Paul White - Sounds from the Skylight (Side B)

This is the second part of White's excellent new album, which he's been kind enough to offer for free.

Same deal as Side A. You gotta give them an email address, but it's more than worth it.

Have a listen:



DOWNLOAD

http://www.myspace.com/paulmw

The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra

Is the a priori nature of mysticism incompatible with inductive reasoning?

Can there be reconciliation between metaphysics and rationality?

Or, practically speaking, why can't we incorporate wisdom from our ancestors with our scientific discoveries for a better understanding of our world?

As a recovering materialist, I find myself drawn to these kinds of queries and subsequently seeking out books that explore them.

The Tao of Physics was published over 30 years ago. And though countless books examining the overlay between science and mysticism have been written since, it remains as clear and compelling an analysis as you’re likely to find.

As a physicist interested in mysticism, I find Capra’s angle infinitely more satisfying than the glut of mystics trying to explain physics. Being a scientist, his organization is logical and his approach, which takes the form of a comparison, effective.

He divides his treatise into three sections, flavoring each liberally with quotes from luminary physicists and ancient spiritual masters alike.

The first, titled The Way of Physics, gives us a breakdown (in layman’s terms) of the discoveries of 20^th century physics (namely Relativity Theory and Quantum Mechanics) and sets up the terms for his comparison.

When attempting such a comparison, a problem emerges almost immediately; how does one find a common denominator for the objectively demonstrable nature of science (measurement, mathematics, etc.) and subjectively experiential nature of mysticism? Mysticism, after all, does not easily lend itself to a second hand account via language.

Taking a page straight from Wittgenstein, Capra surmises that language itself is an obstacle in this sort of pursuit. So rather than trying to bridge the gulf directly, he shifts gears. In the second section, The Way of Eastern Mysticism he explains in very general terms some core tenets of Buddhism, Taoism and Hinduism.

We get the Four Noble Truths and the root of suffering from the Buddhism chapter; the eternally dynamic nature of reality from the Taoism chapter and the timeless unity of creation (Brahman) from the chapter on Hinduism.

Illusion, impermanence and underlying oneness are perennial themes in Eastern thought. And part three, The Parallels, is about looking more in depth at the findings of the “new physics” and interpreting them in a manner consistent with these themes.

The standard Newtonian view of the physics, we are told, traces its lineage back to ancient Greece; Euclidean geometry and the Atomists.

Euclid’s teachings held up to the rigors of science for hundreds of years until being annihilated by, first Einstein’s Special and General Relativity Theories which proved that standard geometry and linear time are constructs of our perception and then by quantum mechanics which turned our understanding of matter on its ear.

As opposed to the Atomists, who believed that matter at its basic essence consists of fundamental units, the quantum view holds that rather than discreet particles, the underlying nature of matter must be understood as a series of inter-related events in which particles are continuously engaging (thus rendering any attempt to isolate and analyze a particle from its greater whole is misguided and ultimately futile).

Capra’s book is philosophical in nature, but rather than asserting a position, he wants us only to consider its plausibility (that he uses the word parallel is instructive). His only real claim is the premise is that, both science and mysticism point to an underlying reality very different from the world of our experience.

It was hardly even new territory – Heisenberg and Bohr drew similar kinds of philosophical conclusions (read: Physics and Philosophy, Copenhagen Interpretation, etc.) – and yet this book continues to be controversial.

The vitriolic rebuke Capra's received from some in the scientific community, for this relatively mild conclusion, is telling. It seems there are those comfortable with bringing philosophy into the fray to fill in gaps and those utterly and violently opposed.

The ideological sensitivity of some materialists is fascinating to me. That their minds can snap shut so quickly at any perceived challenge to cherished belief while they simultaneously trumpet the virtues of rationality, can be almost comical.

Science may be an objectively bias free tool, but that doesn’t guarantee that those who wield it are free from bias and subjectivity.

If you like to think of science and spirituality as chocolate and peanut butter (two great things that are even better together) rather than say, oil and water, then check this out.

Wittgenstein’s Poker by David Edmonds and John Edinow

On October 25, 1946 the Mohamed Ali and Joe Frazier of 20^th century Western intellectualism clashed in Cambridge over the nature of philosophy in a heated exchange that has become the stuff of legend.

The setting: The Moral Science Club, a weekly philosophical gathering of faculty and students held in the H3 room of Kings Campus.

In the red corner was guest lecturer Karl Popper, father of critical rationalism and chief architect of the philosophy of science. And in the blue corner, Philosophy Department Chair Ludwig Wittgenstein - eccentric genius, mystic and logician who revolutionized our understanding of how language relates to reality (even going so far as to claim that there are no philosophical problems, only linguistic puzzles).

A man of almost over-powering intellect whose intensity was at times disquieting, Professor Wittgenstein had a habit of dominating the discourse at H3 and regularly overshadowed the featured guests. On that particular week, Karl Popper, who was somewhat of an intellectual bully himself, had been invited to lecture on a paper he’d written entitled “Are there Philosophical Problems?”

Accounts from those present of what actually transpired differ. What is a agreed upon is:

• · the intensity of the brief exchange,
• · that Wittgenstein brandished a fire poker while arguing his claims
• · that when asked to give an example of a moral rule Popper said “not to threaten visiting lecturers with pokers.”
• · that the encounter ended when Wittgenstein walked out of the room.

According to Unended Quest, Popper’s memoir, it was Wittgenstein who asked for an example of a moral rule and, upon hearing Popper’s quip about threatening guest lecturers angrily left the room.

According to others present, however, the question of moral rules was posed by a student after Wittgenstein had left. ( And, it is well documented that Professor Wittgenstein regularly picked up the fire poker, and often left the discussion abruptly when he tired of what was being discussed.)

