Tannishblog

Tonight’s quote comes on the heals of a discussion I had with a conservative friend at work today as he tried to illuminate me about progress and economics. I’ll save the details for another post. Suffice it to say I disagreed with some of his unstated assumptions which form his definition of progress.

As I peruse the Little Zen Companion, one of the books I use to find these tidbits, I connect this quote with the ramblings my brain produces in trying to frame a response to my friend’s comments.

The thing about Zen is that it pushes contradictions to their ultimate limit where one has to choose between madness and innocence. And Zen suggests we may be driving toward one or the other on a cosmic scale. Driving toward them because, one way or another, as madmen or innocents, we are already there.

It might be a good time to open our eyes and see.

– Thomas Merton

Of course I take the Zen approach (to my limited capacity) while my friend takes the more conventional tract. Time will tell which one of us has it right. Either way, it is indeed a good time to open our eyes and see what our "civilization" is up to lately.

Yesterday's drive home was the first time I saw one of these:

Not sure I quite agree with the choice, but I think it would be a good idea to see a woman in the White House. Commander-in-Chieftess? Hmm.