04/04/2021 - Questions 1-5

Question 1: Do humans have a physical body and a nonphysical soul?

Well, Jesus, Barbara! Starting this book for children to learn how to communicate with a ripe metaphysical semi-religious question! Putting that Ph.D. in Buddhism to excellent use, Barbara! Jokes aside, this is such a wild way for me to introduce myself to the void. No name, no age, no gender, nothing else as a first impression but my opinions on this (potentially leading question) about my feelings on human consciousness.

I will attempt to pepper in some personal details throughout these entries, I suppose. This could give any potential readers some insight into who I am, and what I'm about. But only anecdotally, I don't want to list facts outside the ones that Barbara has laid out for me (bless her). Anyways, all that preface to say that as a first-year Master of Arts student, I look fondly back to my freshman year of undergrad. One of the first classes I opted to take was with the man who spoke at orientation, a sardonic Professor of philosophy who captured my younger sarcastic heart. Philosophy 103 - Society and the Individual, focused on what it meant to be a human being throughout history, starting with Plato's theory of Ideals (the purpose of this lengthy narrative) and culminating in contemporary discussions regarding the definitions of "human." Some powerful thoughts for an idealistic freshman boy, the theory shared by the Ancient Greek philosophers (think the Big Three: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle) that the body was simply a meaningless or even prohibitive vessel for the soul always struck me as strange. I, perhaps pulling from William James here, simply don't see much value in this idea beyond the excuse for poor living conditions. I connect this concept to Christianity's repackaging of the ideology, and a book I read called Slavery: History and Historians by Peter J. Parish for a class last semester which claimed that this framework was used to indoctrinate slaves to accept their conditions. Though, the counter-reading would be the slaves incorporating this belief into their own religious viewpoint as a means of resistance to the mental tortures of the institution. History is tricky like that all of the time, and especially on topics written in a manner as casual as this.

So, to finally answer the question, no, I don't believe there is too much difference between the body and soul. The mind and the body are separate for me, interrelated though they are. But I don't think the "soul" is anything that I can account for.

Question 2: What were you called when you were younger and how did you feel about it?

This will be an interesting type of question, because, dear readers, I do not have a very strong memory of my childhood. Maybe it's the THC or some part of my disposition that forbids me from recalling, but I struggle quite a bit with distant memories of my childhood. All of the sudden, I was 16 and I felt like an independent human being, and I only had fragmentary recollections of my past. I always envy people who remember doing things when they were eight years old. 

As for what I was called when I was younger? I don't remember ever having very many nicknames. Monosyllabic as my name is, there just hasn't been much use for one. Plus I don't think I often strike people as the "nickname" type: whatever the fuck that means. My mother called me "mebear" when I was very little, so I am told, and I am sure that made me feel good. I even made it my first AOLkids email username. My sixth-grade teacher, one Mr. Luke who left an imprint on me for who I wanted to be as a person, called me Samwise that entire year. Thinking back, it actually made me feel really included to have a nickname and is probably the point at which I started to make serious friendships on my own (aided by a recently acquired sliding-cell phone.)

Other than those two, I can't think of many other nicknames I had, other than Napkin at my summer golfing camp which never really caught on.

Question 3: What are your favorite recipes, favorite meals?

I suspect these earlier questions will elicit longer responses than later ones, both because Barbara presumably put her best foot forward in some way, and also because I am just getting to know you, void, and I am eager to share as much as possible until my memories become tired mythology for us. That said, I think this question will result in a shorter response because I don't cook! Yet! I live in an average college town apartment with three roommates, and my anxiety, fueled by lack of experience, prevents me from intruding on the kitchen which is usually occupied by my more culinarily inclined friends.

My mother makes this delicious Spinach Cheese dip with tomatoes and some pork that is meant to be spread on tiny "bourgeoisie" toasts, that are absolutely to die for. My dad makes this ground turkey and roasted vegetable blend that is absolutely simple but tastes so incredible every time due to some unknown factor. I'll attribute it to love and attention.

Question 4: Do you feel sympathy or scorn for helpless people?

What the fuck, of course, I feel sympathy! Scorn?? What am I, heartless?

It reminds me of an organized trip to go see The Phantom of the Opera with an ex-girlfriend and the rest of our student theater organization. On the way home, everyone tired, delirious, and horny as college theater kids too often are, we were piled into the back of a van. We made a stop for gas and restroom breaks. Outside the Shell was a homeless man offering his life story of being screwed by the system, and then asked for a donation. My girlfriend and I obliged, and when we got back in the van to continue our journey, a fur-coat-wearing friend-of-a-friend scolded us for being duped. Apparently, her upbringing had led her to believe that all homeless people lie to earn cash as if it is some kind of a vocation. I guess she would be a person who actually finds this to be an interesting question beyond rooting out vile people from the dating pool.

Question 5: What is your overall opinion of Iraq?

My goodness, Barbara! For a book published in 2013, this seems like a dated way to refer to the war in the Middle East. I assume she is referring to the American conflict, and not the country itself. If that were the case, I would have no answer, as I have never been to Iraq, nor studied its culture. 

As for the conflict, I think I hold the opinion that is emerging in the mainstream: that the entire origin of the war was an opportunistic ploy by the Bush administration to capitalize on a recent traumatic terrorist attack, and then stayed there long enough to poach its oil and topple its governments. I am not as well informed on this conflict as I perhaps should be, but I was 4 when war was declared and grew up in an era of discussing disarmament. So that's my very basic take.

Two Slow Dancers by Mitski was the song of yesterday.

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