The whole encounter lasted a scant 10 minutes, so this book can be thought of as a kind of investigative philosophical journalism that seeks to understand the event within a larger context of the two icon’s differing approaches to philosophy and the state of modern western thought in general, set against the backdrop of ravaged post-war Europe .

Through exhaustive research - interviews, correspondences and diary entries, etc. - the authors essentially construct parallel biographies, which circle back to that autumn night in Cambridge.

In the process we are treated to a particularly rich view of early 20^th century Vienna, where both men were were born and raised - products of a Jewish culture struggling to adapt in the transition from Austria-Hungarian empire to Nazi fascism.

Popper’s upbringing, though solidly middle class, was fraught with difficulty and he always viewed himself as the intellectual outsider, even after his rise to pre-eminence at the time of the Cambridge encounter.

Wittgenstein was the son of one of the richest men in Europe. His intellectual aura was said to be “incandescent” and he seemed to succeed breathtakingly in everything he tried his hand at. As an engineer, he patented a functioning prototype of a jet engine. As a volunteer soldier fighting on the front lines of World War I he was decorated several times. As a young man in his 20s he wrote what would become one of the century’s most important philosophical works Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (he was already a star by the age of 30). He even designed and built a house for his sister at one point. After returning from the war and having solved the puzzle of philosophy, he rejected his aristocratic pedigree, opting for the life of an ascetic. He retreated to the countryside and lived as a school teacher for years until he was coaxed back to philosophy by Moritz Schlick.

Betrand Russell was there as well that evening playing the role of moderator. Edmonds and Eidinow devote an entire chapter to Russell (The Thrid Man) and his connection to both men – concluding that the encounter probably would not have taken place if not for the famous logician. Russell was instrumental in both Wittgenstein and Popper arriving in England. A 22-year-old Wittgenstein, who had become enthralled in the philosophy of mathematics, sought the aging Russell out as a mentor. And Russell felt he had found his intellectual heir in Wittgenstein. But, in short time, the roles of teacher and student reversed. “Wittgenstein makes me feel it is worth while that I should exist, because no one else could understand him or make the world understand him,” Russel wrote. His relation to Popper on the other hand was tangential , but Russel did recommend him for a job at Canterbury University College in New Zealand, when Popper was desperately trying to flee Nazi Austria.

So, did Popper lie in his autobiographical account of that night? It was the firestorm of controversy after the publication of Unended Quest that ultimately resulted in Wittgenstein's Poker.

Again the authors explore the context for possible answers. Being Viennese, Popper certainly knew all about the famous Wittgenstein family long before Ludwig’s rise to prominence. Furthermore, Popper’s adopted outsider-status was in part due to his perceived exclusion of the Vienna Circle which claimed The Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus as its bible and Wittgenstein its patron saint. This fueled Popper's crusade against the Logical Positivism movement, which he would ultimately vanquish (in his opinion at least). What all this amounts to the authors seem to imply, is that Popper arrived at H3 with something to prove.

Wittgenstein by contrast, had apparently never heard of Popper prior to the confrontation, and according to exerts from his diary, had more pressing concerns on his mind that evening. So the answer, it seems, is that in Popper’s recollection this was a defining moment – the culmination of a lifetime’s struggle against an illusive adversary in which he’d emerged triumphant. For Wittgenstein, it was just another Moral Science session, albeit one flawed by some unusually stubborn upstart who refused to back down.

Regardless, the book provides a nice window into 20th western thought and is accessible even to those not philosophically inclined.

http://www.amazon.com/Wittgensteins-Poker

The Sadness of Sex by Barry Yourgrau

I use to volunteer at the bookstore in the main branch of the San Francisco public library. Doing so afforded me first crack at the donated books when they arrived. Upon discovering this one, I was immediately intrigued by the title. After purchasing it for a dollar I promptly misplaced it until a just a few weeks ago when I came across it while cleaning.

The Sadness of Sex is collection of what I suppose could be called short stories- well that’s what Yourgrau calls them anyway. Narratives, essays or even poetry would seem to me like better choices in describing his work. Thematically, as one might expect, the thrust of this volume is about human emotions and relations and sexuality. But, Yourgrau plumbs the more primal, quirky and generally esoteric aspects of love, where the heartwarming meets the ridiculous and the macabre. The approach serves him well as this is actually much more fertile ground than the purely romantic or tragic which have been so exhausted as to become almost tired cliché. In a sense, the feeling many of these pieces exude is truer to the actual experience- something ubiquitous yet strange; at once felt by all yet beyond our common everyday language.

Riddled with dream-like surrealism and often lacking discrete beginnings or ends these loosely assembled works are full of enigmatic symbolism. Much of which can be only tangentially grasped by the rationally conscious mind- that is, partially decoded, but rarely fully understood. At the deeper, emotive, sub-conscious stratum, however, they ring home with a stunningly urgent clarity that often leaps from the pages. Awash with bizarre, poignant, amusing, and frequently absurd imagery; this volume makes for a highly enjoyable if, at times, bewildering read. Shape-shifting horses, A naked women who eats rabbits alive, a hospital “for victims of love,” the romancing of cannibals, and young boys catching and murdering the moon- Lord of the Flies-style; are but a few of the dynamic and insanely memorable images Yourgrau coaxes from his(our) subconscious.

The book is divided into several general sections that are named for specific pieces, each with slightly varying general themes. The portion entitled Snowfall might be my favorite. Though certainly not one of the more “out there” sections of the book, the pieces, which are about love lost, are sentimental and strangely comforting. The prose is beautiful and there is a familiar almost meditative quality to them.

Finally having had a chance to peruse it I can say that Yourgrau writes with an utterly unique voice and it’s been a pleasure finally being able to read him.

