Symbolic Moment
January 16th, 2009 by Jon Taplin
I am always reluctant to push a metaphor past where it can comfortably rest, but this picture seems to be a good summation of the societal transition we are undertaking in this Interregnum. We are leaving an age of laissez faire radical individualism–every man for himself. I would hope that we are entering a renaissance of cooperation and community. The engines of the economy have failed, but we have a new calm and very competent new pilot who we hope can bring us in for a soft landing in which, if we all work together, no one will be terminally injured. And as we land, self organizing groups come to help out and get us to shore and safety.
It’s a nice metaphor. But to extend it a little further and thereby repeat my own personal mantra, I wonder where the birds came from, and how many more of them there are, and what they’ll fly into over the coming months.
And which silver-spoon moguls are riding those birds off to their warm Caribbean hideaways right now.
It’s a nice metaphor. But to extend it a little further and thereby repeat my own personal mantra, I wonder where the birds came from, and how many more of them there are, and what they’ll fly into over the coming months.
And which silver-spoon moguls are riding those birds off to their warm Caribbean hideaways right now.
“Self-organizing groups come to help out . . .”
What is more American than the volunteer fire department? And the volunteer fire dept. is us!
“Self-organizing groups come to help out . . .”
What is more American than the volunteer fire department? And the volunteer fire dept. is us!
That was a very small room.
That was a very small room.
I think we’re overworking the metaphor here, but that IS a great picture…
I think we’re overworking the metaphor here, but that IS a great picture…
I’ll accept the premise. Nice touch.
I’ll accept the premise. Nice touch.
love it.
love it.
something like…
…as the captain and his faithful crew lead us from the sinking hulk of consumerism out onto the wings of sustainability – we too shall appear to walk on water – a miracle…
Is anyone else annoyed that it’s reported as the birds ‘striking’ the plane?
Didn’t the plane strike the birds?
Birds=home mortgages…?
Plane=financial instruments…?
Who struck who?
something like…
…as the captain and his faithful crew lead us from the sinking hulk of consumerism out onto the wings of sustainability – we too shall appear to walk on water – a miracle…
Is anyone else annoyed that it’s reported as the birds ‘striking’ the plane?
Didn’t the plane strike the birds?
Birds=home mortgages…?
Plane=financial instruments…?
Who struck who?
Except, as has been pointed out elsewhere, the first class passengers got away in comfortable rafts, while the middle class got to stand on the wing, hoping for a bailout.
Except, as has been pointed out elsewhere, the first class passengers got away in comfortable rafts, while the middle class got to stand on the wing, hoping for a bailout.
Eadwacer- Touche’
Eadwacer- Touche’
This morning when the phone rang, I was just heading out but just because you never know I answered it.
“Can I speak to T.?” said he.
“She’s not available.” said me, ready to hang up.
“This is important.” said he. “I found her wallet here at the swap meet. It has all her ID, credit cards, Driver’s License, and $347 in cash in it.”
“Wow!” that is important.” said hurried me. “Let me call her on her cell and see if she is any where near you.”
“Sure.” said he. ” I can wait around for awhile.”
She was stunned having just discovered it missingness. “Give his number.” I did.
Damn, what is this world returning to?
This morning when the phone rang, I was just heading out but just because you never know I answered it.
“Can I speak to T.?” said he.
“She’s not available.” said me, ready to hang up.
“This is important.” said he. “I found her wallet here at the swap meet. It has all her ID, credit cards, Driver’s License, and $347 in cash in it.”
“Wow!” that is important.” said hurried me. “Let me call her on her cell and see if she is any where near you.”
“Sure.” said he. ” I can wait around for awhile.”
She was stunned having just discovered it missingness. “Give his number.” I did.
Damn, what is this world returning to?
Which touch doesn’t invalidate your point that the picture is a good representation of how a sense of community and cooperation might be just the thing we will bring out of this …sea change.
Which touch doesn’t invalidate your point that the picture is a good representation of how a sense of community and cooperation might be just the thing we will bring out of this …sea change.
Sea change. Snork, good one Ead.
I just think we should dampen our expectations a bit. Everything changes except human nature. Sure the climate in the country is important, but we weren’t that bad before and we’re not that good now.
Things will get better, I think. But it’s not always going to be easy or pretty. E.g. – I live in West Virginia and I’ve been thinking for the last few days about how much damage to the land has been done by our reliance on coal. And not just mountaintop removal mining, that might be the least of it. Hundreds of slurry and fly ash impoundments, many the size of lakes. Whole counties undermined and subject to subsidence. Black lung. Hundreds of steams turned orange by mine drainage. This is going to take years to clean up, even after we free the other half of our grid from reliance on coal.
In the meantime I saw a truck with a couple of bumperstickers on it. One said “the last coal miner to leave West Virginia, turn out the lights.” The other one had one of those Bart Simpson cartoon figures pissing on the word environmentalists.
One election does not a revolution make, by itself.
Sea change. Snork, good one Ead.
I just think we should dampen our expectations a bit. Everything changes except human nature. Sure the climate in the country is important, but we weren’t that bad before and we’re not that good now.
Things will get better, I think. But it’s not always going to be easy or pretty. E.g. – I live in West Virginia and I’ve been thinking for the last few days about how much damage to the land has been done by our reliance on coal. And not just mountaintop removal mining, that might be the least of it. Hundreds of slurry and fly ash impoundments, many the size of lakes. Whole counties undermined and subject to subsidence. Black lung. Hundreds of steams turned orange by mine drainage. This is going to take years to clean up, even after we free the other half of our grid from reliance on coal.
In the meantime I saw a truck with a couple of bumperstickers on it. One said “the last coal miner to leave West Virginia, turn out the lights.” The other one had one of those Bart Simpson cartoon figures pissing on the word environmentalists.
One election does not a revolution make, by itself.
“Eadwacer- Touche’”
Jeez. Where is the love, I ask you?
“Eadwacer- Touche’”
Jeez. Where is the love, I ask you?
So how long will a plane float if it’ s landed that skillfully? He couldn’t even use the engines to brake the landing speed.
So how long will a plane float if it’ s landed that skillfully? He couldn’t even use the engines to brake the landing speed.