Surely it is a noble desire to try to create a heaven on earth
to make a paradise in this valley of tears
but that is an end that ultimately requires the denial of the reality of human existence
we are not meant to end in perfecting this created world that begins to decay at first touch
One of the finest American teachers acquiesced a few years ago to be my mentor
but he agreed to answer my questions because he is in possession of a proper understanding of the nature of a true teacher
a public figure whose work is ultimately for the benefit of the common good
I go to him every few months with my most pressing quandaries
A while back I asked him to teach me about the nature of ideology
He fired off a small collection of ideas asserting that all ideology is evil
while calling for sophistical distinctions
would be formulating a semantic bait-and-switch scheme that passes for “truth” in these dark and deceitful times
According to Merriam Webster ideology is “1: visionary theorizing 2a: a systematic body of concepts especially about human life or culture b: a manner or the content of thinking characteristic of an individual
theories and aims that constitute a sociopolitical program.” If we limit ourselves to the shallow dictionary definition
it may serve our purpose in drawing reasonably sound inferences about the nature of ideology
But perhaps we can attempt to narrow the definition a little more so that we may end with a foundation of clarity upon which to build a coherent conclusion
George Marlen states that “ideology is an intellectual system of ideas or rigid abstract formulas mixed with scientific jargon and some empirical facts that claims knowledge about reaching perfection in the temporal order.” This doesn’t contradict Merriam Webster
but adds the vital final end of perfecting the temporal order
Though it is wildly unpopular in the larger circles of academia
let us assume for the purposes of this discussion that things have final causes or real ends to which they portend
In the case of ideology let us stipulate that ideology’s telos is to reach perfection in the temporal order
ideologies are rigid schemes of ideas meant to organize individual lives
societies and cultures in a way that is intended to perfect the temporal order
Marlen correctly states that many of the ideas that comprise the various ideologies are empirical facts
There are in fact even many truths and truisms embedded in ideological schemes
But it is the nature of ideology to ill-weight truths and facts
to exaggerate some and minimize others in order to provide an apparently rational explanation for ideological structures and conclusions
I contend that artificially weighted facts and truths imposed on the human mind inherently harm a soul’s ability to see reality rightly
Eric Vogelin said that ideology is “to mold reality into a scheme consistent with a posited or assumed idea.” Ideology embodies the philosophical error of thinking that the world is in us
but a real look at the past will bear out the reality that ideologies are not only dangerous
but deadly in their attempts to forcibly reduce reality into a set of inflexible ideas wholly unsuited to their application
The violence to truth and human souls is incalculable when rulers try to impose the unreality of ideology onto its populace
Think of fascist Germany or Stalinist Russia or Maoist China or the feminist movements all across the globe
The common denominator in all four references is that death is a necessary evil to carry out the ideologies
The ideological projects are treacherous attempts to distort reality; thus they are evil
The fruits of history tell this devastating tale in gruesome
you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth
only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin
despair.” While perfectly characterizing the dilemma facing the ideologue
Lewis alludes to his further explanations of first and second things
He tells us that if we put first things first and second things second we will get both first and second things
but if we put second things first and first things second
The distinction between first and second things is that first things are eternal and true and second things are temporary and end up being false if we give them an improper weight or mistake them for first things
Confucius echoed this wisdom when he said “a wise man seeks virtue
Perfecting the temporal order is the attempt to put second things first and for this reason
as can be abundantly evidenced by recent tragic events
this method is amply demonstrated to be evil
Ideologies have caused not only the loss of the well-ordered society
but also the loss of the eternal truths and first principles that lead to the good society
The well-ordered society results from a culture that seeks the first things for God’s sake and the good temporal order follows as fruit from a tree
My mentor further explained to me that “all ideologies are evil
because they are pseudo-religions; they reduce the human being to an item
a piece of a machine.” This shouldn’t be too difficult to see by way of the countless ideological groups expediting the decay of Western Civilization
Ideologues cling to their ideologies as fervently as addicts cling to their vice and they require an extraordinary amount blind faith to believe the false promises
It is human nature that we bind ourselves to something
either a set of ideas or a particular religion
It is the height of folly that some ideologues assert that they are liberated from religion when in reality they have only bound themselves to disbelief by the ideology of skepticism
By now you may well be asking “well if all ideologies are evil
what is the alternative?” My mentor gives voice to the only anti-dote to ideology
that of adapting human life to the eternal order instead of the temporal order
He truthfully explains that Christians “do not worship an idea
No idea can ever begin to comprehend the reality of personal being
All ideologies fall afoul of the wisdom of the Psalmist
“Put not thy trust in princes,” with the added trouble that the ideologue puts his trust in a ruling idea and turns it into his prince” We have a free will choice to make in this world when we decide who or what is the arbiter of truth
If we choose an ideology we have chosen poorly as well
but rather because we discover it to be true
then and only then do we have a chance to ascertain the proper order and ends of human existence
Pope John Paul II reminds us that “the Truth is not consensus
but the convergence of the mind and reality.”
“well what about a system of beliefs like Catholicism?” It makes a perspicacious query that deserves an answer
While Catholicism is certainly a set of precepts and principles taking a form similar to many ideologies
it demonstrates the proper use of ideas as a set of means to a proper end
an end grounded in the eternal ends of the human soul
ideas and words are used for the sole purpose of edifying the human soul through proper formation in order to ascend to its final end in the eternal order by way of first knowing Jesus Christ
then by loving Jesus Christ and finally by serving Jesus Christ who is the way the truth and the life
He is the very creator of the temporal order which will find its roots in the eternal
and principles in Catholicism were deduced from the revelation gifted to us by our Creator
has been made knowable and discoverable to the man earnestly seeking objective truth by the Incarnation
we find that ideologies are collections of ideas from the minds of men who reject revelation as a valid source of knowing
They hold as an a priori assumption that what is knowable can only be observed by our own five senses and reason
Even though Catholicism and Ideology are apparently similar
Catholicism is informed by revelation and confirmed and fleshed out by reason and the five senses in an epistemological hierarchy in reverse order from the ideologue
there is not only no reference to revelation
but the active exclusion of that way of knowing leaving the primary way of knowing to be sense perception rationalized by reason untethered to its real roots in eternity
They are arrogant and end in death and destruction partly because they portend to see all the angles and ends of the created order concerning the human person when this is impossible
Socrates said “all wisdom begins in wonder.” This is the recognition that no matter how wise a person or a society becomes
to see all the ends of reality is beyond the limits of human perception
The appropriate wonder and awe that accompany the observation of the created order
demands that we remain open to the gifts of revelation promised to men of good will who can be greatly aided by a developed character and a cultivated intellect
Monsignor Ronald Knox well characterized the proper order of things when he said that “we are here to colonize heaven
not make things better on earth.” This deep wisdom concerning the proper end of Catholicism reveals the paradoxical truth that in colonizing heaven
Heaven is the eternal order out of which all first things come and to which all first things will return
The temporal order includes all second things that find their proximate causes and ends in the temporary
It is a fact that the converse of the good Monsignor’s statement is true: if we attempt to colonize the city of man and care not for the eternal order
By the state adoption of ideologies in the last several hundred years
we have seen not only the steady decline of the moral and material quality of the created order
but massive numbers of human souls lost and countless people murdered
We ought to abandon the horrid ideologies that hold captive the current social order and instead turn our gaze towards the Truth
fully revealed by the incarnation of Christ
By the worship of the personal being of Christ
we can begin to know ourselves as we were truly intended to be and to order our lives to our true ends in the eternal order
Then and only then may we possibly end in the peace and prosperity that comprise our deepest longings
This essay was first published here in September 2014
All comments are moderated and must be civil
Comments that are critical of an essay may be approved
but comments containing ad hominem criticism of the author will not be published
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Keep in mind that essays represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Imaginative Conservative or its editor or publisher
‘While Catholicism is certainly a set of precepts and principles taking a form similar to many ideologies
an end grounded in the eternal ends of the human soul.’
is for Marx an imaginary assemblage… a pure dream
constituted by the ‘day’s residues’ from the only full and positive reality
that of the concrete history of concrete material individuals materially producing their existence.’
and I’m just tellin’ things as they are.’ That’s all well and good—we certainly SHOULD be trying to get to ‘things as they are’—but we seem to be wasting valuable time over who’s an ideologue and why
I would be reluctant to trust Althusser on Marx (or any other topic); almost he everything wrote was to defend Marx
including his well-known affirmation of a “break” in the Marxian project
I wouldn’t ask you to personally trust Althusser
‘Ideology is real and dangerous,’ could be spoken by followers of any political or religious school of thought
and no one thinks THEIR belief system is an ideology
‘My belief system isn’t an ideology
because ideologies are perverse and erroneous and wrong
and my belief system is true and natural and good.’ Of course everyone thinks that
If Marxists believed there was a human soul and that God was made man in the Person of Jesus Christ
from their materialist and atheistic worldview
any belief system incorporating God or spirit is a fiction
‘But there IS a God and a spirit,’ you say
fine; but only THERE have we reached a substantive topic
Forget the post-WWII hangup on ideology—it’s a fake term that perpetuates its own semantical debate
It will always and everywhere MEAN ‘falsehood and evil’ in men’s ears
instead of buzzing around this semantical circle ad nauseam
‘You’re an ideologue!’ ‘No
you’re an ideologue!’ back-and-forth is more productive
I wrote my reply to you before your reply to Dr
Cheeks was posted- that and what you write here make your mind on the issues you bring up much clearer- If you are right
I simply take my place along side all the other loony toons chained up at the bottom of the cave
and that is certainly a possibility- my contention is not that I would debate on equal terms with a Marxist
I wouldn’t- the difference between a Marxist and a Catholic in the deepest sense is that of the unborn child still in the womb and one growing in the world outside the womb- if you would like all things to be equal in this debate
but I believe the playing fields to be in great disparity
and your admission that you came to this article appropriately prejudiced (I say this in a good sense) because it holds out the hope and promise that perhaps someday you and I will find some common ground on which to banter
so I thank you again for your contributions
I’d hazard to say we agree on every point BUT semantics
And if there is something fruitful that should come from discussing ideology
I’d also hazard to guess I’d agree with your definition
and that you’ve enjoyed this exchange as much as I have
Davis- it seems just a thought not quite appropriate for a response to this article- if you didn’t understand what I was trying to get at
I will take partial credit for the misunderstanding
unless it turns out you didn’t actually read it
but your comment is a concrete example of what I was trying to convey by describing ideology as an evil thing- the “only full and positive reality
that of the concrete history of concrete material individuals producing their existence.” Surely this is about the most malevolent description of ideology I have seen in a while
It is the city of man counter part to the City of God ideas that comprise the principles and statutes of Catholicism which lie far afield of the definition of ideology I proffered here
the ideologues claiming their ideology is the true ideology is as tired as tired gets
and it doesn’t conform to ignorance or force of will
There is very little time necessary to determine who is and ideologue and who is not and it is worth the few seconds to inquire
but I desire with my whole heart to be liberated from these prideful fetters as I apply for citizenship in the City of God- please pray for me
I read it expecting the content would be more or less what it is
And I don’t mean that as a slight against you—the point I’m trying to make is that every discussion of ideology returns to this same point
Althusser defines ideology as the RESIDUES from ‘the only full and positive reality
that of the concrete history of concrete material individuals materially producing their existence.’ You call this—and ideology—the City of Man
as Althusser basically calls Catholicism—and ideology—the City of God (which he thinks is etherial
So Rummelsburg calls Althusser an ideologue; Althusser calls Rummelsburg an ideologue
‘Catholicism is NOT an ideology because the precepts
and principles in Catholicism were deduced from the revelation gifted to us by our Creator.’ Althusser says
there is no such thing as God.’ Rummelsburg replies
Haven’t you read Anselm/Aquinas/Kant’s proofs of God?’ And THAT’S where the substantive argument begins
Adherents of every school of thought (read: ideology) agree that ideology is wrong
and almost universally define it as some false
illusory reality imposed on the natural order
Of course THEY think THEY know what the true reality is (as Catholics with the City of God
and Marxists with dialectical materialism)
But for a Marxist to be convinced that Marxism is an ideology
he has to be convinced that Marxism is an error
So doesn’t it make more sense to cut to the chase and argue that Marxism is an ERROR rather than an ideology—which we’re all convinced is just an ambiguous and drawn-out synonym for error
Consider this quote of a quote: ‘Monsignor Ronald Knox well characterized the proper order of things when he said that “we are here to colonize heaven
How many of the thickets in the way forward does this analysis cut away
means in practical terms that we will have a secular democracy in which the ideologies of many are represented to the degree they can be
watered down and subject to all the rest as religious liberty dictates (and I do mean dictates!)
along with those dreaded fundamentalist Muslims
insist on the religious state where we are in a majority
to become the majority (again!) we would have to evangelize
We would have to finally begin to promote the fullness of Catholic teaching on sexual morality
economics (yes there too is one and yes it more than ever applies
as long as first principles are honored: the economy of medievalism that had no name until Belloc et al gave it the name distributism; that economy of broadly distributed ownership–not income
We might have to form temporary and explicit coalitions with protestant groups
as Hungary just did to explicitly honor the Christian God
We must stop going along with the Vatican II novel teaching of religious liberties
who deny the most fundamental truth of Catholicism
just to anyone who is a fan of Blessed Flannery (or so she is now styled)
it is the characteristic of the Faithful to enjoy the fruits of their virtue even on Earth
and it is this characteristic that is denounced in Flannery O’Connor’s ‘Revelation,’ written at the end of her life and considered by critics to be among the five most philosophically revelatory of her works
Her heroine enjoys all the perks of real virtue
but is mocked in the story and ultimately reduced to the same level as the poor white trash she has (rightly) labeled all her life
in a parade to heaven right out of Teilhard de Chardin’s rabbit hole
must the Church be similarly humiliated and take her place among all the rest
Ideology is the result of the Enlightenment’s “rights of man” gone awry
or carried to perverse ends as we witness these days
It’s what happens when God and His revelation are denied
Rummelsburg’s articles – this one is no exception
to make these remarks – but take into account one thing:
If we constantly doubt the simple truths of common sense
and fear that the simple truths of common sense might become “an ideology” – than we are committing a grave mistake: for the begining of ideology is not the attempt to construct a system of truth
it is the demand – made upon anyone who professes common sense simple truths to elevate the common sense of simple truths into a system of rigid truths
In other words: whenever we say – “well
this person may be an ideologue because they are professing the good
and the beautiful without deeper investigation
without more accuracy” – then we are basicaly saying “well – this person must transform his common sense simple truths into an ideology – into a rigid
complex system of thought and science.”
that the simple truths of grandmothers are superior in all ways to the treatises of philosophers; and while intellectual exploration in the service of the Good is to be encouraged
and – I think – needs to be boundless and bold – this intellect
serves a Good that it is incapable of explaining and should not try with too much vigour to explain: it has been explained for us quite sufficiently by the simple common sense of Grandmothers
The exercise involved in demonstrating ideology to be inherently “rigid” or utopian should involve more than…calling ideology rigid or utopian
you’ve presumed what you set out to prove here
You list all of the dictionary definitions youve found
each of which proves in the last analysis to be content-neutral
and thus potentially salutary: “1: visionary theorizing; 2a: a systematic body of concepts especially about human life or culture; b: a manner or the content of thinking characteristic of an individual
theories and aims that constitute a sociopolitical program.”
