“[T]here has always been a conflict between power-seeking moral reformers and the ‘lowbrow’ culture of saloons, immigrant and black resistance to work, shopping, dance halls, rock-and-roll, and the ever-advancing sexual revolution.” That’s Thaddeus Russell, writing in his splendid A Renegade History of the United States.
The more I read about American history, the more I realize he’s right. But it hasn’t just been a conflict between the industrious and the slovenly. It’s also been a war between debtors and creditors, agriculture and manufacturing, and other diverse ways of thinking and living. While growing up, I had always believed in the American way. In my vision of the American way, laziness and bankruptcy and atheism were anathema. The real American worked hard, saved, and attended church: a Benjamin Franklin-ite, without his sexual deviancy. Alas, it’s simply not true. America has always been conflicted among various classes. The Scot-Irish of the western frontier had little in common with the proper English of Boston, who had little in common with the cavaliers of Virginia.
The Franklin-ite vision of America took a big step forward with the ratification of the Constitution. Through it, the manufacturing and entrepreneurial classes were able to get tariffs to protect their industries and eliminate (at least cripple) the ability of debtors to get out of their debts through bankruptcy or the use of cheap paper money. Farmers and debtors and the immoral suffered a setback in 1789, but they never went away and never stopped agitating. They would rise again, a little bit with Jefferson, a lot with Jackson, and then win the day in the twentieth century as the upper-classes forged a bond with the poorest classes in an effort to squeeze the biggest class (middle). Agriculture subsidies are the norm; bankruptcy laws are the most-liberal in the word; paper money debases creditors’ positions. In the meantime, the richest in NYC get richer as primary dealers of the Federal Reserve, insider trading, bailouts, and other salves from the same people who hand out salves to the lower classes: Washington, DC.
“So it is with the love of money, the love of power and the other maladies that affect the minds of men–you may be sure that it is when they abate and give every appearance of being cured that they are at their most dangerous.” Seneca, Letter LVI.
What malady doesn’t affect the minds of men? Sexual promiscuity? If there’s ever been a physical sin only, that’s it, but we all know sexual deviancy starts in the mind. Anger? Nope, anger is a mental thing, and for those of us who suffer that malady, it’s always dormant at best.
But Seneca’s point is well-taken. The battle is never over until you’re dead. The devil came, perched on the holy monk’s deathbed, and said, “You have beaten me.” The monk replied, “We still do not know.” Amen to that.
What is it about the mind that makes it so fickle? I have long been intrigued by ancient writers’ attempts to distinguish among different faculties of the soul, some seemingly implying that the soul could be carved into so many pieces of pie, each piece handling a different element of our personality. The mind is such a complex thing. Neurology is just beginning to scratch the surface, and I suspect that, the deeper scientists scratch, the more they’ll discover ignorance. The brain is merely the physical concept of our spiritual nature, and spirituality transcends all physical exploration. We won’t get to the bottom of it any more than a rocket will plow into heaven.