Forbidden Faith: The Sectet History of Gnosticism by Richard Smoley

I had been curious about Gnosis for a minute- mostly because I kept encountering references to it in my reading. I knew fuck all about it, except that it comes from the Greek word for knowledge. So when I was browsing through the book store down the street and came across this for a mere $5.00, it seemed the universe was telling me something. After taking the cue I dove into a comprehensive and thoroughly satisfying book.

First we are given a brief explanation of the function of religion, which is two fold:

• to bring man in contact with the absolute
• and possibly even more importantly, to act as an adhesive holding society together
  

With this established, he contrasts the mystic’s direct experience of the divine with second hand institutionalised orthodoxy . Those with direct spiritual access possess an inner resource and are generally autonomous. (Naturally they are seen by the church as a threat, and in times where the church wielded significant secular power were persecuted as such.) He sights an interesting recurring pattern in which a charismatic spiritual master will appear and through his teachings accrue disciples. After the master passes, the disciples will carry on the teachings. As time passes, the teachings become canonized and an institution is constructed to convey them second hand. This, Smoley says is how religions are formed.

Obviously, the most famous example of this in the Western world is Jesus of Nazareth. So it is there that we set out from. After a brief mention of the Gospels of Thomas, Smoley introduces us to the most prominent of the early Gnostic masters. Simon Magus, considered by the church to be the father of all heresy, heads the lot followed by Marcion, Valentinus and Basilides. From here, the roots of esoteric tradition are traced back to Plato and beyond to ancient India and Egypt. Consistently and often brutally persecuted by the emerging Papacy, Gnosticm was forced underground by 400 AD. There is no direct lineage after this, although the traditions and practices have been incorporated into countless sects, throughout the centuries. Consequently, the book jumps around quite a bit.

After the disappearance of the original masters, Christianity would, by a peculiar twist of fate, become “inoculated” with Gnosticism. This was due mainly to the teachings of influential theologins Clement and Origen who both rejected Gnosticism yet ironically embraced Gnosis. Manichaeism, is briefly discussed, for Mani’s belief that the physical world was a depraved illusion is a recurrent theme in the Gnostic tradition. And his dualistic doctrine of light and dark would influence orthodox Christianity immensely. The rise and fall of the Cathars, known as the Great Heresy is retold in the context of it’s gruesome fate at the hands of inquisitors. The Celtic tradition and Dionysus are also mentioned. The dark ages failed to engulf Ireland, resulting in a strain of Christianity that was cross-pollinated with more classical ideas and exotic practices.

The smashing of the Papacy’s iron grip over Western Civilization led to the the Renaissance, to a rediscovering of the Greek Classics, and a new flowering of esotericism. With it came Marcilio Ficino’s translation of the Corpus Hermeticus. Ficino’s pupil Giovanni Pico della Mirandola along with the German scholar Johannes Reuchlin translated the Jewish Kabbalah essentially introducing it's mystic practices to Western Europe. This period also witnessed the rise of prominent magi- most notably John Dee and Giordano Bruno who’s belief in ancient Egyptian Hermeticism would eventually cost him his life.

One of the most facinating parts of the entire book is the chapter on the secret society of Rosicrucianism and it’s catalyzing of Free Masonry. This hazy sequence of events has obviously been a point of intense interest. Having provided fodder for conspiracy theorists for nearly 300 years, the notorious Bavarian Illuminati's enduring legacy is a testament to their mystique if not their actual influence.

The last portion is dedicated to the reviving of Gnosticism in mainstream Western society. The timely publishing of books like Isis Unveiled by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky provided a spark for this movement, but it was the discovery of the Nag Hammadi Texts and The Gospels of Thomas that would blow it wide open and profoundely affect contemporary literature. Blake, Philip k Dick, the Da Vinci Code and Helen Schuman Course in Miracles all owe a dept to Gnostic tradition. In the final chapter entitled The Future of Gnosticism, we finally get some editorializing from Smoley. It's a beautifully written passage; a perfect way to round out the robust recounting of such a richly steeped history.

I would recommend this as a primer to anyone interested in esoteric Western religion. Or for those who are already familiar but interested in it’s influence over the course of Western civilization. At just over 200 pages this relatively brief volume packs quite a bit of information.

The Bush Tragedy by Jacob Weisberg

I believe that this may eventually be considered a really important book. Possibly even essential reading for those trying to make sense of the madness that gripped this country at the dawn of the millennium.

Contrary to what partisans may claim, there is no real ideological slant here; this is neither apologist nor blatant hit piece. (The fact that it has been labeled both speaks volumes of the bitter rancor on display in our very much divided union.) No, Weisberg has approached this book like an actual investigative reporter- seeking to understand rather than to validate.

His analysis is shaped by an analogy of Bush to Prince Hal as depicted in Shakespeare’s Henry the IV parts 1&2 and Henry V, hence the “tragedy”. This literary framework, however, isn’t critical to understanding, but rather a clever intellectual exercise that no doubt adds an extra dimension to those familiar with the plays. (I myself am not and I still think it’s one of most satisfying works of non-fiction I read last year.)

Weisberg begins by delving back through several generations of Bush lineage and contrasting two opposing branches of his fathers side of the tree- the Bushes and the Walkers. The Bushes are old school New England Republicans; nuanced, cultured, pragmatic politicians- the embodiment of old money. The Walkers on the other hand are tacky, boorish and arrogant; folks who see money and status as an end in and of itself rather than a means. Weisberg uses this information to set up the central conflict of this narrative, that between the careful calculating of Bush the former and the classic Walker “put-it-all- on-red” approach of Bush the latter. The picture that emerges is that of a son who never felt he fit with his own family. A Fredo of sorts who could never live up to the expectations of his father. This pattern would dog Bush right up to the start of his political career in the late 80’s. His experience at Yale is a prime example: lacking the networking sociability of his father, he floundered at a time when achievement had come to eclipse legacy. The deep resentments garnered here would, of course, shape his virulent anti-intellectualism. Once in the Oval Office his need to differentiate himself from his famous lineage would define his tenure. Determined not to make the mistakes of his father, who’s cautious compromising W believed had cost the election, the younger Bush would be easily sold on the quixotic fantasy of bringing Democracy to the world by force.

