Greetings and good wishes!
Books
I’m revisiting several classics as they are included in my 1732 page short story anthology. Lu Xun’s Diary of a Madman is a narrative about paranoia.
In Diary of a Madman, the protagonist believes his neighbors and family member are cannibals and that they are planning to eat him (symbolically, it represents the old world of China that “eats” away at the people).
The quotation of note is, “as soon as they turn against someone, they’ll say he’s evil.” The idea of character assassination is as relevant today as it was when Lu Xun wrote Diary in 1918.
Rather than address an argument with logic and discussion, society has normalized dehumanizing and humiliating people so as to dismiss their arguments. Imagine a world where people would actually have to respond to talking points as opposed to character faults. No one is perfect. Does that mean that a point is not valid?
I am blessed to have worked with children for more than 25 years. Sometimes they would make ludicrous statements in their essays or during class discussions. These statements were not due to character flaws, they were simply learning new ideas and trying to make sense of the unfamiliar information! Instead of attacking their character and calling them names, I needed to provide a counterpoint and support to underscore a rational response.
The next time you hear someone trying to minimize a fellow in an argument, gently remind him or her to stick to the points of discussion. Avoiding ad hominem attacks will make the world a better place. And these days, I’d really like to live in a better place.
Beats
It doesn’t get better than Tal Barr covering Hijo de la Luna. Haunting and addictive.
Barbells
I had a very exciting experience this month! A doctor removed a suture from my surgery six years ago. Apparently, the stitches didn’t fully dissolve and they have been causing nagging pains that have prevented me from making real progress on the fitness goals. BUT NOW>>>>> GAME ON!!!!!!! I am so excited to see how my movement and balance improved literally within 24 hours. I will still be going to physical therapy because I need to reorient in my body, but everything feels better. And this is a game changer. Pics of me on point are forthcoming.
Peace and love,
Kit
Find the balance. 