Thursday, January 7, 2021
January 6, 2021
One of the stories I used to teach was titled ‘The Broken Globe.’ This story by Henry Kreisel presents the conflict between a father and a son over whether the world is flat or round. The reaction of most of the kids was one of disbelief. Of course, the world is round. How could the old man be so stupid? I don’t think they really accepted my argument that both men were defending beliefs. The father walks out the door every morning and looks at the flat horizon of the Alberta prairie. A priest in Ukraine told him of a flat world when he was a boy and he trusted the priest as a representative of God and truth. The son believes in science and the round world as taught to him by a teacher he admires, a representative of truth. When the son brings home a globe to try to explain to his father the roundness of the world, the old man breaks the globe. My memory of the story is a bit sketchy and I don’t remember whether or not the boy tries to repair it.
The actions of Trump supporters today provide a perfect illustration of the strength and danger of beliefs when not handled in a calm and mature way. Statistical evidence only counts if someone is willing to accept its validity and Trump has expertly, in the view of his followers, called into question the validity of statistics and the workings of the American democracy. I will not likely forget the image of a bare-chested man with paint on his face and a horned helmet on his head striding triumphantly down a corridor in the capitol building after the mob had broken in. I will also remember the image of a man in a ball cap with his phone out, possibly taking a selfie, seated at the desk of an elected official. At the same time I think of the opposite. I think of Mr. Rogers: ‘Look for the helpers,’ for they are always there. I hope so. I hope they are legion and that they will respond with wisdom as yet unimagined. It’s going to take wisdom, patience, grace, and a huge roll of duct tape to repair this particular broken globe.
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6 comments:
Well said, Marion. I have heard from many friends around the world questioning the sanity in America. I was so distressed by the images. Given the nature of the current president, who was surprised? The Rubicon has been crossed.
Thanks Karen. Apparently the folks who were looking after security were surprised. Oops was that my outside voice?
Like you, Marian, in times of crisis, I go back to the words of authors I know, whose words provide insight into the current situation. The Broken Globe certainly has relevance to the storming of the US capitol building and is a strong symbol of how easily a world can be divided and shattered when people become so entrenched in their beliefs that they cannot be open-minded, listen, and interact calmly.
I am also reminded of Emily Dickenson's poem, "A Man May Make a Remark"
A Man may make a Remark–
In itself–a quiet thing
That may furnish the Fuse unto a Spark
In dormant nature–lain–
Let us divide–with skill–
Let us discourse–with care–
Powder exists in Charcoal–
Before it exists in Fire–
It's incredibly distressing that our current elected officials are unable (or unwilling) to distinguish between truth and lies. Belief, as you illustrate by the globe story, can be inspired/fomented by other believers who may be ignorant of the truth, or by those whose purpose it serves to keep the believers ignorant. Either way, believing in something is not in itself proof that the belief is true. Other than in matters of philosophy and religion, there is always only one side that has truth - and is painfully obvious that it is not our President or many in the Republican party.
Love the Emily Dickenson poem, however, Trump is well aware that words in the media can be incendiary and uses that to further his own agenda with no thought at all to how it will affect either supporters or "enemies".
Looking forward to scraping this president off the collective American shoe and trying to get back to Democracy.
Thank you both Janeen and Sue for your reflections. Sue, whenever I see news about the US I think of you and wonder how you are experiencing it. I hope that those still close to Trump can hold him back enough so that he doesn't do anything even more stupid in his remaining time in office. Wouldn't it be lovely if he just resigned? Janeen, Emily Dickenson certainly nailed it didn't she? Now if only the snowbird Canadians who are flying to Florida because they think they will get a Covid shot faster would grab a brain that would be helpful too.
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