Acceptance
March 14, 2017
G.D.O'Bradovich III
Living one day at a time and … accepting hardships as the pathway to peace.
Taking ... this … world as it is and not as I would have it,
trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will,
that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
and supremely happy … in the next. Amen.
Mr. Brooks
Taking ... this … world as it is and not as I would have it,
trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will,
that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
and supremely happy … in the next. Amen.
Mr. Brooks
1
The previous essay, “Shock”, ended with an inter paragraphical title of “Acceptance”, however, there was no discussion of acceptance, in fact, the essay ended abruptly, only our logo, or mascot, “Goofy Goat” followed. By design, our mascot is unassuming and non threatening, as we do not want to unwittingly deter our targeted audience, young men who like to think, from perusing our work. The Gentle Reader may attempt to find a connection between the final step and “Goofy Goat”, between acceptance and absurdity.
Our personal dissatisfaction regarding the essay “Shock” is twofold. Firstly, the limited number of esoteric writing techniques (not a single address to either the Gentle Reader or the Gentle Researcher) allows for an easy understanding of the text and, secondly, it is too personal, too modern, and, as a result, its value is limited both in time and to place.
Perhaps, if we were more forthcoming concerning our dissatisfaction, we would acknowledge that we are compelled to continually defend our views from innocent misunderstanding, or willful misinterpretation, regardless of the cause, the result is the same. We note that if our supposed hypocrisy is recognized by youths, then it would be reasonable to conclude that any contradictions would have been recognised by Yours Truly, and subsequently corrected years ago, before expressing my opinions on any subject. One wonders if Apprentice Denver is as eager to question his friends’ opinions when perceived contradictions are presented. I say even money.
As Fred wrote, future philosophers must create new values, and as we cannot create from nothing, we must be content to accept new values as a rearranging, and reinterpretation, of existing concepts. By accepting the world, or humanity, as it is, and not as one supposes it should be, one will find peace in this acceptance. Many people have peculiar opinions regarding how the world should be, and the origin of many, but not all, of these opinions are found in politics, religious texts, and explanations of religious texts. It is unlikely that these individuals will question the validity of their opinions or expectations, hence, they will live less than optimal lives; as the world, and by extension, their lives, will always fall short of their opinions, the “should be”, or their expectations, the “ought to be”. Therefore, we suggest that simple people will have an easier journey on the path to happiness, whether they are fools, saints, or Fools for Christ.
We have noted that Cancer Geminis are not the solution, but they provide the means to the resolution. We readily admit that this solution is an esoteric alchemical mixture of feelings, intuition, and realization. As always, Gentle Reader, price and participation will vary.
We have explicitly suggested our despondency, or depression, extending over several decades. Our depression is not a clinical diagnosis as provided by a professional, but we acknowledge that our depression is, or was, discernible to an impartial and aware observer.
Acceptance implies the lack of struggle to attaint what is not readily available. We have struggled to attain, firstly, what we thought the world expected of us and with those failures, we next turned to what we expected of ourselves, confident of our success, as our goals were within our limited range of competencies. Yet again, we were confronted with failures. After three decades of data, what would an unbiased observer conclude? That the wiley archons of the cosmos have conspired against Yours Truly? This a possible, but unlikely, conclusion.
We have written upon the failures of foster care, so called, or stranger care. We wondered how it was possible for hundreds of state agencies over many decades to identify those individuals, sometimes from birth, who would be most likely to become high school dropouts, alcohol abusers, drug users, depressed, unemployed, homeless, criminals, and to commit suicide, and place these at risk individuals in foster care. We marvel that the results of those under the authority of state agencies are statistically more consistent than weather forecasts and economic predictions.
However, we should recall that those who have endured foster care experience stress at levels twice those of war veterans. Whereas various agencies and organizations come to the aid and defence of veterans, those subjected to foster care receive the admonishment, or conventional wisdom, that they should take responsibility for their lives. As no one reasonably expects individuals under stressful conditions for untold years to make optimal decisions, no further commentary is necessary.
Dr. Lecter noted that one covets what one sees. We believe clarification is necessary to fully appreciate the validity of this statement, as one sees all that is observable, but one notices what attracts one’s attention. Once again, the body betrays the mind. Yours Truly has been fascinated by the idea of identical twins decades before the discipline of astrology was studied in earnest, before the appellation ”Cancer Gemini” came into being, and before the accident of meeting Apprentice Denver and Apprentice Brayden. If the twins were to become aware of the fact that since our first encounter, I have consistently and methodically observed their fraternal, personal, and social interactions, I have no doubt that they would strenuously limit any further interactions with me.
[Over the last several months, we have noticed a marked decline in their involvement with Yours Truly. We attribute this behavioral change to the observable declines both in Yours Truly’s socioeconomic status and in appearance. With their limited life experiences, we understand that avoidance is easier than involvement. As always, the body’s actions betrays the mind’s thoughts.].