One of the most informative parts of this book is the description of Bush’s relationship with God (obviously this was crucial in winning both elections, but especially in 2004). An alcoholic faced with the certain loss of his wife, he found Jesus and kicked booze. We are told that, though Bushes faith is genuine, his practice is self-serving; “self help Methodist” Weisberg terms it. Being quite consistent with the 43^rd presidents behavior, this “insight” should be fairly obvious to anyone who’s been paying attention. This chapter is actually very striking to me because of my knowledge of addiction e.g. it smacks of the glaring difference between aligning one’s will with a higher power and the invocation of said higher power as a justification for ones actions.

There’s lots of good stuff in here about the people the former president surrounded himself with as well. Weisburg characterizes his administration as an “adopted family”, and as such Bush consistently prized loyalty above competence. And as It just so turns out *gasp* many of them had ulterior agendas. Thus, our march to Iraq involved a perfect storm of circumstances; various powerful entities with myriad interests in the region; a president with something to prove who easily bought the fanciful idea of spreading (world) democracy via invasion of a sovereign nation (which was supposed to create a domino affect); a congress that cared more about their ambitions than their principles; a press that cared more about sensationalism and profit than it did the truth and of course the awful catalyst of 9/11.

Actually I came away with some new found empathy for our 43rd president. Granted he was unbelievably under qualified for the presidency (it would be comical if the consequences hadn’t been so tragic), but he was just doing the best he could with what he knew. Rumsfeld, Rove and Cheney et al. are quite another story; they were fully aware that a president like this only comes along once in a great while. They saw their opportunity to advance their personal interests and they exploited it, leaving the Bush name forever on the hook for this travesty.

Highly recommended for anyone still scratching their head about just how the hell we got from New York to Baghdad and how a C student who failed three businesses was ever in a position to lead us there.

A Guide for the Perplexed by E.F. Shumacher

Published posthumously, this is the final statement of a great man. Schumacher considered this his most important book, the culmination of his life’s work. It is essentially an articulation of the philosophical framework upon which Good Work was conceived.

Lucid, eloquent and passionately argued, Schumacher states his case against the strictly physicalist view of reality. “Materialistic Scientism”, as he dubs it, is a view that’s influence has steadily grown since the Enlightenment and has come to dominate Western thought. It’s a view that has reduced everything, life, consciousness, self awareness down to blind processes that can be understood by the physical laws of science.

His refutation takes the form of a series of illustrative parrallel concepts in which Schumacher sketches out what in means to be a self-aware rational being.

Beginning with an explanation of philosophical maps, he points out that in our modern world view, anything remotely related to metaphysics or even outside the realm of objective empiricism has been more or less pushed off the map. Relegated to superstion and held up to ridicule by “science”, the coordinates literally no longer exist.

His next theme is adequateness; we can only see that which we are adequately capable of seeing. He uses the example of a book, something that means different things to a being that can percieve that it’s there, know that it is a book and be capable of understanding the meaning of it’s contents. Ones level of adequacy determining how one will percieve the book. His point being that if all we wish to study is objective inanimate matter, then accordingly the universe will appear dull and inanimate.

From there he explains what he calls the four levels of being:

Mineral = M (inanimate)
Plant = M+ X (life)
Animal = M+X+Y (conscious)
Man = M+X+Y+Z (self-conscious)

He equates these levels to dimensions, arguing that only man, who occupies all 4 can be considered to really exist. Science has yet to account for what exactly X is, to say nothing of Y and Z

Furthermore, he argues, science is wholly unequipped to answer questions like “how should one live life?”. We’ve mistaken a means for an end. And consequently, ethics has been reduced to vulgar selfishness or at best utility. Here a contrast is drawn between what he calls the science of wisdom and the science of manipulation. With the string of success’ science has achieved, we’ve become overly ambitions and arrogant; we’ve thoughtlessly discarded the ancient wisdom of our ancestors. This is an idea he wishes to press into the readers mind again and again.

His chapter on divergent and convergent problems is one of the best in the whole book. Schumacher defines a convergent problem as one in which a universally applicable solution can be found; such as an engineering problem. A divergent problem, however, is one in which there is no clear single solution. Politics and teaching, he says are quintisential examples of this. Schumacher’s view is that problems of this nature must be transcended or as Einstein said: “You can’t solve a problem with the same consciousness that created it.”

Luminous, insightful, almost poetic at times; this impassioned plea is a constant in the swirling turmoil of a world whose advancing technology is out pacing it’s sense of purpose.

It would be difficult to overstate how much this book means to me.

Oh the Glory of it All by Sean Wilsy

Sean Wilsy was a child of privilege who spent his early life in the 1970's:

"eight-hundred feet in the air above San Francisco; in an apartment at the the top of a building at the top of a hill: full of light, full of voices, full of windows, full of water and bridges and hills."

His mother, Pat, was a socialite/newspaper columnist. The queen of San Francisco society, she regularly welcomed activists, musicians, diplomats, movie stars, and everything in between for informal “round table discussions” over which she would preside. His father, Alfred, was a dairy industry tycoon turn real-estate magnate who had more money than God.

His first ten years were idyllic. In fact they were more than idyllic. It was calm before the storm- too good to be true. At the age of ten, having never witnessed so much as an argument between his parents, Wilsy’s father leaves his mother. The bitter lengthy divorce is the talk of San Francisco society. Herb Caen, who loathed Pat, regularly covers the sordid details it in his column.

