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The Secret Shit
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The Secret Shit Secrets Is The Topic For The Eighteenth Virtual Symposium “Secrets” Is The Topic For The Eighteenth Virtual Symposium When I was young I thought there was some secret knowledge that would make you wise. I come from a family of readers. My mother read us to sleep every night with Mark Twain when we were still small, and we were taught to read and to spell before we went to school. My father was quite smug about being smarter than a couple of and a mere woman, and I wanted to be smart too. I read the books that other read- “Black Beauty” and “Beautiful Joe” and “The Hardy Boys”. I also read whatever was lying around, and when I got the flu at ten or eleven and stayed home from school I found a copy of James T. Farrell’s “A World I Never Made” and I read that too. I was a little young for that one but I liked reading about young Bill Lonigan skipping school to go to burlesque shows and picking the longest cigarette<b> butts </font></b>he could find off the street. The book was about the Irish in the Chicago ghetto at the turn of the century, and it was world like nothing I had ever seen and could never have imagined. I read “Mad” magazine and at twelve or thirteen I discovered P.G. Wodehouse, the brilliant English comic writer. That was the mother lode- Wodehouse wrote a lot, and none of it meant anything. It was all just for fun. I kept reading as I grew. A book I never read was the Bible. No one had shown me that the King James “Ecclesiastes” is soaringly, gloriously lyrical, and wise, and that there is great and sonorous beauty in “The Song of Solomon”. We were taught instead that there was a moral lesson in every story, but those morals looked pretty fuzzy to me and it didn’t appear to me as if the elders who came to church every week had got the message either. Certainly the other students in my Catechism class were a pack of heathens- rude, loud and irreverent, they ran off three instructors before a big bald Norwegian was assigned the class to restore order. His name was Thor. He fit but I didn’t. We didn’t back sass our elders in my family, on pain of death. My grandmother would spank us before we went shopping, telling us that was just a taste of what we’d get if we didn’t behave. I left high school and still kept reading. I was sure that if there were some final piece of knowledge that would render me wise, a key to the magic of knowing, I’d find it in books. At the same time it was becoming clear that you had to take time to live. If I kept my nose stuck in books I’d be missing a lot of fun, a lot of terror, and I’d be missing out on a lot of women too. The academic life wasn’t for me and I abandoned my hope of teaching and abandoned school too, and directed my own study. It was beginning to dawn on me that there wasn’t any sure path to to knowledge, but I kept after it. Getting high and chasing women demand a lot of attention but can be more immediately rewarding than philosophical studies, and I gave them plenty of attention. I feel my pursuit of this particular brand of learning was singularly profitable. I sampled a lot of drugs and I never fucked a woman I didn’t like. Can Will Rogers say that? I still didn’t fit in anywhere. One part of me was blue collar stiff sweating for my bread and the other was devouring the written word voraciously. There was a strict division between the two. The working people I knew gave you odd looks if you let on that you were reading- they didn’t quite trust me any more, like I was a fucking egghead. And the students and teachers I knew didn’t much regard me at all. They were sure I was wasting my time and my life with some working class hero bullshit and that one day I’d regret my ill spent youth, and I wouldn’t have any money, either. I looked like a fuck up to both sides. Sometimes I looked like a fuck up to me. But I kept reading, and I kept living. Somewhere in the middle of the Beat writers- Kerouac and Burroughs, Ginsberg and Corso, it began to sink in that the point to life is that there isn’t any fucking point. I don’t suppose I was having an existential crisis, but I knew my life lacked a theme and existentialism felt like a good theme. I couldn’t make sense out of anything anyway. Western philosophers are wordy and boring and very hung up on the completely abstract and impenetrable jargon of their trade, the shop talk of Friedrich Nietzsche and Immanuel Kant. If George Bernard Shaw could paraphrase these guys, why couldn’t they just do the paraphrasing themselves and then not need Shaw for an interpreter? Has anyone ever read and enjoyed “Thus Spake Zarathustra”? I set it aside and read “Man and Superman” instead. Eastern philosophers are riddling, entertaining, inscrutable and a lot more fun. As if I were a little , they teach me in parables and metaphor. They tell me that words will not express knowing and that any meaning is within my self. Their lesson has often eluded me at first but I was able to accomplish it without learning Greek. Besides that, Zen monks kept concubines for their Yab Yum meditation sessions and that still looks like a good approach to the problem to me. I have found deep and profound meaning between a woman’s thighs on more than one occasion. The best articulation of the result of my own quest was made by Jack Kerouac himself, in “Desolation Angels”. He was on a somewhat similar mission and in despair, up on Desolation Peak, he wrote “I don’t know, I don’t care, and it doesn’t matter anyway.” It really doesn’t matter. If you enjoy wrestling with polysyllabic expressions of Latin and Greek derivation, and you can have fun dazzling and impressing your friends and family with your erudition: “Look Mom! I’m positing hypothetical constructs!” then by all means have at it. Just don’t tell Mom the secret- that you don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about even as much as Grandma does. Mom already knows anyhow. She’s smelled your shit before and she knows it stinks. Participants List For The Eighteenth Virtual Symposium Secrets Participants List For The Eighteenth Virtual Symposium: Secrets Become a member now and get a free tote bag. |