In the eventuality of this disclosure, I would avoid them, as long and painful experience teaches that opinions tyrannize over truth, if only to spare them from what could be described as awkward encounters. Regardless of their possible uneasiness with my observations, my conclusion is dispassionate: they are well adjusted, if not normal, teenagers. Their hopes, ambitions, frustrations, angst, and fears are typical, not exceptional, for their cohort, and I have no pause for concern about their becoming productive citizens, decent men, good husbands, and loving fathers. Yet, if we covet what we notice, then we cannot be envious of their social encounters, we experience these daily; nor jealous of their interpersonal interactions, as we have been in relationships; therefore, only their fraternal interactions remain for our consideration.
To express envy of what one has never experienced, nor can experience, must be described as irrational. A frequent contributor, our second rate psychologist, would describe this issue as intractable- there is no solution to the opinion that one should have, or ought to have had, a brother. Our second rate psychologist knows that the continued pursuit of intractable problems, unlike issues that offer the potential to be resolved, can only result in psychoses and neuroses. The only viable solution is acceptance of the fact that what Nature divided in vitro, the State put asunder in situ.
The Cancer Geminis are not the solution either to personal failures, or irrational opinions, yet, they direct Yours Truly to one viable solution: acceptance. Acceptance of the facts that I have failed and I will never know my brother.
Our personal dissatisfaction regarding the essay “Shock” is twofold. Firstly, the limited number of esoteric writing techniques (not a single address to either the Gentle Reader or the Gentle Researcher) allows for an easy understanding of the text and, secondly, it is too personal, too modern, and, as a result, its value is limited both in time and to place.
Perhaps, if we were more forthcoming concerning our dissatisfaction, we would acknowledge that we are compelled to continually defend our views from innocent misunderstanding, or willful misinterpretation, regardless of the cause, the result is the same. We note that if our supposed hypocrisy is recognized by youths, then it would be reasonable to conclude that any contradictions would have been recognised by Yours Truly, and subsequently corrected years ago, before expressing my opinions on any subject. One wonders if Apprentice Denver is as eager to question his friends’ opinions when perceived contradictions are presented. I say even money.
As Fred wrote, future philosophers must create new values, and as we cannot create from nothing, we must be content to accept new values as a rearranging, and reinterpretation, of existing concepts. By accepting the world, or humanity, as it is, and not as one supposes it should be, one will find peace in this acceptance. Many people have peculiar opinions regarding how the world should be, and the origin of many, but not all, of these opinions are found in politics, religious texts, and explanations of religious texts. It is unlikely that these individuals will question the validity of their opinions or expectations, hence, they will live less than optimal lives; as the world, and by extension, their lives, will always fall short of their opinions, the “should be”, or their expectations, the “ought to be”. Therefore, we suggest that simple people will have an easier journey on the path to happiness, whether they are fools, saints, or Fools for Christ.
We have noted that Cancer Geminis are not the solution, but they provide the means to the resolution. We readily admit that this solution is an esoteric alchemical mixture of feelings, intuition, and realization. As always, Gentle Reader, price and participation will vary.
We have explicitly suggested our despondency, or depression, extending over several decades. Our depression is not a clinical diagnosis as provided by a professional, but we acknowledge that our depression is, or was, discernible to an impartial and aware observer.
Acceptance implies the lack of struggle to attaint what is not readily available. We have struggled to attain, firstly, what we thought the world expected of us and with those failures, we next turned to what we expected of ourselves, confident of our success, as our goals were within our limited range of competencies. Yet again, we were confronted with failures. After three decades of data, what would an unbiased observer conclude? That the wiley archons of the cosmos have conspired against Yours Truly? This a possible, but unlikely, conclusion.
We have written upon the failures of foster care, so called, or stranger care. We wondered how it was possible for hundreds of state agencies over many decades to identify those individuals, sometimes from birth, who would be most likely to become high school dropouts, alcohol abusers, drug users, depressed, unemployed, homeless, criminals, and to commit suicide, and place these at risk individuals in foster care. We marvel that the results of those under the authority of state agencies are statistically more consistent than weather forecasts and economic predictions.
However, we should recall that those who have endured foster care experience stress at levels twice those of war veterans. Whereas various agencies and organizations come to the aid and defence of veterans, those subjected to foster care receive the admonishment, or conventional wisdom, that they should take responsibility for their lives. As no one reasonably expects individuals under stressful conditions for untold years to make optimal decisions, no further commentary is necessary.