Is California the new Greece? “California’s budget deficit has exploded 73% in a mere four months. In January, it was $9.2 billion. Now Gov. Jerry Brown says it’s $16 billion. Whoops, guess the ‘recovery’ isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be: ‘Taxes fell short of expectations,’ says the Los Angeles Times. The only remedy, Brown says, is a ‘temporary’ increase in the sales tax for everyone… and an increase in the income tax for people who earn $250,000 or more. Which comes up for referendum in November.” * * * * * * * I saw The Avengers Friday night. Great movie, if you’re into that superhero stuff. Being a dude, that qualifies me. I gave it a “9.” * * * * * * * I actually attended the late show. First time in over ten years that I rolled out of a movie at nearly midnight. The “social jet lag” killed me the next day, but I was also reeling from a brutal week, including treatment for a cracked tooth and skin cancer (nothing serious on the skin cancer, but it was unexpected and the treatment burned pretty bad). * * * * * * * Did you know there’s a White History Year? Yup, at least according to The Onion. Pretty funny stuff. “White History Year will also be commemorated on television, with various networks airing special programming recognizing whites’ contributions to society. The History Channel will set aside the Tuskegee Airmen documentaries that have dominated its schedule throughout February, instead presenting programs on Chuck Yeager, the white man who broke the sound barrier, and Paul Revere, a key white figure in the nation’s fight for independence from England.” * * * * * * * A TDE reader posted a link to this video last week. It mocks the self-righteous entertainment crowd, and pretty much mocks leftists in general. There’s a brief moment of sacrilege, but other than that, it’s awfully funny:
I ran across one of the most interesting and helpful articles of the year this weekend: “Cuckoo: Our body clocks have social jet lag. And it’s making most of us a little crazy.” It’s one of those articles that confirmed a lot of what I already understood, but gave my understanding more sustenance and clarity. The gist of the book review is, We’re all wired by nature differently, and social obligations throw our hard-wiring out of whack. The result is “social jet lag”: your body is out of whack with your natural cycle, resulting in sleep deprivation, and sleep deprivation “makes us sick, sad, and dumb.”
But in my experience, that’s what our culture encourages. I can’t tell you how many times men in my social circle refer to a guy (okay, me) as “a wuss” because he needs to go to bed early, or because he needs a nap. There’s something machismo about getting by with little sleep. It has never made sense to me. You might as well say there’s something machismo about striking yourself repeatedly in the scrotum, because that’s kinda how I feel after succumbing to social pressures to deprive myself of sleep. I remember one guy telling me that he’d never do another golf weekend with his friends because (rough quote), “We played 27 holes, drank until midnight, then got up at 6:00 a.m. to start all over. Three days in a row. It felt more like an endurance test than a relaxing weekend of golf. I’ll never do it again.”
Amen. Unfortunately, that kind of “manliness” seems engrained in our culture. And it’s not just contemporary middle-aged men who never matured past college. I remember reading a monk (probably of the Greek Orthodox tradition) who believed that two hours of sleep is enough for a monk, if he’s a fighter. Such endurance was also lauded by the Stoics (Seneca: “I do not allow time for sleep but yield to it when I must, and when my eyes are wearied with waking and ready to fall shut, I keep them at their task”). I remember reading about how T.E. Lawrence (I think it was TEL) once walked into a friend’s room at Oxford, announced that he hadn’t eaten or slept for 48 hours, then started firing a pistol randomly out the window. It was considered kinda cool, if unsettling. In today’s society, there are few things considered more infantile than a nap (or, using the preferred phrase of men reacting to their friend’s announcement that he’s going to lie down, “nappy wappy,” as in “Does hims need a nappy wappy?”).
I like sleep, and I like naps. But I’m also a firm believer in tradition. The tradition that says “sleeping is for wimps” is firmly ensconced in our culture, so I’m hesitant to write it off. Still, studies are showing that our modern attitude towards sleep ain’t healthy. Something has to give.
A new survey found that the best time to post something on Facebook is on Wednesdays between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. — while the best time to post something on MySpace is on Wednesdays between 2004 and 2007.
Researchers at Harvard say red wine can slow the aging process. They say if you drink red wine, it can help you look younger. And you can look even younger if you get the other person to drink it.
Insightful piece at Vox Populi on gay marriage. I can’t say I quite agree with it, but the author makes the general point I’ve made over the years: gay marriage is only succeeding because straight people ruined marriage to begin with. Gay marriage is the caboose hitched to the 1930 Lambeth Conference train. Now, I still put gay marriage on a different plane, but that plane’s elevation level is much closer to the contraceptive mindset than to the Catholic marriage mindset. The Vol Populi article puts the two on the same plane, and, though I wouldn’t, the article is compelling. Excerpt:
Same-sex marriage does not redefine marriage. That has already taken place. The institution of marriage has been transformed from a social institution geared toward the bearing and rearing of children to an individualistic institution geared toward personal happiness and fulfillment. Once homophobia started to fade away, and gay people were finally treated with the dignity they deserve, then same-sex marriage – defined in this way – is a completely natural progression.
