I believe it is one of the human conditions, we may never be "cured" of, the desire for answers. As was my dilemma last night when bargaining with the sandman for some much needed sleep. My mind doesn't like the idea of reaching the day's denouement (i.e. the final part, the end), it wants to keep going and going. It is a double-edged sword, though, because I do some of my best writing, thinking and have my revelation aha moments during the wee hours of a sleepless night. I can't decide what I want to trade, exhaustion or lucid moments in a creative's life.
The need for answers sent me on a mission. My mission was to wake up the next day (today) and start reading a book. By the title alone this book would seem to have answers or at the very least a little pat on the back of mutual understanding. Another human condition, a mutual understanding, a commiseration partner in crime. No pity, no just that simple little nod of the head that tells you "Oi, I know how you feel mate." (Yes my mind talks to me in accents, doesn't yours?)
Twenty some pages in and I have a pile of mounting thoughts and inspirations. The inspiration for this blog post. I'm not encouraging you with this book, not yet at least. Heck, I'm not even telling you the title of the book...until later.
To the Author (were that you were still alive, making this an even more beneficial post):
I wish for a moment, and by a moment I mean the entirety of one of your small novels, you would set aside the "lurking" scholars you name as friends. Them that taught you, instilled this notion that intelligence is best used as a weapon of mocking. You are someone I esteem highly and it is not my intention to belittle all of you works. I see more and more, why people, namely the laymen of this world, have distrusted religion for thousands of years. The leaders, the teachers, continue to hold all the cards leaving "us little guys" at a continued disadvantage. Jesus didn't come as a King or Emperor or even a Church elected theologian...he came as a humbled man. We, you and people of a position of moral intelligence would do well to exemplify this in your writing. Talk to me! I don't need fancy words or "ring around the rosy" endless prattle for the benefit of aforementioned scholars. I don't need impressed, I need expression of thought that leaves me reeling for days because I'm having my own aha moments. I don't need nor want the held at arms length "it will come with age" elder that looms a sort of indoctrinated fear in me that I will never understand so why bother. Talk to me! Forget the scholars and collars, the critics and the intelligent hipsters that claim they understand you, but are just as lost as I am. Feed a beggar, stop petting the glutton's soul.
For the record (everyone else):
I love intelligence. Some days I can't think of anything more invigorating than a conversation that has me walking around in a fog of "wow that was provoking". I abhor notions of dumbing it down or abridgements, condensing or said enthusiastically "updated for a modern age!" I don't want you or authors to change.
You're talking to the girl that when she discovered Harry Potter might have been "dumbed down" for an American audience was furious. I went on a rampage seeking proof and explanation. I asked numerous people's opinions and wondered allowed "What the hell do they think American's need help understanding better in Harry Potter or any book for that matter?!?" Undermining my intelligence, unless it is me doing it, or someone else's is intelligence is a big no, no.
My fixation with intelligence does not leave me blind or neglectful of the masses. I appreciate it, it does not mean that I am this brilliant person without necessity for intelligent growth. I guess what I'm saying is I want recognition that "us little guys" need to be nurtured and because I love words, just as much as intelligence if not more, I want my nurturing to come in the form of words I can comprehend, we can comprehend. Don't revoke our ability to understand the deep "stuff" or belittle us with the "short and sweet" versions. I may be both, short and sweet in nature, but I can bite too. (insert grin)Rant over
The book? The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis and mind you I've only read 20 some pages (as stated before). I plan to keep reading and because I so admire this man I'm willing to be less "ready to jump" with accusations. He truly was a brilliant man. However, I'm still want to wonder how much of his writing was postulating to his fellow scholars and the desire to match them "word for word". Food for thought that is...
“I am going to bed. I will have nightmares involving huge monsters in academic robes carrying long bloody butcher knives labeled Excerpt, Selection, Passage, and Abridged.”
~Helene Hanff, 84 Charing Cross Road
Footnotes (mine are still in flip-flops, are yours?)
- Music today: P!ATD new album, Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die!
- Early morning thoughts in written form can be dangerous or fun, depending on how you look at it, hence this blog post.
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