I accept any and all of these 4 definitions
all of which fail to furnish “reasonably sound inferences about the nature of ideology” which prove to be pernicious or utopian
This leaves intact the gnoseological proposition that ideology can indeed be scrutinized “on the merits.”
What you call “narrowing the definition a little more so that we may end with a foundation of clarity” turns out to be nude question-begging
but ALL of the damning qualities you ascribe to ideology come to exist somewhere in between the concept’s defining and your freight-imposing construction
perhaps theyre at least half-naked appeals to authority
(You havent told me WHY i ought trust George Marlen
or your mentor over what theyd aver to be my “lying eyes.” Or ostensibly
Each of these affirm that it can be good OR bad.)
Since when does making certain “speculative” claims which happen to be immutable qualify as any sort of “immanentizing the eschaton?” (Throw out all your volumes of that Peripatetic Philosopher
My point is: Since when do teleological claims work AGAINST teleology
Answer: since ideology’s opponents decided to add such freight to the framework
Example: ideologies affirmative of small gov’t are imperfectly but indubitably teleological insofar as they make possible the exercise of human free will and redemption
In the end–we spoke on the phone about something not unlike this just today–you accept the authority of direct and indirect mentors who hate the concept…over ideology-defenders like me
after all; but were it a creature of the latter
you’d see that the very evidence you’ve marshaled against ideology serves
they are breathtaking- I appreciate you taking the time to elucidate as such and in deference to your efforts
I will spend much time trying to understand what it is you have taught me here- At a glance
I can’t dismiss anything you say and as you know there are intellectual acrobatics you are able to perform that lie outside my field of vision-
I knew from a while back that “ideology” was an area of contention between us
but in the millions of things we have to talk about
I knew from the outset of this essay that long face to face talks with you would have helped to shape my understanding
but what fool is going to remain silent when he has at least half an idea
My brother: belief in metaphysics (an ousiology which is a theology
a etiology which is a teleology) is the ONE
Christ makes these binaries conform to one another
Davis: the Marxist does not think he has ascertained reality in the sense that a Jew or a Muslim does
if we add to “understanding” the Platonic concept of ontological participation
But this is to aver that Catholicism is the one TRUE ideology (rather than some sort of mystical non-ideology
standing utterly undisclosed by the natural reason)
Being is the first act of form; form is the first act of matter
But even Thomas does not assume that Catholicism–the only true “existentialism”–may function outside the structures of episteme
Steve: it is BECAUSE “things have final causes or real ends to which they portend” that
there must be one correct ideology among false ideologies
It is precisely for this reason that Aristotle’s Metaphysics is
“four things at once”: an ousiology
the opponent of “ideology” must posit that the unity of metaphysics in the Aristotelian tradition cannot be sought out
of course there have been no hard feelings at all
I truly enjoy your comments and I embrace the spirited debate and I had respect for you long before we ever had any dialogue
I write to assert an understanding and then to learn from good souls like you who give a perspective I don’t readily see
I hope you never hesitate to criticize what I write
but it’s nice to know I’m not completely alone on this topic
I’ve rejected ideologies since I was old enough to even perceive there was a political process
Never understood why the everyone’s objective should not simply be “Let’s find what works.” Public solution
And even with that you have to avoid the “one size fits all” blinkers
What worked in Detroit might not work in Albuquerque
I don’t know… maybe it’s just how my brain is wired
Everyone is running around with their precious “liberal” or “conservative” or “anarcho-libertarian-progjective-whatsis-doodad” playbooks
and basically it’s just toddlers with hammers treating everything as nails
Often they just put holes in walls or break windows
You can argue over the definition of “ideology” all you want
That George Marlen quote works well enough for the current political climate
and the lives (generations in some areas) being lost to nonsense are very real
The advancement of civilization itself can be seen to be stagnated if you can look past the technological gadgetry and trappings of modern life
And it’s really the ordinary people at fault
and the politicians (sociopaths for the most part
IMHO) just play to their respective audiences
They have the money and means to bolt if it all goes to hell
Everyone defined not by their individualism but by their membership of identities or political ideologies
Instead of each person having uniqueness whether certain background
a woman and so on we are now defined by group membership
Whether right leaning ideologies or left leaning such as social justice/woke
white Americans do not all belong to the white way of thinking and black Americans do not belong to the black way of thinking
African Americans do not belong on a machine
White Americans wherever they are descended from are not all privileged and oppressors
These ideologies affix labels and identities to people…
I recommend ALIEN POWERS: A Pure Theory of Ideology by the late Kenneth Minogue
He asserts that one feature of any ideology is to identify an oppressor class and an oppressed class
the latter being the one that history will eventually bring to the top
Decades ago a neighbor dragged me to see the movie “Robocop”
and guts starting from the first scene in which the bad guys perpetrated mayhem and murder
the tables turned and the protagonist did unto the bad guys as they had done unto others in scene one
They identify a “bad” class of people and attribute to them all the suffering in the world
This justifies whatever horrors the formerly suffering classes carry out once they get hold of power
I do believe every ideology is an artifact of the culture of death
they are little religions and of course even lead to the second death
and website in this browser for the next time I comment
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By Owen Covington
September 4, 2021
sponsored by the Gender and LGBTQIA Center
as part of the Commencement celebration for the Class of 2020
Members of Elon University’s Class of 2020 gathered in McKinnon Hall Saturday morning to be honored for their achievements in a long-awaited Lavender Graduation ceremony
the annual event sponsored by Elon’s Gender and LGBTQIA Center was held virtually in May 2020
the university shifted to online classes and students left campus
with the main Commencement ceremony held online rather than in person
This weekend marks the first return to campus for many of these alumni since they left in March 2020
with Saturday’s Lavender Graduation just one event leading up to the main Commencement ceremony Under the Oaks on Sunday at 9:30 a.m
faculty and staff for Saturday’s celebration
with an address by President Connie Ledoux Book
“You graduated into a world that was faced by challenge and change
your talents and your passion more than ever,” Book told the group
She noted that learning continues long after receiving a diploma and moving into a next phase in life
with ample opportunities to build upon what you have already learned
and early lessons coming into clearer focus
“I expect many of you have had those moments since you left campus in spring 2020
when things you were taught or learned during your Elon journey suddenly crystalized — ‘Ah
now I see why they asked me to study that!'” Book said
learning is a journey without an arrival point
meaning we truly are engaged in lifelong learning.”
President Book invited the alumni to visit the newly renovated Gender and LGBTQIA Center space that was part of a larger renovation of the second floor of Moseley Center
Alumni also heard from Ryan James Monroe ’16
who offered congratulation and encouraged the alumni to take a moment to reflect on what they have accomplished
“You should be so proud of yourselves,” Monroe said
and look around you and see all the people who helped you get to this moment and think about all the people you helped get to this moment
Each alumni in attendance was presented with a lavender graduation cap
a rainbow tassel and bestowed with a rainbow stole
with Garay reading a brief biography of each alumni
The awards ceremony that was part of the virtual Lavender Graduation held in May 2020 included recognition of students
Tagged: Commencement Elon Alumni Gender & LGBTQIA Center Parents
Elon University Professor of History Michael Matthews explores the romantic and sexual lives of Mexico City’s poor and working class during the rule of Porfirio Diaz
The 6th annual Maker Takeover featured students’ experiments
business and creative works to showcase the hard work taking place in Elon University’s Maker Hub
Nia James says when doctors weren’t taking her pain seriously
her athletic trainer and Elon alum John Lavender ’94 was her lifesaving advocate
The graduate of Elon University’s human services studies program works on policy advocacy in Washington
in a prestigious fellowship with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
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ACID STAG
Los Angeles-based producer NASAYA has just announced he has a new ep on the way titled “RÊVES” and he’s also giving us another little taste of what we can expect with his latest single ‘RUMMELSBURG’
which as he reveals below is one of his most personal releases to-date
“At the time I wrote ‘RUMMELSBURG’ I was really stuck and uninspired on my music so I took a trip to Berlin to kind of clear my head and also try to write some music
I was staying with my friend and producer Yann Lauren
who’s one of my favorite people to work with – and he showed me this voice memo from Imani
It instantly inspired me and we chopped it on Ableton and started the base of this song
This track went through so many different versions before this final one
but I always thought there was something special about it so I kept working on it for months
it’s one of the songs that feels the most ‘personal’ to me that I’ve released so far.” ~ NASAYA
Fans can catch NASAYA doing his thing live throughout September as he joins ODESZA on part of their “Last Goodbye Tour” – dates & ticketing info here
out now via: Foreign Familyartist connect: Facebook | Soundcloud | Twitter | Instagram
© Copyright 2024 Acid Stag. All Rights Reserved. Powered by FL3P
The sponge city concept has gained tranction over the past few years
but as flooding risks are elevated due to climate change
We’ve become accustomed to quasi-apocalyptic images of cities swapping streets for rivers.In fact, CNN reported that ‘Ten countries and territories saw severe flooding in just 12 days‘
abnormal rainfalls have caused extraordinary floods in several cities across the world
One neighbourhood in Berlin is trying to ensure that cities can become better adapted to the increasing likelihood of extraordinary wet weather events
The theory rests on the logical foundation that cities are inherently unnatural
By smothering the earth in concrete and tarmac and loading it up with vast structures of brick
cities interfere with the way nature regulates itself
The concentration of buildings, people, and activity increases temperatures – while tarmac and concrete surfaces naturally absorb
On the aquatic side of the equation, unnatural, human-built road and pavement surfaces stop any falling water from absorbing into the ground and then naturally providing moisture for soil and vegetation during dryer periods, while also evaporating to provide a kind of natural air conditioning
The area of Rummelsburg in Berlin’s east was built 25 years ago and serves as an exemplary model of the ‘Sponge city’ concept – Stadtschwamm in German
with thick tranches of soil up to 80cm deep
while roadside trenches between pavements and streets create a miniature urban wetland
which can retain water like a sponge and both feed it into the water table and evaporate it to keep the city cool
the water better than the conventional concrete and drainage system within the city
There’s less likelihood of drains overflowing because they’re blocked or merely overwhelmed
and pavements are less likely to be transformed into temporary white water rafting courses
The sponge system is also better for water quality in lakes and rivers throughout
the grit and grime of city living can be swept straight into these bodies of water
where unnatural substances can harm animals and plants
and natural materials like pollen and leaves can overwhelm marine life by giving them too many nutrients in one go
While the sponge city is a great idea, of course, it can be hard to put into practice. While many cities – London included – are on a splurge of building new developments that often conform to higher eco-friendly standards (and could be encouraged
to conform to ‘Sponge City’ design benchmarks)
the vast bulk of prohibitive surfaces have already been built
The cities of the UK
tiled and concrete roofs – so retrofitting is the order of the day
And while there could be profiteering enticements – a building with an accessible green roof is likely to be more interesting and appealing to buyers and renters
and public or commercial buildings could grow to produce in these spaces – it’s unclear whether that will be a significant enough boon
as extreme weather events become less out of the ordinary
adapting our greatest centres of population to better accommodate the demands of nature seems like common sense – even if it does mean boggy pavements
[Read more: Why Am Tacheles is a resonant symbol of missed urban opportunities in Berlin]
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GermanyChevron
BerlinChevron
ChevronChevronPhotosSave this storySaveSave this storySaveReviewed by Jessica ChapelWhat's the bar's name
Service info: All visitors must pay an entrance fee
the entry fee shoots up to around 20-25 euros
bring cash in case you need it for the door—and of course
What is the latitude and longitude of this location
has received this name as a testament to a different kind of eternal bound: to never-stop partying
It’s a bit off the beaten path from other popular nightlife hubs in the city
and really any kind of local transportation
and the queue’s wait time can be a few minutes or a few hours
and there is no rhyme or reason to why you may or may not get in
I was told by the stranger in front of me to not have “my look wear me—do exactly the opposite.” Though your patience might be tested
it’s best to keep your cool—if you’re rejected
this space is one to come back and try again
Bar eats: Given that some folks stay the entire weekend, the club makes it easy to recharge and nourish. Especially in the summer months, Sisyphos hosts food trucks or stalls of street food options—including burgers, loaded fries, falafel wraps, tacos, and other quick bites. There’s a pizza stand that’s open the entire weekend, day through night, with vegetarian and vegan options as well.
What impression did the bar staff make? While some bouncers are said to be cold and rude, especially when rejecting a group after hours of waiting, the staff is efficient and maintains a safe, protected club environment. The bartenders are quick on their feet—and keep up with large crowds that make large messes. It’s surprisingly tidy at the counters, and they’ll look after you if you’ve had too much to drink. Don’t make a habit of doing so, though.
At the end of the day, and assuming it's worth the stop, what's this place good for?
Would you send someone here to impress a client, or win a heart? Catch up with old friends, or catch the World Cup? Or does it simply make the best Old Fashioned in the city?
If you’re heading to Sisyphos, be open and kind to those around you—do not be a lousy tourist. End the night at Hammahalle, and soak in the sun outside of Wintergarten. Let your guard down, dance the night away. Sit by the fire and chat with strangers. Learn their stories, share some of your own! Treat the space like a carnival, and perhaps a sense of childlike wonder will return back to you for the weekend.
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Police are reportedly searching for the suspect after he fled the scene of the collision at Sisyphos
a nightclub located in Berlin's Rummelsburg neighborhood
Berliner Zeitung
on Monday reported that the incident took place shortly before 6am on September 7th
when a pair of security guards refused the man's entrance to Sisyphos
which he initially politely acknowledged and then left," per Berliner Zeitung
and deliberately drove into the club's entrance gate twice."