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Oy, I got to comment first. I love reading. At 3, I understood that the funny scratches on the news paper that my dad would read and then tell me about, that was some serious magic there. Great post for the symposium, and I'm reading "It Ended Badly; 13 of the Worst Breakups in History" by Jennifer Wright. It is by turns interesting, fascinating, funny, historical, and sad. Kitkat The observant make the best lovers, I may not do right, but I do write, I have bliss, joy, and happiness in my life, Kitkat Come check out my blog KItkat1415 check out this post by me Adventures In Body Grooming #39 April Topic Link: What Lies Beneath If April Showers Oh Bloody Hell What Kind Of Weather Turns Me On Bloggers Symposium 40
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Not sure if I agree with “I don’t know, I don’t care, and it doesn’t matter anyway.” , but your secret is safe with me.  Visit my blog It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World of NaughtyInSO, leave a comment, become a watcher. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LIVE AND LET LIVE Be happy! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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what a great post love the different word description of what u read and the different things that happened growing up
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Oy, I got to comment first. I love reading. At 3, I understood that the funny scratches on the news paper that my dad would read and then tell me about, that was some serious magic there. Great post for the symposium, and I'm reading "It Ended Badly; 13 of the Worst Breakups in History" by Jennifer Wright. It is by turns interesting, fascinating, funny, historical, and sad. Kitkat I read with purpose when I was younger, but it wasn't too long before I realized I was mostly doing it for the entertainment. You pick up a book and Herodotus speaks too you. It's just fucking cool! Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Not sure if I agree with “I don’t know, I don’t care, and it doesn’t matter anyway.” , but your secret is safe with me. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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what a great post love the different word description of what u read and the different things that happened growing up Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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 You're early!   I didn't read as much as you. I mostly did "research". I tried to randomly (yet I thought I was being systematic) unlock the secrets to life. .. ... My comics experience was also much less. I liked Calvin and Hobbes, The Far Side and a few others, but that was about it. ... I liked Mad, but never had a subscription. (I feel so deprived because I never really got into comics.  ) I read now, but mostly from screens.  Nothing like holding a book and getting lost in it. ... That's why I don't read many books now. I get so into them that I can't put them down until I'm through. - And then it's done.
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You're most welcome. Thanks for stopping by! Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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while I could never hand out a pre-shopping-whoopin', I can totally respect the preemptive spank. Reminds me of my Mom, you never got a chance to fuck up twice. I've never been a big reader of books. Classic bike books are fun. Mad Magazine was the SHIT! On a 2 week vacation to Denver I caught a cold. So, I spent the long boring days immersed in Aztec by Gary Jennings. I "lived" in that book, it affected my moods as the story turned, I felt lost when it was over. I could totally see you teaching Blue Collar Philosophy, I would take THAT class! Books weren't just entertainment and an escape, although they're all of that. You learn from them. You can talk to the ancients and your contemporaries through them. You can take violent exception to them, like I do with Ayn Rand, or you can see them as comfort and a haven in bad times, like Wodehouse and Twain are for me. None of the philosophers are really very impressive to me though. Poets do a better job of it, in the west. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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You're early! I didn't read as much as you. I mostly did "research". I tried to randomly (yet I thought I was being systematic) unlock the secrets to life. .. ... My comics experience was also much less. I liked Calvin and Hobbes, The Far Side and a few others, but that was about it. ... I liked Mad, but never had a subscription. (I feel so deprived because I never really got into comics. ) I read now, but mostly from screens. Nothing like holding a book and getting lost in it. ... That's why I don't read many books now. I get so into them that I can't put them down until I'm through. - And then it's done.I think I'd have read even if I hadn't been searching for some truth. I wanted to hear what those famous names had said. I can so agree with what you said about not wanting a good book to end. You've gained the book but if it's good you're left wanting more. A lot of my study went just that way. I read everything I could get my hands on by Kerouac, good and bad. I still re-read Twain and Wodehouse just for the joy of it. I've read "Kubla Khan" over and over and over again, and it's magnificent every time. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Ugh I feel like I read a post like this and pick out the most abstract thing to talk about. But here it goes lol. At some point it sounds as if you stopped worrying about pleasing others and said fuck it, I am attaining my own goals... knowledge being one of those goals. I struggle with that in my own life (saying fuck it I mean), it seems I worry more about pleasing others or doing what they expect than just focusing on my own goals. It seems you have done well to both attain the personal goals you have while also being aware of the people around you and what they expect of you. In other words, you did not completely immerse yourself in the quest for knowledge and were able to walk both sides of the line. Reading philosophy on your lunch break then talking about how good Mary Sue's skirt looks with the guys before going back to work... I like it lol. I know that was not likely the point of the post but my weird brain picked that part out to talk about Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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I have the attention span of a goldfish when it comes to reading... I share your sentiment regarding Nietzsche and other deep thinkers. Find pleasure in giving pleasure
