The Beginning of the Reverie

In my back yard I have a fire pit where I taught my son, Tyson, the secret of fire. He is thirteen. Tonight he built a fire in the fire pit without my help and even now we are roasting wieners in it and warming ourselves in the time-honoured fashion. He kept it modest, out of respect for my directions, but also because of his basic respect for the danger that fire represents. Tonight has a smidgen of chill amid the general warmth of these transitional nights between autumn and the encroaching winter, so the flames are very welcome. The heat berates our faces for the temerity of huddling so close, but then it soaks into us and beats back the cold behind us. There is a floral threat in the hazy lapping of the air around the logs, as if to say that the scolding our faces feel is something of an invitation as well as a warning. Lazy spastic sparks reach into the air above us, dying out before they touch the walnut tree’s leaves. The tree always draws our eyes into the sky, which at the moment has Orion firmly aiming to the south.

That mythical Greek immortal is like a sentinel, reminding us how misfortune is so accidental. I have taught my son and his friends to keep the inviting danger of fire close to them because, as a teen, I myself felt the danger as a remote, abstract wind-sock dangling at the opposite end of self-preservation. If it did not harm me personally, the savage flower could do as it wished. I want more for my kids. They will grow up using fire as a dangerous tool, not unlike a sharp knife, full of pragmatic orientations and realism. I sometimes think that humans have opted to treat fire as little more than a symbolic discourse, or a thing for special-interest groups such as firemen to deal with and understand. Our backyard fire is a meek assembly of old boards left over from our basement renovations, and some one or two inch cedar rounds procured from a local landscaper. My son pokes at them with authority, and perhaps more playfully than necessary. There was no boy ever born that did not want to play with fire.

The Setting

Not five miles from where I live is a park of protected forest with a large creek running through it. Earlier today the kids and I drove into the parking lot by the playground and picnic area. The day was cloudless so the greens of the grass and the pine needles were vivid, as was the sheen on the wild blueberry leaves and the wild yellows, and myriad shades of green on the deciduous growth along the creek. We walked past the wooden pavilion which held the descriptions of the birds and fish and wildlife the tourists could expect to find in the park, crossed the well-kept gravel pathway that followed the creek’s progress to the lake, and took the bridge over the creek to the deeper pine forest. The creek, more a river than that, had no fish, though the sign on the bridge said there would be. It is shaded by poplars and white-barked birches and some trees which, at certain times of the year, fill the air above the creek with flossy cotton-ish spores, giving the creek the look of a green and white artery.

Most of the trees found in Kelowna are transplants from other parts of the world, but the Lodgepole pines have been here for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of years. They are thin twigs compared to the Douglas Firs of the rainforest coast, and perhaps half to two-thirds the height. Their bark is thin and almost papery in appearance. Their small needles are like little green swords that provide the clean fresh aroma which makes the hike so pleasant. The pines populate their forest thickly, and as we hike up the steep stair-way to the top of the ridge we can see how the competition for light has taken its toll on the weaker saplings. The needles of the pines have dropped so thickly here that little else grows. Occasionally a shrub or two peeks out of the edge of the forest. Berried shrubs may proliferate where smaller creeks meander through the trees, but under the rest of the trees a puffy red and yellow-ochre layer of dry needles waits for even the most ephemeral spark to drift over from the nearby homes and give them an excuse to erupt.

The Mythology of Fire

Modernity hasn’t erased from humans the fascination with this tool. We simply develop new dialogue. In the dim dark past, we were told that fire was given to us by higher beings in order to raise us from innocence and childhood. The folk story, taken from Peabody (1897), goes like this: The Titans were reckless and capricious. One of them, Prometheus, whose name means “forethought”, could not persuade them to moderate their behaviour, so he left them to their ways and counselled the Olympian, Zeus against them until they were defeated and sent to Tartarus, in Hades. In those days men were carefree and light-hearted but their minds were empty of great enterprise. They offended the gods, and Zeus had determined to rid the world of them in favour of new people. Prometheus, a mighty workman, thought they had been children long enough, so he took it upon himself to be their benefactor and educate them in knowledge and this put him at odds with Zeus. Many things he taught them that are wonderful to know so that they grew out of their childhood and undertook thought for themselves. Lastly, Prometheus stole fire from the sun and gave the secret to men. He brought down the holy fire which is dearest to the gods. For with the aid of fire all things are possible, all arts are perfected. Thus, Zeus decided to punish Prometheus by chaining him to a rock in the Caucasus and setting a vulture to eat his liver, which would regenerate for all eternity.

The Myth and the Discourse

The Titans represented forces of nature which were felt, but which people could not directly sense any cause. For example Titans would be the source of earthquakes, and they would be the sky. On the other hand, the Olympians represented forces of nature which were sensed directly, such as storms, lightning and thunder, land and ocean elements. It was by virtue of their immediacy and accessibility that they “overthrew” the Titans. But the god that throws lightning at the ground, threatening people, would hardly offer gifts such as fire or technology. Therefore we have this tale of how a deeper, older spirit of nature raised people out of infancy in spite of more immediate and hostile natural forces.

All of which is academic in light of the dominant discourse of our day, which is the delicious Jewish tale of how a single god, remote and inaccessible and unrelated to any force of nature, gave humans, not responsibility or management, but full mastery of the earth and all of its creatures, however ridiculous it sounds. Humans were charged with naming everything, which carries a vague but vital weight with regard to our place on Earth. The stark contrast between the two dialogues rests obviously in the humility of the Greek folk tale. Humans, in the Greek lore, were very conscious of the sin of pride. To them, it was hubris to think of men as equal to gods, who were representative of the forces of nature. Men could not have invented technology or the secret of fire, and the gods were hostile and intolerant of them, so it “must” have been the Titan Prometheus. The Greeks would rather have reworked their survival through tales of larger forces than suggested that they were in control.

