[Podgorica, Montenegro on 7/15/21] Though “Dele-dele” from 1946 is omitted from Borges’ Obras Completas, we can thank Enrico Mario Santí for translating it into English. Here, Borges observes that “dictatorships foster oppression, dictatorships foster servitude, dictatorships foster cruelty; more abominable is the fact that they foster idiocy.”
7 years ago I spent three months working through levels of the mental "health" machine in the US. My journey started with an inpatient stint and then through two layers of outpatient treatment. I look back with appreciation on that time frequently as it continues to pay dividends in my present existence.
No, not because of any drugs they tried to push on me, or stupid methods of "cognitive behavioral therapy", but because inside the hospital it was well-known that all the patients were fucked up in some way. There was no where to hide. No way to hide it. In fact, the more "crazy" people were, the more they seemed to embrace it. This was oddly refreshing.
I had been noticing all the "phonies" in the world for years leading up to this. Projecting their own issues while being lobotomized by the propaganda coming from all directions. In the hospital I darkly laughed to myself saying, "finally! Some genuine people!"
Seeing people in their most vulnerable state opened my heart to the plight of most humans.
Yesterday, I was walking to the cafe and approaching me was a man that was clearly gesturing to himself about something. When he noticed me he became fearful that I noticed. When i said to him, "It's okay. You should see me working alone!", he let out a big breath of air and smiled!
"Projecting their own issues while being lobotomized by the propaganda coming from all directions."
My father was forcefully taken into the Cuckoo's Nest, Depressed most of his life, he suddenly turned schizoid and manic, blurting crazy phrases with great enthusiasm for all to hear. When I was called to pick him up after his release, I was deeply saddened to find that my new dad was completely different. While he spent many years trying all sorts of things to get happier, he never got past smoking his pipe and pondering who knows what for most of his days.
I was confronted with a guy who had something to say to just about any stranger he came in contact with in an overly friendly manner with a look in his eyes that even the dullest of us out there would recognize as peculiar. "Can I give you a hug, ma'am"? Joyfully plopping his butt into a water puddle was routine. According to him, he was the life of the party at the institution that he arrived at, strapped in, with interns and wannabe exorcists in his attendance.
His mania lasted several weeks and was much harder to deal with than depression, as he was liable to do something highly embarrassing, like set up like a tackle in football to take down an unliked male nurse to pointing out everything in the paper and TV was about him. He basically would not shut up or stay still.
He was made to get electric shock therapy and soon thereafter became extremely depressed, the kind that is readily apparent and avoided by most.
Luckily, he came out of it, and we didn't have to put him in a home as he became his semi-morose self with a sense of humor.
Not to give the other side ammunition, but he was a 'truther' about the Vietnam War and 9/11 but never had the patience to learn how to use a computer.
He was a fan of that Jack Nicholson movie, and he inadvertently made it come true in his own life.
Boy, would he be upset now if he were still alive.
the 'Idiocy' is painful to witness and to live in the midst of it is a nightmare
almost every single person i know has succumbed to the stupid and the mental shackles are getting tighter - these were educated, generous and kind people but their heads have turned to concrete
Students in philosophy class would sometimes say "Ignorance is bliss," but I pointed out that in my experience, this wasn't true. "Looking around, at the people around you, do you really see that? I see people frustrated, angry, and unable to cope with things they don't understand. Ignorance prevents them from getting better, fixing problems, learning how things fit."
Idiots cannot gain wisdom. Wisdom empties tyrannies, because the wise do not need rulers. Rulers need idiots, especially those rulers who still cannot admit to themselves they remain idiots for wanting to rule others.
Linh, reading your writing is like arriving at an oasis in the desert of the internet. Your words reflect clear thinking, and, like wow, you can spell and punctuate to boot! Thank you for being so refreshing.
One of the American right's fantasy copes is that in the long run the truth wins out. I guess it is how you define "long run" but one of the main lessons of the 20th century is that bullshit, no matter how easily disproved, wins out (at least for the first 100 years).
In Asia, my experience suggests that America owns the brands of democracy, free speech and free press. Middle aged and older Asians I have met get that the American press lies about their country. However, since America is a "democracy" with a "free press" what they say about America must be true. Yes, Gel Mann Amnesia is alive and well in Asia.
All is not lost though. There are still glimmers, no matter how rare, of people getting the lies and the role of a certain malicious tribe. When I lived in Taiwan, I only met one young adult who was a devout Buddhist and who meditated. He told me, in response to my query, the main insight he gained through Buddhism and meditation was that the Rothschilds controlled all the central banks. That wasn't quite what I was expecting but it was encouraging.