Several months later Wilsy’s father marries Dede, a family friend who up until that time had been "part my big sister, part mom's little sister, part something else" It seems the something else was Judas. Dede had been having an affair with Wilsy’s father and apparently it was her intentions all along were to usurp the throne as it were.

Just like that, Sean’s world turns into a forced jaunt between hostile camps. His mother, who is clearly histrionic, initially takes the divorce as a death sentence. Spending weeks in her bedroom eating ice cream with the shades drawn, at one point even suggesting to 11 year old Sean that they commit suicide. Eventually she rallies to become an advocate for global peace- leading a pack of children around in the hopes of healing the world (how this would solve the planets ailments is never quite clear. The role of being a mother is almost an afterthought.

Dede’s metamorphosis from confidant to nemesis is astonishingly abrupt. The portrait of her as wickedly scheming stepmother would be cliché, were the reality of it not so resplendent and Wilsy’s recounting so deft. His father, having fallen under the progressive spell of Dede grows colder and colder. After a time, treating Wilsy’s step brothers like sons and Wilsy more like the unwanted child. Naturally, lacking the real example of an adult role model, Sean begins to act out. His father decides to throw money at the problem, as the rich are prone to do.

Thus begins Sean’s boarding school odyssey. Taking up the bulk of the second half of the book, his experiences are equally humorous, humiliating, poignant, and awful. He’s kicked out of at least half a dozen before finally arriving at one in Italy where the teachers actually care about him.

So it is that he must traverse the Atlantic to finally find/accept himself. The last portion of the book finds him in New York City all grown up with a promising writing career. It is here that he is able to make peace with parents who were too narcissistic to ever provide a proper upbringing.

Splaying one's memoir out over 480 pages(!) when only half way through life may seem a bit presumptuous. But when you’re upbringing was as big a train wreck as Wilsy’s and you posses the innate ability to translate it with wit and candor into such deliciously addictive fare, all may be forgiven.

Oh the Glory of it All by Sean Wilsy

Penguin Press 2005

A Right to be Hostile by Aaron McGruder

In the after math of 9/11, Aaron McGruder's weekly syndicated, comic strip Boondocks changed from amusing anomaly- uniquely positioned to critique black culture- into something more. A lone voice of dissent in a fear induced sea of nationalism whipped into a violent fear induced froth. At a time when even white people were scared to speak their minds, Boondocks fearlessly and repeatedly bucked the pervasive "with us or the terrorists" herd mentality (much to the chagrin of his editors I'm sure).



The strip revolves around Huey Freeman, a precocious ten year old who, along with younger brother Riley, is sent away from the city to live with his grandfather in the affluent white suburbs, presumably for the superior schools. And although both Huey and Riley are proverbial fish out of water in their new town, they couldn't be more different from each other. Riley represents the black urban stereotype, obsessed with the glamorized version of street culture as purveyed by BET, (a perennial target of McGruders ire) Huey, on the other hand is a young radical with revolutionary aspirations. A child in the middle of a world that's clearly fucked up and yet, it seems, there exists a tacit agreement on the part of adults not to acknowledge this simple empirically derived truth. So Huey, acting as the voice of reason, drives the plot with his constant need to expose the charade all around him. With acerbic wit and penetrating insight he does just that.

This volume is a compendium of the strip from 1997 - 2003.

Boondocks is now also an animated series airing, where else, but Adult Swim. Catch it Mondays at midnight on the Cartoon Network.



Here's an interview with McGruder that I found.

American Prometheus by Kai Bird & Martin J Sherwin

Normally I’m not all that interested in biographies, but this one is simply compelling. As much an historic account of the first half of the 20^th century as a biography, American Prometheus spans nearly 600 pages and was 25 years(!) in the making. The attention to detail clearly shines through, as the book follows Oppenheimer from his early childhood in New York City to his disgrace at the hands of Atomic Energy Commission Chairman, Lewis Straus. The man that emerges is complex and somewhat contradictory. Brilliant and arrogant; warm and compassionate, and yet strangely remote.

Even as a child, it was obvious to Oppenheimer’s German-Jewish immigrant parents that their son was gifted, and so at the age of twelve he was enrolled in a special private school. Oppie (as he would be affectionately known later) was a frail and socially awkward young man. But by the time he’d earned tenure at UC Berkley in his late twenties he’d managed to right himself socially. His students, David Bohm for instance, adored him to the extent that they even copied some of his mannerisms.

Being a tenured professor during the Great Depression meant that he was, to an extent, insulated from the suffering of those around him. And yet, because Oppie was a socially conscious man, he became somewhat of a communist sympathizer in the 30’s (though he never officially joined the party and had sworn them off well before WW2). This, of course, would have dire consequences later in his life. The early 20^th century was such a fertile time for physics and one of the most fascinating aspects of this book is how luminaries like Dirac, Pauli, Bohr, Lawrence, Born, Heisenberg, Fermi, swirl together through the course of this narrative. It was Ernest Lawrence who made the recommendation for the Manhattan Project.

With the successful detonation of the first atom bomb Oppie was a national celebrity, even appearing on the cover of Time Magazine. But, after the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he became one of the most outspoken critics of nuclear weapons. When it was discovered that Soviets had the capabilities to make the bomb Oppie used his influence to the chagrin of military hawks, to make the case that the deadly technology should be entrusted to scientists world wide as opposed to the leaders of a select few countries- namely the US and the U.S.S.R. In one such infamous lecture, he more or less predicted the cold war, describing the two burgeoning superpowers as “scorpions” trapped in the same jar. Each with the power to destroy the other but at the cost of its own life.