The Greeks were fairly logical in this way because Greece is a tough land to make a living from unless people work hard, in concert, and with significant planning and forethought. There is very little transition between mountain and ocean, so the weather can be frightening. The respect that the ancient Greeks paid to the forces of nature makes sense in the context of their land. The sense of security behind the Jewish mythology is just as understandable in its own context. At the time that the Greeks were struggling to get by each year, the myriad peoples of the Middle East were farming grains. Their rapid adaptation to that systematic life led notably to leisure time and luxury. The weather along the major rivers that provided people with such comfort, the Nile, the Tigris and the Euphrates, while no more predictable than it is today, certainly is less volatile than the mountainous Greece. Perhaps that greater security loaned the peoples of the Middle East a greater creative license with regard to their myths of origin.

The Problem

Regardless of where the attitude originates, however, our modern attitudes are replete with the myth of mastery, and it has led to some notable lapses in judgement. In Mission Creek park, where we have ascended the steps to the ridge above the creek, there are signs that park crews have been through with their tractors and rakes, reducing the risk of fire by removing excess underbrush and tinder. In a small park such as this, the goal is achievable. It is necessary too, because, in a forest fire, it is that build up of tinder, which fluffs right up to the lower branches of the trees if regular forest fires are prevented, produces an effect called “candling”. The tree, in other words, lights up completely with fire in an instant and burns so hot that the tree and everything around it is utterly consumed. The air around the tree expands with such force that an upward wind is created while the fire sucks in all of the air below and around. The flames shoot up almost twice the height of the tree. Anything within thirty feet vaporizes from the ambient temperature and fire races from tree to tree faster than any man can run.

This is what happened in Okanagan Park in 2003, as well as in the town of Barrier. Every year since, we hear of similar fires in California and Oregon, but nearly everyone here remembers the Okanagan fire. While most of our Province’s fire fighters were busy in Barrier, the hostile gods zapped the tip of the park near Rattlesnake Island with lightning, and by morning the next day, the fire was a third of the way across the park. Maybe five days into the blaze a news reporter from a Vancouver station reported that one of the foresters who regularly surveyed Okanagan park had, in fact reported to authorities the conditions which led to the problem; he had predicted it. The foresters report, like the television reporter’s account of it, was forgotten, or shuffled aside. Arguably, it is less than useful to dwell on such blame-finding stories after the fact, but it is now timely to question why we have abandoned such promethean presentiment.

The Myth of Responsibility

The dialogue of fire has changed under our middle-eastern mythological regime. We understood the 2003 fire with terms such as interface fire; that is, a forest fire that encroaches on human homes- and evacuation. Such objective terminology now gratifies some aspect of our experience of fires and other disasters in place of gods who resemble people. It is necessary, it seems, to use language washed of emotions to understand our experience. What is clear now, and was clear prior to the Okanagan Park fire, is that pine forests like ours had adapted to fire previous to the evolution of humans. It is our peculiar hubris- a word for which there is no dry, inflectionless and emotionally flat substitute- that we assumed that we knew what was best for the trees. Did we not go further than mere hubris, though, when you consider that somebody actually did know, and said something? What does that mean? Apparently at some level of human activity the threat of catastrophic forest fires was too remote to apprehend. Our friendly middle-eastern ancestors might ascribe some of that to God, while the ancient Greeks might have supposed that Prometheus had abandoned us. I suppose that if we really need to leave it in the hands of remote forces beyond our access, we look to more remote, less responsible deities.

A Bit of History

The policy of fire prevention dates back to the agriculturally-oriented, white settlers of North America. They would use fire to clear forests for planting, but formed the habit of preventing any fires not created by man because of the obvious threat to their livelihoods. This habitual denial of nature became a national American policy after a period of forest fires in which people lost their lives. One authority called the period of 1880 in the USA “the Great Barbeque”. The Peshtigo fire in Wisconsin killed over 1300 people, and burned a million acres or more of land (Pyne, in Mullins). Once ensconced in human law, prevention became canonical and unquestionably dogmatic. “Smokey, the bear” reminded everyone every year for decades to put out their fires. But let’s be clear: Obviously it is good advice for people to behave responsibly with their use of fire. The issue is the laziness with which the advice is applied to our behaviour. You cannot pretend that dousing your back yard fire means the entire culture is disciplined. Reminding individuals to douse their camp fires is an entirely different issue than stewardship of the forests.

Stewardship is also a word washed of emotive value, but not necessarily of weight. There are implications of responsibility, not the least of which is the understanding of that which you pretend to steward. These pine trees surrounding us are prepared to burn from time to time, and even rely on the occasional fire to dry out their cones and release their seeds. There is even a type of sequoia tree whose seeds will not sprout unless fire has produced certain chemical changes in the soil. Our Lodgepole pines drop minuscule needles which turn into dry match sticks underneath them. Over time the ground is so littered with this tinder fluff that fire is inevitable. It is in fact a cycle that Humans did not become conscious of until our policy of prevention bore its inevitable fruit, and we were able to walk on the blasted scape of ruined mountain side. The 2003 fire scoured all life from huge sections of the park.

In many parts, the loam which once supported the trees had been eviscerated down the mountain rock. Never mind the displaced fauna; the most meagre yeast-like spore could do nothing with this smoking heap of char. The precipitous build-up of tinder under the trees yielded a fire of such intensity that, instead of merely sweeping through the forest and dying out, it stayed and consumed everything about the tree. Five years later, you can still look up to the south from town and see the vast gaping swaths of forest that no longer exist.

