For a brief spell I allowed myself to be swept up into Dan
Brown’s fascinating portrayal of the American democracy as he wove the tale of
The Lost Symbol. Drawing from the intriguing worlds of secret societies, the
CIA, and the history of America’s founding ideals, Brown transports the reader
from the rabid incivilities of modern day politics with its harsh social and
economic realities into a world where time has largely filtered out the same
current that might have played out in such a momentous time. Brown delivers his signature style of driving,
gripping suspense amidst intimate details of art, architecture, history, and
symbolism.
Washington Monument, DC
Perhaps what I appreciated most about reading The Lost
Symbol was the demystifying of the occult, and symbolism in a way that
connected the dots bringing the origins of sacred literature, the Ancient
Mysteries, and science to its progenitors in the world of alchemy and philosophy.
This is not to say that conspiratorial minds may make less controversy about
symbolism in our currency and constitution. Rather, my hope is that it
illuminates and inspires a fresh wave of faith and hope in the ideals of the
Great American Project—the New Atlantis—a vision founded on ideals of
intellectualism, freedom, and science.
Also notable, in cameo appearance, Brown showcases the
strengths and advantages of technological innovations in computer science,
defense systems, and the emergent field of noetic science. This seemed to
indirectly underscore the prophet Ecclesiates’ exhortation, “There is nothing
new under the sun…” in the way modern security protocol intersects the secret
passages and symbolic art & architecture of the nation’s capitol. Or, as a
colleague shared recently, “The more you know the more human we become. Also
the more we know, the more we realize we do not know and the more open we are
to learning, and the more tolerant we are of others…keep learning” (LDR).
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
2012: Ideas That
Matter
(Part 1)
The King of Love:
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)
MLK with wife Coretta Scott King
Once upon this
planet earth,
lived a man of
humble birth,
preaching love and
freedom
for his fellow
man,
he was dreaming of
a day,
peace would come
toearth to stay,
and he spread this
message
all across the
land.
Monday, January 16, 2012, as I listened to the plaintive
strains of Nina Simone's rendition of “Why? (The King of Love is Dead), live at Westbury Music Fair, it
seems fitting that we kick off the new year with a celebration of hopeful
resolutions and the remembrance of Martin Luther King, Jr (MLK). The bittersweet melody beautifully sums up the
era and saga of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; what meaning his life
and death served in our collective history.
MLK waves at crowds in Washington, DC.
He was for
equality,
for all people,
you and me, Full of love and
goodwill,
hate was not his
way.
The fervent celebrations of 2012 seemed to mark the
true inauguration of the new decade, one that holds much hopes and dreams for
reprieve from the economic and war ravaged trials of the previous. In King's
time, we were likewise at war abroad (Vietnam) and in turmoil at home (civil rights). Yet
it is the repeated cycles of excess, intolerance, violence and bloodshed in the
historical context that gives weighty meaning to these lyrics.
Will the murders
never cease,
Are they men or
are they beasts?
What do they ever
hope, ever hope to gain?
...always living
with the threat of death ahead.
Substitute “we” for “they” and one appreciates Dr. King's
words that ours is a shared destiny, not just in Dr. King's America, but wherever
on the planet we call home and country. “Are (we) men or are (we) beasts? First,
to treat others inhumanely dehumanizes the perpetrator as well. Octavia Butler
shared the insight, “All that we touch we change, all that we change, changes
us.” Second, when will we evolve beyond our primitive instincts and ancestral
prejudices? What separates us from the beasts is our self awareness and with
self-awareness comes the ability for rational thought, ideas, and choice.
Saying goodbye to 2011 with the idea that we can draw a line in the sand and
decide when to end a war says as much that in 2012 we can thoughtfully declare
a loftier goal—the end of all hierarchical violence.
Martin Luther King, Jr monument (2011) in Washington, DC
Will my country
fail, stand or fall?
Is it too late for
us all?
And did Martin
Luther King just die in vain?
We will look at how we could accomplish that in part 2 of this
post. Until then enjoy this MLK tribute by one of my all-time favorites, “the
high-priestess of soul, Miss Nina Simone.”
Debut of “Why (The King of Love is Dead) at Westbury Music
Fair
The lyrics of this song was crafted by the Nina Simone band
bass player, Gene Taylor.
