last comment thread, I’ve come around to the Let It Burn worldview. Not saying I’m not going to care at all about the external world, but I believe that my energy would be much better spent working to blunt the coming damage to me and mine, instead of wasting effort trying to stop the out-of-control freight locomotive by myself.
Consequently, I’d love to see more posts in the theme of self-employment and self-reliance (as you mentioned after the last election). By “self-employment”, I don’t just mean for those who have an actual DBA or corporation, but anything you can do to supplement your family income. And by “self-reliance”, I’m not talking about being a lone prepper in a bunker, but ways to rebuild the small friends, acquaintances, and family circles that can help you detach from the decay as much as possible (I know one cannot be insulated 100%…or even probably 50%, but anything is better than nothing).
Best of luck!
I’m with you on the “…subtle difference…”. I’m done posturing, have started working on ways to actively oppose the gun-banners. Actually marched in a pro-2nd Amendment rights protest last month. I have no idea if it will do any good, but believe we have to do what can be done within the system, while there is still a system.
I’ve also found (to address another excellent point) that some days I can’t read both BC and VDH’s latest and enjoy the day at all. I ration my reading now.
And the Honey Do jar overfloweth.
But, more fun? Only if you define ‘fun’, as I do, as a more active, more organized response, wherein BC can be a catalyst. And our host has some not insignificant experience.
As said, we have talked It to death.
Good men of all stripe need to act.
Ideas? I have a bunch.
Richard,
Whatever endeavors in writing you dive into, I am sure you will have a loyal following. Don’t completely abandon current event analysis, however. Trust me when I say that you somehow are able to bring an unique perspective on many things, often tying them into a larger context I think many miss.
But I agree with you that at some point everyone has to turn off the noise, or at least reduce the volume, and get on with their lives while we await events. I have given up listening to talk radio, and am a lot more selective in what I read online. There is only so much outrage and frustration one can take. I have decided to concentrate on those things over which I do have control and which improve myself even if the world is determined to go to hell.
I have stopped dabbling in writing, and instead decided to take it seriously, pledging to write every day, no matter what. In a matter of weeks I have written nearly 200,000 words in both journal entries and a novel for fun. My expressed goal is to stop thinking about things I want to write, and to, as Steven Pressfield says, DO THE WORK and make it happen. Such was my wonder that when I actually started to do this, I found it far easier to put words to page than I thought, and considering it’s all first draft, I am a little amazed to find I am not horrible at it. Who knows what a year of work and practice will yield?
I have also rededicated myself to losing weight and added the goal of getting in better shape, and to my surprise, again, I am seeing results and feeling better. Part of it is physical, but part of it comes from the knowledge that there is strength and power in myself, if I would only explore it. I imagine Leo felt something similar when began to take action to change things.
Richard, this site has been a constant companion and sayer of soothe for the decade since 9/11. Let me express my sincere thanks for what you have done to contribute to the wisdom and insight of the internet. It has meant a lot to me, and I am sure many others. I am frankly in awe of the intellects that sit around your drawing room, throwing ideas back and forth. This is quite the castle you have built for yourself. I am looking forward to whatever you do next.
WG
Carruthers climbing over the rail is immaculate in his bespoke suit from Savile row. Behind him scrambles his American friend Toby looking distinctly rumpled in something from Moe Ginsberg. Toby however remembered to bring ammo.
Current events illustrate big themes.
Do you mean that every thread isn’t about the P-51?
Sir, you have made my brain cells work overtime for the several years that I have read your blog. Certainly there have been dicussions on just about every conceivable subject here having any relevance to the political and economic world around us. Some have brought about change in my thinking, a few have made changes in the the way I lead my life. For this, many heartfelt thanks.
I would like to suggest that some of your bigger picture essays include “What If” subjects.
What if Putin seizes dictatorial powers in Russia.
What if China acts militarly in south east Asia.
What if civil unrest in the United States increases to active restance.
While these are narrowly cast, I am sure that you could bring insight to these and similar subjects
Making truth striking enough to be fun to pass on, might get it to low information voters.
I can sympathize with the problem of things simply falling off one’s plate.
I think the mood has shifted because the scope of future events has narrowed. Prior to the election last year, many outcomes were possible. The future was shifting rapidly, and day-to-day events might change the probabilities significantly. Now our future is much more well-defined and turns less on events. It makes sense to analyze the longer-term trends to see what they converge on, because the trends are more or less locked in place for a while.
The analysis of trends is going to be somewhat gloomy, because so many of them are negative. Perhaps it would be well to remember that the religious pogroms of the Reformation were followed in due time by Elizabeth’s Merrie Olde England. Cromwell’s Roundheads were, in the end, precursor to the Glorious Revolution and (in due time) the Scottish Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution.
The simplest way to put it is that the times now call for fewer words, or least for words of a different type.
The pieces are all in motion now.
I feel the same way.
This government is not listening to words, nor are its words worth listening to. Events will go where they must. Alea iacta est. There’s a balrog in the woodpile.
Well, the news will bring us topics, if only asteroid strikes. Nothing is something that just never happens. We’ll see if we get my financial catastrophe by the end of March, perhaps by the ides, beware!
Sounds good to me.
You write it, I’ll read it.
And, per Dworkin at #2, the key question for everyone to ask themselves in the years ahead is “where will I find my consolation?”.
Wretchard, I’m not sure if your take ultimately means that the correct approach is “lighten up and take a breath” – or “load more ammo”.
As usual you go straight to an essential insight. I agree completely. Carruthers too would have stepped over the flogged, dead horse and would have resolved to engage things that simply by living, had more meaning.
“Carruthers sensed a quickening of the blood and his spirits lifted at the promise of bright enterprise and new adventure that was made by the warm scented air.”