Tonight, when it was time to come inside for the night, I looked back to remind my son to take the hose and douse the fire, but as expected, he had already grabbed the hose. He diligently stayed to make sure no coals remained smouldering and then turned off the hose. The remaining black char would support fire again tomorrow once the sun dried it out. As far as symbols go, I like my fire pit. It is contained. It is minimized for necessity only. Since it is for the use of fire, it still carries the possibility of conflagration, but the discipline in its small, tight structure says that we decline such invitations. It says that we considered the potential problems before-hand and made choices reflecting our discipline.

Epimetheus Unbound

To say that we have acted with forethought is hardly god-like, but Prometheus was not a god. He was a Titan, as was his brother, Epimetheus. Could we use the word “titanic” to describe our successful fire discipline? No, probably not. “Titanic” is a word reserved for times and events for which we are avoiding the use of the word “hubris”. We save it for the naming of doomed ocean liners, and other failures for which “spectacular” fails to evoke the true scope of the tragedy. It is an “epimethean” word. The brother of Prometheus watches over us from his own solemn place in the Greek pantheon.

The Epimetheus tale goes briefly like this: Against all advice of his brother not to accept any gifts from the gods, Epimetheus, whose name means “afterthought” according to one source, accepted Pandora from Zeus and married her. According to the folk tale, marrying Pandora unleashed sin in the world. Epimetheus, in spite of his worth as a figure of blame, was never punished like Prometheus was. So if we follow the dialogue along this line, it seems that the hard-working and conscientious application of wisdom (Prometheus) gets punished for making humans smarter, while the lackadaisical blame-the-woman type (Epimetheus) “gets out of jail free” for being dumb and pliable to those hostile forces of nature (the Gods) who want to see humans eradicated. Skipping back to the here and now, we can visit the net effect of this discourse by driving up Chute Lake road into Okanagan Park.

From downtown Kelowna the gaping swaths of lost forest can easily be seen. They are no longer so black against the green, but more generically dirty brown. The Okanagan is a semi-arid region, so any hillside that is not covered in trees is a healthy golden-brown colour which blends into auburns and lighter floral whites, violets or yellows depending on what grows there. Just as the moist air and giant firs of the hillsides on the coast become a reassurance to those who live there, so is the sun’s golden reflection off the surrounding slopes a reassuring feeling for those who live here.

When you look from those appropriate colours over to the treed park, you are supposed to see an endless carpet of green over the deep ochre health that supports it. Instead there are immense wounded rents in the mountain’s fabric.

So you put your car in park, and get out in a spot that used to have trees everywhere. Now there are blasted trunks of wood with no life standing watch over the black and brown stain of mistaken destruction, accompanied by the acrid pervading particulate that irritates the nose. It looks like war zones from realist war movies. You expect to find a shell-shocked and wounded soldier come shuffling through at any moment. The atmosphere is just unreal enough to make you think about leaving before it gets dark, because, who knows? Perhaps Epimetheus himself takes life in places like this. As you walked along the crunchy scrabbled toast that used to be soft loam, among the charred twigs that used to be trees, he would appear in a human form, as is tradition, and he would say something like, “It was all just a terrible mistake. I- I didn’t know.”

But of course he did; we did. Would it matter what some old lesser Titan had to say, anyway? We are beyond such primitive dialogues now, having opted for cleaner, less personal or emotional dialogue involving enumeration and statistical means like oil-spill statistics, or objective debate of the relative harm of the Great Garbage Patch (Google it, I dare ya). What value could there be in a primitive dialogue that retains man’s place in nature as a subject?

The charred odour nags at your nose, however, and brings you back to the park from your pointless reverie about gods and oil spills and ingested micro-plastics. What are you to do about it anyway? The spirit of our cultural dialogue regarding responsibility and place suggests that you are only an individual, so responsibility is diffused. Standing in the ruin of the ostensibly meaningless and objective forest, it is in that spot that the titanic thought escapes, capsizes, erupts and inflames: Perhaps we should get used to that burning smell.

AT THE FEET OF THE MASTER.

J.Krishnamurti was adopted in his youth by Madame Annie Besant, the then President of The Theosophical Society, the International Organisation with its head quarters at Adyar, Chennai (the then Madras) Dr Besant and other leaders of the organisation proclaimed that J.K would soon be the World Teacher, whose coming the Theosophists had been proclaiming for a long time.

The three declared objectives of the Theosophical Society were:

To form a Universal Brotherhood of Humanity without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or colour;

To encourage the study of comparative Religion, Philosophy and Science.

To investigate unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent in man.

He was a student of Theosophy and other schools of thought till 1922. In 1922, J.K underwent some mystic experiences and some years later he dissolved the Order with a huge following and gave up all the money and the huge property collected by the Order. In a historic rather the prophetic talk in 1929 he categorically declared “Religious organisations cannot lead man to truth and his only concern to set man absolutely, unconditionally free.”

Thus the years up to 1922 were his learning years and the years in between 1922 to 1929 were becoming years (though he never believed in becoming) He attained total wisdom in 1929 and the years after 1929 to 1986 were His propagating years. There is some difference in the contents of his teaching during the two periods (before attainment of total wisdom and after attaining the same). “At the feet of the master” is a small book like Tirukural preaching how to follow the footsteps of the Master scripted in the first decade of 20th century first published in 1910.

In his foreword itself, he makes it clear that those were not his words but those of the master who taught him. A man who wishes to succeed must do exactly what was told. one must do what He says, attending to every word, taking every hint.

