Friday, May 19, 2006

Cleaning house.

I was reading Bush is Certifiable last eve over on Information Clearing House. It's author, Paul Levy, who calls himself "healer...a spiritual and political activist," is into quoting Jung a lot. I've always enjoyed Jung because, as we all know...

fairy tales can come true
it can happen to you
if you're Jung at heart


Okay, sorry, it's just that it's early in the day and my mood is still playful from a good night's rest. But I digress.

Anyway, a couple of quotes from Levy's Bush is Certifiable to give you some flavor of its tenor:

"Though describing Hitler, Jung just as easily could have been describing Bush when he said that he had a 'conceit that bordered on madness, a very mediocre intelligence combined with the hysteric’s cunning and the power fantasies of an adolescent.' Bush is acting out the adolescent fantasies of a war of good versus evil with our living sons and daughters as his toy soldiers...

"Being inflated, Bush doesn’t relate to other human beings as being autonomous or independent, but as pawns to serve his own narcissistic blindness and masturbatory fantasies."


But what I really took away from Levy's treatise was Bush, as our agent on the global stage, is merely a reflection of what we, as a nation, have become.

Well, I recognize this blog as a repository for my revulsions at our nation as it manifests itself with increasing darkness and evil, but it's the same darkness and evil it purports to be challenging globally with every shard our leadership manages to chip from our Bill of Rights. And I'm aware that my daily rants here are little more than releasing steam to avoid an explosion.

But I've also suspected that does little towards solving our problem. Certainly the bile spewed here isn't healthy on a personal level. And that's kind of what I took from Levy's article. That in some perverse Jungian way, in fighting off my own darkside demons, I'm only enabling Bush to expropriate 'em, adding to his growing shadow-self of delusionary powers.

Certainly, if healing is to begin, one should probably begin at home, by getting healthier. Wow, who knows? It's so New Agey, but what if we all got out of this Bush funk we seem to operate under every day, week in, week out, month after month for the past five plus years? Maybe as healthier individuals, our communities would become healthier, and the wimpy penishead president's power (<--see, this isn't going to be easy!) will shrivel to impotence, crushing him under the weight of his own delusions?

Or maybe not. But at least a kinder me would manifest a healthier me and that may be the single most significant thing I can do to help us as a nation out of our malignant malaise.

I guess this thinking was inspired by a venture over to John Farr's FarrFeed site this morning Writing in "I Just Don't Get it Anymore," Farr says:

"I just turned on the little 13-inch Sony and watched 20 minutes of the Comedy Channel, namely the last half of the Daily Show and the first ten minutes of the Colbert Report, and none of it was funny in the least. These are hot items, these shows, right? What the hell is going on here? [rhetorical question]"

Farr explains how in our culture, without TV, America seems to have no culture. And as I read of some of the things he can see sans the boob tube, things like animals, "rainclouds, trees, and mountains" I sat in envy.

So, desirous of regaining the ability to see these things again, it is my hope to become a kinder, gentler blog. I'm sure it won't happen overnight, but if I consciously work at it, maybe in time I'll become healthier of mind and, in some minute way, the nation will too.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Many thoughtful observations in your post today, Dada. You want to become a kinder, gentler human & blog? well, you've never seemed unkind, but is it possible to be gentle when dealing with daily evil? I mean being gentle with that seems about the same to me as bush's altered view of reality. Life is messy, but real. unless ... you plan on not dealing with it at all? just concentrating on other parts of life, the nicer, more natural parts that feed your soul? ok, I can see that. There's only so much time to deal with it all, and Time is such a valuable resource precisely because it can only be used once. It cannot really be borrowed or saved, can it?

I followed your Farr link & was also impressed with his ability to see real natural life without the ever-present TV corruption (note to maineiac, you especially would appreciate Mr. Farr's rejection of current pop culture). As a long-time lover of hiking off-beat trails, I can definitely relate to those unique experiences only encountered when completely surrounded by nature. It seems that everything on earth works better the farther it is from daily human contact.

As far as Bush representing a jungean personality type, well, he does make ME want to scream, so ok I buy that. But I see him more freudian (blame mama, his daddy's just a cigar). Perhaps that explains his desire to spread "freudom" (sorry, advance apology in order, if that won't label me as passive agressive).

and re: if we all work on making our own minds healthier, it really will make a difference ... damn, now that's hard work! do you think it could be postponed until after November? D.K.

enigma4ever said...

Okay I am kerflemped, and boggled, "Kinder,gentler blog????" surely you are not serious ??? I mean Geesus High on Wonderbread- that is NOT what I need?!- I mean Jung was not about lobotomies right ? there is Nothing Kind or Gentle about What we living through...we love your honesty and warmth and your humor...and your fresh perspective...I mean we have leadership that must be drugged or demented- and certainly certifiable and deserving of a straight jacket or 2....so please don't go kind on us- I would have then come here daily and have my tourette fits all alone ?

( ooops I see Dk eloquently said it better- should have read before I ranted...)

Anonymous said...

oh, I don't think dada's prone to losing his groove (at least not for very long) nor does he seem to be ready to switch horses in the middle of the stream...and I trust that enigma will be leading the charge (and filling the foul language jar) should there be evidence of such a new direction here...I think you're on to something, dada, the seeds of which were planted with your "encounter with the guy in the supermarket" post some months ago...

enigma, I checked out tina's blog on your recommendation last night and was struck by her latest entry, which reminded me of nothing so much as My Lai and "Apocalypse Now"...the current gov't has obviously forgotten everything about Vietnam, with the exception of "don't reinstitute the draft", so it's the job of those who DO remember to raise the consciousness again and demonstrate that we haven't all died off or gotten fat, dumb and happy in retirement while a whole new generation of killers was being raised...

