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.