Open Thread - 03-25-22 - The Crown of Creation?

This week I searched the bookcase and dusted off my copy of Nuclear War Survival Skills that I bought back in the 80s. Having turned 30 years old in 1984 and thinking I had lots of time ahead of me I ordered the book just in case the unthinkable happened. I was not about to slouch towards Bethlehem willingly, despite that rough beast whose hour may have come at last.

As I leafed through the pages a couple of random memories struck me, like a well placed critical mass of linear U-235 dominoes about to be toppled.

Vishnu's statement of doom:
Ronald Reagan's joke about the end of time:

Nature is cruel. The balance of nature is brutal. Mankind broke the balance when it developed intellect. We climbed down from the trees, put a finger to the wind and decidedly began the long march to the edge of evolution. Clearly, IMHO, early on, ambition had already out-paced grey matter and set us on the course of nuclear roulette.

After millions of years, as humans tamed their environs, and after killing off the beasts that threatened them there was no longer any predators to keep humans in check. Surely there are exceptions on the micro scale of individual animal-to-human predation, but on the macro scale the only real predator mankind has to face is man himself. Of that, we are well accomplished, to the detriment of the downtrodden and to the benefit of the monied class. All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

War is observable in other species, ants and chimpanzees come quickly to mind. Are humans not a part of the natural world, despite the philosophical viewpoint of anthropocentrism? IMHO, we separate ourselves from nature at our own existential peril. The thin veneer of civilization may soon be torn away. If it does come to pass, that subjective separation will be put to a test with life on earth in the balance

Mankind has proclaimed itself the king of its domain. And like kings, we may be about to place the crown upon our heads.

From Shakespeare, spoken by King Henry IV Part 2 in act 3, scene 1:

And in the visitation of the winds,
Who take the ruffian billows by the top,
Curling their monstrous heads and hanging them
With deafening clamour in the slippery clouds,
That, with the hurly, death itself awakes?
Canst thou, O partial sleep, give thy repose
To the wet sea-boy in an hour so rude,
And in the calmest and most stillest night,
With all appliances and means to boot,
Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.

The king is complaining about his inability to sleep as war approaches. Ordinary people, even the humble cabin boy, have the blessing of a good night's sleep but even in the calm middle of the night, with all the comfort he has around him, he is denied that. Then good luck to those who have no cares, let them sleep. But he is a king and has to take the responsibility for what happens, and that keeps him awake at night.

Source

Are you awake?
index_3.jpg
Really, shouldn't we have just stayed in the trees?
Share
up
14 users have voted.

Comments

I wrote this opinion piece two days ago and after rereading I hesitated publishing because of its gloomy nature. But, as it seems that potential nuclear holocaust is the new normal, I posted it anyway.

The thin veneer between man and beast is wearing away which may soon become apparent as we may all return to nature one radioactive atom at a time.

PS: I woke up to our internet being down this morning so I had to publish this from my phone which is always a pleasure. I'll do my best to reply to comments.

Thanks for reading.

up
11 users have voted.
TheOtherMaven's picture

There never was a "Richard" IV (except in Blackadder).

The backstory helps explain the comment: Henry of Bolingbroke usurped the crown from his cousin Richard II (who was imprisoned and wound up dead), and as a direct consequence had a turbulent and rebellion-riddled reign.

It got worse - this was the opening round of the "Wars of the Roses".

up
7 users have voted.

There is no justice. There can be no peace.

@TheOtherMaven
In my haste I copy/pasted from the link provided, they had it wrong. But, I should have known and in my haste didn't perform my due diligence to double check it.

Thanks for the heads up, I corrected the OP.

up
6 users have voted.
lotlizard's picture

which even many humbling and mellowing cycles through various hippie-era stages of spiritual learning never could permanently cure.

So I don’t doubt it’s the same for people who have enjoyed big-time material-plane power and success. Just hope that their faceplant doesn’t lead to the death of us all.

up
10 users have voted.

@lotlizard
suggests civilizations may tend to extinguish themselves soon after becoming technologically competent.

That civilization thing may prove to be a thin veneer after all. Let's hope not.

Desmond Morris' Naked Ape may have been correct all along.

up
9 users have voted.
ggersh's picture

@JtC Being Jewish myself, I'm just awestruck at how many Jew's are now whitewashing Hitler

up
11 users have voted.

I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

@ggersh
sure killed Godwin's Law didn't it?

up
12 users have voted.

@JtC

technologically competent

always implies a fundamental disharmony with the rest of the creation, ergo unsustainable. We need to respect and harmonize with the reciprocal nature of nature. Obviously, in this respect humanity has already established itself as a complete disaster for ALL other life forms.

up
4 users have voted.

Capitalism is the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of men for the nastiest of motives will somehow work for the benefit of all."
- John Maynard Keynes

Lookout's picture

I guess like most things...it depends.

Can you survive a nuclear war? Yes, you can. As long as you are not in the physical blast zone your main goal is to create distance between yourself and the radiation and then wait it out.

