I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better film than this to use as an intervention as regards what Bill Moyers was talking about in that documentary he did on Poverty in America. It refers not so much to race, although it does address racism and other things, but instead illustrates psyche’s response to things lost, such as personal identity and the fallout. If you look beyond the plot and think in terms of the vast evils done to patriarchal society by corporate culture since the mid-1980’s, you begin to get a sense of a willing herd desperate for any sort of soothing balm tossed it’s way. That was how facism took root once?
Male’s identity comes from work of value of some sort. In this sense, FDR’s model from the WPA is essential especially at this time. To give you an example, today there was an article on orange groves, and a man who tended groves for many, many years, and what is about to happen. Like with the film “Falling Down” this man will not be receiving his gold watch for the years of service to these particular trees. Instead he’s getting the boot. Now, that “gold watch” concept is a lost concept across the board in today’s workplace. How one might go about restoring order in the economy and restoring honor? It would be manly to go after the crooks, for all the world to see. The hastiness of globalization of the food chain has caused a disconnect to land as place.
This is a great writer above that I found who has written extensively about that. There was a farm in the city which was buldozed (ala the orange groves above) for something else. If a culture perceives that there is no heart, only heartlessness?
It occurs to me that few will be able to provide knowledge of “la tierra” once these or any elders, die. Hence a resurgence of the patriarchial spirit is entirely in order at the helm, but that must demonstrate great heart. Why I would say the WPA? Number one, people are entirely broken without some feeling that what they do has value — so a return to an agrarian slower life is in order. This will also help immensely in terms of the global warming — if food can again be produced locally, rather than miles of concrete. Hillary Clinton was going to do that with the creation of green jobs. It’s a fabulous idea. Because of this:
The model MUST return towards Nationalism. The post above shows sociopathy. Father=Stewardship.
Hence Teddy Roosevelt, as the BEST HOPE. Yours is perhaps the last generation of fathers, Senator McCain.
This is a deeply
ecopsychological read, from a great book from my grad school. Not only will it help reframe treatment for the veterans as they return but also worldsoul here at home.
You are the one with the big enough heart Senator McCain. It glows out all over the pages of your book that I’ve just finished. There are so many pages I dog-eared I can’t tell you, but, one thing I know is that you are human, because of your life experiences. People feel very disconnected right now, to things you and I took for granted, like the land itself. It’s the
bad guys like this that have shredded the faith and heart of the American People over the last 25 years? It’s been a slow creep. Trust that those in charge care? Shattered as well. That’s the model that needs to be rebuilt in a Robin Hood sort of way.
I loved so many things in that book of yours, especially the hat on your grandfather, and the dishrag story, and best of all the great Christmas part where you all somehow figured out how to make little gifts when you had nothing. Another was the soldier who sewed the flag inside his jacket? Also, the fun it must have been pre-Vietnam as a flyer and on the boats. Best was what you said about war, and how it was nothing to enter lightly. People will not perceive you as a warmonger once they know your true stance? That book, plus a small teddy, not those Vermont ones but a tiny one made here would be a marvelous thing to give free?
If there was some way to afford that. People will know you through your words, and they will laugh gladly, breezing through what is actually inside of you? My sense is that would be so much better than running expensive media ads? It would be of the heart? And maybe you could get a break on a mass print run of smallish paperbacks? Just a thought.
On that note, Rilke: I LIVE IN EXPANDING RINGS
“I live in expanding rings that are weaving
over these things below
The last, perhaps, is beyond my acheiving
I’ll make an attempt at it though.
Round God, the old tower, my gyres I perform,
and I’ve gyred there centuries long;
and don’t know whether I’m a falcon or a storm
or, maybe, a mighty song…”
Ps—next time, on PTSD… and potential cures.
xxoo!
from a friend!