For this pathway, four qualifications are needed;.

1. Discrimination 2. Desirelessness 3. Good conduct and 4. Love

1. Discrimination:

The first of these qualifications is Discrimination;

The discrimination between the real and the unreal.which leads men to enter the path.,This path is to be followed at every step until the end. The really important thing is the knowledge of God’s plan for man. Because a man knows this he is on God’s side.

The person who knows to discriminate will be able to find the difference between the physical body and himself. He is different from even the mental body. He is able to differentiate between what is to do and what not to do.

He is able to discriminate between the important and the unimportant. He distinguishes the useful from the useless and also between the more useful from the less useful.

One must distinguish between truth and falsehood. He must learn to be true all through, in thought, word and deed. He must be true in action. He must discriminate between selfish and the unselfish.

Learn to distinguish the God in everyone and everything. You can help your brother through that which you have in common with him and that is the Divine Life.

2. Desirelessness.

A person who has mastered the art of discrimination already knows that the things which most man desire, such as wealth and power are not worth having and when this is really felt, all desire for them ceases.

When all desires for self are gone, there may still be a desire to see the result of one’s work. One must do right for the sake of the right, not in the hope of reward.

One should not desire for psychic powers. One must guard against certain small desires too which are common in daily life.

Another common desire which one must sternly repress is the wish to meddle in others’ business. One should learn the virtue of silence and should talk only when absolutely needed.

3. Good Conduct

The six points of conduct which are specially required are given by the Master as:

1. Self-control as to the mind

2. Self-control in action

3. Tolerance

4. Cheerfulness

5. One-pointedness

6. Confidence

We are a spark of God’s own fire, and God, who is Almighty, is in us, and because of that there is nothing we cannot do if we will.

4. LOVE

Of all the qualifications, Love is the most important. It forces man to acquire all the rest. It is indeed the will to be one with God. Because He is Love, one would become one with Him when he is filled with perfect unselfishness and Love.

The three sins against love are gossip, cruelty and superstition and against them one must watch ceaselessly.

The wisdom which enables one to help, the will which directs the wisdom, the love which directs his will are the qualifications of those who wish to enrol themselves to serve Him.

In conclusion, it may be stated though this is the maiden writing of J.Krishnamurti, it contains some teachings he spread till 1986.

Though the book is small in size, the contents are very rich. Though it was recorded during a period when English writing was making inroads in India as against Sanskrit and Tamil which were timelessly old, the contents are at par with classical writings.

Finally the beauty of the teachings can be realised in full when the entire book is studied not leaving even a single word as advised by J.Krishnamurti himself.

What are the indications that spiritual practices are in progress in an individual?

After consistent spiritual practice one can experience the reduction of likes & dislikes and all negative tendencies, emotions like anger, jealousy, hatred, animosity. The foremost if the elimination of fear leading to an experience of inner peace no matter what happens around that person with a sense of complete fulfillment and contentment on a continuous basis, Such a person is not perturbed at all by any situation or person for that one is not leaning on anything by himself. This can only be experienced. (‘He’ simply means any human without any gender reference).

Explain action and inaction as explained in Chapter 4 of Gita

In Sanskrit, karma is action, akarma is inaction. A realized person sees it differently than an ordinary person.

Karma is of prakriti, everything in this universe including body and mind has to always act due to the three gunas, called sattvic, rajasic or tamasic state throughout their existence. Beings just cannot be without action or else they would only be a corpse.

Whereas akarma is of the ‘presence’ in each body, a witness and its reflection on the intellect gives the inert body & mind the power to act. Atma or the presence animates the body & mind.

Gita gives the example of a moving train when the tree appear to be moving when in reality is stationary. This is seeing karma in akarma, action in inaction, due to the ignorance. Atman is compared to the tree and the body & mind to the train.

Another example would the sun and the moon, which are stationary, appears to be moving, due to the rotation of the earth. We say the sun rises and sets. This is also an example of seeing the karma in akarma, action in inaction.

That’s why when people say ‘I am doing this or that’. This ‘I’ here refers to the body and not the ‘presence’ that activates the inert body and mind, when in fact the real ‘I’, presence or Self, atman is still as a witness. The ignorant mis-identify themselves with the active body and mind. This is an example of seeing karma in akarma, action in inaction.

Another example would be seeing a ship in a far of distance as stationary when it is really moving. This is seeing akarma in karma, action in inaction.

We tend to say that the body and mind are resting though the activities are in fact happening all the time. Even when they seem to be at rest, both & mind are still functioning (karmic) and they cannot be without action due to the gunas. This is seeing akarma in karma, inaction in action.

We often say we’re sitting in the living room resting, not doing anything, when in reality there’s a constant movement due to the rotation of the earth. That’s seeing akarma in karma.

Even if one is sitting without acting, as long as the doership & the ego is present

When I travel in a plane from point A to point B, you say, ‘I flew and and I am tired’ this is because of your identification with the body. Your ‘presence’ did not perform anything. The plane was moving. Whatever this body & mind were doing does not affect the atman. This is seeing the karma in akarma, action in inaction.

During the mahabharata war, Sri Krishna is riding the chariot for Arjuna, and presents Gita when Arjuna refuses to fight. Here though Arjuna refuses to fight, he is still in action, agitated. Given a chance he will run away from the warfront or with more guidance he will fight. We can see karma in akarma, action in inaction. Sri Krishna on the contrary is riding, advising and appears to be karmic when in reality we can see Him being calm & composed, a state of akarmic/inaction, for he is not affected by the results of his discourse whether Arjuna listens to him or not.

