[MD] Intellectual and Social

[John Carl]

Marsha,

Some of the most beautiful descriptions I've read (Ed Abbey!  Ed Abbey!  Ed
Abbey! ) are of places nobody wants to go - deserts - tundra.  The emptiness
beckons the eye.

What is interesting in Royce's analysis isn't the comparative beauties of
the world, it's the way places create people.  Even as Pirsig points out the
language of the Cowboy AND the Plains Indian both reflecting the plains, the
environment which is their Q-context.

Royce:

"And this intimacy with nature means a certain change in your relations to
your fellow-men.  You get a sense of power from these wide views, a habit of
personal independence from the contemplation of a world that the eye seems
to own.  Especially in country life the individual Californian consequently
tends toward a certain kind of independence which I find in a strong and
subtle contrast to the sort of independence that, for instance, the New
England farmer cultivates.  The New England farmer must fortify himself in
his stronghold against the seasons.  He must be ready to adapt himself.

Thus different in type are the California country proprietors from the
equally individual, the secretively independent, the silently conscientious
New England villagers. "

He also points out the differences in culture between the Northern
Californian and the Southern, which has its roots in the communities which
got started fresh in the south around 1880 and on.  The "latecomers" to the
view of the 49ers.

Go Niners!

John


On Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 9:13 AM, MarshaV <valkyr at att.net> wrote:

>
> Hi John,
>
> New England is beautiful and its winters are full of joy.  California is
> beautiful too.
>
>
> Marsha
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Jan 7, 2010, at 11:08 AM, John Carl wrote:
>
> > Perhaps it is foolish of me to assume that joy exists anywhere outside of
> my
> > own sphere, Marsha, and yet sometimes, like the sun peeking through the
> > clouds, I see signs of it.
> >
> > But I'll take your word for it.
> >
> > John
> >
> > On Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 2:33 AM, MarshaV <valkyr at att.net> wrote:
> >
> >> John,
> >>
> >> Let me rewrite that properly:
> >>
> >>
> >> The promise of joy existing somewhere else is very foolish.
> >>
> >>
> >> Marsha
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Jan 7, 2010, at 5:30 AM, MarshaV wrote:
> >>
> >>>
> >>> John,
> >>>
> >>> The promise of betterment existing someplace is very foolish.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Marsha
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> On Jan 6, 2010, at 1:11 PM, John Carl wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Marsha,
> >>>>
> >>>> I have to go work, but I'll sit down tonite and let my fingers fly
> over
> >> the
> >>>> passages promised.
> >>>>
> >>>> In the meantime, to whet your appetite...
> >>>>
> >>>> "in New England, if you are moody, you may wish to take a long walk
> out
> >> of
> >>>> doors, but that is not possible at or even at most seasons.  Nature
> may
> >> not
> >>>> be permitted to comfort you.  In California, unless you are afraid of
> >> the
> >>>> rain, nature welcomes you at almost any time.  The union of the man
> and
> >> the
> >>>> visible universe is free, is entirely unchecked by any hostility on
> the
> >> part
> >>>> of nature, and is such as easily fills one's mind with wealth of warm
> >>>> experience.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Now I must feel that such tendencies are of vast importance, not
> merely
> >>>> today, but for all time.  They are tendencies whose moral significance
> >> in
> >>>> the life of California is of course both good and evil, since man's
> >>>> relations with nature are, in general, a neutral material upon which
> >> ethical
> >>>> relations may be based.  If you are industrious, this intimacy with
> >> nature
> >>>> mean constant cooperation, a cooperation never interrupted by frozen
> >> ground
> >>>> and deep snow.  If you tend to idleness, nature's kindliness may make
> >> you
> >>>> all more indolent, and indolence is a possible enough vice with the
> >> dwellers
> >>>> of all mild climates.  If you are morally careless, nature encourages
> >> your
> >>>> freedom."
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Mea Culpa,
> >>>>
> >>>> John
> >>>>
> >>>> On Tue, Jan 5, 2010 at 2:09 PM, MarshaV <valkyr at att.net> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> On Jan 5, 2010, at 12:12 PM, John Carl wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> I'm reading Royce's history of California right now and boy does he
> >> have
> >>>>>> some interesting insight into the way an environment forms the
> >> individual
> >>>>>> and society.  Reading his description of the attitude you get from
> >> living
> >>>>> in
> >>>>>> a place that isn't trying to kill you half the year is quite
> amazing.
> >>>>> His
> >>>>>> description fits me to a "T", and his contrast with the New England
> >>>>>> Individualist and the California individualist made for some
> >> fascinating
> >>>>>> reading that I'm itching to share with Marsha.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Lessee, it's gonna be 62 degrees today, I hope the rest of y'all are
> >>>>> keeping
> >>>>>> warm where you're at.
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Hi John,
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I'm interested.
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Marsha
> >>>>>
> >>>>> p.s.  The high temperature here today was 24-degrees.
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> _______________________________________________________________________
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars...
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Moq_Discuss mailing list
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> >>>
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________________________________
> >>>
> >>> Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars...
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
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> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________________________________
> >>
> >> Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars...
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
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>
> _______________________________________________________________________
>
> Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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