The suspect drove his rented Audi into the wall of Sisyphos before reversing and colliding with the club's famed gate
He reportedly fled the scene and no one was injured
who narrowly managed to evade his vehicle by jumping back to the sidewalk
Starcadian leaves behind a glimmering legacy and an unreleased album he called "the best" he'd ever produced
May 5, 2025Additional details surrounding the alleged crash are scarce, but an investigation is underway as local authorities seek testimony from witnesses. The extent of the damage to Sisyphos' exterior is unclear at the time of this writing and the club's proprietors have not yet publicly commented.
is under renewed scrutiny after police confirmed they are investigating an alleged rape inside one of the venue's restrooms
reportedly privately filmed numerous attendees at Warm Up Festival for his own gratification
is in critical but stable condition after a pair of suspects stabbed him with a knife and machete
We ought to discern the truth about our modern schools
and turn to the building of homeschooling communities and to involvement in classical charter schools
It is the only reasonable response to our modern schools
which have become unreasonable and morally irresponsible
As parents bring school age children into the structures of public education
the accumulating weight of colossal failure intrudes upon incessant propaganda asserting the merits of compulsory public education
As the shine of materialist schemes fades under the shadows of mortality
more and more souls are beginning to realize that they themselves were not well educated by the public schools
There is the growing apprehension that something deep and purposeful is missing
The exact quality and quantity of this gaping lack is difficult to grasp
it is helpful to learn that there are two distinct types of education; one is the kind we would like for ourselves and for our children
the other is a travesty foisted upon the American public for generations
I have been teaching in the public schools for nearly a quarter of a century
I realized that modern methods and content lull children into what I call an “educational coma.” The majority of students are accustomed to giving automatonic responses as if they were test subjects in Pavlovian experiments
Many students demonstrate a genius for doing the bare minimum as forgetfulness becomes habitual and apathy takes root in their souls
I perceived long ago that the ideologies propagated by the modern school are soul crushing
I endeavored to understand and explain why
My conclusion after decades in the classroom is that modern education is intellectually and morally bankrupt
This may come as a shock to many because the “idea” of public schooling is entrenched in the American mind and it has become a sacred cow
It is true that many good things seem to happen at public schools
it is not by theoretical design but by practical accident
Good people bring good things to schools in spite of doctrinal fiat to the contrary
What makes the modern school a charade is that its methodology and pedagogy are anti-intellectual and morally troubling.[*]
I discovered that modern methodology leaves the faculties of the intellect and free will primarily untreated
the grandfather of American Education John Dewey
asserted an educational program that assumes humans are purely material beings
His influence leaves the modern school with social pragmatism as the highest concern
Man’s highest capacities are left unconsidered
The philosophical cultivation of the mind is reduced to the material concerns of the lower sciences and the power of free will is relegated to determinism
I was rather confused in my first few years in the classroom
I began to notice a profound difference in my students’ disposition towards literature when I exposed them to the Greek Myths
I caught a glimpse of a flicker of a flame in the souls of many who encountered delight in the ancient Grecian tales
I began to take a long hard look at the myths myself and that sparked a fire in my heart and mind that would forever prevent a return to the vacuous American textbooks
I shortly discovered the modern “myth” that “myths” are just fanciful explanations of what science would later explain
the myths conveyed transcendent truths obscured by the ideology of the myopic modern age
I began to bring these amazing works to my students and things began to radically change for them and for me
I was in an educational coma for years until the Greeks woke me up
So although I was awakened and able to bring my students myths
I was unaware of the proper methodologies and tools of teaching
a drop of water to a thirsty soul is a blessing
I spent the next few decades discovering the liberal arts
Like a polaroid slowly developing before my eyes
the more I learned about authentic education
the more I saw the sharp distinction between an authentic education and the hollowed out modern methods
I have been trying to understand and articulate the difference between what the modern schools are doing and what I have learned about an authentic education
The great teachers of the past have warned us about these modern methods by their treatment of the sophists whose progeny are the architects of the modern school
In a mode similar to the swindlers in “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” the new educational “experts” are the new sophists who have made the worse arguments the better
concerning the vast majority of our public schools
There is one great teacher who was prescient enough to write about our modern methods before they became ossified in the 1970’s and that was C.S
In his short essay called The Parthenon and the Optative (1944)
Lewis makes a clear and sharp distinction between an authentic education and what modern education has become
Lewis has a brilliant way of bridging the modern era with the Great Western Tradition and highlighting the errors of today
Lewis incisively compares the two kinds of education thus: “the one begins with hard
and it has at least the chance of ending in a real appreciation which is equally hard and firm
though not equally dry….” This description requires a current translation because the words he used have been tortuously abused by modern “experts” since 1944
He goes on to explain that the other kind of education “begins in appreciation and ends in gush.” The gush has proliferated into the present age to include self-esteem building
micro-aggressions and an increasing number of faux privilege claims
Lewis continues to compare: “when the first fails it has
He may decide that he doesn’t care for knowledge; but he knows he doesn’t care for it and he knows he hasn’t got it.” This truth contradicts the egalitarian sensibilities expressed by the “no child left behind” movements
it is a self-evident fact that not all human souls take to an authentic education equally
This fact is less problematic than the modern school would claim
The modern school falsely assumes that all can learn equally
I can assure you the best scripted outcomes-based education will never yield an equality of outcome
the success or failure of the modern education is the real problematic issue
Lewis accurately portrays the outcomes of “outcomes-based education” he calls the “Optative” as he forcefully decries: “the other kind fails most disastrously when it most succeeds
It teaches a man to feel vaguely cultured while he remains in fact a dunce
It makes him think he is enjoying poems he can’t construe
It qualifies him to review books he does not understand
and to be intellectual without intellect….” I have seen no better characterization of the modern school’s outcomes than this
Few things are more exhausting than a “dunce” who fancies himself erudite
yet we are producing armies of such ill-cultivated souls
Hopefully we can come to see is that our modern schools have not prepared us for our true ends any more than they will prepare our children
The modern university is more like a house of assignation than a school; a kind of spa catering to sophistical ideologies and turning our children into activists who have no grasp of the things for which they agitate
our college graduates are dunces unaware of the differences between the true and false
Philosophy and the workings of the human intellect are unknown to them
Man is assumed to be a malleable entity with no formal or final causality
The great works are not only unknown to them in a real sense
but the modern student is imbued with the arrogance to judge the classics by their covers
The authentic education is grounded in a proper philosophy
and understanding of the nature and origin of the cosmos
The art and science of a Parthenon education concerns the virtuous treatment of the intellect
and appetites as well as a proper treatment of the body
These things are utterly absent from modern schools
in spite of vocabulary pretending to the contrary
The proper ends of an authentic education are the virtues which correspond to the transcendental values of the true
The modern education is bereft of all of these and much more
Its aim is to make students ready for college and career for the sake of society
College and career are good and important things but they are not ends
Ends must be first things and college and career are second things that follow an authentic education just as fruit grows as a result of excellent habits of agriculture
The authentic education is about excellent intellectual and moral habits
Those with excellent intellectual and moral habits make excellent college students and citizens
I doubt that Lewis would be surprised that his distinction between the Parthenon and the Optative would have been born out as it has
In light of the sharp distinction Lewis makes between the two kinds of education
Modern education ought not to be a sacred cow; it is a wolf in sheep’s clothing
If we understand Lewis and are able to discern the truth about our modern schools
we might begin to remove our children from the ravages of the modern version of the Optative school and help to build homeschooling communities or get involved in classical charter schools honoring the Parthenon
Our children will thank us in the end and we may just avoid the death of the Great Western Civilization in the process
*More information can be found at Common Core State Standards Initiative and the IPPF Framework for Comprehensive Sexuality Education
The featured image is a detail from “The Education of the Virgin Mary” (c. 1618) by Diego Velázques (1599-1660), courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Saw you last night on the QF podcast and you gave us a lot to think about and look into
I’ve been a public school special education teacher for 25 years at the middle/secondary level
Though originally trained as an English teacher
lack of job opportunities at the time led me into special education
I enjoyed the challenge of trying to fit square pegs into round holes (which I realize now is all modern education) and thought I was doing a noble thing
I’ve become increasingly frustrated and dissatisfied with the system
But I’ve had a hard time making the connection to what a true education means
I just knew our schools weren’t providing it
while looking for the rare instances where I can bring some authentic education to my students
but that does not prevent me from worrying about my students’ futures and where we are headed
I can say without reservation that if I was a parent of a school age child today
I would do everything within my power to remove them from public school and provide them and authentic education that would nourish their souls and fortify their humanity
There is growing anger and resistance among rail workers against the sellout that the EVG rail union is preparing with the results of its recent arbitration with the Deutsche Bahn (the German rail company)
The latest WSWS articles on the arbitrator’s ruling were read by tens of thousands and widely shared by workers on social media and among their colleagues
Individual local and company groups of the EVG published statements calling for rejection of the arbitration offer
Many rail workers contacted the WSWS in recent days to help build the rank-and-file committee that will begin its work at the online meeting at 7 p.m
on Tuesday and to which all who want to prevent the sellout by the EVG leadership are invited
WSWS reporters have been discussing the arbitration outcome with workers outside rail operations and EVG informational events over the past week
“It is good that you are promoting a strike and against the arbitration result
We cannot allow a sellout,” was the typical reaction of a worker outside the Rummelsburg depot in Berlin
“At the DB Netz Werk Oberbaustoffe Witten works
And very many are of the same opinion that it can’t work this way,” reported another worker
whom WSWS reporters met in front of an EVG-Berlin information event
“Our department from the workshop is completely against it
we have no staff and wages are not rising at all
we said that when the arbitration result comes in
The EVG does not represent the interests of its members. Hansen is “the best example.” Norbert Hansen (Social Democrats
until 2008 and was responsible for numerous derisory wage agreements
He first sat on the supervisory board of Deutsche Bahn and was later appointed its head of human resources
He is also concerned about the impact on retirement benefits
we also want to try to get something out in the direction of retirement
who is going to be able to work on the shop floor until 67?” The current arbitration ruling is intended to raise the age of entry into special part-time work (partial retirement) from 59 to 61
The worker notes that these are international issues: “If you look at what’s going on in France with pensions
We are being held back by the union.” Regarding a joint struggle with workers in France
Other workers outside the event denounced the divisive role of the arbitration result
“The main point that convinced me to be here today is that the solidarity principle is canceled
that functional groups are excluded,” said one of them
“I have not been a union member for over 40 years for that
it’s ‘Wehret den Anfängen’ (retain our origins)
“We did the math on this: It’s ultimately a real wage loss.” For a colleague of his
there would be a “loss of 1,000 euro at the end of the day.”
“I’m going to reject it,” a colleague agreed with him
“The conditions we agreed on beforehand have mostly not been met and in reality the arbitration went in the employer’s favor
If you look at the offer before and after the arbitration
And I think it’s much worse that the payment won’t come until December
The payment has to go back to May; it has to be paid retroactively
Inflation is digging into employees’ wallets in a bad way
which we’ll have to make up for financially at some point.”
On the impact the arbitrator’s ruling would have on workers at DB subsidiaries
it’s definitely an indictment that not even the statutory minimum wage has been paid in the company so far
A worker spoken to by WSWS reporters outside the Rummelsburg depot gave a more detailed account of working conditions
He himself works in the cleaning department
but more and more trains are to be thoroughly cleaned in a shorter time
you could still joke with colleagues at work
He said of the works council: “I don’t even go to that kindergarten anymore
They’ll sign any duty roster.” Before he was permanently employed by DB
Opposition to the arbitration recommendation is widespread and is also expressed in resolutions of entire company and local groups of the EVG
The EVG works group at DB Cargo in Mannheim criticized
“the proposed differences between the function groups,” which “lead to a division of DB employees and EVG members.” The result is also “far removed from our original demands of 650 euro over a period of 12 months.” “The DB Cargo Mannheim works group therefore unanimously decided on August 8 to recommend that its members reject the mediation offer.”
The EVG national executive board responded to the recommendation of the DB Cargo works group in Frankfurt by warning in an open letter of the consequences of a strike and threatening EVG members
we lose everything and start from scratch again.” Everything that has been achieved so far “would then be gone
This letter was sent by mail to all EVG members at the beginning of the ballot. The WSWS already answered this letter comprehensively and stressed that workers must not be intimidated
The first task of action committees at the railroads is “to prevent a sellout by the EVG and to fight for an indefinite strike.”
