Negative Capability

John Keats wrote in a 21 December 1817 letter to his brothers: “I mean Negative Capability, that is when man is capable of being in uncertainties, Mysteries, doubts without any irritable reaching after fact & reason.”

Wikipedia tell us [here] that "Keats believed that great people (especially poets, whom he considered to almost be on another level to the rest of humanity) had the ability to accept that not every thing can be resolved - being capable of remaining negative on something. Keats was a Romantic and believed that truth does not lie in science and philosophical reasoning, but in art. In art the aim is not, as in science, to solve problems, but rather to explore them. Hence, accepting that there may not be a solution to vexing problems is important to artists."

That suggests that Keats wouldn't have thought much of lawyers and judges, for a solution - sometimes any solution - is often more important than the process (Keat's adventure). On the other hand, I don't remember ever reading anything setting out Keats' view of the placement of the legal profession in the corpus of humanity. (That is, lawyers who are not also poets.) I suppose I should have looked on the bottom of that urn. Still, most people would concede that lawyers and judges are "capable of being in uncertainties ... without any irritable reaching after fact & reason" - actually, without any irritation at all - and holding (and expressing) contradictory opinions. If you don't, I suggest you listen. And then read a few case reports.

In the meantime, I'll read an Ode or two. Or the Sunday comics.

Phil Ochs

So who thought that blogging would be a passing fancy?

Now how many would fancy passing a good blog? (We might wonder what the programmers of the Blogger spelling utility consider a good blog, since the vanilla dictionary doesn't recognize blogging and offers flogging as an alternative).

And how many can foresee a fancy passing for blogging?

Probably as many as really believe they'll see fancy passing in the NHL once it matters (except perhaps at the bar when the cheque comes).

And with less reason. (The Blogger spelling utility offers NIL as the alternative for NHL. Can't say I disagree.)

Remember what Barnum said as you line up to buy your (somewhat discounted) tickets.

....


What does the late Phil Ochs have to do with any of this? Absolutely nothing.

Still ...

Some of you out there remember who Phil Ochs was, right? He burned brighter, or at least as brightly, in his time as Bobby Zed. Then he gave up. Maybe if Ochs had been able to outrun his demons.

Still ...

Listening now to his 3 CD Farewell & Fantasies collection reminds me that there was always a certain sameness to his music. Dylan managed to avoid that.

And still, again ...


listen to (and read) Ochs' lyrics in Changes, or Outside Of A Small Circle of Friends, or When In Rome, or crucifixion, or for something very current Love Me, I'm A Liberal ... then ask yourself what might have happened if he'd been just a bit better as a tunesmith.

Or found one.

Or lived long enough to become one.

Not Even Grandpa Moses

There was an outdoor art show a few weeks back.

Blogging is to literary talent as outdoor art shows are to artistic talent. What's even more remarkable than the number of people who have more than just a bit of talent is the even greater number who have absolutely none whatsoever. And haven't the faintest clue.

Those wishing to form a firing squad should meet in the quad at dawn. Bring clean underwear and try not to stand in a circle.

On Adam's Rib (1949)

"Lawyers should never marry other lawyers. This is called inbreeding, from which comes idiot children and more lawyers...Lawyers should marry piano players or song-writers - or both." [Kip (David Wayne) to Amanda (Katharine Hepburn) in Adam's Rib (1949)]

Do you think this explains Axl Rose or Mick Jagger?

Discuss amongst yourselves.

On Waking Up & Passing The Post

• How can a ship be headless when there's all of nature to be had?
• Is quantum uncertainty more uncertain than ordinary uncertainty and may I serve red wine with imported avocado at second Seders?
• What really happened in Sleepy Hollow.
• If common sense is really common, why are pomegranate seeds so hard to pick up with hockey gloves? If two heads are better than one, why don't more people use two-holers in winter in Sudbury?
• What is a headless lawyer and how will this upset the puppies?
• What is the proper relativistic state for reading this blog?
• Why are you here? How the heck would I know if you don't tell me? If I was psychic, don't you think I'd have bought Microsoft stock in the late 1970s and early 1980s? If I had, do you really think I'd be typing this blog entry? Don't you think I'd be paying someone like you to do it for me?
• Should lawyers marry lawyers? (see Adam's Rib with Hepburn & Tracy, not the gawdawful remake, even if Blythe Tanner was still gorgeous then.)
• Come back in due course for the answers to these and other questions if you're interested in definitive answers to important questions that should trouble intelligent Canadians, answers to even more important questions, and the true story of the missing Shmoon (R) tribes after the demise of Lower Upper Slobbovia (R) ... or, if you've nothing better to do than clean out the sock-lint between your toes before donning your summer sandals.