FootprintsintheWind.com

It occurred to me that my previous proposal was Swiftian. And then another proposal occurred to me, based upon the notion that Jonathan Swift was not genius to be held up for all to admire; rather he is an example of what humans can do: be humorous, purposeful, pointed. So our literature classes could be a whole lot less lecture and discussion and even reading, and a whole lot more imitation: You have now read two Swift pieces, now try your hand at a half dozen satires of your own. See what you can pick up of the art. See what you can now observe of Swift’s practice of the art. What does he do well? What do you do better? Learn in your fingers as well as your head.

:- Doug.

Our very presence demands of others: to meet us; to allow us to be human; to allow us to have needs and value.

:- Doug.

Here is something telling about our current approach to air traffic safety. The latest plot was people planning to carry liquids which could be made into a bomb; the response was to ban all liquids on flights. We get disrupted and reminded of the terrorists every time we get on a flight—so they have won the attention they desired. The result of their terrorism is—to terrify us. It does not matter if they make a large killing—they have disrupted many more lives with the headlines they have won, and the fear they have injected into our lives.

We are trying to lock down the doors to keep out fear.

It will never work.

If we want to prevent all terrorists from boarding flights, then there is an easier solution: forbid all humans from boarding flights.

:- Doug.