We call on railroad workers to contact us. Join the online meeting on Tuesday
to constitute the action committee and take further steps in the fight against the EVG sellout
contact us via WhatsApp at this number: +49-163-337 8340
The recent United States Supreme Court decision declaring by man’s authority that two people of the same sex have the right to marry in all 50 states is a landmark moment for Catholics called to take a stand
there is no more compelling issue in the divine order of things about which we ought to concern ourselves
After the foundational issue of the sanctity of life
embodied by the sacrament of the Eucharist where we encounter in the Living Bread
the matrimonial dimension of Holy Mother Church is fundamental and sacramental
from Adam and Eve through the Wedding at Cana all the way down to the wedding supper of the Lamb at the end of all time
It is Biblical to notice that there are always at least two choices: “Enter by the narrow gate; the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Mathew 7:13-14)
If we strive to live out the Catholic mission
If we live our lives with fidelity to Catholic teaching on marriage and human sexuality we are at harsh odds with the world
We are at a crossroads and our choices are simple
but stark: either we take the wide and easy path of the world or we take the narrow path laid out by Christ
Popular New York Times columnist David Brooks offered some advice in an article on June 16th
He claims that the war on sexual morality has been lost
I would just ask them to consider a change in course
Consider putting aside … a culture war that has alienated large parts of three generations from any consideration of religion or belief
Put aside an effort that has been a communications disaster
complex and beautiful faith into a public obsession with sex
Leaving aside Mister Brooks’ mis-characterizations of the Church
he suggests that we abandon a public stand in favor of God’s plan for human sexuality
He recommends the alternative that “social conservatives could be the people who help reweave the sinews of society.” He advises that we “build community institutions in places where they are sparse.” His reason for suggesting that we abandon a public outcry against the Sixth and Ninth Commandments is that “the sexual revolution will not be undone anytime soon.” He concludes that the “more practical struggle is to repair a society rendered atomized
Mister Brooks seems to have a point: it does appear that Catholics have lost the battle against the sexual revolution
We are called to take part in the spiritual combat
not to decide whether or not the battle is over
the war was won by Christ; we have but to play our part that we might end in heaven
Mister Brooks suggests with the rest of the world that we give in
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland, from the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, publicly proclaimed the narrow path in an excellent statement posted on the diocese webpage and read in every parish a few weeks ago
“Let me unambiguously state at the outset that this extremely unfortunate decision by our government is unjust and immoral
and it is our duty to clearly and emphatically oppose it.” Bishop Strickland beautifully expresses Catholic truth conveyed by Christian charity as he elucidates the appropriate Catholic stand:
While taking a strong stand for marriage is the duty of all who call themselves Christian
every type of unjust discrimination against those with homosexual tendencies should be avoided
We must treat these individuals with loving kindness and respect based on their dignity as human persons
but he calls all of us to be converted from our sinful inclinations and follow the truth He has revealed to us
To choose the narrow path of love is to insure that the world will hate us
Our response must be to embrace Christ’s twin commandments to love God first and our neighbor second
We are all compelled at this crossroads to take a stand one way or the other
The stand against taking a stand is a choice to take the wide and easy path of indecision
we are inevitably going to alienate someone
either the world or God; we cannot please both
To choose the easy and wide path of the world will please the world
To choose the narrow path of Catholic virtue will please God
To take a Catholic stand, there is only one choice. It is a difficult choice, because there will be a great deal of blowback for those who stand for truth. It is the stand to which we are called in all generations in this fallen world. We are called to the narrow path, to “work out our salvation in fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12)
The Catholic stand is to join Bishop Strickland in truth and charity
Our duty is to become saints by taking up arms in the spiritual combat
and doing everything within our power to colonize heaven
This is particularly difficult in this confused age
because the enemy has taken our words and used them against us
Many Catholics may not see what is so wrong with man’s attempt to redefine marriage
But it is certain: Man does not have the right to usurp the Creator’s authority in attempting to redefine the divine intuition of marriage; it is sacramental
and one of the great symbols and signs of salvation
Christ exhorts us to “enter by the narrow gate!” We are called to take the narrow path of righteousness
the difficult and thorny road found pleasing to God
not the wide and easy road that pleases our fellow man
Don’t care much for David Brooks or the NYT anyway
Brooks’ comments a so much like all the patronizing garbage Catholics get from the left
you don’t want to be the wet blanket here do you?” And as for being obsessed with sex
that is a somewhat harmful characterization of Catholics
I should think that most if the sexual “obsessions” are manifested on the part of the LGBT movement
To accuse the Catholics of being obsessed with sex is to say that all the striving and political fighting on the part of the gays is inconsequential and can just be ignored
The fight for sexual perversion is a big deal when they choose to play the victim card
but nothing of any consequence when they are on the offensive
It would appear that the secular world is asking us to concentrate the standards of our behavior in our loins rather than our brains
The ash heap of history is replete with “civilizations” that followed that dictum
One would have thought that the lessons of experience would have been learned by humanity by now but it seems we are destined to be caught in a perpetual Groundhog Day redux.It should also be noted that Mr
Hitchens (GREAT first name) expressed some doubt as to the validity of his earlier positions
And this gives us opportunity for greater reflection…
Hitchens is not an authority even in the realm of material science
yet in this quote there are some very interesting things to discuss
It is not true to say that the ancients didn’t know what was going on
where matters of real importance are concerned
Hitchens himself was not in possession of any kind of wisdom as were many founders of the major religions
so it is doubtful his children have any kind of edge on the great wise men of the past
but the arrogance of that claim is stunning
Christ gives us a real opportunity for greater reflection
If there is anything you would like to particularly discuss
the ancients knew nothing about what was going on
I have been reading reading the works of Bart Erhman
the pre-eminent scholar on New Testament textual and historical analysis
vast majority of Jews in the OT and the NT times were not literate in the slightest
nor any codices until at least the third century
The Gospels were scribed and most later versions which have been discovered are both historically and theologically incompatible
Scribes made multiple errors and many conscious changes which were noted by later Church fathers
Pauline letters were sent but had to be scribed and read to the churches of Galacia
“The chosen people” were nomads
As you know the early OT contains a warrant for genocide
Hardly the hallmarks of a society who were iin touch with reason and knowledge; most knowledge came from the mystery schools of Alexandria
I believe that Hitchens who is a brilliant journalist did his homework as did his compatriot Steve Frye and later substantiated by D.S
but Erhman is only a scholar in the reductive sense using the historical-critical methods
there are no great thinkers outside these reductive times who would give Erhman any credibility- You mention literacy as a sort of touchstone for knowing things
and I might agree with you on that except it seems clear that we must have different definitions of literacy- I contend that what is called literacy in this age is really a form of illiteracy and a tricky one too because though most Americans know how to decode words
they do not know truly how to read- the Ancient Jews that didn’t have material reading skills were not necessarily ignorant
It can hardly be denied that where Athens and Jerusalem meet is where we find the roots of our amazing intellectual tradition
The wisdom of the Ancient Jews and the philosophy of the Ancient Greeks comprise a body of work we have not come close to matching much less surpassing in this arrogant age- Hitchens and Frye are clever men
but they are not wise and though they have done much homework
they haven’t done their real homework
I enjoy hearing them but they are not truly learned though I admit they are very appealing
I am afraid it is very easy to look at parts of the Old Testament and abstract a thing and hold it up out of its historical and economical context to ridicule it
it is ideologically driven rationalization to de-mythologize the scriptures
It is inaccurate to suggest that these things are any kind of signal that God thought them “ok” it is an infantile way to interpret the scriptures
but i am afraid that Bart Erhman has taken the infantile and conveyed it with enough feigned sophistication that many good folks have been taken in by it
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The idolatry of the written word has damaged our memories
The written word is not a substitute for memory
but a reminder of the spoken word as the sign that points to a created thing that ought to direct our consideration to the Creator
The written word has become a strange idol. Gutenberg’s invention has spawned a prodigious manifestation of our fallen inclination to amass idols of the mind, cropping up like the heads of a decapitated hydra. Although there are many treasures at The Library of Congress
consider the massive stores of printed materials there
with more than 155.3 million items on approximately 838 miles of bookshelves
The collections include more than thirty-five million books and other print materials
The library receives 15,000 new items each work day
of which roughly 11,000 are added to the collection
totaling around 2.86 million new items yearly
Concerning the written word in the public schools
it is estimated that the twenty-five million school children between the ages of twelve and seventeen in the United States will read 8,750,347,578,987 words in the year 2013
Never in history have so many words been read and yet so very little learned
These poor students are reading thirty times more words than the number of stars in the Milky Way
Due to the deleterious effects of the prolonged idolatry of letters
our children are participating in a futile exercise whose ultimate benefit is exponentially surpassed by a single saint properly reading these few words:
a contrived symbol designed to reduce the spoken word to an intelligible sign as a means to record certain utterances deemed worthy of recollection
Technologies are an extension of our natural faculties
an extension of our reach aiming to realize an ambitious grasp
Technologies stand as mediation between a human soul and a certain attainment
technologies are an artificial barrier and if they are misused
inherent dangers are exposed that threaten to hinder or damage whatever faculty they are extending
The automobile is a technological extension of our ambulatory faculty
and if one drives everywhere and ceases ever to walk
his muscles will atrophy and his legs will weaken
The object of literacy development is to cultivate the arts necessary for seeing and hearing things
not as their appearances strike our perception
There is an analogy to be made in regard to all created things and their names
Theology and Philosophy accurately speak of the soul as the form of the body
things themselves are forms and words are like their bodies
Christ is not the word “Logos” but the word “Logos” is the sign that points us to the Creator
To mistake the word for the “thing” is the path leading to the risk of turning things into idols
our spoken word “Logos” is nearly an infinite reduction of the Creator
The written word “Logos” is a reduction of the spoken word and one more generation removed from the thing itself
Reading the written word is a substitute for the experience of hearing a word in which there are uncountable contextual connections that provide a framework for the bedrock of understanding
resides on a blank page stripped of all the background that normally gives words a living and breathing environment in which to survive beyond the utterance
Our work in cultivating literacy is not about the acquisition of vast amounts of information
or an immense vocabulary; it concerns cultivating intelligible access to the form of reality
the grammar and logic of the knowable world which prepares the student for an encounter with the written word; a form of communication hygienically stripped of its atmosphere and context by artifice
One man who understood the nature of the written word and its dangers as an idol was Lycurgus
we learn that his laws and institutes were religiously upheld by the fathers of Sparta and as a result
the city-state prospered and remained the crown jewel of Greece for 500 years
What is vital to note is that “Lycurgus would never reduce his laws to writing.” In fact
he had “a law expressly to forbid it.” Lycurgus understood that to write the laws would strip them of their relationships and circumstances necessary to transmit them faithfully to future generations
namely the relationships between parents and their children
He also understood that writing them would incur forgetfulness of the very laws that guaranteed Sparta’s future prosperity
To further examine the dangers characteristic of the written word
we can harken back to an age recorded by Plato
In the Phaedrus we observe a very enlightening conversation taking place in the Egyptian city of Naucratis between an “old god
whose name was Theuth” and the king of Egypt whose name was Thamus
Theuth “was the inventor of many arts… but his great discovery was the use of letters.” Theuth went to the King of Egypt “and showed his inventions
desiring that the other Egyptians might be allowed to have the benefit of them.” Concerning letters
Theuth said they “will make the Egyptians wiser and give them better memories; it is a specific both for the memory and for the wit.”
after asserting that “the parent or inventor of an art is not always the best judge of the utility or inutility of his own inventions,” wisely counters: “for this discovery of yours will create forgetfulness in the learners’ souls
because they will not use their memories; they will trust to the external written characters and not remember of themselves
The specific which you have discovered is an aid not to memory
but to reminiscence.” A careful distinction must be made between memory and reminiscence
The written word as an idol becomes a faulty substitute for memory because
external access is severely truncated and in the effort to rely on the written word
The proper use of the written word is as a precise reminder of things we ought to hold in our minds
The King of Egypt goes on to clarify: “And you give your disciples not truth
but only the semblance of truth; they will be hearers of many things and will have learned nothing; they will appear to be omniscient and will generally know nothing; they will be tiresome company
having the show of wisdom without the reality.” Even a cursory glance at our educational landscape will bear out a tragic confirmation of Plato’s warning about the dangers of the written word prone to become an idol; in fact
our teacher class amplifies the dreadful manifestation of his warning
Technology is a constant temptation to idolatry because it offers an alluring set of false promises
but Plato and other visionaries warn vociferously of the opposite
The written word is a reduction of speech but its purpose is the same
identify and explain something in service to what is due to the other
By our own lights we have fallen prey to the false promises of the written word and as the decay precipitated by idolatry advances
the writer’s question transforms from “what can I do with words for my fellow man?” to “what can words do for me?”
This examination of the idolatry of letters is not a plea to abandon the written word
for amongst many other extremely important things
the written word properly employed preserves the wisdom of the ages for generational recollection
Rather it is a plea to abandon the misuse of the written word
We must first recover an understanding of the nature of idolatry
we ought to revive a proper understanding of the purpose of the written word and return it to its rightful place subordinated to speech and to the properly ordered relationships between teachers and students
we have a chance to recover a civilizing system of education
This essay was first published here in June 2014
The featured image is courtesy of Pixabay
There are no reliable sources to tell us how many historians there are presently in the United States
but the number must be in the tens of thousands
Forget the stats you might find by googling–generally the numbers come up around 5000
but that wouldn’t cover the history teachers employed by high schools in the state of Michigan
I will say arbitrarily that there are at least 100,000 people in the US who spend much of their time doing historical “research.” That having been established
I remember going to the Federal Records Center near Washington
when I was doing “research” for my doctoral dissertation on the US relations with Spain during WWII
My purpose was to investigate what the records of the Office of War Information (our propaganda agency
the forerunner of the USIA) had to tell us about the making of American policy toward the largely hated Franco regime in Spain
I found that 1) I was the first person to request access to the records
each box filled with file folders crammed with papers
many of them onion-skin copies of typed letters and documents
There were perhaps ten rows of such shelves
I opened one box and counted 150 file folders
and counted 200 sheets of paper in that one file
the boxes stacked six high on the twelve foot shelves
about how many documents would there be to read
Need I say that I decided that my dissertation would be written without recourse to the OWI documents
That one agency of the US government produced enough paper to employ 100,000 historians for quite some time
When the Freeh Report on Penn State football claimed
to have examined a million or so documents and produced a report in about two months with a staff of (let’s estimate) 50 or so
What’s the point of responding to Stephen Jonathan’s fine essay in this rather obtuse manner
read his last paragraph again and be overwhelmed by his argument
It staggers the mind to consider the number of letters on countless pages
storage units etc…..and what we consider passable treatment for these words is ever degrading
as you say you “laughed” when soon I am sure we will both cry
At my little illiterate elementary school we have machines that count how many words students read and there were five in my school who read over a million words as counted by Accelerated Reader- the “winner” read over 5 million words this year
These poor children and their blissfully ignorant teachers really don’t know the first thing about literacy
but believe in mere shadows they count like sheep at the edge of slumber
a slumber from which we will not soon awaken
Yesterday an Anglo-Pakistani shopkeeper told me that his brother lived in “Vashington.” I’d just mentioned Washington and he’d obviously heard it pronounced properly before
Englishmen persistently mispronounce the Latin American nation “Nica-rag-you-uh” and they’ve heard that pronounced properly too
These and many other examples seem to show that reading a word has greater influence on how people pronounce it than hearing it spoken
What may this tell us about the influence of the written word versus the spoken one
Anthony of the Desert was “unlettered” and his reputation for civility
brilliance and erudition drew many philosophers out into the desert to mock him for his lack of learning
they often left confounded- he would sometimes ask
And which is the cause of which- the mind of the letters
or the letters of the mind?’ After their reply that the mind is first and an inventor of the letters
‘Now you see that in the person whose mind is sound there is no need for letters.’” These and many others departed in amazement that an untrained man living in the wilderness could possess such understanding
and his speech was seasoned with divine salt
People and culture are funny and extremely complex- I suspect our queries have no empirical answers
I don’t see that you examples exclude the possibility that even though these misprounouncers perhaps can read words written that it is not because they have heard others pronounce those words that way and perhaps there are limits on the tongue when one comes to a new language a little later in life
I still contend that hearing is more important than seeing in matters of true literacy
We could have a very long conversation about this
I think there is much more to this discussion than we could ever address here
I think the more profound issue I was pointing to here was that making an idol out of letters
We are nearly to the point where it doesn’t matter what we read
as Screwtape says “only the learned read old books
and we have so dealt with them they are the least likely to gain wisdom from them.” These learned are our teachers
The movie “Frozen” is full of spectacular visual and aural displays
but morally it is a production devoid of virtue
It may satisfy the appetites of the masses but it feeds no souls
Christian parents should remember that Disney has been guided by darkened minds for too long to be trusted
It seems that the whole world is celebrating the movie Frozen
Disney in recent years is increasingly pushing the envelope of moral norms
Disney labors to turn morality on its head
grossing over a billion dollars at the box office
is a fine example of moral inversion delivered with kitschy finesse
We ought to expect to hear good Christian voices eschewing the ideological and deviant seeds being sown in the hearts and minds of our children by such alluring cinematic means
most of what is said about this movie has been glowing praise
such as claiming that it is a moral victory
or a new direction for Disney “bringing the fairytale back to life,” or that it is “morally serious and culturally edifying storytelling.” It is as perplexing as it is disturbing because none of those things are accurate
Disney’s latest blockbuster is not a departure from their agenda to normalize a false anthropology and deviant behavior; it is their best effort to date
We would be wise here to remember that Christ exhorts us to “judge not by appearances
but judge righteous judgment.” And we must recall what Plato teaches us in the Allegory of the cave about seeing shadows on the cave wall and confusing those shadows for real things
and cuddly movie appealing to ear and eye alike
But underneath the surface lurks degeneracy and disorder on a scale that renders it propaganda for “Modern Family” values
Disney claims the movie Frozen was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale The Snow Queen
It would be more accurate to say that Disney used The Snow Queen as a counter template
Andersen’s story is a truly delightful masterpiece of a fairytale
It is a modern didactic morality tale of the sort you might find in a public school textbook
The setting is certainly not in the land of Faerie
such as magic and trolls are demythologized and treated as accidents cut off from their formal and final causes and most other elements taken from the true fairytale are inverted for modern appeal
Andersen’s The Snow Queen is a tale told in seven stories
It concerns a demon troll and his spectacularly malevolent contrivance of a mirror that reflected a foul distortion of reality
diminishing the good and exaggerating the bad
A beautiful landscape would appear as “boiled spinach.” Good souls would appear hideous
The demon troll and his minions took the malevolent mirror to every people and to every land until the whole world had gazed into the foul apparatus
the demon troll commanded his minions to fly with him and the mirror up to the heavens to mock the angels
At a great height the mirror slipped from their grip and fell to the ground
On impact the mirror exploded into billions of pieces and a cloud of shards covered the earth
Each splinter and fragment contained the power of the entire mirror and the shards would enter people’s eyes and cause them see a distorted reality
and the shards would also enter human hearts and turn them to ice
two children who live next door to each other
They develop a wonderful friendship and grow to love each other like brother and sister
One day Gerda’s grandma introduces them to the legend of the Snow Queen
A few months later the malevolent frozen sprite makes an appearance outside Kay’s frozen window
one of shards from the distorted mirror gets into Kay’s eye and another gets into his heart and it begins to turn into a lump of ice
Kay’s personality transforms and he is henceforth prone to biting reproach and witty criticality
One day Kay gets whisked away by the Snow Queen to her Ice Castle in the land of Faerie
Heart broken and worried for her dear friend
Gerda goes on a quest to rescue him and thus begins an odyssey of unforgettable and delightful account
She begins the journey with a boat ride down an enchanted river whose current takes her into the land of Faerie as well
The Snow Queen by Andersen is the real article—Frozen is a mockery
The reality is that Disney simply uses Andersen’s good name and fairytale to promote their agenda
Disney has only used symbols and signs from The Snow Queen and in almost every case inverted them to propagate ideology
Disney doesn’t hold to a single ideal from the original fairytale
Andersen makes frequent reference to Christ and the true nature of love while Frozen makes no reference to the Creator and offers only an ape of real love
Andersen shows that it is the power of true love that washes away the shards of the troll’s mirror and true love is ushered in by the angels in reward for the innocence of a child’s prayers and selfless commitment
In the end Frozen is a feminist diatribe and The Snow Queen is an authentic and beautiful fairytale
A look past the colorful sentimentality of nearly every aspect of Frozen will reveal that the womb of this ideological masterwork is feminism
no normal healthy couples and not a single good man
Women have to rely on themselves and power is the root issue
The only intact family in Frozen is the royal family with the basically absent King and Queen who are shortly lost at sea
They committed their only act of parental care by taking their unfortunate daughters to trolls for medical treatment and psychological advice
Trolls have always been and will always be demons and Disney tries to invert that truth by making them the love experts
Every man in the movie is a villain except Kristoff. He is the only half-way decent guy—and if you pay close attention you will hear what they really think of him in the song Fixer Upper
We learn that Kristoff was raised by trolls and in the song we get the rest of his qualifications
his talk is grumpy and he has funny shaped feet
On the positive side “you’ll never meet a fella who’s as sensitive and sweet.” (these are not exactly manly virtues) They go on to explain that he is a fixer upper—he has flaws
he is socially impaired and he “tinkles in the woods.”
