CELEBRATION

One day I sat with an Innuit elder, in a remote community on an remote Arctic island, talking about the issues facing the people.  "Eat like a child, think like a child"; could we ban junk food?  He had a point but how to implement or enforce a ban? It wasn't feasible, though it had merit. How often do we find ourselves in this dilemma?  Ambivalence drains a person, unable to more forward, unable to stand still, unable to go back in time. What to do? We often find functional denial at work.  Avoid, compartmentalize, blame, these of things that weaken our resolve. Extremists find a place in this. Condemning a vulnerable, identifyable portion of the community, makes it easy to foment tension. Politics. Dangerous politics. Fortunately for us, we know how to sort out the differences between consipracy thinking and fact. We also carry with us values that inhibit abuse of others to achieve our purpose. They exist because we are not as divided by tribalism as we might want to believe.  I suspect the smartest mason realizes his skepticism is well placed.  After a time, he becomes comfortable in that perspective.  I wonder if he has a bust of Socrates sitting on a nearby shelf as a reminder?  As long as  we know one of us is carrying on research into arts and science, we can sleep contented.  You know I encourage individuality in masonic growth.  We realize we know more than we care to acknowledge. Even though it is sensible to use every advantage available, we are cultural hedonists. The religion of capitalism has fallen apart. Churches are sold as yoga studios.  The inefficiencies of capitalism and democracy are frigheningly obvious, but it isn't theorists talking. It's our politics and the strain of a global community.  Is it a climax or entropy? While we ponder, men like us are examining these questions from both sides, encouraged through Freemasonry to explore possibility.