All too often we mire
ourselves in unnecessary
arguments and debates.
There is of course a certain
intellectual enjoyment that
comes with that particular
territory. I admit that there
are times when I delight in
arguing in defense of an opposing
viewpoint just for
the pleasure of the game.
Plato advised us long
ago to play what he characterizes
as the `believing
game’ when confronted
with an argument or perspective
that might run
counter to one’s own. Most
often we find ourselves
standing on firm ground,
but the deeper, more objective
analysis of a position
that the believing game requires
offers an opportunity
to strengthen one’s position
rather than weaken it. On
the other hand, there are
issues, however much they
are debated, that are irrelevant
to the larger question
that appears to have
sparked an argument in
the first place. Given the
infinite variety of ways we
have of differing with one
another, it occurs to me
that we should be focusing
less on our differences and
more on our commonalities.
Unfortunately, there is a
climate of contentiousness
that has infected America
to the point where unless
we make a concerted effort
to establish common ground
in a civil manner this democracy
we so cherish will
go down the tubes.
An excellent example of
an unnecessary debate is
over the issue of climate
change, i.e. global warming.
There is no doubt that
the earth is warming up.
The consequences of that
are clear and obvious. There
are those who claim it is
just another weather cycle.
It is also true that with respect
to geologic time our
records of climate fluctuations
are slim.
And there are those who
see us as the primary culprits.
The truth is that it
does not matter who or
what is to blame. If we continue
to pollute the planet
and live in ways that are
patently unsustainable,
both environmentally and
economically, then we are
leading ourselves down a
pretty scary path. I want a
brighter future for my
grandchildren and everyone
else’s.
I was gratified recently
when a close friend, whose
politics are quite at odds
with mine, opined that
while he remained skeptical
of climate change theory
it really did not matter. As
he put it, we simply can not
continue screwing up the
planet. No matter what the
reasons for global warming
might be, he said, we irrevocably
imperil our existence
if we do not change
our ways. I live a life up
here on the hill as closely
tied to nature as possible.
He lives in a wealthy Connecticut
suburb where all
the homes are large and
gas guzzling, very expensive
cars are the norm. It
gratifies me that two people
living such different lives
can agree on a matter so vital
to our survival. It was
the kind of experience that
keeps my hopes alive. Our
salvation lies in our active
recognition of our common
humanity, a recognition
that celebrates difference
while at the same time
sharing the responsibility
for safeguarding and healing
the very natural environment
that nurtures and
makes possible our continued
existence.
We have six chickens.
Two are one breed and four
another. They are getting
on famously. They perch
closely huddled together at
night, wander about the
place in a tightly knit pack
during the days I let them
out, and generally comport
themselves with an admirable
civility towards one
another. I do not know all
chickens; I just know my
chickens. But I like what I
see. They do not dither
about global warming or
climate change. They are
content with a scrap of
cracked corn here, a succulent
slug there. Contrary to
what I rather flippantly
suggested to a friend a few
weeks ago, I really am not
interested in becoming a
chicken, or any other animal
for that matter. But I
do wish for a world where
simplicity reigns a bit more
supreme and where, as
Wendell Berry puts it, our
lives are characterized not
by greed and consumerism,
but by thrift, generosity,
and temperance. As he puts
it, ``spending is not an economic
virtue.’’ Spending is
in large part responsible for
the climate predicament we
find ourselves arguing
about. Why not give the environment
a gift this Christmas?
Find out what you
can do to help start the
healing process. The opportunities
are illimitable.
Additional essays appear
periodically on my
blog at rjderosa.wordpress.
com.
Columns
Hawthorn Hill: Issues and the arguments that follow
- Columns
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In These Otsego Hills: Continuing on from 1986 ...
We continue this week by answering the question we asked if anyone remembers the old Cooperstown National Bank? On May 13, we wrote: “Martha Dickison, Delaware Street, called to tell us about the Cooperstown National Bank where she worked at her first ‘real job’ after her graduation from school.
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Up On Hawthorn Hill: Spring inventions
The second line of Lawrence Durrell’s novel “Justine” reads as follows: “In the midst of winter you can feel the inventions of Spring.” I first read all four novels of his magnificent Alexandria Quartet during the year I traveled from Saigon to Paris after working in Vietnam for a refugee organization for several years.
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From Fly Creek: Revving up for spring
Time to bring you up to date on Fly Creek’s happy clambering into Spring. First, the eatery scene. “Is Jerry’s open yet?” The answer is, “Oh, yes!” The porches are freshly stained; the lawns a uniform green, and the hop vines are already climbing the posts on the covered side deck. Blue and I went up there to lunch earlier this week, and I celebrated spring with my traditional bacon, onion and Swiss cheese hamburger. We two sat on the deck, enjoying the broad view and some spectacular clouds marching across, up toward Schuyler Lake.
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In These Otsego Hills: More from 1986 ...
This week we continue with the discussion of telephone service from the pre-dial days. On March 12 we noted that: “No one has yet produced a telephone directory from pre-dial days, but Doug Preston of New Hartford recalls that some business (which one?) in the village had the phone number 7.”
