A classroom of animals learning to spell is certainly absurd but is it more absurd than some human behaviour? Can you imagine a dog dyeing it’s greying whiskers to appear younger than it is? When an elephant dies, the herd takes great care in the burial, walking back and forth with twigs and leaves to cover the body. They mourn the loss of one of their number and yet, many human beings die alone. I cannot think of an animal anywhere that diets or struggles with its self image except human beings - courtiers of absurdity.
“…you must think how absurd we all look now
fixated on finding things that never can be found.”
(From the song, “Absurdity Under,” by Tim Koehn, click this to listen to this song.)
John, in more ways than one you have really made my day. Thanks for the thoughtful comments which I will post below and thank you also for the wonderful link. Read this one everyone, it will suprise you in the best possible way. I honour and salute you Zarifa Qazizadah - you are my idea of a hero.
From John and in response to “Good Women Have Their Reward”:
“But are we so different to other animals, are we geneticaly predisposed to certain roles, childbirth is one, but what if there are more subtle genes, genetics and hard wired programmes that we have yet to discover.. just because we “can” does it mean we have to?
Certain studies find some societies with clearly defined gender roles have less stress and less mental and social disorder…
My wife wants me to do the ironing rather than cut the wood for the fire, however she will not cut the wood…..
I think we try too hard to change rather than just settling into a natural role…”
And a bit more in response to my commenting that women should be able to perform their role without being invalidated or subjugated, as it seemed they were in Victorian times…
“I think “subjugated” is a modern issue, even American Indians, Aztecs and Eskimo’s had well defined roles but I would say that natural ability is far more important in these societies closer to - “nature” for want of a better word, I think modern culture and society may be doing women no favours.”
And finally…
“I think that link (click on link at the bottom of the photo for the article) may be closer to what would have been possible if religion and society did not stifle , I was going to say women but it is probably true of us all…”
Now that you’ve enjoyed John’s thoughts and many thanks again John for sharing them, click on the link and read the most fascinating story about my new hero, Zarifa Qazizadah. She has become the country’s (Afganistan) only female village chief through force of personality and determination to get things done- even if that means cross-dressing, wearing a false moustache and driving around on a motorbike at night. (BBC News Magazine)
I want to talk about two things; one is images and what they convey and the other is words and what they evoke. All of these fabulous images have been borrowed from the visually stunning blog of La Peskada (I’m reliably informed this means “little fish”). A visit to this blog is never dull, it’s like a trip to the world’s best gallery; each image with a story to tell (such as the interesting story behind the photo of the two lovely women). They’re dramatic, beautiful, sexy, bold, sweet or edgy but whatever they are, they always make me feel things. (click on the link below). This is what good writing should do too, except with words. I would like to encourage you to come to my blog and have a scroll through the posts, settle down with a glass of wine or a cup of tea and read. Take 5 minutes and read and see if it doesn’t make you feel, think, take you somewhere else or compel you to smile.
Tomorrow I’ll be posting on the subject of changing roles, women and how one influential person thought a life could have meaning. Come to “A View From Outside the Box,” to find out more, url: adialogue. It’s only a click away!