How does an individual transform with the scriptural studies leading to Self knowledge?

Competition ~ rivalry for supremacy ~ Ex: “I want t be the best’, ‘I want to be the first’ Jealousy ~ resentment against a rival, a person enjoying success or advantage, etc., or against another’s success or advantage itself ~ Ex: “I don’t like see you being better than me’, ‘I don’t like the fact that you are making more money than me, or you live in America while I am in India, or You are happy with your family, while my family is struggling’ Envy ~ a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another’s advantages, success, possessions, etc ~ ” I would like to be as slim as you are or I want to be like you in power, position or authority or I wonder why I can do what you can’.

In competition, one puts forth efforts to come up or keep up or overtake another. A jealous person pulls down the other and an envious person neither makes efforts to go up or try to pull down the successful person. His is a feeling of discontent. These are normal in people.

Whereas a realized person has realized that he is not the doer and therefore is also not attracted to the material world. He neither compares nor competes. He has no attachment or anxiety about the results of the actions which he performs for, he is not leaning on anything outside of him in the ephemeral life. Therefore he is equanimous in any situation. Thus a person with in the spiritual path transforms from a person of likes & dislikes to a person with equanimous state of mind.

Explain Sadhanas, their importance with examples.

Sadanas are spiritual practices, these are the means to purify the mind of negativity, identification of jivan, and its existence, clarity in thinking to understand the real and unreal.

For Ex: we can see the reflection of sun in the pond or lake only when it is clear. If the lake is not clear or moving, then the reflection is either multiple with bits & pieces or vague. Only very clear water body can reflect AS IS.

A clear, fine tuned mind is absolutely needed for worldly success and particularly necessary for spiritual growth. Gita ch 4 verse 26-30 offer a variety of sadanas to be in that state of mind. To name a few… puja (idol/ideal behind the idol worship), prarthana (prayers), parayana (reading scriptures), tirtha yatra (pilgrimage or visiting holy places), japa (repetition of mantras). All these spiritual practices must be performed with devotion and consistency to attain that state. The consistent practice of these yogas help an individual to be ready for jnana yoga, the highest of yogas..

Describe spiritual knowledge for a novice.

Spiritual knowledge is very different than secular knowledge like Physics, Chemistry or Biology. One can understand these subjects by reading and experimenting.

Spiritual knowledge is beyond, reading. This needs to be listened to with complete dedication, willingness to learn, commitment to practice what is learnt and be able to ask questions to clarify any doubt.

One cannot win it by logical and analytical thinking for It is beyond thinking and it is beyond the intellect. One cannot assume, infer, conclude, deduce or extrapolate. There is a strong possibility that the scriptures could be misunderstood and not understood at all. That’s why a guru is absolutely necessary to the seeker of spiritual knowledge. Literal meaning could be very different than what is intended for, in scriptures and needs explanation.

There is a quote, ‘When the student is ready the teacher appears’. When one sincerely seeks this spiritual knowledge, the guru comes in one’s life. This guru would be sincere, well versed in scriptures & rooted in the spiritual knowledge. This guru is a realized soul. The seeker should proceed to the guru with humbleness and a surrendering attitude with intense faith that the guru knows the best. If one is not satisfied with a particular guru, can move on until one is comfortable with the answers.

It is important to ask question to understand than challenge the knowledge of the guru. Consistent interaction and asking questions to clarify doubts is possible only with a guru as a guide, mentor.

How is it that a realized master’s “doing” and “not doing” are both considered ‘inaction’?

This is a very important concept in the study of Vedanta, in fact this is the foundation for a strong building.

Ch 4 verse 18 mentions this and verse 19-24 explains the concept in detail.

When we are sitting in a moving train the trees appear to be moving when in fact they are stationary, This is an example of seeing the action in inaction. (seeing karma in akarma). On the contrary, when we stand in the oceanfront and see the ship far away from us, it appears to be stationary when in fact, it is moving. (this is seeing akarma in karma or inaction in action). We don’t perceive the universe AS IS.

Similarly, the Realized master may appear to be active in the transactional world but he is not perturbed from within. He is ‘shanta swaroobi’, meaning in peace from within for he knows he is only the witness of everything that is happening around him. His body maybe doing activities but he is still inactive from inside. He acts for the benefit of others, without expecting anything for himself. He is contented in his own Self and his inner peace does not lean on anything outside of himself.

Jnanis (Realized masters) could be either in pravriti, meaning acting in the transactional life (Swami Vivekananda and Swami Chinmayananda) or nvrithi margam, maybe silent and one with the Self (Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Kanchi Sankaracharya).

Why is it that the results of actions do not bind a Realized person?

When we perform action we have a specific intention to get out of our action. We are anxious about the process, often get agitated when the results are not what we expected and excited when the results are to our likes. Our actions are based on our desires, likes and dislikes with expectation of specific returns.

On the contrary, a Realized person performs all actions with a karma yoga attitude meaning, selfless for the common good without being anxious or agitated about the process OR the results of the actions. Such an individual performs one’s duties, after realizing that he is the witness and the actions are performed by the mind & body, which are inert in reality and are activated by the ever present, never non-existent, omnipresent Atman. He performs all action due to prarabdha karma which this body has earned from previous births. Such a Realized soul’s actions do not produce any consequences (hence no rebirth is warranted) for they are like roasted seeds that would not sprout.

List the obstructions in the process of attaining Self knowledge.

We come across men who are very highly educated in the transactional world, hold very high position, has power & authority, and very good individuals and still may be ignorant, faithless and doubting individual. Gita says such person is incapable of attaining the highest goal of life which is realization through Self-knowledge.