AEC chairman Lewis Strauss was an insecure, vindictive and power-hungry man, he was also a military hawk which placed him in direct opposition to Oppenheimer. Furthermore Oppenheimer had elegantly dismissed him publicly on several occasions, regarding the need to keep nuclear secrets. Strauss was furious and set out to destroy the famous scientist with his considerable means. The time was the 1950’s and McCarthy-ism was in full swing. Strauss used Oppie’s ties to the communist party to have him stripped of his security clearance and thus barred from ever doing anything significant in government. Oppenheimer, who after the trial, was described as a “wounded animal” retreated from the spotlight with his family. He died of lung cancer in his early 60’s.

As perhaps the most high profile casualty of the McCarthy era, the fate of Robert Oppenheimer is a vivid example of the dangers of the "with us or against us" mentality.

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird & Martin J. Sherwin.

Knopf 2005

Reggae: The Rough Guide by Steve Barrow and Peter Dalton

The word “comprehensive” doesn’t even really due this book justice. An encyclopedic account of Jamaica’s rich musical history, Rough Guide encompasses everything from Mento to Dancehall. And in the process the history of this tiny incredibly fertile island (100,000+ records!) emerges. The book moves chronologically, starting in the fifties with the emancipation of Jamaica from Britain documenting the beginnings of Ska and invasion of Rock Steady in the 60’s; the rise of Roots Reggae and Dub in the 70’s and 80’s; as well as the “DJ” toasting and the proliferation of electronic riddims that would eventually coalesce into Dancehall in the 90’s.

Along the way we learn the crucial role the influence of American R & B played in the shaping of Jamaican music. We witness the beginnings of soundclash culture (who’s influence is nearly immeasurable) and the big three; Duke Reid, Coxsonne, and King Edwards. Bob Marley makes his inevitable entrance in the section about Rastafarianism’s influence on reggae. But, it must be noted that equal time is given to his peers; Peter Tosh, Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown, etc.

The phenom of producer/engineer as artist and the rise of dub is recounted in detail with the story of Studio One, King Tubby and Lee Perry. This segues nicely into the age of the DJ. And from here into Dancehall. The last bit of the book is dedicated to reggae’s global influence and even gives a nod to Brittish Ragga-Jungle.

The best thing about this book in my opinion, aside from all the great photos, is that the authors recommend specific songs and albums for all artists mentioned. This becomes invaluable with some of the lesser known, yet equally brilliant artists who have been lost over time, but thanks to the internet can be found once more. So far, I’ve enjoyed everything they’ve steered me toward.

Essential!!! (if you love reggae like I do)

Reggae: The Rough Guide by Steve Barrow and Peter Dalton

Rough Guides LTD; Penguin Books LTD 1997

Super Jail

Super Jail may be the most twisted, effed-up shit Adult Swim (www.adultswim.com) has yet come up with. Which, if you are familiar with The Swim is saying something. It also happens to be my favorite cartoon at the moment.

The action, for the most part, takes place inside Superjail; a massive prison, home to hundreds of thousands of inmates which is situated inside an island volcano. The plot revolves around the perpetual scheming of a maniacally eccentric warden who also happens to own Superjail. Flanked by a big-headed sidekick, a muscle bound m2f transsexual named Alice and Jailbot- a robotic toaster looking prison guard who packs an absurd amount of firepower; the Warden is constantly cooking up sadistic ways to entertain himself at the expense of his prisoners, who without fail meet incredibly gruesome ends.

The animation is reminiscent of 90’s MTV animation a la Liquid Television and Oddities but in an intentional gratuitously violent way. So violent in fact that one is basically anesthetized within a few moments of watching.

But I’ll let you see for yourself.

Sunday nights at 11:45 on Cartoon Network

These Arms Are Snakes w/ Trap Them and The Narrows @ the Bottom of the Hill 12/14

These Arms Are Snakes play I guess what could be annoyingly termed post-hardcore. The sound is dense and muscular; technical but virile; mathy but not too much- algebra rather than calculus. Kinda Similar to Refused.

The band is headed by vocalist Steve Snere, a skinny, tight clothed hipster looking dude (the resemblance to my neighbor is uncanny) with ragged blond hair, bushy mutton chops and a serious mustache. And on stage he is just insane. Channeling Iggy Pop at times- complete with masochism via broken glass- he manically thrashes about like an epileptic marionette. Mumbling nearly incoherent bad jokes between songs with a draw that is part Elvis and part Hunter S Thompson; his vocal style is screamy, yet somewhat musical in an Alice Cooper kind of way; not the unintelligible growl of a typical metal front man. He uses a chaos pad to further freak it out- screaming into the box while applying effects like ring modulation, causing his voice to twist and stutter.




Here is a clip from different show. The sound and image quality are dodgy but you can get an idea of how mental Snere is.



The rest of the band was appropriately awesome! Producer/drummer Chris Common is fucking amazing. And guitarist/keyboardist Ryan Fredriksen is a virtuoso, providing melodic counter point to the onslaught. Serious chops all around.

Opening bands The Narrows and Trap Them were both good, playing fairly middle of the road hardcore that got the crowd primed.

Bizarrely the interim music between bands was 50's and 60's soul. My friend Dalan remarked that it was like pickled ginger- cleansing our sonic palettes after each course for maximum effect.

Thank you Kareem and Dalan for a great night. Cheers!

http://www.myspace.com/thesearmsaresnakes

Relativity Simply Explained by Maritin Gardner

I’m revealing my latent nerdiness here, but this is a really neat little book for anyone that has ever been interested in Einstein i.e. what is it he did that makes me know who he is? And also for anyone who wants to know just what exactly the theories of special and general relativity are, but isn’t mathematically inclined. The great thing about Einstein and the way that his brain worked was he conceived of things in thought experiments. Which are basically hypothetical situations that can easily be pictured in ones head as opposed to complex differential equations that most of us could never understand. As well as explaining the theory in layman speak, each one of these thought experiments has been illustrated for our further convenience.

