Bill, this is one of my all time favorite essays you’ve written. I think I will look up the true story this time as Lord of the Flies was very disturbing. Thank you and hope you had a wonderful holiday.
I believe he was also headmaster of a boys' school in, I think, Winchester? I remember walking by a blue plaque and thinking, "OHHHHHHHHHHHH that explains everything!!!" I've never read any happy stories about boys' schools in jolly old England.
When the Endeaver sank in the Antarctic Ocean area the men were all very cooperative. They would paddle from land to boat and gather as many supples as the boat finally sank out of sight. They continued to explore and when out of supplies found an island to camp on. They formulated a rescue in which the captain trekked across the mountainous island to a base on the other side of the island north where he ended up at a base. All in all it took two years to get back to the trapped men. I can’t even imagined the fear and hope they all shared. It’s a wonderful account. If you have the chance read “The Endeavor. You’ll never forget it
Bill, readers I found what I hope is apropos of today’s newsletter.
“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.”
Chief Seattle ❤️
I think the boy’s story was also on 60 Minutes and if I’m not mistaken, one of the boys ended up working for the owner of the boat.
My own personal take on both your example of working together or going all “Flies” on others, I believe it all boils down to how one was raised. Where do empathy and altruism fall on your scale of morality? My own opinion? I’m going to fall back on the good old bell curve with the majority of humans doing the right, cooperative thing to survive.
I am of the “glass is half full” mentality. I really like thinking the best of people; certainly, there are truly evil folks out there - but they’re in the minority-
As SPW mentioned earlier … I believe the Bell Curve is a great visual for this!
My world is run by my faith in a higher being - God. I know that for me I don’t accomplish much without His being part of it. That said, I would hope people would realize that none of us can accomplish much simply on our own. We need to work together and realize that it takes all of us working together to survive.
Bill, this is one of my all time favorite essays you’ve written. I think I will look up the true story this time as Lord of the Flies was very disturbing. Thank you and hope you had a wonderful holiday.
Really great story Bill! Thank you!!
I believe he was also headmaster of a boys' school in, I think, Winchester? I remember walking by a blue plaque and thinking, "OHHHHHHHHHHHH that explains everything!!!" I've never read any happy stories about boys' schools in jolly old England.
When the Endeaver sank in the Antarctic Ocean area the men were all very cooperative. They would paddle from land to boat and gather as many supples as the boat finally sank out of sight. They continued to explore and when out of supplies found an island to camp on. They formulated a rescue in which the captain trekked across the mountainous island to a base on the other side of the island north where he ended up at a base. All in all it took two years to get back to the trapped men. I can’t even imagined the fear and hope they all shared. It’s a wonderful account. If you have the chance read “The Endeavor. You’ll never forget it
“Look I report, you decide.”
This sentence confused me SO badly.
It seemed like a command of sorts, or a jumbled typo. But I’m not sure how to punctuate it correctly.
“Look- I report, you decide.” ??
“Look, I report, you decide.” ?
“Look: I report, you decide.” ?
I definitely feel more punctuation is required- but I’m a machinist, not a writer. Carry on! 😅
My bad. Allow me to offer some other formulations:
Look. I report; you decide.
Look: I report. You decide.
I report; you decide. (no "look.")
Look, I report. You decide.
I report. You decide.
All based on the old Fox News slogan by the way.
99% of writing is editing!
Maybe those young ones among us, in spite of their perceived immaturity, will lead us out of our political doldrums?
Bill, readers I found what I hope is apropos of today’s newsletter.
“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.”
Chief Seattle ❤️
I think the boy’s story was also on 60 Minutes and if I’m not mistaken, one of the boys ended up working for the owner of the boat.
My own personal take on both your example of working together or going all “Flies” on others, I believe it all boils down to how one was raised. Where do empathy and altruism fall on your scale of morality? My own opinion? I’m going to fall back on the good old bell curve with the majority of humans doing the right, cooperative thing to survive.
I am of the “glass is half full” mentality. I really like thinking the best of people; certainly, there are truly evil folks out there - but they’re in the minority-
As SPW mentioned earlier … I believe the Bell Curve is a great visual for this!
My world is run by my faith in a higher being - God. I know that for me I don’t accomplish much without His being part of it. That said, I would hope people would realize that none of us can accomplish much simply on our own. We need to work together and realize that it takes all of us working together to survive.