There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole, and if these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things…. To think, feel or act as though the past is done with, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it. - Edward Hyams (U6)
Hey folks! I found this weeks’ textbook readings to be pretty interesting with its inclusion of writing tips; Especially the one suggesting that a solution to writers’ block is as simple as writing a whiny letter to your mom and ranting about the topic….and then just deleting the dear mom parts. I also really enjoyed the notion that the process of writing hasn’t even begin unless it’s been made physical, cause then you could keep working on it -including and especially- subconsciously, until you think its truly done.
Anyways! Let’s get to this quote up here, which asks us to consider why we appreciate the things we do in a historical context.
While things that have been around for many years are often fascinating and have the ability to teach us a new perspective or concept from the past, the author suggests that the old age of something does not grant it inherent value. True value comes from the things or ideas that have not only been around for generations, but also maintained and passed on throughout them. It is indisputable that for the majority of history, storytelling was the main form of keeping track or remembering something and so being held in the minds of people for years to come may be the ultimate display of gratitude- with humans generally being grateful for what made us who we are and the processes it took to get us here. As an example, generations of a family may have lived, hunted, and foraged within a particular forest, passing on the knowledge of their land to their children such as how to find the best growing spots, track animals, navigate, etc. With times having changed (as they unavoidably do), perhaps a child from this village/tribe/nomadic group no longer decides to live in the forest and moves into a city or town such as the ones you or I am more familiar with (Like Guelph). Not having to depend their life on the forest anymore, they might go on to teach their kin less practical survival strategies and instead lessons on things like balance and respect in the forest, since it once was integral to their ancestors survival. (Now continue this chain a few more times-or the entire length of human history-and realize that many of the things we value today are because our lives depended on it!)
David McCullough once wrote that “we need the past for our sense of who we are…and what it is our duty to protect.” and I think this intertwines beautifully with Hyams idea. We cherish what those before us protected, and to some extent that is our origin story. What we choose to spend time around or tell stories about may seem random, but like everything, there's always a purpose.
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A person who speaks like a book is exceedingly boring to listen to; sometimes, however, it is not inappropriate to talk in that way. For a book has the remarkable property that it can be interpreted any way you wish. If one talks like a book one’s conversation acquires this property too.
Søren Kierkegaard, Either/Or
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There's a curious but popular notion circulating around the church these days that says God would never stoop to using ancient genre categories to communicate. Speaking to ancient people using their own language, literary structures, and cosmological assumptions would be beneath God, it is said, for only our modern categories of science and history can convey the truth in any meaningful way.
In addition to once again prioritizing modern, Western (and often uniquely American) concerns, this notion overlooks one of the most central themes of Scripture itself: God stoops. From walking with Adam and Eve through the garden of Eden, to traveling with the liberated Hebrew slaves in a pillar of cloud and fire, to slipping into flesh and eating, laughing, suffering, healing, weeping, and dying among us as part of humanity, the God of scripture stoops and stoops and stoops and stoops. At the heart of the gospel message is the story of a God who stoops to the point of death on a cross.
Dignified or not, believable or not, ours is a God perpetually on bended knee, doing everything it takes to convince stubborn and petulant children that they are seen and loved. It is no more beneath God to speak to us using poetry, proverb, letters, and legend than it is for a mother to read storybooks to her daughter at bedtime. This is who God is. This is what God does.
—Rachel Held Evans, Inspired, p.11-12
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More Batfam incorrect quotes
pt. 1
pt. 3 | pt. 4
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Steph: “You’re running on four hours of sleep-”
Tim: “Two”
Steph: “What?”
Tim: “It’s two hours of sleep”
Steph: “Did you not take a nap?”