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I have the attention span of a goldfish when it comes to reading... I share your sentiment regarding Nietzsche and other deep thinkers. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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I often find the philosophers to be on the level of a dog chasing it's tail if you know what I mean  Vive La Difference
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Bonjour Kzoopair Comme toi j'ai cherché le secret de la vie dans les livres , et je n'ai rien trouvé . Alors j'ai lu des livres d'histoires sur les civilisation et aussi de la science fiction et de la bande dessinée . Le seul qui m'ait appris un truc c'est " Le principe de Peter " En fait j'ai fini par penser que vraiment rien n'a d'importance et dans 100 millions d'années il ne restera plus aucune trace de notre passage sur la Terre . ♥ Bisou ♥ Poton ♥ Annie ♥ Hello Kzoopair Like you I sought the secret of life in books, and I found nothing. So I read storybooks on civilization and also science fiction and comics. The only one who has taught me a thing is "The Peter Principle" In fact I ended up really think that nothing matters and 100 million years there will not be any trace of our passage on Earth. ♥ Kisses ♥ Annie ♥
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You've revealed a very thought-provoking secret. I loved reading Wodehouse and I've never read the bible. My parents always said that I can't knock it unless I read it. It took me to nearly twenty years to come back at them with a reply. I said that I haven't been tortured but i don't want to start trying it! Your post reveals that the many different lives we lead depending who is around us. 
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I agree with you about Western philosophy, and I think the most obscure Western philosophers are from France ... or perhaps things get lost in translation!
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I was a crazy book reading fool for most of my childhood - if you couldn't find me, go look in a corner and surely I would be there totally absorbed by whatever book I was into at the moment. I'm still a big book reader but I've also learned that life is meant to be lived, not just read! I'm a huge fan of Dan Millman (Way of the Peaceful Warrior). He takes complex ideas and puts them into accessible language and stories. That is way more meaningful to me than trying to wade through some of the other philosophers. Great blog - thanks for sharing! Always tell the truth Use kind words Keep your promises Giggle and laugh Be positive Love one another Always be grateful Forgiveness is mandatory Try new things Say please and thank you Say your prayers Smile ~Author unknown
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I love reading, and I'll a paperback over an ebook anyway. I currently have "Dark Places" by Gillian Flynn and "The Enigma" by Alan Turing. I'll tell you a secret ... I actually attend a bible study class ... So that book (or books) I've read and been reading ...
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words are very powerful....
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I often find the philosophers to be on the level of a dog chasing it's tail if you know what I mean Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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Bonjour Kzoopair Comme toi j'ai cherché le secret de la vie dans les livres , et je n'ai rien trouvé . Alors j'ai lu des livres d'histoires sur les civilisation et aussi de la science fiction et de la bande dessinée . Le seul qui m'ait appris un truc c'est " Le principe de Peter " En fait j'ai fini par penser que vraiment rien n'a d'importance et dans 100 millions d'années il ne restera plus aucune trace de notre passage sur la Terre . ♥ Bisou ♥ Poton ♥ Annie ♥ Hello Kzoopair Like you I sought the secret of life in books, and I found nothing. So I read storybooks on civilization and also science fiction and comics. The only one who has taught me a thing is "The Peter Principle" In fact I ended up really think that nothing matters and 100 million years there will not be any trace of our passage on Earth. ♥ Kisses ♥ Annie ♥ Je ne pense pas que la recherche de la vérité et le sens est inutile. Il vaut la peine regarder . Il y a des moments je me sens de la même façon que vous DO- que nous sommes condamnés comme une espèce échoué. Mais il y a une partie de moi qui pense que nous pouvons faire mieux . Il est probable que nous ne sommes pas un stade final, mais juste une autre étape dans le développement de ... quelque chose . Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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It was my father who read to me when I was small...Winnie the Pooh and The Just So Stories. As I grew older it was my father who came in to my room at night after I had fallen asleep reading to put a bookmark in the open book and turn out the light.  The local library is perhaps just 5 minutes away from my house but I haven't been there as often lately as I should. I'm dipping in and out of a gardening book just now.  ~~Anais Nin~~
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You've revealed a very thought-provoking secret. I loved reading Wodehouse and I've never read the bible. My parents always said that I can't knock it unless I read it. It took me to nearly twenty years to come back at them with a reply. I said that I haven't been tortured but i don't want to start trying it! Your post reveals that the many different lives we lead depending who is around us. I like Elizabethan English, so there are books in the King James Bible that are beautiful to read, but I've never really read it for philosophy- it's a book of poetry for me. Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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I agree with you about Western philosophy, and I think the most obscure Western philosophers are from France ... or perhaps things get lost in translation! Become a member now and get a free tote bag.
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