Dr. Lecter noted that one covets what one sees. We believe clarification is necessary to fully appreciate the validity of this statement, as one sees all that is observable, but one notices what attracts one’s attention. Once again, the body betrays the mind. Yours Truly has been fascinated by the idea of identical twins decades before the discipline of astrology was studied in earnest, before the appellation ”Cancer Gemini” came into being, and before the accident of meeting Apprentice Denver and Apprentice Brayden. If the twins were to become aware of the fact that since our first encounter, I have consistently and methodically observed their fraternal, personal, and social interactions, I have no doubt that they would strenuously limit any further interactions with me.
[Over the last several months, we have noticed a marked decline in their involvement with Yours Truly. We attribute this behavioral change to the observable declines both in Yours Truly’s socioeconomic status and in appearance. With their limited life experiences, we understand that avoidance is easier than involvement. As always, the body’s actions betrays the mind’s thoughts.].
In the eventuality of this disclosure, I would avoid them, as long and painful experience teaches that opinions tyrannize over truth, if only to spare them from what could be described as awkward encounters. Regardless of their possible uneasiness with my observations, my conclusion is dispassionate: they are well adjusted, if not normal, teenagers. Their hopes, ambitions, frustrations, angst, and fears are typical, not exceptional, for their cohort, and I have no pause for concern about their becoming productive citizens, decent men, good husbands, and loving fathers. Yet, if we covet what we notice, then we cannot be envious of their social encounters, we experience these daily; nor jealous of their interpersonal interactions, as we have been in relationships; therefore, only their fraternal interactions remain for our consideration.
To express envy of what one has never experienced, nor can experience, must be described as irrational. A frequent contributor, our second rate psychologist, would describe this issue as intractable- there is no solution to the opinion that one should have, or ought to have had, a brother. Our second rate psychologist knows that the continued pursuit of intractable problems, unlike issues that offer the potential to be resolved, can only result in psychoses and neuroses. The only viable solution is acceptance of the fact that what Nature divided in vitro, the State put asunder in situ.
The Cancer Geminis are not the solution either to personal failures, or irrational opinions, yet, they direct Yours Truly to one viable solution: acceptance. Acceptance of the facts that I have failed and I will never know my brother.
2
It’s absurd.
Donnie
The search for God is absurd?
Dr. Thurman
It is if everyone dies alone. I don’t wanna be alone.
Donnie
I have to obey him or I’ll be left all alone. And then ... I won’t be able to know his master plan.
Donnie
Do you mean God’s master plan? Do you now believe in God?
Dr. Thurman
Donnie
The search for God is absurd?
Dr. Thurman
It is if everyone dies alone. I don’t wanna be alone.
Donnie
I have to obey him or I’ll be left all alone. And then ... I won’t be able to know his master plan.
Donnie
Do you mean God’s master plan? Do you now believe in God?
Dr. Thurman
If Jung, a first rate psychiatrist, were to comment upon our situation, then he would suggest that our near obsession with Cancer Geminis was our conscious mind working upon a specific ego centric problem that had been previously resolved by our subconscious mind; it was only through the adventures of the mythological, not astrological, Twins and our synchronistic meeting of Apprentice Denver and Apprentice Brayden that brought the resolution into the our conscious mind. The final act was to accept, or consent to, the fact that “acceptance” was the long sought resolution to our conflict. We caution the Gentle Reader that consent is not automatic, as the individual can chose to deny, or ignore, the answer. We do not exactly recall the duration from the presentation to our consent, but it was longer than a twinkling of an eye, but less than a day.
If we were to press Jung, Chuck to his friends, for further insights, then he would suggest that my early interests in Gnosticism betray a type of dual interpretation of the world, and my subsequent research into philology, into the origins of words and the ultimate meaning, not of words, but of my life; of chronology, my place in the timeline of events; astrology, any insights into why I think, behave, and feel, as I do; and finally, the Occult, the mother of all things hidden. Ironically, similar to Dorothy, we had the answers all the time, only our acceptance, or consent, was lacking.
We have held to the opinion that Donnie has vague memories, or feelings, of his past adventures (“When’s this going to stop?”; Frank responds, “You should already know that.”). We suggest that these adventures did not end satisfactorily, that is, Donnie did not return the artifact to the primary universe. We hold to the opinion that there have been dozens, if not hundreds, of tangent universes where Donnie did not play his vital role. In every replacement universe, the manipulated dead and manipulated living change their tactics to ensure Donnie will do what is expected. Therefore, the movie documents the final version and successful ending of the tangent universe.
Franks states to Donnie, “I'm so sorry”, and although this statement can be understood as expressing regret for killing Gretchen Ross, we are uncertain of this interpretation. When Donnie successfully returns the engine to the primary universe, Gretchen Ross will remain alive in the primary universe, therefore, we interpret this statement as Frank’s regret that Donnie must die, in order for the manipulated living and the manipulated dead to return to normalcy. While the manipulated living increasing display irrational behavior, and this behavior is generally attributed to their fear of impending death should Donnie fail in his only attempt, we suggest that their behavior is due to their continuing frustration, albeit on an unconscious level, to either convince or manipulate Donnie to return the artifact to the primary universe. In the end, Donnie was successfully manipulated, by his relationship with, and the death of, Gretchen Ross, to return the engine to the primary universe.