Tim: “No I had a monster”
Steph: “You sad little pebble, sad little creature on the floor”
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Duke: “You’re starting patrol I’m starting dinner. We are not the same”
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Dick: “there’s three whole slices of pizza in the trash”
Jason: “Dick no”
Dick: “Dick yes”
Jason: “Dick no”
Dick: “Dick yes”
Jason: “Dick NO”
Dick: “Dick YES” *grab a slice of pizza*
Damian: *slaps the pizza out of his hand*
Damian: “RICHARD NO”
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Steph: “You guys are just haters”
Duke: “no”
Cass: “fuck you”
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Dick: “Jason that is a great way to lose a finger”
Bruce: *appearing from the void* “What’s a great way to lose a finger?”
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Steph: "Cassandra.." *falling onto a couch very dramatically*
Cass: *Lands dramatically and matching energy on other couch to mirror Steph* "Stephanie"
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Jason: “I can be the biggest asshole and I’m fucking proud of it”
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Dick: “I have to preface this story by saying I was in a good comma afterwards for 17 hours”
Bruce: WHAT?!
Dick: “Alfred woke me the next day at 5pm to see if I was alive”
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*Tim and Stephwalking past each other on campus*
Tim: “Steph!”
Steph: “Tim!”
Tim: “I got like 3 hours of sleep last night! :D”
Steph: “I got like 4 hours of sleep last night! :D”
Tim: “Ayeeee”
Steph: “Ayeeee”
*continue to walk past each other*
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*Jason talking to the Outlaws*
Jason: “I lent out some of my books to one of my siblings and I just realized that there was a piece of paper in one that was used as a bookmark, so I took it out and this is what I saw”
*picture of a small piece of paper that says “this is your place :) satan loves you 🖤🖤” *
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''the morning light, when it comes to me, it was there but I could not see''
Arthur’s life was profoundly shaped by his self-hatred, lack of self-worth and disbelief in the existence of kindness in a seemingly dark and cruel world.
I strongly disagree with the statement that Arthur only became a ‘’better’’ man after being diagnosed with tb. His struggle with his true/inner self is apparent as early as chapter one. ‘’You are not who you think you are, sir… which is lucky’’
He has lived a rough life, raised by criminals and surrounded by violence ever since he was born. It was installed in him early that his value lied within being a violent enforcer and he has lived this life since, knowing nothing else. As a highly aware person, Arthur's actions weight heavy on his soul. He accepts that his actions have consequences. He knows that a person who has caused so much suffering is not meant to have happiness in life. His way of life has caused him to believe that he is not worthy of love or redemption. He doesn’t want to believe that a person like him could be capable of any good. (a thing to note here is that imo, Arthur’s actions near his death weren’t attempts at redemption but rather a strong desire to do right and possibly be his true self.) This is why he keeps living as he does as it’s the only thing he’s ever known, it’s the thing that brings him profit, praise from the person he looks up to and he is already damned so he might as well continue living this life anyway.
The internal problem Arthur faces is that this violent, cruel way of life doesn’t align with what I’d call his true self/ideals. He is torn between the harsh reality he has known and an unconscious yearning for righteousness/love. To be able to carry on with his actions he must enforce certain ideals within himself, such as: I am bad, ugly, nasty, ignorant, mean etc. He also decides to see the dark side of reality, telling himself that the world is a grim dark place and this is just as things were meant to be. This is why he feels so uncomfortable being complimented for his good deeds, because a bad rotten person like him should not be able to do good. It breaks the image he has built for himself and he doesn’t want that happening. This can be seen a lot during the ‘’Money Lending and Other Sins’’ missions where he is unusually mean (even for his standards) to each of the debtors. Imo, he acts this way because he must truly convince himself of being a terrible man to be able to carry out a job which revolts him so badly. In the last debt collecting mission with J. John Weathers, it can be seen in his face/expressions how much he is struggling to put on a tough, uncaring, heartless act. He needs to maintain a ruthless persona to survive in the world he knows. He must convince himself of his own cruelty.
''Forgive me, but that's the problem. You don't know you.''