Anonymous said...

maineiac, I've been watching Murtha talk about that very issue this week. You are so right, shades of My Lai & all that mental fallout all over agin! Another good point Murtha made related to the increasing isolation of each generation of war vets ... returning Vietnam vets took out their anger & violence against their wives & families, whereas today there is much increased suicide among those returning from iraq. Gaah! What a perfect killing machine we've created. First we train them to kill our enemies, then they so selflessly kill themselves thereby saving society from having to subsidize all those costly health problems, mental & physical. The Bush Plan for deficit reduction in action: no VA $$$ required in his budget! (sorry dada, for straying from your effort to disassociate yourself from antagonizing thoughts). D.K.

Dada said...

DK...thanks for the "kind" remark. And, "no", to answer your question, "it isn't possible to be gentle when dealing with assholemutherfuckinscum such as those inhabiting our executive branch and much of our congress." Your point is well taken.

But I'm beginning to ponder, is my mental health subservient to sick bastards? And therein lies the conundrum, because the answer to that is "No!".....and "Yes!"

So, please, please, disregard my next couple of blogs as indicative of my failed aspiration to achieve a higher standard. I've discovered it's really easy to be snarky (and truthfully, there's a certain pleasure I take in being thus). But the higher road takes more effort. Mostly because one has to gain elevation to take it. And I'm not sure I'm up to the effort. But I'll try to infuse a little more of such high aspirations, hopefully, in the near future. If successful, please bear with me in my 'mellower moments', because I love this small collection of like minds and would hate to risk losing 'em for some flippin', unattainable higher mindedness. Or is it? (grin)

Anonymous said...

hey, don't get me wrong, I like seeing dada attain that higher standard that takes more effort. But a small observation that you seem unaware of: you already have achieved that in so many of your blogs! I love mellow moments ... especially when followed by less lofty, but oh-so-colorful reality checks (as in your non-gentle description of our exec branch) !
It's your blog; experiment, risk, dare, go where your mind tells you to. You know you'll get feedback! Enigma already has the foul jar ready to catch outbreaks of tourettes. Trust us! D.K.

Dada said...

e4e: As I sat down here to respond to the most kind comments of the commenters herein, I'd intended to do so in one sitting, but in the unexpected event I didn't make it, I tried to leave a hint that I wasn't quite dead yet by making a contribution to your "foul jar" in my response to DK's comment, enigma.

And, sure enough, I got distracted by dinner before finishing these up. So...not to worry quite yet. BTW, I loved your tourette's comment. God forbid you should have to rant those alone! So anytime you feel like howling a few obscenities in response to these 'obscene bastards' go ahead. I (and likely some of the others) will join with you.

Going 'over the edge' is what keeps us from going over the edge!

Dada said...

maineiac: You know, I've been pondering your "guy you met in the supermarket" all day long. Trying to remember. It wasn't until just now it hit me--the reference! Of course, the guy in the supermarket! BTW, that still haunts me because it was a stranger's comment made in the interim between the blood letting and the PSA results. (normal, whew) But I rolled so many things over in my head as a result of that encounter. And, on occasion, I still do.

Your reminder of that moment now gives me pause...to further contemplate the gentler path I was contemplating. Thanks.

Okay, new topic. Over at FarrsFeed this morn, I was pleased to see you'd enjoyed his blog Maineiac. If I can find it, I'll send you the first thing I ever read by him that made me a fan; that made me try to find him during a trip to Taos, because what he said I know to be soooo true! As previously noted, I'm now glad I failed lest he get a restraining order against a stalker.)

But thinking about his writing, your comment, then reflecting on your writing and the similarities you two seem to enjoy....well, I appreciate you went by over there.

BTW, wondering if you read his blog today...and the link he referred us to? I was so into quantum physics some years back when I was into reading more.

Anyway, I was anxiously awaiting comments from others all day. But none came. I so want to believe.

Anonymous said...

Hello Dada,

First, I hope your adorable pooch is OK, or getting better...

I came here via FarrFeed which I think I linked to from Digby... I had happened to read the Bush-is- Certifiable article a little while ago...

I agree that Levy raises a very important idea - that there's no real change to be had by pointing the finger "out there."
-- Although I do my fair share of ranting about Bush... I do sometimes feel that in indulging myself I'm no better than the wingers themselves who feel all their troubles are because of the terrorists/Iraqis/Iranians/liberals/enemy-du-jour...

I'm so glad to see that some Americans see through Bush, though...

Dena
Toronto

Dada said...

Dena: Thanks for dropping by because I have some further thanks to extend you. But first, a brief mention of the dogger.

Pony's doing much better (but not really). Reason? She's spending this weekend (until Tuesday) in a valium induced haze. She's being weaned off her medication in order to start a more specific one (now that we've seen her x-rays). Thanks thinking of her.

Now, the reason I wanted to thank you again: As I returned to John Farr's to post the link to Levy's Bush article, I was going to post a direct link to that article only. But you had posted a link to Levy's entire website and for that I thank you.

Because from that Farr went and read another of Levy's creations, "As viewed, so appears" which got me to reading it as well. It's all part of the big ol' web being woven, isn't it. Anyway, thanks a bunch.

Oh, and while at it, one more thanks I suppose. (Nothing like overkill!) Thanks for an "outsider's" view of our glorious president and leader of the entire free world.