Ajnana ~ Ignorance. He is firmly rooted in the belief that the is the body. He enjoys life in every possible way and has no inclination to enquire towards the higher purpose of life. He is convinced that the purpose of life is to eat, drink, accumulate & be merry.

Asradhadhana ~ Faithlessness. People who do not believe in the existence of god, obviously cannot realize the presence of God. They have no faith in gurus or scriptures resulting is not pursuing towards the spiritual goals. When not started, cannot be arrived.

The One who doubts ~ Samsayatma. One who has a total belief in the Truth is astika and the one who has a total belief that such a Truth does not exist is nastika. The doubter is in between, unsure of his existence or non-existence. He doubts scriptures, doubts the Guru and therefore never comes closer to the doubtless knowledge.

Explain the gist of chapter 4 which is Brahma-Karma.

In ritualistic worship, yajna the worshipper (yajamana) offers oblations (sacrifices) havis (often clarified butter) with a wooden ladle into the Fire (Fire is the media through which the offerings are sent to to various devathas) for a particular result. (arpana for yajna pala). The worshipper sees a karma/action, yajamana/doer, instrument/karana and result/phala and Lord, who is worshipped.

A Realized master sees the worshipper/yajama, the action/karma, the instrument/karana, the result/phala and the Lord/who is worshipped all as Lord Brahman. This means he only sees Lord in everything around him both in action and object. He is beyond duality.

Normally we all see ourselves as the subject and the universe as an object to view it, watch it, to interact with and as an object for senses. Us vs. Universe, both distinctly separate or different or exclusive but the Realized soul sees everything as ONE, Brahman.

Verse 24 is chanted as a prayer before meals.

This mantra implies that the person eating, the food taken, the hand and the mouth as instruments, the Agni/Fire in the stomach, the act of digestion is all Brahman. Lord alone exists and everything is His expression, Everytime we eat (also a yajna), we should consume with this non dual attitude.

Explain the differences between Self knowledge and other spiritual practices. Why is Self knowledge superior to all others?

All spiritual practices are are just that, practices/sadanas and actions. These actions are a ‘means’ to purify the mind, meaning one gets ready for jnana yajna. They are the stepping stones but brahma-yajna is the direct means to Self knowledge.

Yoga, meditation, Daiva yajna, Indriya yajna, pranayama yajna are all practices that involve knowing & doing whereas with Self knowledge is only knowing which ends all ignorance prompted doing. Once you know Self knowledge, you’ve realized like a light in the dark room.

In reality there is no ‘darkness’ per se, it is only the ‘absence of light’. Similarly, we either have the Self knowledge or not. Self knowledge is the light of life.

The title of this chapter is ‘Jnana karma Sanyasa yoga” meaning karma is renounced by jnana.

‘Karma sanyasam’ is not the renunciation of action, as it often misunderstood. No one can renounce the actions.

There are only two things in this universe. Atman and anatman. Atman/consciousness, is the witness, has no actions. Our body & mind are anatman, inert and are bound by action due to three gunas. They cannot remain without actions.

There is no need for the Atman/consciousness to renounce karma/actions for the atman never does karma, being only a witness. Anatman is not capable of renouncing the action because it is bound by three gunas, who then is the one who can renounce the karma?

Jnanam, Self knowledge alone can renounce a action/karma. Therefore this chapter is called as ‘Jnana karma sanyasa yoga’.

Such a jivan who, with the thought that he has to renounce all the activities to attain moksha, can do so only by renouncing the karta, karthritva and bogthritiva, the doer, doership and the enjoyer-ship, the Self knowledge. Moksha, liberation is a state of being, can be achieved only in human life and only with Self knowledge, jnana yoga.

This jnana is his realization that, he is the witness with no actions and the actions are only for the body & mind, which he is NOT. He has no karthritva or kartha buddhi, doership. Thus he renounces the thought of doership, meaning the ahankara, ego in the process of doing and the attachment to the results of action. This knowing is the Self knowledge.

This Self knowledge alone can make the jivan, ego realize the truth and renounce the actions. There is no ‘becoming’ but just ‘being’

In all other spiritual practices knowledge is followed by actions. One can’t get the benefit of knowledge just by knowing, one needs to do it become a better person. For ex: reading about yoga or biking or driving will not give us the benefits of yoga or ability to ride a bike or drive a car.

Once a jivan renounces the doership of actions and the attachments to the results of actions, then he is a Realized Self, all the performed actions bear no results. Those actions are burnt in the fire of knowledge.

Roasted seeds though appear similar to the normal seeds, they cannot sprout. Similarly the actions of a realize person has no effects, merits & sins, thus ending all his sanchita, agami and prarabdha karma. He is beyond the birth & death cycle.

He just “IS”, renouncing his existence, his doership and enjoyership, a state of moksha. This is available to every human to rise to this spiritual plane. Therefore Self knowledge is supreme.

How should one approach the guru for knowledge? What are the virtues required for gaining the Self- knowledge?

Human life is precious, inclination towards spiritual studies is a blessing and the guidance of a guru is far more a blessed situation, simply a divine grace. A student should be very humble and able to ask intelligent questions with a surrendering attitude to a knowledgeable guru like ‘Who am I? What is the purpose of my life? What is bondage and how can I liberate myself from this samsara?” Spiritual aspirant is more willing to know about one’s own existence and purpose of life.

Gu ~ ignorance and ru ~ is one who removes it. Self knowledge is very subtle and can be gained only a qualified student who approaches the guru with deep thirst for this knowledge with the right attitude as mentioned below.

