Very well said and poignant for me to hear this morning. Not sharing what we know to be true does harm to ourselves as well as self-suppression/self-censorship is ultimately a result of the demoralization campaign that the disembodied voices of "authority" impose on a daily basis. While the emperor has no clothes and the wizard behind the curtain is a feeble phony, I have come to terms with picking my spots and trying not to have expectations in terms of reaching people because individuals truly have to be primed and ready to hear what they've spent decades blocking out or never noticing. It's a continual learning curve for all of us. Thank you for your words.
I couldn't agree with you more. It is overwhelming for people to "wake up". we can be there for them when they do, but it's a soul's choice. god bless.
Spot on. It is a betrayal I lack words for: to see others crushed, shrug and walk away. Oddly, they are the ones who know you. Sometimes they know you the longest. Sometimes they even cheer behind your back. Other times they one-up you. Compliance is not compassion, and it never will be
Occasionally I come across a post here on substack that grabs me. Yours is the one that grabbed me this morning. When the song and the lyrics The Sound of Silence came to the airways in 1964 I was a teenager with a small transistor radio. Like so many of the songs written in that era of cultural upheaval, this song made its mark. What you point to with your words here, for me at least, and given the times we are in, is a poem written in 1953, by William Stafford. His words are no less a clarion call to us as is Paul Simons lyrics. I share it here. Thanks for all you do in the world.
If you don't know the kind of person I am
and I don't know the kind of person you are
a pattern that others made may prevail in the world
and following the wrong god home we may miss our star.
For there is many a small betrayal in the mind,
a shrug that lets the fragile sequence break
sending with shouts the horrible errors of childhood
storming out to play through the broken dike.
And as elephants parade holding each elephant's tail,
but if one wanders the circus won't find the park,
I call it cruel and maybe the root of all cruelty
to know what occurs but not recognize the fact.
And so I appeal to a voice, to something shadowy,
a remote important region in all who talk:
though we could fool each other, we should consider—
lest the parade of our mutual life get lost in the dark.
For it is important that awake people be awake,
or a breaking line may discourage them back to sleep;
An economy running on Bitcoin would be like a body running on these ugly clot shots, Efrat. People and cultures are different. I think you can't expect from others what you chose for yourself. Also many people simply can't afford to speak out. Those who do speak out, often remain Paul Simon's "Boxer" in the end. And those who – from a material viewpoint – could do so easily are very well "educated" to be "brav" (which is German for brave and means the exact opposite ;-) That's why they are where they are and the others are not. So the Emperor can keep his "clothes" on.
If only you knew what you're talking about... this opening sentence is so wrong... "An economy running on Bitcoin would be like a body running on these ugly clot shots, Efrat."
you're always welcome to educate yourself, i'm happy to offer resources. not arguments.
and to be honest I didn't really understand the rest. except for the last sentence - we agree... which we don't :) not on the first statement anyway.
You are correct and we all need to be braver. Thanks
Thank you Sandra
Very well said and poignant for me to hear this morning. Not sharing what we know to be true does harm to ourselves as well as self-suppression/self-censorship is ultimately a result of the demoralization campaign that the disembodied voices of "authority" impose on a daily basis. While the emperor has no clothes and the wizard behind the curtain is a feeble phony, I have come to terms with picking my spots and trying not to have expectations in terms of reaching people because individuals truly have to be primed and ready to hear what they've spent decades blocking out or never noticing. It's a continual learning curve for all of us. Thank you for your words.
I couldn't agree with you more. It is overwhelming for people to "wake up". we can be there for them when they do, but it's a soul's choice. god bless.
Sang that song in youth choir at the age of 7 for the winter school performance.
I'm almost certain that grandma came and thought I was simply amazing.
LOL
Spot on. It is a betrayal I lack words for: to see others crushed, shrug and walk away. Oddly, they are the ones who know you. Sometimes they know you the longest. Sometimes they even cheer behind your back. Other times they one-up you. Compliance is not compassion, and it never will be
Occasionally I come across a post here on substack that grabs me. Yours is the one that grabbed me this morning. When the song and the lyrics The Sound of Silence came to the airways in 1964 I was a teenager with a small transistor radio. Like so many of the songs written in that era of cultural upheaval, this song made its mark. What you point to with your words here, for me at least, and given the times we are in, is a poem written in 1953, by William Stafford. His words are no less a clarion call to us as is Paul Simons lyrics. I share it here. Thanks for all you do in the world.
If you don't know the kind of person I am
and I don't know the kind of person you are
a pattern that others made may prevail in the world
and following the wrong god home we may miss our star.
For there is many a small betrayal in the mind,
a shrug that lets the fragile sequence break
sending with shouts the horrible errors of childhood
storming out to play through the broken dike.
And as elephants parade holding each elephant's tail,
but if one wanders the circus won't find the park,
I call it cruel and maybe the root of all cruelty
to know what occurs but not recognize the fact.
And so I appeal to a voice, to something shadowy,
a remote important region in all who talk:
though we could fool each other, we should consider—
lest the parade of our mutual life get lost in the dark.
For it is important that awake people be awake,
or a breaking line may discourage them back to sleep;
the signals we give — yes or no, or maybe —
should be clear: the darkness around us is deep.
William Stafford
Beautiful song, Ronin. thank you so much for sharing it and for taking a moment to ponder together on the state of our world.
Sadly, the band Simon and Garfunkel broke up just 6 years (1970) after the stunning hit "Sound Of Silence".
Now in their 80's, they've decided to "break the silence" and reconvene a friendship.
Sometimes, I guess, that's what it takes.
An economy running on Bitcoin would be like a body running on these ugly clot shots, Efrat. People and cultures are different. I think you can't expect from others what you chose for yourself. Also many people simply can't afford to speak out. Those who do speak out, often remain Paul Simon's "Boxer" in the end. And those who – from a material viewpoint – could do so easily are very well "educated" to be "brav" (which is German for brave and means the exact opposite ;-) That's why they are where they are and the others are not. So the Emperor can keep his "clothes" on.
Btw: I agree.
If only you knew what you're talking about... this opening sentence is so wrong... "An economy running on Bitcoin would be like a body running on these ugly clot shots, Efrat."
you're always welcome to educate yourself, i'm happy to offer resources. not arguments.
and to be honest I didn't really understand the rest. except for the last sentence - we agree... which we don't :) not on the first statement anyway.
So “the truth” may be a question of understanding firstly. I agree again.