32 min if you have an interest.

I live among the trees, but not in them. The forest is a spiritual place, but may be it is my evolutionary memory that makes me think so. Let's hope (and if you're inclined, pray) that the current situation doesn't devolve into a nuclear war....a lose, lose proposition.

One thing about it all, globalism has been stopped in its tracks, and there really is a new world order...a multipolar one with the US losing it's dollar supremacy and hegemony.

Hopeful the spoiled US child leaders won't throw a nuke in their coming tantrum when they fully understand how badly they've screwed up.

Thanks for the OT...it's the bomb!
Satan's Jeweled Crown - The Louvin Brothers from nearby Sand Mountain.

up
11 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

@Lookout
to put mass between yourself and the radiation. Be it thick concrete, lead, several feet of dirt, etc.

Building a concrete bunker is expensive, as is lead containment. The problem can be solved by going underground, but here in east Texas with the water table so high one can't dig too deep before one hits water. That's why basements aren't a thing in this neck of the woods. That's a conundrum that I haven't solved here yet.

Love the Louvin Bros. Thanks, man.

up
8 users have voted.
Pluto's Republic's picture

@JtC

...with deep underground garages. Park my semi-stocked van nose out on the bottom floor, with a full tank. An old habit that has paid off a couple of times. It's the only prepping I do.

up
5 users have voted.

____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato
Lookout's picture

@JtC

At my age I plan to follow the advise from the 60's. Bend over, put your head between your knees....and kiss your ass goodbye!

But who knows. We do have a cave which might be a possibility.

All the best and let's hope it doesn't come to that.

up
3 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

enhydra lutris's picture

be well and have a good one

up
4 users have voted.

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

@enhydra lutris

up
2 users have voted.

psychedelic reset. If people think a magic mushroom cloud is
going to make their future brighter, there are radiant consequences
not considered. Oops. Said too much again.

Thanks for the OT!

up
9 users have voted.

@QMS
just think, man. Those radiant consequences include shining brightly at night, no need for light bulbs. Now that's green technology, baby! Let's call it Uncle Festerism.

up
6 users have voted.
lotlizard's picture

@QMS  
https://www.broeckers.com/archiv/albert-hofmann-das-lsd-ist-zu-mir-gekom...

up
3 users have voted.
usefewersyllables's picture

department, when I got to the house yesterday to meet an insurance person, we found the door kicked open and the whole place ransacked. Every cabinet and drawer were emptied onto the floor in the ash and water-soaked drywall and insulation soup, and thoroughly trampled there.

Hope they had fun. So, more destruction, more police reports, more hassles with insurance people, even less salvageable. I am not a fan of humanity at this moment.

up
12 users have voted.

Twice bitten, permanently shy.

Lookout's picture

@usefewersyllables

We we're robbed in 1999 while we were over the mountain teaching. Whole place turned over. The weirdest part is we had a locked gate and they hiked in a mile to the house. They took all the guns, cameras, sound system...all they could carry. Made us feel pretty bad that intrusion, so I'm sorry you're having to deal with it.

up
10 users have voted.

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

@usefewersyllables
fuck them fucking fucksticks anyway. I hope for your sake, the perps get some kind of lung illness.

Not a big fan of humanity myself either, right at this moment.

Good luck to you, my friend.

up
11 users have voted.

@usefewersyllables Another law office comparison to the pure hell you are enduring:
6 years ago, some ass got paroled from prison. He really missed his daily ration of crack. He got a buddy, they threw a brick in a window, crawled in my law office and stole 2 computers.
And, they did the same to another lawyer, and 3 other businesses in town.
My tech guy had been intending to put my files into a cloud, or some back up storage. He hadn't gotten around to it.
It took me a solid 2 years to get back on track. Then, 4 years later, the fire. Like, when do the disasters end?
Once again, I am just so damn sorry. If you can think of anything I could do to help, do not hesitate to contact me.

up
7 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

studentofearth's picture

@usefewersyllables Appreciated reading yesterday you and the critters got out safely. Hoping you find a good spot to land as a permanent home.

up
6 users have voted.

Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

Creosote.'s picture

@usefewersyllables
but this sounds not local. Too much helpful actuality emanating from a particular point.
JtC, consider removing this content if you concur.

up
1 user has voted.
Shahryar's picture

I was reading this book, earlier this week, by John Wyndham called "Re-birth" when suddenly, near the end, I see "crown of creation" and "how it differs from the rocks". I then googled the lyrics to the song to see how much was lifted from the book. Just that bit and one other ("in loyalty to their kind...").

I then read how Paul Kantner said he did this often in songs.

"I have thousands of influences in literature and find it a turn-on to leave a little thing like that for people to find and then go to the writer who it came from and read him. I never thought of it as plagiarism."

"Re-birth" is the American title for "The Chrysalids".

up
7 users have voted.

I will do this:

up
4 users have voted.

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981