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Home Notes: Celebrations abound at the Thanksgiving Home
April was a month of celebrations and much to appreciate. We had a 90th birthday celebration for Wanda Noyes on April 4 including her family and friends. Personal care staff Dee Bouck worked with residents to hand paint Easter eggs for the tree in the activity room.
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In These Otsego Hills: 1986 continues ...
This week we continue our journey through the columns of 1986 with the answer to the question “for whom, according to tradition, was Hannah’s Hill named?”
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Book Notes: Baseball book features local contributors
Baseball is part of the nation’s fabric. Most kids have a memory of the game either from playing Little League, attending a major league contest or meeting a favorite player. In Cooperstown that feeling is magnified since we are the official home of baseball. We get to see firsthand what has made the sport the national pastime.
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From Fly Creek: Ya really wanna know?
SETTING: Fly Creek General Store. CAST: Assorted seated geezers, drinking coffee. [Door opens, enter heavy-set geezer; walking slowly with wide stance, maybe prostatitis.]
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In These Otsego Hills: Returning to 1986 ...
For the past several years now we have undertaken sharing some of the area’s oral history we have collected over the years that we have written this column. Therefore, this year, we would like to go back to 1986 to share that rather unusual year. Those who were here then no doubt remember that it was that year that the village celebrated the bicentennial of its founding.
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From Fly Creek: For reasons unknowable
[Jim’s reached back to 2002 to share one of his favorite columns.] My father was born as the last century began into a river village in tidewater Maryland. He told me once of a man there in his boyhood who, like so many, made a thin living tonging for oysters in the cold months and, in the hot and humid ones, crabbing and raising vegetables.
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In These Otsego Hills: CCS balancing act ... side two
Last week we shared a number of activities in which students at CCS can participate. We thought it was an impressive, if not overwhelming, list. And we are indeed pleased that the young people of our area have these opportunities. However, we think it is also important to keep in mind that these undertakings do have a cost associated with them. They are not free. In fact there are, no doubt, those who would say they do not come cheap.
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From Fly Creek: A graceful crowd
Make of this what you will, friends. I feel I’m really meant to share it with you. Despite good medication for my Parkinsonism, every four or five weeks I can sensethe symptoms building up on me, giving me more than ordinary trouble. Lately it’s been falls, and last week brought a typical one. I’d gone out to get the paper, moving along with penguin steps on the snowcoved ice patches, and usingmy spike-tipped cane the waya climber uses an ice axe. But circumstances overcame me. Parkinson’s wipes out the possibility of multi-tasking.
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In These Otsego Hills: This and that and the other side ...
We note that the CCS Class of 2012 is presenting its senior class play, “Snow White” by Tim Kelly, this week with performances 7:30 p.m Thursday and Friday, March 29 and 30, and at 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 31. All performances will be at the Nicolas J. Sterling Auditorium at the Middle/High School.
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In These Otsego Hills: That green thing ...
Of late we have noticed that our email inbox has been much busier than usual. In fact, we find ourselves hard pressed to keep up with all the various messages we receive. As a result we suspect we have not answered some in as timely a fashion as might be thought appropriate.
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From Fly Creek: What you need to know
In their last Sunday’s bulletins, all 84 churches of Otsego County were to have carried announcements of an important meeting; most of them did. But because the announcement is so important, and not just to the churched, here it is again.
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Book Notes: Living the magic of ‘Hoosier’
A lot of people consider “Hoosiers” the best sports film of all time. The 1986 classic follows the exploits of a fictional small town Indiana high school basketball team in 1952 as it attempts to achieve the impossible dream of a state championship. The story is inspired by the true life achievement of the 1954 Milan team, who with an enrollment of only 161 students shocked big city power Muncie Central on a last second shot to win the state title. It’s the kind of sports story that represents something that is hard to grasp unless you live in a small town.
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In These Otsego Hills: The most perfect village... home to heavy industry?
We suspect we would get a whole lot more accomplished if we spent less time thinking, pondering and musing about things. In fact, there is a good possibility we might actually have completed our goal of cleaning the basement if we only focused on the task at hand, instead of trying to figure out the world around us. It almost makes us wonder if it is possible to think too much about things. We certainly hope not because should that be the case, we are in deep trouble.
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Up On Hawthorn Hill: The past in the present
Clichés abound about the value of photographs. Most are probably true at least to a certain extent. What I do know about an image is that it represents something of the past that is not the pastitself. But that is the power of any image. It represents something that once was. The beauty of an image, revisited, is that it functions as a catalystfor reliving in the present a past experience. My own view, one that I thank the Spanish writer Jorge Luis Borges for, is that all we ever can experience is the present.
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Home Notes: Workshops held for Thanksgiving Home residents
We welcomed Linda Keller, Ph.D. of the Bassett Research Institute and Ida Baker of NYCAMH who presented a six-week workshop for residents and staff.
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From Fly Creek: Late-winter hamlet news
Well, at least I’m “guessing” it’s late winter now — in the winter that wasn’t. But, if not snow, I can provide a flurry of Fly Creek news to share with you, scooping Associated Press, Reuter’s, and United Press International, not to mention all local news services except our General Store.
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In These Otsego Hills: Continuing on from 1986 ...