they add this final insinuation that he is afflicted with the proclivity for bestiality
Perhaps the worst words in the whole movie are that he has a “peculiar brain
dear” and that he has a “thing for the reindeer that’s outside a few of nature’s laws.” And again
but notice the cognitive dissonance Disney projects towards its young audience
They make Kristoff appealing in appearance and in speech and only reveal these horrible things about him delivered by the trolls in an adorable sounding song: thus the attempt to make perversion look “normal.”
Another feminist theme is illustrated by Anna’s sacrificial act to save her sister the snow queen Elsa
But about fifty paces aback from the tree of feminism
we see the forest of ideology illustrating not the nobility of woman
but the shame of Adam and one of the tragedies of this anti-chivalrous age
Anna is “forced” to act as a man because there is no man to do it
It is the man that is supposed to love his bride the way Christ loves the Church and to sacrifice his life for her
If aliens watched Frozen they could only conclude that all men are bad
who by projection of appearances holds some virtues
but by the trolls’ account and in stated fact holds no manly virtues and many vices
The best commentary on Frozen I have heard to date came from my daughter Kaia
I like the movie but in the end it leaves me feeling empty.” By appearances
the movie is full of spectacular visual and aural displays
but structurally and morally it is a production devoid of virtue
We are wholly unprepared in this day and age for Andersen’s The Snow Queen
The modern soul soaking in the slowly heating spirit of this age is ill-equipped to appreciate Andersen and numbly predisposed to enjoy the moral vacuity we see in Frozen
Christian parents; let’s not let our children be led by the wisdom of the trolls
Disney has been guided by darkened minds for too long to be trusted anymore
At the core of Disney’s movie Frozen lurks the frozen heart
But we must rediscover the true nature of sacrificial love
the only kind of love that can return proper sight to the jaded eye
and return our families to the paths of virtue
The featured image is courtesy of IMDb
The last paragraph is worth reading about a hundred times
I learned a great way to deal with movies like these from my wife: don’t watch them
I can’t stand Disney and fear what they will do to Star Wars… And yes
I disagree with almost every aspect your review (though
but I have become a serious fan since John Lassiter moved over from Pixar
I have been a fan of yours since I read your awesome book Sanctifying Tolkien- a book instrumental to my conversion into a maniacal Tolkien fanatic!!
My favorite children’s movie is the Incredibles
so I can certainly sympathize with your nod to John Lassiter
But even the amazing Incredibles wouldn’t exonerate him from the moral aberrations promoted in the Disney movies of recent years
I do find the movies technically brilliant and generally pleasant
I am certain that at their very deepest roots they represent “values clarification” agendas
The story telling is suffocated because the movies are driven by secular dogma
and that leaves no room for the true stories (there is really only one!)
I have similar problems with Tangled and Brave
though they’re not as prominently displayed there as in Frozen
which is the next degree hotter in the pot of slowly heating water
Patience and abstinence are wildly curious themes to deduce from Frozen I would be very interested in learning about your thinking on that
I would be happy to learn that I am wrong about all this
perhaps I am the one with the frozen heart
I should’ve taken the time to explain–especially after your excellent article
I definitely had a great time writing on JRRT
I don’t have a free moment to go into detail in my response (I need to get the kids to bed)–but I will
I’m really glad to have a discussion
it’s great to have some varied voices
One of the best things about Winston’s editorial instincts is to allow lots of viewpoints
Let me just state that 1) I think FROZEN takes a lot from the Icelandic and Norse sagas; 2) that the queen has to realize her gifts must be used for the common good in a very Thomistic sense
The “let it go” is not the answer
but a momentary relief that covers the kingdom in ice (no grace); 3) that the princess has to learn restraint and to avoid falling for the first thing that comes her way
She has to chose among loves–from essential impatient lust to proper love (Bruce says this so much better than I just did)
I’ll give this more time at a later date
very glad to keep reading your excellent posts and know you’re a TIC brother in arms!!
your position is much clearer and all the more valuable because I know the busyness that occupies your life
I am very grateful to Winston for the variety of viewpoints and the intelligence behind them
I am honored beyond my own reckoning to be a brother in arms with all the TIC authors
we will have to wrap the rest of this up over a couple of pints
Having written a post on this blog giving effusive praise to Frozen
I thought I might say a word or two in response to Stephen’s post
An argument!” Too often traditional conservatives are seen as walking in lockstep on all issues
though I’m not certain how deep the disagreement goes
has long since become just another corporate purveyor of cultural sludge
corporations have real people working for them
and sometimes those real people do good things
I found the focus on loyalty and self-sacrifice a welcome change
to lump in every contemporary cartoon label with medieval archetypes
Frozen’s “trolls” clearly are not demons
any more than the little troll dolls girls played with back in the 70’s
and to keep ourselves abreast of what little good is being produced
if we expect contemporary secularists to know much about their history
I know people who refuse to let their kids see the Harry Potter movies (or read the books) because of the supposed satanic connections
Rowling is morally obtuse and a mediocre writer
but such broad strokes are themselves ideological–an attempt force the world into the exciting mold of being always engaged in the same cataclysmic battles
The peasants clearly have real family lives; that royal lives are sterile is no immoral point
the springing of true love between a good girl and a nice guy–once the girl gets over her over-romanticized infatuation
terming BOTH the young lovers “fixer uppers” clearly is meant to show love and to show how REAL romantic love works–it’s imperfect
like people and requires the virtue of acceptance
As my dad would always say “it is better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt!” Well I think that was Twain
what a wonderful coincidence it is that Dr
Birzer and you are two of a handful of men who pulled me out of the secular humanist sludge back when I was a liberal seeker of truth (an oxymoron using the modern definition of ‘liberal’ no?)
particularly your book on Virtue and the Promise of Conservatism and a few ISI lectures
if you are effusive to the secular humanists about cultural sludge- I do not condemn that
I am writing to Christian parents and conservatives as a proponent of a restoration of culture
though much giddy excitement has it ushered into countless children’s lives- It reminds me of that horrid pie the servant made for her odious white patron in the dreadful movie I find the charge of anachronism a little troubling- I am reminded of The Two Towers where the rider of the mark asked Aragorn “How shall a man judge what to do in such times?” And Aragorn answered: “As he ever has judged
Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear; nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves
as much in the Golden Wood as in his own house.”
I believe that for Christian parents it is a little disconcerting to call dragons good
trolls “love experts” ogres Kings and claim that vampires have rights too
It is the culture of death- medieval archetypes
We live in an age of semantic distortion and calling things what they are not has not been helpful to confused children
And though evil is surely banal in many of its present manifestations
trolls and the Dragon rages on in Technicolor and furious sound that Pixar can only envy
On the emphasis on romantic love I would have been inclined to agree with you
and I did at first glance of your article- but the exchange was of something natural (romantic love) cheapened by tawdry misuse I’ll grant you
clear only to the slightly more perspicacious than the seething masses
The possible lesbian proclivity of the good snow queen Elsa
and Kristoff who has a relationship with his reindeer that breaks a few natural laws
And there are several other instances of inverted morality as well
a misuse of a natural love to acceptance of unnatural acts
I agree that many of the points on the surface look good
but a little closer examination renders them bad philosophy and bad morality
it is one thing to clearly understand that we are all fixer uppers
it is quite another saying we must tolerate all the things the trolls say about Kristoff
so the line between “acceptance” and the perverted use of “tolerance” is very troubling for young children who are being told every day on tv and in the public schools to “tolerate” all manner of evil and vice and to be intolerant of virtue and even those that hold to moral standards
It is surprising to me that you would let Disney off the hook here
from our house over 3 years ago- we have not been poisoned by the commercialism of the last few years and we have again become sensitized
It is shocking now when I catch a glimpse of the Disney owned Modern Family and ABC family
or even the Disney channel shows and commercials these days
Perhaps this accounts for part of the distance that lies between us
Other than a twinge of sorrow that two men I greatly admire disagree with my thesis on Frozen
I am heartened by the truth that amongst imaginative conservatives
gentlemen can disagree and discuss these things without acrimony
You have me curious as to how deep our actual disagreement does go
I have a few theories as to how deep and why
but those would be better deliberated over a few pints in a tavern
Diametrically opposed positions meting it out the friendly and fair way
While I am so in alignment with Steve regarding Disney that I was surprised to find disagreement from Drs
this would be precisely the fusty yet amicable throng I’d love to join in more than a few pints (though I happily admit I’d be the one steering the conversation to more pressing matters than Disney!)