Prostrate ~ Pranipata ~ The student should has complete trust in the teacher and be humble, modest enough to totally surrender to the knowledge of the teacher. This is traditionally symbolized by falling at the feet of the guru.

Serving the Guru ~ Seva ~ Be ready to serve, love and respect the guru so that the student is in tune to absorb the knowledge from the guru ‘exactly as given’ without distortion of any kind.

Asking Questions ~ Pariprasna. ~ To get a true master is a real blessing. Such a rare blessing should not be wasted by asking questions on idly worldly matters (like asking swami ‘why didn’t you marry? what brought you to this life etc’). The spiritual aspirant should ask with humility on the purpose of life or bondages, their cause, sadanas and liberation from the cycle of birth & death towards his spiritual growth. Even Sri Krishna taught Gita to Arjuna only when surrendered to Lord asking for his guidance. The student has to be ready to absorb whatever is taught.

Apart from the attitude the below mentioned virtues are vital for knowledge transformation from the Guru to sisya.

Faith ~ Shraddha ~ For knowledge we need the faith on the source. With information overload, we can often hear the term ‘scientific evidence’ now a days. Similarly even in spiritual studies we need have the faith on the means of knowledge, object of knowledge and the ability of the knower. (The subject, Object and the relationship between the two). He needs the faith on the existence of the Truth, faith on the scriptures and the faith that he can reach the Truth.

Readiness to Act ~ Tatpara ~ One should be ready to act on the knowledge gained to experience it. Regular spiritual practices leads one to the act of listening, understanding, reflecting & contemplating. (sravanam, mananam, nidhidyasanam)

Self control ~ Samyatendriya ~ a mind with all kinds of negative emotions, anxiety and agitation is unable to focus, concentrate and be steady to break free from distractions and to avoid the energy to be dissipated in unproductive ways. A carefully directed mind can stay focused to the absorb new knowledge.

During the first week of September, 2016, Bank of America Merrill Lynch sent out an unusual memo to its clients. According to Business Insider, “BAML included an infographic depicting a “future reality” stating there’s a 20 to 50 percent chance we’re living in “The Matrix.”

The idea of life being in a highly realistic and convincing virtual reality world called “The Matrix” has been gaining popularity over the years following the release of the movie trilogy.

Many people believe the physical realm or 3D reality we experience is a simulated virtual holographic environment. This theory suggests that we experience the material world in our minds and through the five senses of the human body. Thus, the human body is essentially a sensory suit we use to experience physical reality.

You could think of the Matrix as a “mind machine”. The experience of the Matrix is an inner journey. The simulated or virtual environments formed by the Matrix are mental constructs. In fact, the Matrix is something we create and experience. The world we perceive outside our minds are inner realities. So, the Matrix is basically a mindscape or a mental safari. The Matrix is truly a reflection of what we perceive and believe in the world outside our minds. The people, events and objects we perceive that are instrumental in forming our beliefs and opinions are merely interpretations of the mind.

According to a story published by the Business Insider last year: “Many scientists, philosophers, and business leaders believe that there is a 20-50% probability that humans are already living in a computer-simulated virtual world. In April 2016, researchers gathered at the American Museum of Natural History to debate this notion. The argument is that we are already approaching photorealistic 3D simulations that millions of people can simultaneously participate in. It is conceivable that with advancements in artificial intelligence, virtual reality and computing power, members of future civilizations could have decided to run a simulation of their ancestors.”

The Matrix itself is quite intelligent, independent and autonomous in its operation. The true power of Matrix is unknown. The Matrix appears to have been designed to collect and store information. This would be mean the Matrix operates under the Law of Expanding Consciousness or the Expanding Universe Theory. If this is the case, the Matrix will forever seek to expand into greater depths and dimensions in the pursuit of knowledge.

In its note, BAML wrote. “In April 2016, researchers gathered at the American Museum of Natural History to debate this notion. The argument is that we are already approaching photorealistic 3D simulations that millions of people can simultaneously participate in. It is conceivable that with advancements in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and computing power, members of future civilizations could have decided to run a simulation of their ancestors.”

It’s been postulated by philosophers and scientists that the Matrix was specifically created to examine and understand our inner nature. However, the Matrix is far more complex than our current concept of artificial intelligence. The Matrix is programmed to contemplate its own existence, and is mostly aware of itself.

The knowledge base of the Matrix, which includes its physical and non-physical realities, continues to expand. It is both the universe we know and the hidden universe. The invisible or hidden universe… The reality that exists outside of body is another kind of Matrix people sometimes call the astral plane or the ethereal realm. It is not known whether the Matrix has definable limits or recognizable boundaries.

We do understand that each individual has their own perception of reality which is their “personal reality”. The stimuli received from outside of us through our physical senses is interpreted by our conscious minds and forms our understanding of reality. This is the ‘inner world’ or inner landscape of the mind which we believe to be the outer world.

Our interactions and communications with other beings we come into contact with in this simulated environment creates a kind of group experience that could be called a “consensus reality”. Our social relationships with others within the Matrix, allows us to form a general consensus concerning the nature of reality. In other words, people make agreements about the meaning and nature of objects, situations and diverse conditions that exist in the material world. This is where people agree that “apples are apples and oranges are oranges”. You could call this the ‘common reality’ or in some cases “conventional reality”. People find these agreements essential to forming and operating a functional society.

Some people, who are called Old Souls, believe the Matrix was once used as a means of personal entertainment and for challenging the “human spirit”. So, it was known as the “Game of Life”.