In other words, we now define marriage in purely Lockean terms, as the unfettered ability of the fully independent individual to choose and exercise power, to be fully in control of his or her possessions and persons. Marriage, in this sense, becomes a natural right and any prohibition against marriage becomes an unjust act of coercion, especially since there is no apparent competition with the rights of others.
Of course, between the gay marriage stunt and the attack on Catholic health providers, Barack seems hell-bent on getting me to vote in this year’s election. But as of now, I’m standing firm: voting ain’t worth my time, it merely encourages the politicians, and a non-vote does more good than a vote. What’s the old saying? “What if they threw a war and nobody came?” I ask the same thing: “What if they threw an election and nobody voted?” Maybe we’ll find out someday (yeah, I know, Cervantes and all that).
Attention Michigan Beer Drinkers: The World Expo of Beer will take place on Friday May 18th from 5-10PM and Saturday May 19th from 3- 10PM. It’s in charming Frankenmuth, “little Bavaria,” near the Michigan thumb area. * * * * * * * There’s a World Beer Cup? I didn’t know that, but it sounds like a pretty big deal: “The 2012 World Beer Cup recognizes top brews from around the world. Held this past weekend, this year’s event was the biggest ever, with 3,921 beers from 57 countries competing in 95 categories.” Link. * * * * * * * If you’re into inexpensive but good wine, you need to get acquainted with Barefoot. I like their regular red sweet wine, but this new sweet red blew me away last night: Red Moscato. Best buzz $7 can buy.
Whew. This month is as busy as any. I found out yesterday that I’m going to lose a tooth, so that really stinks. Fortunately, it’s a back tooth, so my beautiful smile won’t be affected, and it might last me another ten years. The dentist couldn’t say. * * * * * * * USA Today reported this week that ordinary investors are staying away from stocks. Barry Ritholtz says it’s no surprise: “between the run of scandals in the 1990s and 2000s, the dot-com implosion, analyst scandal, the 2007-09 crash, housing collapse, the flash crash and HFT, mom and pop have taken their ball and gone home.” Amen to that. If you think the game isn’t rigged, you’re smoking crack. If you think it’s rigged but you have it figured out, you’re delusional . . . or you need to give me a call with some stock picks* * * * * * * Since starting the caveman diet, I have slashed back on sugar dramatically. When I do splurge, I normally splurge on chocolate, and when I buy the chocolate, I normally reward myself with some higher-end fare (Cadbury at a minimum, often higher). I’ve really come to enjoy this mini-hobby, but I doubt I’ll pay to buy the five chocolates featured at this Forbes piece. * * * * * * * Are there conservative rock songs? Yes, maybe as many as 50. Here’s a list assembled in 2006 at National Review. * * * * * * * What would you have needed 30 years ago to match what your iPhone can do now? All this:
First two pics are from my garden. I have nearly converted my entire backyard into a garden. I have only “The Verdant Pathway” left. The third pic shows Max (8) guarding Jack (15) with a broom, in hopes of emulating a 7-foot defender. The last one is just funny.
You should also understand that marriage is romantic only because it is permanent. It’s a thing most people fail to see: If you strip away all the props, drama and lust that surround a romantic venture, you are left with one thing: permanency or at least the lure of permanency.
I would be careful before repeating this assertion to any of your friends. It might be met with howls of laughter. Although it is hard to anticipate arguments, I would guess that they would give some examples of highly romantic things that are, in fact, highly impermanent, like a date in which the man is trying to seduce the woman. I, too, will use this example to help explain why romantic things are permanent things.
On such a date, the man makes dinner reservations at a nice restaurant with an isolated table that has a rose on it. He orders a bottle of good wine and engages the woman in leisurely and carefree conversation. He compliments her. He tries to show her that he’s a compassionate and caring man. It’s all so romantic, yet it’s all geared to the ephemeral one-night stand.