I have assumed it common knowledge that Disney has been one of the foremost engineers of social change: I.e
the “new family.” From the subliminal subversive messages in Aladdin and Little Mermaid (which were originally at least
to the takeover of the agendas at subsidiaries ABC an ESPN
to the crypto-pop-bubblegum introductions of America’s toddlers to homosexuality and beastiality
Disney is guilty of the crime Socrates was executed for…and given the furtive
honor less nature of the crime (trickin unsuspecting parents into setting these movies before their kids)
Birzer and Frohnen: what of all the secret messaging in these films
Frohnen said about the elevation of the trolls–that taken alone it sounds rather alarmist–the constellation of facts beside it certainly are enough the vindicate EXTREME caution with Disney
And while in that limited context I understand the reference to “medieval” archetypes
it is certainly no bad thing in general to re-medievalize the American approach to archetypogy
Exactly what I felt about the movie… Even down to the queen… Keep writing
This movie spoke so much truth into my life including my walk with Christ
It hurts that Catholics and Christians are so judgmental towards others and other things
That hurts my trust in God more than innocent
its founder Walt Disney was at least nominally a Congreationalist and actively an anticommunist and Goldwater conservative
But the lesser-known religious context of his life included a wife and daughters who were Christian Scientists
in which he has been described as passively interested
There was a story I heard that in visiting the Christian Science headquarters in Boston he had said that if he were religious he would be a Christian Scientist
compromise and consensus may have to suffice
A prominent professor of linguistics publically taught the party line on gender pronouns
It is not necessary to name the semi-famous professor because even though it is absurd
most who consider themselves “educated” would agree with her
but now there are alternatives because of gender ambiguities and many folks do not fit into the binary scheme of male and female
we ought to call people by the pronouns they desire.” Remember
the context here is linguistics in the university
The idea that we should call someone by the pronoun they desire rather than the pronoun they actually are is absurd and the one place we shouldn’t cater to this absurdity is in the university
the modern university is the birth place of such absurdities and many more besides
This blatant attack on nature and reality fades into one of countless similar soundbites comprising the new cultural white noise by which we are lulled into an intellectual stupor
We are still in the West even if this is our twilight
There are still scattered vestiges and dispersed remnants of the bold tradition we once proudly called Western Civilization
As our tradition is attacked and erodes under the constant ideological onslaught
we see our schools no longer require Western Civilization as a course of study
The multi-cultural revisions taking its place malign and denigrate our noble yet admittedly scarred history
A point worth noting is that in our tradition where Athens and Jerusalem meet
the proper end of our education was always truth
but truth in accord with the objective standard knowable first by our senses
and then by the gift of intellect held up to the standard of the natural law evident in the created order and written on our hearts
hold out the capacity to perceive what is truly there
We used to know that our four inner senses possess the competence to prepare the data of experience for proper treatment by the spiritual activity we once knew as intellection
The English philosophers collapsed the distinction between perception and conception many centuries ago and the results have been material fruitfulness and intellectual barrenness
The modern university has become an intellectual and moral wasteland
A small but telling example can be illustrated by the new “standard” use of pronouns sweeping traditional and accurate conventions off their axis and askew from their correspondence to reality
We will see in the new stand that it is indeed inclusive
the mass media and too many other outlets to name have abused speech for so long that Orwellian doublespeak seems preferable
Utterly false notions of the human person and human learning have profoundly impacted modern language usage
A modern university ideologue and a true man of the West can now say the exact same words and mean two completely different things
“education is a good thing,” or “it is important to be inclusive,” or “diversity is the spice of life,” but clearly these notions point to diametrically opposed premises and conclusions for each
The two equivocate on the definitions of “education,” “inclusivity,” and “diversity.” These words used by the modern “scholar” have been divorced from their traditional meanings and point to territory unchartered by previous generations
In his work Topics book 2
Aristotle suggests that when it comes to calling things what they are we should “determine what kinds of things should be called what most men call them and what should not.” The Philosopher goes on to say that in principle
“we ought to use our words to mean the same things as most people mean by them.” And of course
we ought to for the sake of clarity in speech
but he goes on to teach; “when we ask what kinds of things are or are not of such and such a kind
we should not here go with the multitude.” And indeed
to go with the multitude on the new gender pronouns is madness
Aristotle’s example is “it is right to call healthy whatever tends to produce health
as do most men; but in saying whether the object before us tends to produce health or not
we should adopt the language no longer of the multitude but of the doctor.” If we apply Aristotle’s teachings to the present situation
We might say that in our common speech we ought to use the word meanings of the “educated
multitude” except where they diverge from reality
we ought to use the words of the perennial philosophers to make clear what is signified by the words themselves
We had always used the pronoun “he” to refer to a male and “she” to refer to a female
this was an artifact of common sense and common usage
it is no longer permissible to refer to a girl as “she” and a boy as “he” if they do not so desire because the modern mind molders claim that a person’s “gender” is a personal and subjective decision
This innovative divergence of the multitude is actually an offense against nature and reality
To call a male “he” and a female “she” based on DNA is now a contradiction to gender ideologues who believe it is an offense to individual and civil rights
The philosophers know that the sex of a human person is an essential accident of birth
an artifact of the substantial form of the human person
The body of that person is not separate from the substantial form but emanates from it and is a composite integrated whole
the body is the manifestation of its formal cause
its very animating principle; the spirited soul
The substantial form not only informs every aspect of the body
but is 100% present in each divisible part of the body
is not a thing over which humans have a choice
or to invent a multitude of nonexistent other gender pronouns that have no correspondence to reality is intellectually and morally irresponsible
The notion that we ought to refer to someone as they desire to be called may be a modern demand of social convention and polite conversation where the highest ideal is to not offend
a college or a school because by definition these are places that must hold truth as the highest value
The inclusion of truth ought to be in every aspect of a school’s being
the professor would explicitly claim we are including many different genders
So while she is explicitly affirming the inclusivity of a multitude of non-existent genders
she is implicitly denying inclusivity to those who believe that human persons are exclusively created male and female
What the professor calls inclusivity is not inclusive in a substantial way
but actually excludes those who reject the false theory of innumerable genders
that human persons are made exclusively male or female
is excluded and even ostracized because he cannot participate in the unreality of the new and multiplying gender pronouns
by calling someone by a pronoun that does not correspond to his ontological reality
we are including in our statements an untruth and excluding the truth
We are affirming explicitly an unreality on the grounds that it is a desired reality and implicitly denying the objective reality
Because of the exaggerated weight given to subjective opinion over objective reality
we are now being coerced to call a person a thing he is not because that person feels like you should
If you object on the grounds that you would prefer to adhere to scientific
It is no small irony that although the university is the one place we should never propagate a falsehood
it is the seething cauldron of a multiplicity of falsehoods concerning the nature of the human person
A multitude of wholly invented and false pronouns for what God made male and female is irrational—and to include irrationality
truth is the one thing that ought to never be excluded
at the dawn of a “brave” new world that excludes truth and includes everything else
This is not a university but a multiversity incapable of imparting anything approximating an authentic education
The pronouns are the tip of the iceberg and one of the more visible disordered vagaries propagated by the swindlers in the ivory towers
Will we continue to stand idly by and watch this once great civilization decay into intellectual and moral rubble one “inclusive” lie after another
recover the manly virtue required to speak the truth—gently
if you will… or even silently to yourself if you must
The featured image is courtesy of Pixabay
Another type of contradiction is also at work – we are to include different genders
but since there are no objective traits that differentiate one gender from another
we are not actually including many ‘different’ things
because these things are not fundamentally different
we argue that including women as well as men in the workplace is extremely beneficial even while arguing that there is no difference in the skill sets
or preferences of men and women – if the latter is true
why should it make a difference whether businesses expand to include female perspectives
And again: we number tolerance among the virtues
but also implement “zero tolerance” policies for certain behaviors
Truth is certainly not in charge here; one must wonder what confused motivation is at work to produce such strange (and yet strong) modern convictions
We discover lunacy if we take a moment to notice all the contradictory statements by the intolerant promoters of tolerance
the multiple gender theories of gender equality activists and really every other modern ideology promoted in the name of “fairness.” Intellectual honesty is conspicuously absent from the conversation in the public square
in fact the conversation is not a conversation but a legion of monologues where dissent from the contradictory/schizophrenic party line is grounds to destroy you
but I didn’t enter the UC system with a cultivated intellect or in tact reasoning
they did nothing to help that process along
literally right on the beach was amazing for one in an intellectual coma and I was able to prioritize surfing above all else which I think protected me from many things I might have otherwise absorbed
I made it through less indoctrinated than many
In today’s “education” one will have to acquire literacy and thinking skills
on their own after such times as “they” have forgotten the dreadful lessons of the modern school
is “gender” even the word we ought to use in place of “sex?” The claim is that biological sex is what you are born and “gender” is what you choose to be from your head
Is this even conceivable by the biologists
I followed your lead with the neutral pronouns because I don’t want to offend anyone either
The human effort to eradicate “sex” is weak
Lewis said this subjectivism would end our civilization
it will only follow a recovery of common sense and a rejection of ideology flowing out of gnosticism
all constituent parts fo subjectivism and relativism
If Classical music was able to survive the 20th Century
then perhaps Classical education can as well
I understand that there is a resurgence in the demand for Classical education
Substance will always prevail over the nothingness that has been provided us by progressive ideologies
Humans always seek to find that which can sustain them in this life
and those progressive ideologies offer nothing but emptiness
It’s not our job to explain to crazy and malice driven people why they are wrong
Our only job is to tell them they have no business telling us what to do
but I am trying to explain this to children
family and friends who have been increasingly bombarded with this insanity to the extent that otherwise good souls are taken in by this ideology and would defend it on the grounds of unknowing
I don’t know that we still have the luxury of telling them they have no business trying to ram this down our throats
it is becoming a pretty common place thing
The only way you win with such people is to stand firm
The best example I can think of (in politics) is the NRA
of which I was a member for a number of years
And the way they won was 1) They had no delusion that their opponents were “Nice Guys” who could be reasoned with
it will only get worse because the other side will only see us as spineless and weak
it’s not to much of a stretch to imagine a future where a teacher can get into trouble for teaching that 2 + 2 = 4 on the basis of “How dare you impose your values on someone else!”
Leftists and more liberal than your average liberals bitterly complain about grammar rules and punctuation marks being constructed by “dead white men” (true story: one of my linguistic (female
if I can borrow a page from their book I’ll be complaining about these new gender pronouns in the near future made by the LGBT+ community and their advocates – many who do not hold a candle to those who have built and sustained Western civilization
A word that might have been discarded as unnecessary and confusing has been inflated by pretentiousness
a condition endemic in today’s media
The modern system of public education has been
Our current educational crisis has been eroding the moral and intellectual fabric of the American Experiment for too many generations to count
Yet the occupiers of the Ivory Towers openly aver that our public schools are doing a fantastic job
and our fainthearted counterparts in the elementary schools usually concur en masse
Perhaps a cursory look at two root problems concerning the modern educational crisis will have a sobering effect on some who have been taken in by the swindlers selling defunct
secular-humanist education to unwitting customers
The fact that the public schools increasingly emphasize the hard sciences means there has been a shift from universal notions of being to particular notions of doing
The inversion of the scientific method from the deductive to the inductive approach instituted by Sir Francis Bacon has precipitated a great many inversions in public and private life concerning the order of the cosmos
and education–particularly concerning how we know what we know
The inversion of the intellectual hierarchy has made empirical science
supreme over intellectual apprehension and above the astounding revealed truths available to us mere mortals
The relationship between human being and human doing has also been inverted
There are many stumbling blocks for those who wish to engage intelligently and morally in the debate on education
Two foundational issues are an understanding of the nature of grammar and the problem of being vs
By clarifying these two vital educational considerations
one is better equipped to understand what has so confused the world concerning education and human learning
The word “grammar” is an extremely important word coming from the Greek “grammatikí̱” (γραμματική) meaning “the art of letters,” but in its deepest sense it signifies literacy or the right reading of things
It is complicated to master literacy and all its guiding principles
The Ancients left us records of men who called themselves grammarians
and rhetoric if they were to be worthy of their title
If we compare what the grammarians considered grammar in ages past with what people call grammar today
we are astounded by the difference between the two
Dionysios Thrax
outlined the hierarchical structure of grammar from the least to the greatest
followed by an understanding of literary devices
followed by considerations of phraseology enhanced by etymology
At the upper reaches of grammar we find analogy and metaphor
followed by the highest aspect of grammar: the art of exegesis
Exegesis has its etymological roots in a word that means “to demand”; we demand from a written work what it is most deeply trying to convey considering its origins
This complete understanding of grammar has long since been abandoned
Grammar has suffered the same fate as theology and philosophy in this reductive age
Grammar has been cut off from its transcendent and philosophical roots
Grammar ought to embody the rules for the structure of language
which intend to reflect the hierarchical structure of the Cosmos
The lowest level of grammatical concern for the ancients has become the highest in the modern school
Prosody has gone under the knife of dissection to the point that literacy has become a sort of pseudo-linguistic analysis of the written word
Prosody generally means “the defining feature of expressive reading which comprises all of the variables of timing
and intonation.” The ancient grammarians’ concerns have been replaced by the constituent parts undergirding prosody
Added to these considerations are superficial nods to various parts of speech and reduced versions of some of the Ancient grammarian’s categories
lies dissected in the laboratory of the modern school empirically mapped out
A recovery of the true nature of grammar is hardly likely
but let it suffice here to remind us that grammar has its roots in eternity
and its arrangement of categories signifies the rules of existence as well as words can
In identifying the grammar of human existence there are two primary considerations: that of space and that of time
which correlate to our two categories of being and doing
Being and doing are reflected by the speech categories that we call nouns and verbs
In the entirety of language we can notice that all our linguistic constructions revolve around articulating things and what they do (nouns and verbs)
we understand our lives in terms of being and doing
All our considerations revolve around what we are and what we do
It is of primary importance in living out our Christian vocations to know the nature of what we are
to understand the moral implications of what we do
and how these two categories are inextricably related
It is the philosophical problem of our age that we have abandoned a proper understanding of this relationship and it has obscured our understanding of how we ought to educate our children
We are created beings born into time and space
We are made in the image and likeness of God and gifted an intellect and free will and thereby we are impelled to act
These facts point to the most basic aspects of the human condition
But because we are rational and moral creatures
what we do requires knowledge and consideration
In order to act rightly in accord with our proper ends
it is necessary to discover the nature of our being
No longer do we rely on revelation and metaphysics to inform us about our being
but a recovery of these two sciences is vital for a rediscovery of the nature of being
Ontology is a branch of metaphysics that studies what there is
the most general features of being and how universal principles correspond to speculative understanding of what really is
This age has narrowed its focus so tightly it has excluded the immateriality comprising the universal and unchanging principles of being
we focus almost exclusively on what is merely physical
knowable through the five senses and by its material nature constantly changing
More than what we can perceive with the five senses
Many in education would say “no,” but the great philosophers like Plato
Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas would say yes
Metaphysics is the subject which is beyond-physics
Metaphysics is an exercise that begins with the senses but goes far beyond it to the proper use the intellect in a philosophical discipline known to the ancients as speculative rational science
Metaphysics used to be called the “first philosophy.” It seeks to understand the permanent
immaterial and universal things pertaining to the nature of being
Many false beliefs follow the above-described philosophical stumbling blocks
We have come to believe that there are no universal truths about the nature of being
and since we focus almost solely on the physical
we are apt to conclude by our simple observations that everything and everyone is different
Universals are no longer held to be applicable to being
From this error we can make neither truthful
nor accurate statements about the nature of being nor how such an understanding calls us to educate our children
we become the arbiters of our own truths and the makers of our own rules
