We’re a society largely preoccupied with being younger than we are.  I understand the urge to be young, it’s natural, but to go to the extremes many of us do is borderline psychotic.  It’s almost a curse to be old in society, or at least to look old, and we’re unashamed in admitting this.  We skew photographs, live on a constant diet, obsess over fashion and surrender ourselves to the knife, botox and liposuction treatments.  And why?  Well …because young isn’t old.  Old is, I guess, washed up or something.  Young is new and fresh.  Old is sooo yesterday, and in the modern world full of technology and whatnot, the future is where it’s at, not yesterday.  And who doesn’t want to be where it’s at!  I mean, if you’re not there …where are you?

I’m here.  Although I suppose, from what others tell me at least, I’m lucky that I look somewhat younger than I am.  I sure don’t feel it though.  Not lately at least.  But it is disheartening though, to marginalize a large group of people because they’ve simply grown old.  It’s almost as if we care less as to what’s inside people than what’s on the outside.  Almost.  Isn’t that the important stuff though …the stuff that’s on the inside?  Of course we’ll say things like ‘what’s on the inside truly matters’ …but I think that’s more lip-service than anything else at times.  It seems to be at least.  Some too might say it’s a celebrity thing, but then aren’t we the ones deciding who gets to be a celebrity?

I caught a glimpse a while back of an interview with Dolly Parton.  I was sad.  No …maybe not sad, but perhaps more let down.  Here’s a wonderful person who has given wonderful things to the world through her wonderful music – but it’s as if that wasn’t enough.  It was like we demanded more from her.  In this interview she made the comment “If I see something sagging, bagging, and dragging, I’m going to nip it, suck it and tuck it.” which is a testament of sorts to her journey through cosmetic surgery, and I guess this is the part that, yes, did make me sad; that when a great song like ‘Coat of Many Colors’ (which is an inspiring song about being who you are, being proud of yourself no matter what your situation, and not being caught up in what other people say about you) can come from such a warm and thoughtful individual …how is it that we as a society could have forced this wonderful lady into looking like something else?  Being more than what she naturally is?  How did we let her down, and where did we go wrong?

Of course Dolly has image issues, and who wouldn’t being in that spotlight she always is …but we share part of the blame, and it bothers me that someone so honest and caring is pushed into feeling that being herself ‘physically’ is never good enough.  That being and growing old isn’t an acceptable thing.

One is only old only if you choose to be.

—–

Coat Of Many Colors – Dolly Parton

Back through the years
I go wonderin’ once again
Back to the seasons of my youth
And I recall a box of rags that someone gave us
And how my momma put the rags to use
There were rags of many colors
Every piece was small
And I didn’t have a coat
And it was way down in the fall
Momma sewed the rags together
Sewin’ every piece with love
She made my coat of many colors
That I was so proud of.

As while she sewed, she told a story
From the bible, she had read
About a coat of many colors
Joseph wore and then she said
I hope this coat will bring you
Good luck and happiness
And I just couldn’t wait to wear it
And momma blessed it with a kiss

My coat of many colors
That my momma made for me
Made only from rags
But I wore it so proudly
Although we had no money
I was rich as I could be
In my coat of many colors
Momma made for me

So with patches on my britches
Holes in both my shoes
In my coat of many colors
I hurried off to school
Just to find the others laughing
And making fun of me
And my coat of many colors
That momma made for me

And oh I couldn’t understand that
Cause I thought I was rich
And then I told them of the love
My momma sewed in every stitch
And then I told them all the story that
Momma told me while she sewed
And why my coat of many colors
Was worth more than all their clothes

They didn’t understand it
And I tried to make them see
One is only poor
Only if you choose to be
It is true we had no money
But I was rich as I could be
In my coat of many colors
Momma made for me
Made just for me

Image from borhatorah.org

While browsing Google News I came across an article on the recent death of a theoretical physicist named Cyril Domb.  It mentioned his interest in the reconciliation between Science and Jewish beliefs, so I checked out a link that took me to some correspondence between him and Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (Lubavitcher Rebbe – ‘the Rebbe’) over an article Domb published in London’s Jewish Chronicle back in 1961.  In their correspondence the Rebbe was ‘distressed’ over Domb’s failure to bring what he perceived as the proper attention to specific matters regarding the idea of ‘truths’ behind Science and Religion, so after an enjoyable read (click) I thought I’d try to expand on an issue I had with the Rebbe’s idea of truth.

The Rebbe nicely points out that the general perception of ‘science’ presumes that it is about ‘facts and truths’ when in further contemplation the scientific process is ultimately rooted in probability.  He states: “As a matter of fact, the whole problem is based on a popular misconception as to what science is. Where there is a true understanding of what science really is, there is no room for such confusion. For, as it is well known but too often overlooked, the sciences, even the so-called “exact” sciences, are at bottom nothing more than assumptions, work hypotheses and theories which are only “probable”, as indeed you pointed out in your article, but all too briefly.“  I will agree with the Rebbe’s point.  Science, as it is commonly applied in our everyday lives, is at its center ‘probable’, and as such is open to questioning and skepticism, and ultimately open to the possibility of revision.  It’s somewhat like a ‘fact for now’ – or a rule or law that is receptive to the possibility that new ways of thinking will reshape and recontextualize it in the future.  That which is certain today may not be certain tomorrow.  Religious truths however, as the Rebbe argues, are “…definitive and categorical [and] science cannot, a priori, challenge religion, especially our religion, for science can never speak in terms of absolute truth.”

