Category: Fragment

We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!

from T.S. Elliot’s The Hollow Men

Last Thursday I went to a workshop in Chicago. Before the conference I found a cafe to work in on the campus of Loloya University Chicago. After working for a while I took a break to read a book. It was then that I realized that I was a theoretical physicist reading a book about an Indian spiritualist who rejected his role as the Theosophical messiah in a cafe whose walls were covered with pictures of the Pope.

From Valis by Philip K. Dick:

“To fight the Empire is to be infected by its derangement. This is a paradox; whoever defeats a segment of the Empire becomes the Empire; it proliferates like a vius imposiing its form on its enemies. Thereby it becoes its enemies.”

If theodicy is “defense of God’s goodliness and omnipotence in view of the existence of evil,” what word describes “defense of God’s evil and falibilty in view of the existence of good?”

Radiohead sings “Just cos you feel it doesn’t mean it’s there.” But Descrates says “I think therefore I am.” Time marches on, old ideas die, and Radiohead pines a new philosophy.

From a distance, the words on the truck ahead say “Walmart,” “Always,” and “Less.” Word.

Bumper sticker spotted last night: “God bless the whole world. No exceptions.”

Today is supposed to be a “day of purity” which I’m told is a supposed to be a day to promote abstinence. But don’t worry. Tomorrow is valentines day where you can root as much as you want.

Happy Ronald Reagan Day!
Now go shop at Walmart and oppress some poor people.

Tozan said to his monks, “You monks should know there is an even higher understanding than Buddhism.” A monk stepped forward and asked, “What is the higher Buddishm?” Tozan answered, “It is not Buddha.”