If we no longer admit of divine and natural law
We have mistakenly come to believe that what we do determines who we are
We have come to label ourselves by the things we do
People today refer to themselves as the thing they do
We have tried to change the definition of the human person from a human being to a human doing
The logical end of this error is to see people as means to be used (doing)
Finally we have mistakenly come to believe that doing precedes being
If we don’t recognize that the universal principles of being apply to all humans at all times
then we are inclined to invert the order of being and doing
Universal principles of being are meant to guide our actions
Without them we have had to turn elsewhere for guidance
We have replaced universal truths of being with regimens of action we believe will determine what we become
This is abundantly apparent in modern educational pedagogy
In the order of reality it is precisely our habits of being both moral and intellectual which comprise the range of possible valid acts to which we have the potential to commit
We are apt to think in this confused age that what we do will determine what we become
it is who we are that will determine what we do
we ask the wrong question about how students are to become educated
in order to recover a sense of a true education
we must recover an authentic understanding of the nature of grammar
especially where it applies to the grammar of human existence
By putting things back into their proper ontological order
we avail ourselves of an opportunity to remediate the dismal state of modern education
If we continue to operate by the current inverted paradigms
it is only reasonable to expect our current educational crisis to worsen
>>”The fact that the public schools increasingly emphasize the hard sciences means there has been a shift from universal notions of being to particular notions of doing
and education–particularly concerning how we know what we know.”<<
Bravo– our young people are drafted into a project of sifting through the products of God's creation
trying to rework them into our own creation
even less in touch with God and nature than a shaman dancing around a fire
does the author question the suitability of democracy
are these Ivory Tower occupiers saying our our public schools are doing a fantastic job
the people saying such are few and far between
I worked in the public schools for 23 years and the professors in education departments regularly came to train teachers and there was a constant touting of the newest latest thing
so I am contending that many professors in education departments across this country are supportive of worthless programs like state standards and common core
not to mention all the other horrible ideas which have populated the public schools for the last 40 years
they easily see the caliber of the new arrivals to their universities declining year by year and the swindlers answer with more and more remedial programs- When I testified against the common core at an education committee convened by the GA house of Representatives
there were two education professors from Georgia College in Milledgeville who sang the praises of common core and it is a matter of public record
Perhaps I should have qualified my statement
but professors of education are propagandists for things like common core
I don’t know where all the other professors stand
but I am sure many of them support the public schools in ideological theory- If you have evidence to the contrary please present it
If you contend that these education professors are lying
but when folks make generalizations without any supporting references
The experience you supplied above helps fill things out
I might still argue the proponents (or propagandists) of common core aren’t so much arguing things are great with our public schools
but that common core is the panacea for what’s wrong
Of that I’m skeptical as I am of most top-down “comprehensive” solutions
my daughter is pursuing her doctorate in mathematics at a large public university and the stories she tells about the incoming underclass she teaches are quite comedic (or horrific
and it requires much further examination and clarification than time or space permit- Surely
Common Core is being touted as the next panacea
but so has every other silly program foisted upon the public schools for the last several generations
and countless more anti-human schemes- they all have the common denominator that they are OBE which is a scientifically reduced method incapable of treating the intellect and soul of students- so bound to fail no matter how much we convince ourselves or other of invisible efficacy
I am sure I would enjoy your daughters stories and I have countless myself- after we get done laughing we would probably cry
We in the teaching class have a lot to answer for concerning the last 150 years of the American demise
I don’t consider my experience to be any kind of convincing evidence
but the trends in our nation are self-evident and the very fact that the public schools still exist is a far greater sign that teachers and education professors are not appropriately horrified by the current state of affairs
Where is the outcry against the public schools
It seems we are never told how really devastating modern pedagogy and methodology really are to the human intellect and will
I still hear people say “I got a good education at…………” They never seem able to articulate what they mean by “good education.” (again my experience is not much to go on
but ask a few folks yourself.) America is in the process of being dumbed down for too many generations now
Have you ever read The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
There is a very interesting and timely sentence on p
23 ( don’t know if the pages are the same in all the different versions of the book ): “…This explains how it happened that there were so many insurrections against the Romans in Spain
and Greece resulting from the numerous principalities into which those states had been divided
As long as the memory of these principalities survived
the Romans remained insecure in their possessions
Not until the enduring power of the empire had effaced all memory of them did the Romans become safely entrenched
intense ideology trying to assume power in these United States
our religious freedoms and traditional family values
is just another way to speed up the process
because States like California are already on the way to being Socialist
This is a way to double down on the process
I see this entire event as a nightmare come to life
I have four grandchildren and they live here
The nightmare is: will my daughter and son-in-law have enough strength and moral fiber to be able to see the incremental changes in our State and school system
This Nation needs all the help it can get
I am most grateful to be put on your prayer list
I very much appreciate your long comment as well
although I may disagree with you a little about how quickly things are descending- Born and raised in California
I think it may be going a little quicker that you suggest
I fear your daughter and son in law are powerless to circumvent the catastrophic effects of our public schools
even good folks who faithfully home school are inundated by the prolific work of public education which has formed all sectors of public life and infected most of private life
That is a good question I am unable to answer at the moment
but I have been thinking about it since you asked it
I believe our appetites have been topsy turvey since the fall
I think the real questions are about self-government and the cultivation of virtue
a thing increasingly eschewed by modern man
I will get back to you if I figure anything out
I’m currently homeschooling my son and we’re currently focused on the Trivium
your article helped suggest we were on the right path
We are in dire need of a recovery of truth in speech
“Gender” is just the latest and most profound in a long string of misused words over the centuries
not the first or the last—but a misuse that has profound and dire consequences for modern society
Nothing is so senseless that some person will not profess it
has customarily been reserved for those with higher degrees in education
the common man can believe in the most ridiculous things too
for he has been convinced of his great knowledge by the self-esteem lessons he has been taught in the public schools
and he has been given a platform to pontificate
Perhaps the most absurd subject of our day centers on the word “gender.” The word has been exploded to include new and ever-morphing meanings
and the confusion surrounding its true meaning is staggering
The supposed evolution of this word is another example of the commonly-held
“Experts” at the University of Edinburgh have recently perpetuated this idea in stating their conclusions after conducting experiments in the evolution of language
is an evolutionary system in its own right
Many of the adaptive features of linguistic structure arise from this process rather than having to be encoded specifically in our genes
the human brain provides the essential scaffolding for the cultural evolution of language in the first place
but it need not specify all the details innately.”
The material reduction of the origins of language by the superimposition of evolutionary theory is dreadfully misguided
Modern consensus on the issue is diametrically opposed to the consensus of the Great Western Tradition
spanning the Ancient Greek and Hebrew civilizations through the Great Scholastic period
which held that language comes from God (or the gods) and words that words have fixed meanings
Evolutionary theory cannot speak to the origins or to the nature of language
nurture conundrum is a false dichotomy explaining little more than modern man’s misguided musings
English is not evolving, but disintegrating. In Richard Weaver’s chilling critique concerning the decline of Western Civilization, Ideas Have Consequences
he identifies the train of intellectual history that led to the transition from “vere loqui” to “recte loqui,” which we may more readily identify as the transition from “speech in truth” to “politically-correct speech.” Weaver explained that since the time of Occam
logic itself was “grammaticized” or reduced
and the impact on our use of language devolved “from an ontological division by categories to a study of signification.” The initial shift in focus was to a word’s historical meaning rather than its objectively true meaning and “thus begins the assault on definition.”
words are incarnations of images or meanings that correspond to an objective reality
Words are appearances of real things that have their roots in the transcendent order of truth formerly known as ultimate reality
there has been a precipitous decline in the proper use of language that would not have surprised him; though perhaps he would be even less hopeful today than he was in 1948 when he suggested we reinvest real value into our language
It was in the very year of Weaver’s death that we observe the degeneration of a very good word: “gender.” It was in 1963 that “gender” took on an erotic value
and the degeneration of that word has been swift ever since
We can trace the word “gender” in its verb form at least back to the late fourteenth century
or give birth to,” and this came from the Latin generare
or character.” This came from the Latin genus
which has a broader use extending to “race
species etc.” Aristotle used the Greek genos to refer to the male and female sex
This particular use of gender as a noun denoting male and female sex is then witnessed in English from the fifteenth century
It has always been the case that in the Romance Languages we refer to words in a grammatical sense as either masculine or feminine
and this was the understanding of gender in language until the modern age
If we inquired about the maleness or femaleness of a human person before 1963 we would ask
“what is your sex?” From the 1950s to the 1960s the answer had changed from “male” or “female” to “yes
“sex” as a noun had been superseded by “sex” as a verb
and the confusion began as the sexual revolution was launched
sex is used almost exclusively in an erotic sense
and gender has been bent into more than fifty shades of gray
Truthful speech has been labeled “hateful” by the intelligentsia
and politically-correct speech is now required under penalty of public shaming and legal sanction
To suggest that the question of sex as a noun was answered in the beginning when our Creator made us male and female is to blaspheme against the modern idol of sex-worship in this contemporary age
Though the word gender refers to what we called “sex” in the past
The truth has always been that male and female is what we are
and “sex” relates to our complementarity as we arrange marriage
What we are by virtue of our natures determines the kinds of things we can and ought to do
is grounded in an inversion of reality and begins with what people would like to do
and thus definitions of what one claims to be follow what one desires to do
This has precipitated a multitude of inventions
and we now have too many different genders to count
Sir Francis Bacon’s dictum to “conquer nature by applied science” has been aided and abetted by amazing advances in technology so that we are now capable of materially altering human persons to give the appearances of external correspondence to internal desires
Though these alterations are purely superficial
they suffice in this age of the “image” to convince us that we are in fact our own creators
The double-edged sword of the saying “born that way” has become as meaningless as the words “sex” and “gender.”
Politically-correct speech would have us falsely proclaim that a human person can be whatever gender they want
There is even a gender designation called “gender fluid” in which the human person can flow from one gender to another as effortlessly as water flows down a stream
One hundred years ago the claim to be “gender fluid” would have merited a straight-jacket; today it may yield international approbation and acclaim
The plain and simple truth in speech concerning humanity
and gender is that “Male and female He created them.” It is self-evident
It can be demonstrated scientifically by chromosomes
philosophically by the perennial tradition
“Male and female He created them.” The tsunami of denial against the nature of man is impressive
and the evolutionary ethos generated by the teaching class rules this country
their misuse has done nothing to the ontological reality that words have a fixed meaning
Although the entire world may beg to differ
The featured image is courtesy of Pixabay
So here you have the result of the problems raised in the article in one simple image
http://m.imgur.com/9E6VzbT
The incoherent contradictions (this article points to but is unsuccessful in elucidating) are even more clearly signaled by this picture- When will the insanity of this age be recognized for what it is
Surely it already is in the domestic churches
A court here in NJ just decided the word gender included sex and therefore
it’s going to have to be appealed and we may be arguing what each word sex and gender actually mean
I’m going to be buying an actual dictionary for safe keeping
A Catholic high school teacher and theologian warned that “After School Satan” groups have started in a handful of elementary schools and gave advice on how to stop them
A priest also said parents need to fast and pray to combat the spiritual attacks
“Their plan is to say, under the guise of religious freedom, that wherever there is a Good News Club, they have to have an After School Satan Club,” Steven Rummelsburg (right) told The College Fix via a phone interview. Rummelsburg is a regular commentator on Catholic and culture issues and also teaches at John Adams Academy in California
The Satanic groups started in July 2016 with the explicit purpose of counteracting the Evangelical Good News Clubs. A New York chapter of the Bible study group won a Supreme Court case in 2001 that affirmed its right to operate in Milford Central School
“The Satanic Temple does not advocate for religion in schools. However, once religion invades schools, as The Good News Clubs have, The Satanic Temple will fight to ensure that plurality and true religious liberty are respected,” the Satanists’ website says
The group does not believe in the actual existence of Satan
The clubs are run and organized by volunteers from the Satanic Temple who use a uniform syllabus as a curriculum for their teachings
They perform activities such as games and projects to teach the children what can be known about the universe from an anti-religious viewpoint
While there are only nine clubs in existence right now
Rummelsburg said he believed that more will form soon
MORE: Student Satanist group forms at Minnesota university
The Satanic Temple is growing in population
the number of these centers will also increase,” Rummelsburg said
“The scientific worldview they tout is really just material reductionism,” Rummelsburg said
“They say they are non-superstitious– this is a rejection of all immaterial and transcendental notions,” the teacher said
they are trying to demythologize it and make it seem like a stupid
“The real problem is that when you participate in secular culture and buy into the narcissism and self-worship the world tells you to get involved in
it does not matter if you join a Satanic club or not
You have already bought into the lie,” Rummelsburg said
Catholic priest says parents should organize to stop the groups
“Parents need to protest these kinds of groups by
identifying what they actually are,” Daniel Klimek
The Franciscan University of Steubenville professor said the Satan clubs are “discriminatory and anti-religious hate groups that intentionally attack the sacred beliefs of millions of people
He said parents should combat the “hate” of these groups by “using every nonviolent means they can to protest such programs.” He suggested “writing media pieces” to expose the “anti-religious discrimination.” Parents should be prepared to withdraw their kids from the schools
He urged prayer and fasting to convert the members of the club:
Parents also need to realize that they are involved in a spiritual battle and
in addition to these practical means of protest
they need to pray and fast against such programs
as well as the school administrators who are considering these programs
MORE: Students launch Satanic club at NC State
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Just because they have fewer years under their belt
Pan-Pot certainly aren’t any less energetic in their sets than Carl Craig
The pitch-black techno duo have gained a baffling amount of attention over the last two years and are still unstoppable in their rise through the ranks with their forward-thinking sonic capabilities
The only things keeping their unforgiving 4/4 beat in check are the intricate sound designs
minimalistic frameworks dueled with throbbing bass lines
If you wanna take things a bit more easy-going then there is plenty of choice as well
the moniker for two of the founding members of house imprint Get Physical
Their renowned record selecting skills will again be put to the test at Watergate Open Air
where the two gents have the task of getting a lot of feet of the floor
Stattbad Wedding troopers Keinemusik will also appear behind the decks
in their spirit of refining House and Techno off the beaten track as always
Their motto “You don’t necessarily need to be overly serious to be taken seriously” also seems the perfect credo for this event
Out of the ordinary but oh so enchanting is what will be heard through the speakers when DJ Koze is on
The progressive chameleon producer has had a taste of pop success with his hip-hop formation Fischmob
but he’s always been equally interested in experimenting with other forms of electronic music from ambient to break beats to wild sound collages from a myriad of musical genres
[youtube id=”8slktemUzW4″ width=”620″ height=”360″]
3 festival this Summer is promising to be one of those events that are much like their club nights: high-quality
Carl Craig | Pan-Pot | DJ Koze | Catz ‘n Dogz | M.A.N.D.Y
| Marco Resmann | Ruede Hagelstein | La Fleur | Matthias Meyer | Jimi Jules |
July 27 | Watergate Open Air | Tickets | Rummelsburg Berlin |
is the editor-in-chief for Deep House Amsterdam
Online Black Jack
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has had the presence of mind to call two synods on the family to develop pastoral consensus on the urgent concerns surrounding the devastating state of the modern family
The broken or irregular home has gone from being the exception to the rule
The Catholic Church loves all sinners and takes in all sinners
but she can never change the nature of family or of marriage
The family is the building block upon which all secular and Christian civilization is built; and the gold standard is the Holy Family
Marriage is a divine and natural institution perfectly portrayed by Christ the bridegroom and Holy Mother Church the bride
Though the world has been trying to change both
we find ourselves with a chasm between how the world sees family and marriage and what the Church knows about them
thus we have the Synods to attempt to bridge the gap
It is “the Discernment of the Vocation of the Family” and “The Mission of the Family Today” that concern the Ordinary Synod
which has the “intention of offering to the Church and the contemporary world pastoral incentives to spur renewed efforts in evangelization.”