For the Rebbe, religious truths (in this case the Torah and its precepts) are absolute.  The problem I have though, is with a remark he later makes (in his response to Domb’s reply) that revolves around a supposed misconception by the many Rabbonim that Domb chooses to rely upon: “Unfortunately, the majority of Rabbonim stand too much in awe of scientific theories, for they still adhere to the attitude of bygone generations, when science was regarded as an absolute truth, as something apart from human intelligence and speculation, in other words, that scientific laws are not produced, but merely “discovered” by the scientist, and are infallible and immutable.“  Am I to understand then, that the term ‘absolute truth’ (as it is used by the Rebbe in this context) is something apart from human intelligence and speculation?  And if so, by that admission then, are not religious truths (which according to the Rebbe are absolute) also something apart from human intelligence and speculation?

It’s a paradox of sorts; to state that religious truths are absolute and as such “definitive and categorical” and “something apart from human intelligence and speculation” is at odds with Man’s attempt to understand, interpret, explain and/or rationalize the very sacred texts that define religious truths in the first place.  That is, you can’t base an argument on the absoluteness of religious truths because these truths, by the Rebbe’s own admission, are beyond his (and all human) intelligence and speculation.  I profess it may be an issue of semantics (but what isn’t really), and my contention is that both truths (or even others we may choose to create!) are but human constructs, and like all human constructs, are put to test in, as the Rebbe states, “the rational and sensible world.”  A world which I believe, by the way, allows science and religion to operate on equal terms.

Professor Domb’s reply to the Rebbe is rather brief (not touching on my concern as only the one reply from him was given), and he did avoid much of the Rebbe’s conjecture in regards to scientific vs. absolute truths.  He did end his reply however, with the wonderful statement; “I have therefore always taken the attitude of the Mishnah in Hagigah אין דורשין במעשה בראשית i.e. the ultimate secrets of creation are beyond normal human understanding. Any scientific theories are only temporary structures, and as long as their limitations are fully appreciated they may help in technical progress….“

I wonder though, if Professor Domb might consider religious truths (ie: absolute truths) as ‘temporary structures’?  I suppose I’ll find out when I add some of his works to my every growing reading list.

The one below is loop based, titled I’m Lost Without You, and came to me while messing around on the bass one night.  I started to repeat this pattern and eventually found a neat lyrical line to go with it.  I was hoping to do more with the vocals, but when I started in I found I didn’t want them that much.  Strange.  After recording the bass loop I added the vocal part and then shelved things for a few months.  When I came back to it recently, I had some other ideas as I mucked around with different synths and whatnot, so I started layering parts and putting together a structure of sorts.  It’s a 5 minute ditty and having some good headphones/speakers will let you pick up many parts that are subtle and fade in and out briefly at times.  Part inspiration belongs with some Lali Puna, some with SF‘s Boards of Canada and some other probably with Japancakes.  I’m sure there’s more as well.  Click below to listen (on the arrow thingy ….flash is needed) and download the mp3 here.  You can also find it on the Music-New/Downloads page and remember the secret password to find all the song posts is ‘ilikeslurpees’ …it’s true :)

So true.  And that’s the part that hounds me …not that Big Oil is out to destroy the world or makes hoards of money or that they don’t care about causing damage when they develop this infrastructure that fuels the country, but that our way of living largely dictates their actions.  It’s our way of life (the Western Dream of sorts) that makes a large home, two automobiles, convenient shopping opportunities, holidays in the Barbados and a comfortable retirement …not just a necessary accomplishment for most of us but something tied to our idea of success.  Tied to our definition of progress.

Suggestions on how to wake from the dream are welcomed.
*modifications of it are also permitted*

I’ve mentioned this before but I just have to say it again …I.  Hate.  Recording.  Exclamation.  Mark.  It’s true, I’d rather sit there with my guitar or whatever and tell other people what to do rather than play all this crap and then try to make it sound good.  Reason (not the mental characteristic) is nice to use when you get your head around how things work, but to me it’s still a chore and soooo hard to get motivated to do.  There are some people who absolutely love this stuff; screwing around with mic positions, effect inserts, tweaking mids etc., but I just can’t even fake tolerating it.  Ditto for live sound too.  That’s why so much of my stuff is bare and left to the imagination.  Oh, I have an imagination, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t have the patience to translate it into the real world.  And I wouldn’t even do it for money …figure that out -lol

So …you can listen by clicking the arrow thingy below (which you need flash for I just found out!) or download it by clicking here.  It’s also in the ‘Music New/Downloads‘ section of this blog as well.  Remember too, you can pull up all the ‘song posts’ by typing the secret phrase ilikeslurpees into the search box just above.  The Shakespearean inspired lyrics are just below.

Screenshot of my living hell...

 I Will Never Let You Go

did you know, I’m the only one that loves you so,
and I promise not to let you go go go, I will never let you go.
stay with me, take my hand and you will see,
it’s a matter of destiny, oh I know it’s destiny.

I will never let you go o o…

hold me tight, take me dancing all through the night,
everything is gonna be just right, everything will be just right.
in your eyes, I can tell I can realize,
you and me it’s no surprise, you and me are no surprise.

I will never let you go o o…

you’re the one, you’re the reason,
you’re the hope that I’m feeling.

did you know, I’m the only one that loves you so,
and I promise not to let you go go go, I will never let you go….