Contrary to Arthur’s beliefs, he is a naturally kind-hearted person who is unconsciously drawn towards kindness. And yes, even before he was diagnosed with tb. This can be seen in the people he respects the most and, in his willingness to help strangers (notice how he often does unnecessary acts of service for total strangers such as: carrying their things, holding out hands etc. even though they had already troubled him). Despite the life he has lived, Arthur does not enjoy violence, he does not enjoy hurting people. He doesn’t want to dominate over others. He thinks mostly about others and not about himself. This fact alone is very telling of his character.
He writes about Charles, a man who he truly respects: ‘’He’s a better man than me. He does not need to think to be good. It comes naturally to him, like right is deep within as opposed to this conflict between GOOD↔EVIL that rages within me.’’ A man who is not struggling with his inner self would not have written this. To me this clearly implies an inner desire to be a better man. He writes about his mentors: ‘’I love Dutch like a father, but in many ways, I love Hosea even more. He’s kind and fair and like a human being. Dutch is something else.’’ Clearly showing a preference for Hosea who is of a more gentle nature and shows genuine kindness. Unsurprisingly, these are the people who see through his dumb/though act and encourage him to drop it.
When he comes across Brother Dorkins for the first time, he writes: ‘’(he)was one of those innocent people who make you feel better about human beings and about yourself a little. Must be odd to see all that goodness in the world. Place always seemed dark and brutal to me.’’ Expressing how he does not see goodness in the world, implying lack of good examples/kindness/good experiences in his life. Yet, the monk leaves an impression and imo, this encounter (seeing genuine goodness) disrupts Arthur’s perception of what the world truly is. ‘’Just as evil begat evil your whole life long, so good may begat good’’ (what strengthens my belief in this, is the following, symbolic scene of Arthur realising the consequences of his actions right after picking up a crucifix. He was aware of them before sure, but is unable to truly ignore them now having seen it right in front of his eyes). If only Arthur was presented with more examples of goodness in his life.
''You have it in you... I can tell!''
His desire to do as much good as possible after realising he won’t live long is instant. This would not be the mindset of someone who did not already possess kindness in his heart. ‘’Know glory and forget about shame.’’ Arthur’s shame and self-loathing caused by his previous actions were what was holding him back from allowing kindness into his life. Knowing that he has limited time left has not made him into someone he wasn’t before. The diagnosis was a catalyst, allowing him to embrace that love/goodness truly does exist and accelerate the process of chipping away from the persona he has made for himself. This was a newfound understanding for him as in the past he was rejecting any notion of kindess. In himself and perhaps the whole existence of it. ‘’You keep hidden all that matters, even from yourself.’’
After being diagnosed, he writes: ‘’What kind of a man have I been? What kind of a man am I? What world is this we live in? A land of fury or a place of love? Am I being prepared for eternal damnation? Am I past any kind of saving? Is that all fairytales? Man ain’t got much good in him. I ain’t got no good in me… I don’t think and yet I see goodness. I see it. If not in me, in good folk. In Abigail and her love for Jack. In that silly monk. In Downes, I guess. Begging not for himself but for the poor, even though he was near starving himself. Maybe I don’t want salvation. Part of me has always longed for death.’’ This entry perfectly shows how deep Arthur’s self-loathing goes and just how much it has damaged him. As his journal allows a look into his true feelings, he truly does not see a single good thing about himself. He knew for a long time that the way he lives is detestable but he could not let go of it. Not because he didn’t want to, but because it’s all that he has ever known. He didn’t believe in anything else. This sudden acceptance of goodness has allowed him to see clearly, which was obscured from him before, and for the first time, enabled him to act free of past regrets for what is right.
⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪ ⊹ ࣪
Arthur’s redemption is not about becoming a good man. It is about finding the strength to change and recognise your true self despite a lifetime of self-loathing and breaking free from destructive beliefs of the past.
In Arthurian legends a stag is a symbol of the unending quest of spiritual knowledge/enligtenment
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