“The funding of the humanities in colleges and universities cannot be justified by pointing to the fact that poems and philosophical arguments have changed lives and started movements.”
Why not? If not through the humanities, how else do we develop poets and philosophers? (Name of commenter/questioner not exposed.)
_From a blog-New York times "Think Again" by Stanley Fish
(Whew! Big and bigger words for a hayseed like me, but finally a comment that I can shed light on.) You don't. It is not up to an outsider to develop another's insides. The woods, though-are a good place to start, to become a philosopher, a poet. A tree tells me how to handle racism, social injustice, inequality- a true visionary, a tree. And how about the symphony there? And the growth, ring by ring-affected by humanity and nature's ruthless battle against it-tells me more than I ever cared to learn in a classroom. One more thing about the woods, which for my money-is the stuff we should really support...it is true poetry. The word of the woods, the root of every university and intelligent conversation-begins and ends with entering, being still, listening, being ever mindful(critical thinking?)of it all. Poets and philosophers, each of us-have only to develop ourselves of the natural, real world. Books are great, but critical thoughtful long awes of pause in a place where we all come from and all will return like compost, revealing truths that have no war of words against them-that my friends, is where the real education lies.
And one more thing, if I haven't worn out my welcome...Desiderata-Max Ehrmann-1920, cry every time I read the darn thing. Shaped me, made me want to grow beyond what had been stifled by teachers who thought well to teach me, but couldn't peer beyond their own educated noses-to see anything else. Open up your eyes, friends-look around. A little bit of woods will do us all-a world of good.
Hayseed Farmer, central Illinois
Un-educated university/college wise, different education, NO BETTER NO WORSE...Clearer now?!
(My comment on the funding of universities Humanities-which is good, but not best. These woods, our natural world we're eradicating, could care a chicken poop about-are the only places first and foremost that should be supported financially, physically, poetically. The woods are where I received my education, to a degree... I use to be ashamed about that-no degree, but-I think my own quirky personality would have been greatly stifled. So-hope I didn't step on any toes, hell-they probably won't even read my comment, beneath them I suppose. But- maybe they're all a little smarter than they let on.)(This thought pulled from the site mentioned, visit it before assuming the worst of me...geez! I found there, buried under a mountain of words-a root that we all stem from.)
I do not mean to offend
by what I do believe
but what kind of faith
to be found in conformity?
Let's find a shady spot
With a comfortable seat-
Come and sit beside me friend,
And we'll agree to disagree.
Hey, thanks for hanging in here...truewonder gettin' too big for her britches! (As my dad would aptly put it.) Look at a tree today, tell me what you see, or at the very least-keep it in mind, the story it told you.
Worlds of wonder to you, take care-