Relativity is one of the most tested and verified theories in all of physics. And it’s still really hard to wrap ones head around just exactly what it entails. Gravity = Inertia- wait, what?

Read it and you will find out.

Relativity Simply Explained by Martin Gardner
Dover Publications 1997

The Blank Slate by Stephen Pinker

Steven Pinker, renown cognitive scientist and linguist, is clearly a brilliant mind. And with this exhaustive yet highly readable book he means to prove once and for all that human beings as a species poses an innate nature that varies between it’s individual members. This arises from the specific cocktail of genes and mutations that each of us are born with. Admirably, he’s essentially firing a shot across the bow of left-wing academia, who for too long have insisted that man is entirely a product of his environment- i.e a product of society.

The beginning is dedicated to discrediting the concepts of Noble Savage, The Ghost in the Machine, and The Blank Slate. Ideas that have long been held to the detriment of Pinker’s stated case.

With all the thoroughness and aggression of a veteran prosecutor he relentlessly assaults the established “wisdom” of the academic world. Pro-actively confronting the notions that innate differences in individuals would condone things like racism, Nihilism, and Social Darwinism.

The book really gets interesting though in the section titled Hot Button Issues. Here Pinker applies his findings to contentious subjects like; politics, parenting, gender equality, the arts and violence in society. He even gives a disclaimer; something to the extent of, this may ruffle some feathers

I’ve read this thing twice. The first time was about four years ago and I thought it was one of the most brilliant and edifying books I’d yet come across. Since then my world view has changed dramatically and so I decided to give it another reading. It’s amazing how much difference a few years can make. To be sure, this book is comprehensive, logical, and skillfully argued. My main problem this time around is not with the thesis, which is impeccably argued as I said. It’s basically with the smug tone of his flippant dismissal of the doctrine of the Ghost in the Machine.

This is actually a problem with something larger than this book’s subject alone. It’s to do with the materialist or physicalist approach to understanding humankind and our universe. Specifically, the claim that brain equals mind and nothing more. It’s an approach that by necessity takes a very dim view of anything outside the realm of rationalism or empiricism; in effect vulgarly reducing anything metaphysical or spiritual to mere superstition. Basically, the stance that if science can’t prove it, it aint worth bothering with. His apparent need to constantly quote an insufferable prick like Richard Dawkins does little to help his case with me.

The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature by Stephen Pinker
Penguin 2002

The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein

InThe Shock Doctrine Naomi Klein is attempting to re-write the history of globalization, with an alternate account of the last thirty years of American foreign policy (a la Howard Zinn's excellent A Peoples History of the United States). Quite a tall order, and accordingly the book balloons to over 600 pages in the process. The prime target; notorious University of Chicago Professor of Economics, Milton Friedman and his acolytes, known as The Chicago School.

She begins the book introducing Dr. Ewen Cameron, the former president of the World Psychiatric Association. This is done via a harrowing account of one of his former patients. Cameron pioneered a form of therapy called psychic driving, the stated goal of which was to completely break down the patient’s personality and rebuild it from the ground up. This was achieved by a two pronged attack that included destroying the patient’s connection to the world by long periods of sensory deprivation, followed by sensory overload; and erasing the patient’s sense of self, with heavy doses of electroshock therapy caused regression to a child like state. Then positive messages could be played form a tape recorder to rebuild a positive sense of self in the patient.

Not surprisingly, Cameron's work eventually caught the attention of the C.I.A., who began funding him in the 1950’s through Project MKULTRA. And as anyone who’s been paying attention knows, sensory deprivation and overload are standard fare interrogation techniques these days.

The book hinges on Klein's use of the concept of psychic driving as metaphor for the U.S.’s relentless push to spread laissez faire economics, even to those who didn't ask for it. She claims that a shock is needed, be it revolution or natural disaster, to stun the populace so economic reforms can be instituted; also pointing out that the act of torture is intimately related with this process (more as a means of intimidation/coercion than to ascertain information).
She coins the term disaster capitalism to describe this phenomenon.

After introducing the concept of disaster capitalism,she spends the rest of the book identifying its application and results across the world. Beginning in the Western Hemisphere, Klein takes us country by country through South and Central America, starting in Chile. Citing example after example after example to corroborate her premise, it almost becomes gratuitous after a time. And though Klein is definitely writing from an ideological standpoint, fact is; all of these countries had dictators that were receiving council from American economists.

We then move across Eastern Europe (post-USSR) to Asia -the 2004 tsunami and Iraq. And finally right back home with the Bush administration. We learn quite a bit about what many of the people under Bush had been doing in the 90’s. Conveniently enough, most were in the oil, defense, pharmaceutical and security industries. The picture that emerges here is that of a revolving door. Many of these people shaped policy under George H. W. Bush, and then left for cushy jobs at the companies they’d done federal business with. Then once junior was in office, they went back to shaping policy, (i.e. doling out no-bid contracts to companies that had made them rich) and presumably they will use their contacts to go back right back to cushy jobs in January. To be sure, this is nothing new; after leaving government, politicians often lobby for or sit on the boards of companies they used to regulate. The change here is how blatant things became under Bush. For example Rumsfeld refused to sell his stock in defense industries while in office. Again, you can argue with the conclusion that Klein arrives at, but the facts are all there, meticulously documented.

The book ends on a lighter note though. The shock will wear off, it is stated. You can claim that globalization benefits everyone, but if it doesn’t jive with the experiences of everyday life, well, reality can only be denied for so long.

The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by Naomi Klein

Knopf Canada 2007

Nothing I See Means Anything by David Parrish M.D.

Dr. Parrish is a Freudian Psychoanalyst by trade, but his interest in how we develop consciousness has led him into the realms of quantum physics, philosophy and metaphysics. Nothing I See Means Anything is an attempt to join these disparate fields of knowledge together.And the degree with which he achieves this is astonishing in my opinion. Each chapter builds on the last like interlocking parts.