While it is a wonderful thing that the Church fathers are striving to develop pastoral solutions to the overwhelming problems we face as a global society concerning marriage and family
it may be helpful to seek out and understand the very roots of the problems that plague us
If we untangle modern ideology on both topics we will discover that the problem lies in the contraceptive mindset
After his amazingly successful work of separating rights from duties by the spirit of rebellion and revolution
Satan’s most profound work in this dissolute age was to separate the marital act from its primary ends of procreation and unity
It is a diabolical inversion of reality that the tertiary end of the marital act
that of the pleasure that flows from the marital act
has been deemed by the modern world to be the “new” primary end
This makes God’s primary end of procreation an inhibition to seekers of the new false primary end
and therefore something to be eliminated by technique or technology
The modern world has taken to that vile task in a prolific fashion
and re-stated in every catechism put forth from the immutable laws expressed by Holy Mother Church
Humanae Vitae came out in perfect harmony with the perennial teaching of the Church from its inception until the end of time, for as Jesus said “For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18)
When Humanae Vitae did come out reinforcing the prohibition
Pope Paul VI went so far as to predict certain and grave outcomes that would damage society if we were to have widespread use of contraceptives
Paul VI made four alarming predictions about the use of contraceptives that have come to devastating fruition in the decades between the publication of his encyclical and now
We did not make ourselves; we are creatures created in the image and likeness of God
This fact calls us to recognize that we are bound to the rules of the Creator
who has revealed divine law to us by His Most Holy Word
The Synod has been called to discover pastoral solutions which may help us evangelize those who have been taken in by the ideology of this age
who suffer from the traumatic effects of a progressively more contraceptive society
until we come to fully recognize and acknowledge the destructive nature of the contraceptive movement
and the Body of Christ will also weaken as a result
As we reach out to those afflicted by the falsehoods of our day
let us always remember the perennial prohibition against contraception as we embrace God’s plan for life
What evidence do you have to support those assertions
All of the things Paul VI warned about in Humanae Vitae existed before contraception
very few women went to college before 1970
Wife-beating was blinked at where it wasn’t actually considered acceptable
and live longer in 2015 than we did in 1968
The ability to control our fertility caused most of those improvements
what you say is little more then feminist propaganda
Christ would ask you “what good is it go gain the whole world if you lose your immortal soul?” How absurd is your claim that Pope Paul VI’s warnings were about things worse in earlier times
what is self-evident about those assertions
Who is talking about feminist propaganda
Control of fertility is about women being more fully human
Women should be valued for all they can be
Thank you for all those good words which need to be spoken more often on these blogs
It is very self-serving for any man to say women should not control their fertility
That would keep us out of public endeavors
The ability to control fertility gives women the opportunity for a fuller life
to develop all their God given gifts and talents—–something God wants for women
Truth in combox: my background is cradle Catholic
professional woman (financial management and marketing with global CPA firm)
As a modern woman I jumped on the contraceptive bandwagon
no kids during the many yrs I was on the Pill
By modern standards I controlled my fertility
had an opportunity for a fuller life (materially we were very well off)
and I certainly employed my God-given gifts and talents in the corporate world
But there was a price to pay: physical side effects
By the time Pill was identified as culprit
it was too late to reverse its physical consequences
Psychological side effects: I carried huge resentment against spouse–my fertility had to be controlled
though “wanted,” I saw as competitors for the time and efforts needed to reach my goal of fulfillment
There are countless numbers of Catholic women who went down that same path
What we discovered at the end of the road is that we had devalued our self
And–another side effect that is irreversible–we had unknowingly destroyed the children in our womb because the Pill is an abortifacient
my spouse and I found our way back to the incredible joy of listening to Mother Church who speaks for God the Father
I know what my life was like when I chose to do my will
And I know what it means in my life and marriage to submit to God’s will
AugustaMia’s witness is honest and good and your query is prurient
The real question for you is how are you going to sort out your disagreements with Holy Mother Church
AugustaMia sorted our hers and her beautiful post is a road map for you
not an invitation to break open her psychology by a question I hope she will not dignify with a response
As long as you are guided by self-reference you will search in vain
And you know what Augustamia ought to ponder after the clarity and grace of her post
You’re breaking up Steven; must be a solar flare or something
I am very sorry you paid the prices you did
I paid no such prices for how I lived my childbearing years
am so grateful for my life as it was and is
” … reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires.”
Like she doesn’t have any desires of her own
but for brevity’s sake I hope you got the point
Lust is a two way street and using people doesn’t belong exclusively to men
but considering the sins of Adam and the difference between men and women and the difference between the masculine and feminine virtues I thought the reduction here would serve to make the good point that using others sexually is always immoral
” …that using others sexually is always immoral
These things are not present where there is chastity
I will not defend the sexual revolution or any of its rotten fruit
I am talking about the teaching of the Holy Roman Catholic Church
sexual acts outside of marriage are sinful
I have the most solid grounds to claim it is not loving in the Catholic sense
it is according to the Christian anthropology
it is on a site called Catholic Stand- The Church doesn’t default on teaching and the only thing “sham” like in the Catholic Church are those of us who sin out of weakness and disobedience
If you judge the Church by those of us who fail to live up to its teaching
then of course you will conclude it a sham
but you are not judging Holy Mother Church
but only those of us who are unable to live up to perfect standards
is not characteristic of the relationship you describe in your analogy
We don’t and cannot advocate “test driving” people even if you think by some scientific measure that leads to a lasting marriage- the analogy is steeped in licentiousness
Don’t try to tell me that immoral actions are ok
they are not according to the Church and I am a son of the Church
The analogy is silly unless you are trying to express your own opinion which is fine
but not in line with the Christian Anthropology or Church Teaching- it is not permissible to use people
” Don’t try to tell me that immoral actions are ok,”
I can only conclude that under the right conditions they succeed
and that should not be the case for an intrinsic evil
But that is up to you to explain – I’m done
Let’s all offer a thanks that you’re “done.”
You are being faithful to the truth in what you say
Truth us not an idea; it is a person -Jesus Christ
Sex outside of marriage between one man and one woman is selfish and contrary to love
But no one takes having fun quite as seriously as the beat-loving denizens of Berlin
who've created an after-hours scene that'll throw down and win against any US city
named one of the best clubs in the world by DJ Magazine and is unequivocally the city’s top choice for techno beats
Plus the beer is cheaper than water here (literally -- in fact the average cost of a brew is less than half of that in the US) and those $15 tropical drinks are just lame
they do something else and make the music on the side”
Kuhn’s advice for meeting these dedicated music lovers
so ATL loses again for its 230a last calls
“The party goes on as long as we want it to”
The crowd is always nice and I always have a great time there”
Germany: Flexible housing provider Habyt has three openings scheduled in Q4 this year
Habyt has grown its homes and coliving offering with two sites in Berlin and one in Frankfurt
the new properties will add 402 units to its portfolio
located at Fischerstraße 8-11 in Rummelsburg
offers 153 fully-furnished studio apartments for long-term residential use
Each studio features a kitchenette and a dedicated dining and work area
Amenities at the property include a community space with a terrace
The second opening in Berlin is located within the Moabit district
The property features 196 fully-furnished units with a kitchen and dining area
Additional amenities include a community space and laundry room
timber construction has been incorporated and has been “built with the latest developments in sustainability in mind”
Over in Frankfurt at Klüberstraße 6-10 in the city’s financial district
Habyt will open 53-units spread across three neighbouring houses
Accommodation ranges from studio to one-bedroom apartments and shared flats
offering either private or shared bathrooms and fully equipped kitchens
Lasse Haarstark, managing director of real estate, EMEA, at Habyt
said: “With our three newest additions to our ever-growing portfolio in Berlin and Frankfurt
we are able to offer even more opportunities for existing and new tenants to live with flexibility in well-connected areas in these key German cities
In the currently challenging real estate market in Germany with high financing and construction costs
Habyt’s operator model became a promising solution for many institutional projects.”
Habyt has opened 1,100 units in Europe this year
with a further 1,500 new units signed and more under negotiation
the company reports a record pipeline of 10,000 units
Urban Living Festival 2025
The Serviced Apartment Awards 2025
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There is a new addition to the maritime world of entrepreneur and patron Frank Richert on Rummelsberger Bucht: a stylish beer garden right on the Spree. It basically serves as an extension to Richert’s Hafenküche, a dreamy place I wrote about last year. It took weeks of sawing, screwing and hammering until the final opening in early June.
Atop the anchored Spree boats, you will now find a Hafenküche kiosk that serves snacks from pretzels to fish sandwiches as well as dishes such as “Gilthead on Dried Tomatoes, Olives and Herbs” and vegetarian “Kante” burgers during the warmer season. Keeping in line with good old beer garden tradition, grilled specialties such as Merguez, bratwurst and haloumi are also available.
Wooden benches with broad back rests adorned with blue pillows are available for carefree dwelling. Vast awnings cover beautiful white bar tables and stools, right next to recessed groups of seating, gathered around a fireplace. And last, but not least there is always a classic ale-bench to be found – simply freshened up with a light grey coating and a panoramic view of the Spree.
Therefore, it really comes as no surprise that the small harbor comprising Hafenküche, boat rental Spreeboote and this beautiful beer garden seems to be a matter of the heart. Every littlest thing is part of the concept, realized aesthetically as well as culinarily. So far I’ve only been here by day, but sitting around the fireplace while it gets dark and chilly, with a cool beer in your hand… Oh, that’s got to be especially good! I will see you again soon, Captain Richert!
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Would you like to discover more beautiful things
By Murray Hughes2023-02-15T12:00:00
By 2030 Deutsche Bahn plans to spend around €2bn on new and expanded maintenance workshops to keep pace with its steadily expanding fleet of ICE trainsets. Murray Hughes investigates
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This ancient question concerns all living souls
In this age of moral chaos love seems to be in the belly of the beholder
Most people reduce love to the phenomenological level
Although some do still hold the abstract notion of love in the mind
fewer still see love as universal law of the heart
The circle that encompasses the modernist’s definition of love has widened so dramatically as to include in the sphere of “things I love” many dishonorable things
Falling into that increasingly meaningless category of “love” are obsession
The so-called “hook up culture” of the university campus manifests the deepest and most tragic misunderstanding of love
the perversion of the “no strings attached” mindset has done great damage to healthy relationships in contemporary society
The idea of love is reduced to animal physicality
to pleasure and to the impulse to engage in relationships for selfish gratification
the metaphysical definition of love has diminished so dramatically
No one looks at the universal Law of the heart; most use their appetites to guide their preconceived notions of love
Plato’s Symposium shows both sides of this coin
He demonstrates by his interaction with the men at the party how easy it is to misunderstand love
he uses Socrates (with Diotima) to straighten it all out
the dialogue revolves around the defining as well as the praising of the god Eros
In the Symposium there are three acts called agons
and Pausanius; the second between the set of rivals Eryximachus
a comic dramatist; the third between Agathon and Socrates
Plato produces a satirical portrait of the narcissistic and flamboyantly stylish Agathon and crafts the perfect foil for him in the person of the studiously plain and unfashionable Socrates
This sets up the substance over style triumph illustrated by the allegory of the cave which caps off the Symposium by shining true light on the subject of love
After all the drama and chaos of the three agons
we get to the truth that the Symposium is a rhetorical debate
We learn that the plain spoken Socrates is more effective in his use of image
and irony over pure figures of speech and flowery language used by some of the other characters
speech that is of flowery appeal to the listener is the method represented by Agathon
while speaking the plain and unadorned truth is that employed by Socrates
and learns from her the true meaning of love – the origin of Platonic love
and she is an ancient philosopher and priestess
She contributes to the proper definition of love by giving a brief genealogy of the concept
She states that Love is the son of resource and need
a means of rising to contemplation of the Divine
Diotima tells Socrates that “the beauty of people’s souls is more valuable than the beauty of their bodies” (210c)
furthering the point that these men view love in an erotic manner of physical beauty rather than the correct and ordered way of viewing the beauty of the soul
Diotima makes an interesting analogy of one being pregnant in soul:
“When someone has been pregnant with these [Virtues] in his soul from early youth
he too will certainly go about seeking the beauty in which he would beget; for he will never beget in anything ugly…when he makes contact with someone beautiful and keeps company with him
he conceives and gives birth to what he has been carrying inside him for ages” (209b-c)
This insinuates that the people have metaphorically given birth to such virtues
which “provide [the] parents with immortal glory and remembrance” (209d)
To convey the complicated realities of love
Diotima developed the idea of a ladder of love where the spiritual ranks higher than the physical
and the universal ranks above the particular
The ladder refers to a series of steps required to attain a beautiful soul
It begins with the most basic and widely accepted act of loving things for the sake of aesthetics
and ends with an examination of the Form of Beauty
one comes to know just what it is to be beautiful
this occurs by looking at the thing (Beauty) in the only way that Beauty can be seen in essence
As we return to the finale of the Symposium
the young and handsome Alcibiades makes clear in his comparison of Socrates with the popular household figurines of Silenus
truth and inner beauty are ultimately superior – and more erotic –to false brilliance and superficial attractiveness
Diotima basically turns the men’s idea of love upside down to reveal the true nature of love
which is a desire for perpetual possession of the Good and the Beautiful
Plato is masterful as he uses his five interlocutors along with Socrates and Diotima to try to give all the angles to the difficulty in understanding Love
He employs: Phaedrus to express the truth that love ennobles both lover and beloved; Pausanias to discuss the distinctions between profane and sacred love; Eryximachus to make the argument that true love is a biochemical balance that yields peace of mind
Then Aristophanes offers his mythology that love involves a primitive urge for wholeness and we are completed when we find our lover
Socrates gives a dynamic portrayal of the brilliant counterpoint Agathon
such as to illustrate that the misunderstandings concerning love can be attributed to judging by appearances and not substance
And then Socrates recounts his instruction by the wise Diotima and everything gets put into its proper order
Plato corrects all the misapprehensions about the nature of Eros
while at the same time outlining the nature of error in thinking
Diotima teaches Socrates that each point of emphasis offered by the previous contributors is in fact a component of Eros properly understood
The other men have taken a part of the truth and presented it as if it were the whole truth
The surrogation of part for whole thus turned that part of a truth into such an error that all actions based on those thoughts end wholly disordered
Diotima turns the popular understanding of the order of love rightside-up and makes it clear that physical attraction is the lowest and least lasting
while love guided by the reasoning of mind is much higher
She then explains the indescribable love of enduring things
Plato drives Socrates’ wisdom derived from Diotima home in the final dialogue with Alcibiades where we learn that contrary to popular thought
Socrates is in fact in possession of a well ordered understanding of love
Alcibiades cannot understand why his good looks and charm did not attract Socrates and he is finally told by Socrates that Alcibiades wanted to trade something tawdry and cheap
Socrates explains “judgment begins when eyesight starts to fail.” And this accentuates the idea that our five senses as the primary source of knowing will fail us every time
According to Diotima it is an aspiration for self-immortalization and for everlasting ownership of the Good and Beautiful
The superficiality of our age makes an encounter with authentic love increasingly difficult
We would be wise to try to recover a deeper understanding of love illustrated in Plato’s Symposium
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