I think Paul Craig Roberts still has balls. What say you? I had never heard of Stendhal Syndrome before. Very interesting. I'm always so happy to start my day with a Linh Dinh essay! Thanks so much.
"With love, reverence or just innocence, you can create or receive beauty just about everywhere. You certainly don’t need to go to Rome or the Nile. There’s only ugliness and sickness, however, if you’re drowning in bullshit.
These are probably the wisest words I shall read all week or perhaps all month. And they should help explain to me why people who buy all the bullshit have to go on and on about being "positive."
Great observation! If anything those close to me who holler 'be positive!' seem to be miserable behind those frantic smiles. It's a heavy burden to bear, all that positivity, and 'methinks they doth protest too loudly'.
Remember the pop notion that positivity attracts positivity? They had a great article years ago in -- of all things -- Good Housekeeping about how the opposite is true, positive attracting negative and vice versa. Very funny!
Yes, it takes a lot of work to keep up a delusion.
another great article and great comments. re "moon landing"--it is hard for me to imagine john kennedy going along with a hoax. maybe i am still blessed with naivety. i wonder if anyone has thoughts about this. thanks to all here.
My obligatory two cents. With no cash to spare, the least people should do for their favorite authors is commenting their two cents. Soon enough we'll be an army of two-centers. Alongside Russian bots and the CPC 50-cent army. Very dark writing. Are those people even matter in the future? Does any of us?
The DC Madame hijinks - such a huge story, for about fifteen minutes; right up until the media could have published the names. I am sure China is not a vast perfect paradise, and bureaucrats will always do what benefits bureaucrats, but China is obviously going to dominate the next historical phase, and maybe 'til the end of humanity. Since the West is committing suicide, the rise of China is, in terms of the human species, the best thing that could happen.
7 years ago I spent three months working through levels of the mental "health" machine in the US. My journey started with an inpatient stint and then through two layers of outpatient treatment. I look back with appreciation on that time frequently as it continues to pay dividends in my present existence.
No, not because of any drugs they tried to push on me, or stupid methods of "cognitive behavioral therapy", but because inside the hospital it was well-known that all the patients were fucked up in some way. There was no where to hide. No way to hide it. In fact, the more "crazy" people were, the more they seemed to embrace it. This was oddly refreshing.
I had been noticing all the "phonies" in the world for years leading up to this. Projecting their own issues while being lobotomized by the propaganda coming from all directions. In the hospital I darkly laughed to myself saying, "finally! Some genuine people!"
Seeing people in their most vulnerable state opened my heart to the plight of most humans.
Trying to be "sane" in an insane world.
Thank you for your continued commentary.
Yesterday, I was walking to the cafe and approaching me was a man that was clearly gesturing to himself about something. When he noticed me he became fearful that I noticed. When i said to him, "It's okay. You should see me working alone!", he let out a big breath of air and smiled!
"Projecting their own issues while being lobotomized by the propaganda coming from all directions."
It's a pandemic of mental health proportions.
My father was forcefully taken into the Cuckoo's Nest, Depressed most of his life, he suddenly turned schizoid and manic, blurting crazy phrases with great enthusiasm for all to hear. When I was called to pick him up after his release, I was deeply saddened to find that my new dad was completely different. While he spent many years trying all sorts of things to get happier, he never got past smoking his pipe and pondering who knows what for most of his days.
I was confronted with a guy who had something to say to just about any stranger he came in contact with in an overly friendly manner with a look in his eyes that even the dullest of us out there would recognize as peculiar. "Can I give you a hug, ma'am"? Joyfully plopping his butt into a water puddle was routine. According to him, he was the life of the party at the institution that he arrived at, strapped in, with interns and wannabe exorcists in his attendance.
His mania lasted several weeks and was much harder to deal with than depression, as he was liable to do something highly embarrassing, like set up like a tackle in football to take down an unliked male nurse to pointing out everything in the paper and TV was about him. He basically would not shut up or stay still.
He was made to get electric shock therapy and soon thereafter became extremely depressed, the kind that is readily apparent and avoided by most.
Luckily, he came out of it, and we didn't have to put him in a home as he became his semi-morose self with a sense of humor.
Not to give the other side ammunition, but he was a 'truther' about the Vietnam War and 9/11 but never had the patience to learn how to use a computer.
He was a fan of that Jack Nicholson movie, and he inadvertently made it come true in his own life.
