YouTube link here. I’m so pretty.
This week, Tony’s really, really congested and feels bad. And it’s reflected in the quality of this episode. Some might even call it the theme. Either that or religion. Or hockey. But definitely one of those. Enjoy!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
As I thought about our conversation later, it occurred to me that there’s a difference between a person “wanting to be right” and a person “not wanting to be wrong” — or, at least, this distinction makes a certain sort of sense to me. I don’t think I care so much about whether or not I’m right, so I don’t spend much time looking for things to prove that I am and I don’t feel much threatened by things that might prove I’m not. But if I’m wrong, I don’t want to *stay* wrong, so I look for things that might prove that I am so I can correct myself in case I am. That feeling Tony talked about, where you realize you might have been wrong and you feel foolish for being vocal about a wrong thing… that feeling can motivate one to deny the truth, sure, but it can also motivate one to accept and admit the truth, so as to stop appearing foolish! So, maybe it’s a matter of priority… would a person rather spare themselves a mea culpa and persist in looking foolish, or would they rather frankly admit they had been foolish and move on being less so? I far prefer the latter.
But then again, I’m never right. š
I’m about 25% of the way through Oddwings and am enjoying it so much, I’ll probably buy the sequel.
Crap! I’ll have to write it, then!
Wow, he’s never Wright? Talk about your existential crisis.
Funny coincidence–I’m reading through all the Tony Hillerman books, and that’s what actually prompted the question I sent in, because I admire the Navajo religious concept of Hozro that comes up a lot in those books. What I understand about the concept from the books is that one tries to live in harmony with everything else in the world, and “harmony” has the added meaning of beauty. If one does something that hurts others, this disrupts harmony, and the return to harmony is based on making amends and going through a curing or healing ritual. Since the Hillerman novels are detective stories, there’s a lot of contrast drawn between this process and Western ideas of justice or of revenge.
Oh, and coincidence because it does sound like those stained glass figures are Yei?
In Shintoism there’s a kind of similar concept in that “kami” does not just designate spirits, but a sense of wonder that’s caused by the spirits within things. So things like yorishiro (the ropes tied around rocks or trees) are meant to capture kami, but also to draw our eye to the natural object and evoke wonder.
I like the way that defamiliarizes the natural world and draws our attention to things as extraordinary, rather than just glancing over them as ordinary.
In both Shintoism and Buddhism, I like the sense of humility in which the human being is only an infinitesimal part of the universe. Also I like importance of the present moment. In Western culture, we seem much more focused on endings and solving mysteries. Some of my students have trouble with the way Japanese stories end sometimes, because there’s a less strong sense of resolution.
In Judaism, I really like the tradition of asking questions and encouraging curiousity.
In Christianity, I especially like the Beatitudes and the way some of them reinterpret the ten commandments.
Comparative religious NERD!
You remind me of a young me. š
Woot! š
Reminding someone of a young “anything” is a total win for someone when they get to my age!
Dang. You’re so much better at answering your questions than we are.
Well, I’ve usually been thinking about them for a while.
And then I spring ’em on you, all unawares….
š
Don’t undermine us in front of the listeners! We’ve talked about this!
We’re the best at answering questions. Like, objectively.
Hey, I’m just trying to protect you from the gods by maintaining your underdog facade.
Or should I say your “shoe-shine boy” facade?
Deep cut! I like it. š