It could be suggested that Donnie sacrificed his life, not for the survival of humanity, as this was a potential reason in the previous tangent universes, but for an individual, therefore, we regard his relationship with Gretchen Ross as unique to the documented tangent universe. Regardless of the reason, or motivation, for Donnie’s actions, the result is the same. Finally, we observe that Donnie experiences the six steps, ending with the acceptance of his destiny.
If we were to press Jung, Chuck to his friends, for further insights, then he would suggest that my early interests in Gnosticism betray a type of dual interpretation of the world, and my subsequent research into philology, into the origins of words and the ultimate meaning, not of words, but of my life; of chronology, my place in the timeline of events; astrology, any insights into why I think, behave, and feel, as I do; and finally, the Occult, the mother of all things hidden. Ironically, similar to Dorothy, we had the answers all the time, only our acceptance, or consent, was lacking.
We have held to the opinion that Donnie has vague memories, or feelings, of his past adventures (“When’s this going to stop?”; Frank responds, “You should already know that.”). We suggest that these adventures did not end satisfactorily, that is, Donnie did not return the artifact to the primary universe. We hold to the opinion that there have been dozens, if not hundreds, of tangent universes where Donnie did not play his vital role. In every replacement universe, the manipulated dead and manipulated living change their tactics to ensure Donnie will do what is expected. Therefore, the movie documents the final version and successful ending of the tangent universe.
Franks states to Donnie, “I'm so sorry”, and although this statement can be understood as expressing regret for killing Gretchen Ross, we are uncertain of this interpretation. When Donnie successfully returns the engine to the primary universe, Gretchen Ross will remain alive in the primary universe, therefore, we interpret this statement as Frank’s regret that Donnie must die, in order for the manipulated living and the manipulated dead to return to normalcy. While the manipulated living increasing display irrational behavior, and this behavior is generally attributed to their fear of impending death should Donnie fail in his only attempt, we suggest that their behavior is due to their continuing frustration, albeit on an unconscious level, to either convince or manipulate Donnie to return the artifact to the primary universe. In the end, Donnie was successfully manipulated, by his relationship with, and the death of, Gretchen Ross, to return the engine to the primary universe.
It could be suggested that Donnie sacrificed his life, not for the survival of humanity, as this was a potential reason in the previous tangent universes, but for an individual, therefore, we regard his relationship with Gretchen Ross as unique to the documented tangent universe. Regardless of the reason, or motivation, for Donnie’s actions, the result is the same. Finally, we observe that Donnie experiences the six steps, ending with the acceptance of his destiny.
3
If the sky were to suddenly open up there would be no law. There would be no rule.
There would only be you and your memories…
the choices you’ve made, and the people you’ve touched.
If this world were to end, there would only be you and him and no-one else.
Dr. Thurman
There would only be you and your memories…
the choices you’ve made, and the people you’ve touched.
If this world were to end, there would only be you and him and no-one else.
Dr. Thurman
In conclusion, the Gentle Reader will reach his own opinions regarding the steps that lead to, and culminate in, acceptance of the world, of others, and of oneself. As always, the Gentle Researcher will form his own informed conclusions between absurdity and acceptance; the probability, viability, and durability of tangent universes; and the inevitability of the acceptance of absurdity.
Incipit Excursus
During the reworking of the always challenging middle section, I popped outside and noticed a leafless tree in the distance, and pondered upon its branches …
We have discussed the observation that Phi controls various aspects of plant and animal growth, and certain proportions found in both kingdoms. We may confidently assign these observations to the fact that both, animals and plants, have the same origin, earth.
However, spiral galaxies do not originate from earth, therefore, the reason for their partaking of Phi can only be explained by the involvement of either the Great Leprechaun of the Universe, or the Great Programmer of the Application. Regardless of the cause, the result is the same.
The synchronicity of attempting to find the appropriate wording when discussing Cancer Geminis, and the realisation of the nature of the universe is understood by the Gentle Researcher.
We have discussed the observation that Phi controls various aspects of plant and animal growth, and certain proportions found in both kingdoms. We may confidently assign these observations to the fact that both, animals and plants, have the same origin, earth.
However, spiral galaxies do not originate from earth, therefore, the reason for their partaking of Phi can only be explained by the involvement of either the Great Leprechaun of the Universe, or the Great Programmer of the Application. Regardless of the cause, the result is the same.
The synchronicity of attempting to find the appropriate wording when discussing Cancer Geminis, and the realisation of the nature of the universe is understood by the Gentle Researcher.
Excipit Excursus
I hope that when the world comes to an end ... there will be so much to look forward to.
Donnie Darko
Donnie Darko