Boy, would he be upset now if he were still alive.
the 'Idiocy' is painful to witness and to live in the midst of it is a nightmare
almost every single person i know has succumbed to the stupid and the mental shackles are getting tighter - these were educated, generous and kind people but their heads have turned to concrete
Students in philosophy class would sometimes say "Ignorance is bliss," but I pointed out that in my experience, this wasn't true. "Looking around, at the people around you, do you really see that? I see people frustrated, angry, and unable to cope with things they don't understand. Ignorance prevents them from getting better, fixing problems, learning how things fit."
Idiots cannot gain wisdom. Wisdom empties tyrannies, because the wise do not need rulers. Rulers need idiots, especially those rulers who still cannot admit to themselves they remain idiots for wanting to rule others.
An antiwar Vietnam vet once said to me, "Ignorance is bliss." My reply: "Oh, is it? Isn't ignorance what landed you in Vietnam?"
Linh, reading your writing is like arriving at an oasis in the desert of the internet. Your words reflect clear thinking, and, like wow, you can spell and punctuate to boot! Thank you for being so refreshing.
One of the American right's fantasy copes is that in the long run the truth wins out. I guess it is how you define "long run" but one of the main lessons of the 20th century is that bullshit, no matter how easily disproved, wins out (at least for the first 100 years).
In Asia, my experience suggests that America owns the brands of democracy, free speech and free press. Middle aged and older Asians I have met get that the American press lies about their country. However, since America is a "democracy" with a "free press" what they say about America must be true. Yes, Gel Mann Amnesia is alive and well in Asia.
All is not lost though. There are still glimmers, no matter how rare, of people getting the lies and the role of a certain malicious tribe. When I lived in Taiwan, I only met one young adult who was a devout Buddhist and who meditated. He told me, in response to my query, the main insight he gained through Buddhism and meditation was that the Rothschilds controlled all the central banks. That wasn't quite what I was expecting but it was encouraging.
I think Paul Craig Roberts still has balls. What say you? I had never heard of Stendhal Syndrome before. Very interesting. I'm always so happy to start my day with a Linh Dinh essay! Thanks so much.
Hi Peggy,
You're right. Paul Craig Roberts certainly has balls. He's comfortably retired, though, so he's not risking his career in speaking up.
In Ann Arbor, the weekly protestors outside Henry Herkovitz' old synagogue are nearly all retired.
A nation is in deep shit if only old retired men dare to speak up! As ballsy Pat Tillman was about to speak up, they shot him.
Linh
Nice one, Linh. I came across this poem in the--ugh--NYtimes this morning and thought you might like it.
----------
pour la CGT
By Rod Smith
--
We work too hard.
We’re too tired
To fall in love.
Therefore we must
Overthrow the government.
__________________
We work too hard.
We’re too tired
To overthrow the government.
Therefore we must
Fall in love.
"With love, reverence or just innocence, you can create or receive beauty just about everywhere. You certainly don’t need to go to Rome or the Nile. There’s only ugliness and sickness, however, if you’re drowning in bullshit.
These are probably the wisest words I shall read all week or perhaps all month. And they should help explain to me why people who buy all the bullshit have to go on and on about being "positive."
Great observation! If anything those close to me who holler 'be positive!' seem to be miserable behind those frantic smiles. It's a heavy burden to bear, all that positivity, and 'methinks they doth protest too loudly'.
Remember the pop notion that positivity attracts positivity? They had a great article years ago in -- of all things -- Good Housekeeping about how the opposite is true, positive attracting negative and vice versa. Very funny!
Yes, it takes a lot of work to keep up a delusion.
Thanks Susan, just read that Good Housekeeping article you mentioned. Good takedown of Stupid!
I didn't know you could access it online -- cool!
Linh, Thank you for another enlightening commentary.
Thanks for the tip on Andy Ngo.
another great article and great comments. re "moon landing"--it is hard for me to imagine john kennedy going along with a hoax. maybe i am still blessed with naivety. i wonder if anyone has thoughts about this. thanks to all here.
My obligatory two cents. With no cash to spare, the least people should do for their favorite authors is commenting their two cents. Soon enough we'll be an army of two-centers. Alongside Russian bots and the CPC 50-cent army. Very dark writing. Are those people even matter in the future? Does any of us?
The DC Madame hijinks - such a huge story, for about fifteen minutes; right up until the media could have published the names. I am sure China is not a vast perfect paradise, and bureaucrats will always do what benefits bureaucrats, but China is obviously going to dominate the next historical phase, and maybe 'til the end of humanity. Since the West is committing suicide, the rise of China is, in terms of the human species, the best thing that could happen.
What are your impressions about how diverse Chinese people treat animals, pets, plants, swamps, bugs?