The great James Brown at 72 years old. Inspiring to me in a few ways

After exercising this morning, I grabbed a cup of coffee and sat outside and read Bernard Knox’s essay, “Thucydides and the Peloponnesian War: Politics and Power” in his Essays: Ancient and Modern.

This essay is actually the opening lecture for the Strategy Curriculum at the Naval War College in 1972. This institution is in Newport, Rhode Island. At least it is now.

The Greek historian, Thucydides, was also an admiral in the Peloponnesian War, the war he documents. Unlike his predecessor, Herodotus, he was not a bystander, observer of history but also a mover and shaker in events.

Knox’s reading of Thucydides sheds light on why it’s important to study history to understand the present.

Pierre Vidal-Naquet writes in a footnote in his study, The Black Hunter: Forms of Thought and Forms of Society in the Greek World, that “historicism is a sign of present concern.

Knox cites Thucydides (Chapter V). He says  “The Athenians bring overwhelming force against a small neutral island and then sit down at the negotiating table. They want no words wasted, [now quoting Thucydides] ‘If we have met here for any other purpose than to look facts in the face… there is no point going on with the discussion…’ {Knox again] And then in this terrible but true statement [back to Thucydides] ‘When these matters are discussed by practical people, the standard of justice depends on an equality of power to compel.'”

“The standard of justice depends on an equality of power to compel” is an artful way of saying that the powerful call the shots.

On the next page, Knox points out that Thucydides anticipated Orwell’s Newspeak. Knox and Thucydides could have been writing about the present moment: “The collapse of law and moral standards was accompanied by a process of corruption in the language men spoke: ‘To fit in with the change of events, words too had to change their usual meanings. A thoughtless act of aggression was now regarded as the courage one would expect  to find in a party member: any idea of moderation was just an attempt to disguise one’s unmanly character.’ ”

Finally, Knox quotes these words from the Greek historian/admiral: “[T]hose who were least remarkable for intelligence showed the greatest powers of survival … They recognized their own deficiencies and the superior intelligence of the opponents; fearing that they might lose a debate or find themselves out-manoeuvered in intrigue by their quick-witted enemies, they boldly launched straight into action; while their opponents, over-confident… were the more easily destroyed.”

To recap:

Justice depends on the whims of those who hold power.

Events change the meaning of the language we try to use with each other.

The dull-witted who move swiftly destroy those who are over confident, even when the latter are in the right.

I can see why people read history to understand the present.

GOP Could Retake the House in 2022 Just by Gerrymandering Four Southern States 

A discourage analysis from Mother Jones.

Facebook’s Broken Vows

Jill Lepore traces Facebook’s baloney mission statements by looking at the history of mission statements in general.

Always thought this would be a good communion hymn.

I often think of it when communion begins.

The last Sunday of August (the 29th) will be the Sunday that my church gives me a little reception in honor of my retiring. It looks like I will be playing weekends at least until then. The next weekend is Labor Day and they may very well need me to play that Sunday as well. But that should be it.

So it looks like I only have six Sundays left before I retire. Let the countdown begin!

Yesterday I told Jen that I would not pursue her after retiring. I think I put myself in a bit of a glum mood by doing this. This morning I emailed her and CCed Beth and Eileen. I retracted my comment and asked if we could see each other socially after I retire. I figure my social network is practically nil and could use all the help it can get. Plus I enjoy our chats and would miss them.

Steve VanderVeen recently wrote an article in the Sentinel about indigenous people who lived in this area before the Dutch. I linked it yesterday.  He recommended the book above (Old Wing Mission : cultural interchange as chronicled by George and Arvilla Smith in their work edited by Swierenga and Van Appledorn). I just interlibrary loaned it.

The book was only published in 2008. I have read a bit in the local history and did not remember anything referring to indigenous people in this area. This would have been in the late eighties and early nineties so that may be why I couldn’t find anything.

Joyce Carol Oates reviewed Offut’s The Killing Hills  in the New York Times Book Review a week ago. (link) I thought it sounded interesting so I ordered a copy from Readers World. It’s already sitting waiting for me along with The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harries.

Both books look like light reading. I think they might be just the ticket. Since they are both new, it’s not likely I can get them from the library. Okay. I didn’t try. I just ordered them. Ahem.

I also recently discovered that Robert Fagles has done a translation of The Aeneid. I like his work and have always to read The Aeneid but only own pedestrian translations. I ordered this from Readers World as well. it’s coming.

Eileen and I planning to try out a new restaurant for lunch today, Seventy Six. We usually avoid downtown on Thursday evenings (there are many street acts and crowds in downtown Holland on Thursday evenings). So, lunch it is. A late lunch with a stop at Readers World to pick up my new books.

Dunning Kruger effect

The Dunning–Kruger effect is a hypothetical cognitive bias stating that people with low ability at a task overestimate their ability. from the above link

Privacy: A Quick Reality Check

Mary Ann Lipson linked this article on Facebooger. I read it. Not sure I understood all of it, but enough of it to think it was kind of interesting.

It often feels like there are many viewpoints about privacy, and that they cannot be reconciled. In turn, this creates doubt that we can map a path forward towards a healthier digital ecosystem. But not all opinions are equally valid, and concerning ourselves only with those based in fact would lead to a much healthier debate.

first paragraph of linked article