He begins with Freudian Psychoanalysis, his area of expertise, pointing out the role projection plays on our perception of reality.

He then pivots to existential psychology, adding that man is ultimately responsible for the projections that he makes.

After which he spends the next several chapters explaining the basics of quantum theory in layman's terms (no math); including the concepts of entanglement, superposition, and of course the double slit test. In referencing these insights he is piggy-backing on analysis from such luminary physicists as John Wheeler and David Bohm as well as the influential author Ken Wilbur His aim here is to advance the idea that, at the most basic level, we (conscious beings) are active participants in the universe as opposed to passive observers.

Following this, mysticism enters into the discourse. Parrish makes the argument that, what mystics have been saying for millenia, quantum physics has now proven empirically.

The latter part of the book is dedicated almost entirely to the relationship between physics and metaphysics.

Admittedly there is a lot of stuff here that will be very hard to swallow for those without a completely open mind. Stuff about synchronicity, different levels of consciousness, and other subjective things that can not necessarily be verified scientifically. That being said, Parrish’s logic is impeccable even when conjecturing.

If you can make it through it’s 175 odd pages while suspending judgement, you may be pleasantly surprised. I know i was.

This is a truly ambitious endeavor Parrish has undertaken and the result is edifying.

Nothing I See Means Anything by David Parrish M.D.
Sentient Publications 2005

Afro Smurai

In some sort of parallel universe, Japan is at once feudalistic and advanced technologically. Here samurai battle each other with everything from kitanas to RPGs for the right to wear a headband that would signify them as holding the rank of "#2". When in possession of this title, the man becomes marked- for only he with the #2 head band can challenge #1. Once #1 is attained the warrior is essentially untouchable, god-like, unless #2 can track him down and defeat him. This is a classic tale of vengeance. It follows Afro in his quest to avenge the death of his father, who was #1, at the hands of Justice, currently #1.

Adapted from manga comic book into five part mini series, this stellar hybrid of hip-hop and Japanese culture beautifully animated and features the vocal talent of Samuel L. Jackson (Afro) and Ron Perlman (Justice). It's directed by Fuminori Kizaki and the original sound track was produced by the RZA, an obvious choice for a project of this. nature.

How to Survive a Robot Uprising by Daniel H. Wilson

Clever satire or prophetically essential reading? Most likely the author’s intention was a little of each. And although Wilson surely penned it with tongue firmly in cheek, make no mistake, his credentials are anything but laughable. With a Master’s Degree in Data Mining and a P.H.D. from the Carnegie Melon Robotics Institute, Wilson is perfectly positioned to produce a book like this. And boy, does he deliver the goods.

The book is formatted by topic into tiny chapters, each a couple of pages long. Topics include, among other things, such informative gems as; How to Spot a Robot Mimicking a Human, How to Escape a Smart House, How to Enhance Yourself With Cybernetic Implants and How to Notice the First Signs of a Robot Rebellion. Wilson packs an impressive amount of knowledge into this book’s 175 pages. He adroitly mixes logic with common sense, explaining the principles on which artificial intelligence is designed and giving practical information on how to exploit them. All of this makes for a quick and easy read, which may have been the point. You don’t want to be cross-referencing a dictionary sized volume when you’re hunkered down behind the wall trying to figure out what your next move should be.

How to Survive a Robot Uprising: Tips on Defending Yourself Against the Coming Invasion by Daniel H. Wilson

Bloomsbury USA 2005

The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker

Ernest Becker's proposed mission statement in The Denial of Death is a tall order indeed. He essentially sets out to answer the question of "Why?". That is the "why" with regards to the human condition. His work, which won him a posthumous Pulitzer's prize leans heavily on work of Danish proto-existentialist Soren Kierkigaard as well as the luminary Sigmund Freud and his colleague Otto Rank.

The idea is basically that the fear of death, is the root of all of our fears and neurosis. Such is the magnitude of this fear that humans have developed specific mechanisms for rationally and emotionally coping with it's weight. These mechanisms begin developing shortly after birth and are achieved through the use of symbols. Becker claims that their is a fundamental duality of our nature. With man the physical animal (who defecates) on the one side and man the symbolic 'god' (capable of rationality and synthesis) on the other. The symbolic self allows man to embark on the "immortality project" or causa sui which gives ultimate meaning to his life. This can take form in different ways.

For elite thinkers like Freud the path to "immortality" can be achieved through ideas alone. In other words he will be preserved (symbolically speaking) long after death through the brilliance of his theories and by the influence they wield on others. For those of lesser intellect, immortality can be achieved via religion. In fact society itself, Becker claims, is constructed as a means of causa sui, providing roles that individual members can adopt thus becoming part of something larger and less transient.

This book provides a lot of fascinating insight into the human condition, delving deeply into the concepts of psychoanalysis (something I knew little about prior to reading). For instance, mental illness is characterised as the breakdown of causa sui. This dovetails neatly with the idea of society as means of causa sui.

My disagreement with Becker arises with his argument that the true reality of our existence is so awesome that to experience it in it’s actuality would reduce man to a quivering incapacitated mass of flesh. This is actually borrowed from Kierkigaard. Kierkigaard uses this realization as the jumping off point for an intimate relationship with The Creator, grounding all ones actions in the profound purpose of the divine. Becker, however is willing to do no such thing. It's telling that he makes little mention of the work of Carl Jung except in reference to Freud and Rank. He argues that our neurotic denial of death is paradoxically healthy, in fact it’s the best defense man’s capable of mustering against the brutal reality of his own condition. Lost or disregarded in all of this is the Eastern slant; that of the achievement of perfect harmony with nature, living ones life entirely in the moment.

So in the end Becker kind of leaves it hanging.

The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker

Simon & Shuster 1973