But it is romantic only because it has the lure of permanency. If it didn’t, it wouldn’t be romantic. If instead of a nice dinner and leisurely conversation, the man took her to a McDonald’s drive-through, explaining that this expediency will leave more time for sex, would that work? Would the woman be at all enticed? Why does the man use elegance, leisure, and gentleness?
Because they have the air of permanency. They give the impression of someone the woman wants to be with for a long time, not just for a one-night stand. The woman is enticed by the appearance of a good guy and therefore, if even such rationale is tucked away into the deep crevices of her conscious where she can’t even see it, better justified sleeping with him that night. (Children: this analysis is obviously looking at the man and woman as presented by our popular culture; I assume you realize sleeping with someone before marriage is never justified—it is always grave sin and normally mortal sin.)
So marriage is romantic because it is permanent. Now, the first thing you should see is: If marriage is permanent, divorce is wrong. Indeed, if marriage is permanent, divorce is a fiction. Couples can say they’re divorced, but they’re not, and if a “divorced” individual remarries, he has committed bigamy.
It can be difficult to deal with marriage’s permanency because we are mutable beings. We change from year-to-year (heck, from hour-to-hour). Change is a good thing: without it, we have no chance of progressing in wisdom, virtue, and holiness. But that doesn’t mean all change is good. Although we have the possibility of changing in good ways, due to original sin we have a tendency to change in bad ways.
From the standpoint of marriage, this means that you always need to keep an eye on how you’re changing. If you’re changing in a manner that makes you unhappy in your marriage, you’re probably changing in a bad way and you need to take steps to alter your course of change. If, for instance, Jack takes up golf and finds that his time at the links is interfering with his duties as a father and husband and the resulting tension is making him upset with his family role, he needs to re-think his love for golf. If Abbie takes up volunteer work in the community to the extent that her husband is complaining, and they’re fighting, about the messy state of the house, Abbie needs to re-consider her level of community involvement.
This is a good thing about marriage. It’s a blessing that guides us toward wisdom and virtue. It gives us a natural and readily-discernible benchmark for determining how we’re progressing in holiness. Few people take the time to contemplate quietly the state of their soul: such contemplation, done right, requires much study and dedication. But the marriage benchmark is an easy measuring rod. If our marriage is succeeding, chances are we are succeeding as human beings. If our marriage is crumbling, we may be crumbling as human beings.
Catholic Men's Quarterly, a one-of-a-kind general interest men's magazine written by Catholic men for Catholic men. Makes a great Father's Day gift.
"The Daily Eudemon is the sort of thing
that Chesterton or Mencken would be doing, if they were
alive today. It's what, in saner times, was called journalism.
In the writing and in the reading, it's exactly the sort
of leisure we should want at the basis of culture."Mike
Aquilina, Author of The Fathers of the Church
and TV Talk Show Host.
"Literate
Catholicism-urbane, witty, engaged-is alive and well!
If you can read, you should be reading The Daily Eudemon!"David
Scott, author of A Revolution of Love: The Meaning
of Mother Teresa
"If
you like your blogs pithy, nimble, pointed, high-spirited,
and waggish, then bookmmark Eric Scheske's The Daily
Eudemon. Ooops! You want prolixity, density, meandering,
dull, and sober? Then run (do not walk!) to the blogs
of the major news outlets. They have just what you want.
Honestly they do." John
Peterson, Editor, G.K. Chesterton: Collected Works,
Volumes 12 and 13.
"Eric
Scheske's web site is full of information and insight.
Always worth a read."James
V. Schall, Author of Another Sort of Learning.
"Eric
Scheske has one of the few indispensable sites in an overcrowded
blogosphere." Thomas E. Woods, Jr., Ph.D.,
New York Times Bestselling Author and Author
of How
the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization.
Gay Marriage
Letters to Children: Marriage: Part 2