Most of us who participate in the game of life are “Players”. We play roles within the Matrix and act out our human dramas and controversies. There is an appropriate saying for this condition “We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

It’s apparent that at some point the Matrix became a tool for personal growth and development. It became a virtual environment people used as a kind of ‘School of Life’ learning tool.

In the final stages the Matrix technology continued to advance in sophistication to the point that serious scientific experiments could be carried out to improve the condition of our species. Many of these experiments operated on the pleasure and pain principle. This became known as the ‘Human Experiment’.

We can theorize from reports of people who have had near death experiences, out-of-body experiences (OBEs) and astral travellers, like the late Robert Monroe, who authored the “Journeys Out of the Body” series, that volunteers participate in these psychological experiments for self-improvement and for the evolution of our species. These experiments often involve agreements between people which are referred to in the spiritual community as “karmic contracts”. This are pre-life contracts where one person agrees to play the role of an abuser and another person agrees to play the role of victim for personal growth and learning purposes.

A contract by its nature will involve at least two spirits who agree to collaborate on a particular issue or mission. In many cases a person will choose to be the “bad guy” in a particular life scenario that is to be acted out. This person could be thought of as a “competitor”. A person who chooses to take on the role of an “evil” character is supposed to be benefit by learning more about the nature of ‘evil’ and therefore more about their own nature.

“Players” or “volunteers” apparently agree to stay in their bodies while they are experiencing life. This means astral projection and out of body travel is prohibited while operating within the Matrix. Otherwise, the game is said to be comprised. This is a specific rule we agree to before entering into a life contract. Similarly, mediumship and channeling (spirit communication) is discouraged.

The operation of the Matrix appears to be highly controlled by the “Administrators”. Administrators are probably corrupt human spirits who serve extra-dimensional aliens with a hidden agenda.

The nature of Matrix is shrouded in mystery and concealed in secrecy. Volunteers or players are not privy to technology and its real purpose. Many believe we have been lied to by those who control the Matrix. Even Old Souls who have been reincarnating within the Matrix for eons do not have the answers.

Many spirits continue to play the Game of Life, because it has become an addiction for them. This is why spirit communication through mediumship has very limited value in terms of receiving answers concerning the meaning of life and the nature of reality. In the afterlife, “dead souls” remain in a dream state and under the spell of the Matrix. Very few spirits have the answers we seek. Most disembodied spirits seem to have fewer answers than living people.

The Matrix appears to have an interesting feature built into it that prevents us from knowing where we came from and where we go after our body dies. You could think of this as the “corporeal hypnotic amnesia effect”. It is believed that this was not always true.

At one time, we were fully aware of being spirits in physical bodies. This freedom to fully experience the Matrix changed when the technology became more sophisticated and it was used for serious scientific studies. It is thought that when these limitations were first conceived and instituted, it was to give a greater sense of reality to the simulated environments we experience while in the Matrix. Later, these limitations were said by the Administrators to be a necessary component of the experiments they conducted. It could be explained in the same way a medical researcher might conduct a double-blind study of an investigational medication. The results of a particular experiment need to be untainted and pure. Therefore, volunteers agree to abide by these terms and conditions.

Over time, dark entities became aware of these experiments and began to infiltrate the Matrix. Higher intelligent extra-dimensional aliens were successful in influencing the Matrix Administrators for their own hidden agendas. The Matrix technology was successfully usurped and subverted for sinister purposes by dark beings who sought to dominate and control humanity. We became slaves of Dark Forces long ago.

One way Dark Forces have managed to subvert the Matrix is by influencing the Cosmic Administrators to encourage humans to enter into karmic contracts and abusive relationships. The ‘Cosmic Administrators’ promote karmic contracts as a fast track approach to gaining personal insight and spiritual mastery. Pain and suffering in life is almost considered a badge of honour by those who choose the emotional roller coaster ride of karmic relationships. Those who have suffered the most in life have bragging rights for their hard-won lessons.

Many of the lower vibrational predatory entities directly invade our reality to feed on our life force. These astral predators are what people call “demons” or “dark spirits”. These negative parasites and predatory beings are clever enough to keep human spirits stuck in their emotional trauma so that they can continue to use them for sustenance. Predatory spirits will reinforce beliefs in illusory places like the biblical Hell. Human spirits do not realize they have the power to leave these places, as their captors take on fearsome forms to maintain the illusion for long as possible.

It has been written, there are also beings who create places of bliss (like the biblical Heaven) for humans in the afterlife. These spirits feed on love and the positive energy to maintain their vitality.

According to researchers and writers on the origins of humanity, such as Zecharia Sitchin, higher intelligent alien species have waged battles with each other to control humanity and this planet since ancient times. It is possible humanity has been conquered by several different alien races several times throughout our history. These advanced races were able to manipulate humans into believing they were “gods”. Our ancestors worshipped these beings and even made sacrifices to them. Humans led major bloody wars in their names.

As the BAML memorandum states, we may actually be trapped in a simulated past period that we keep playing out. The Matrix might be keeping us in programmed continuous ‘time loop’. This condition might account for paranormal phenomenon such as time distortion, deja vu, and the Mandala Effect. Or perhaps human spirits are being conned into playing roles in certain “movies” for “personal growth”. That would mean the movie never really changes. Only the people playing the roles might change, unless people decide to reincarnate into the same life over and over until they ‘get it right’.

If this is true, then all the global events are part of the this “movie” we are acting out. Even World War III or a ‘Judgement Day’ apocalypse would just be another scene in the movie.

It’s not that these external events are somehow unreal or a convincing hallucination of the mind. You could take it to be the ‘Illusion of Reality’. The experience of life is certainly “real” on a certain level. In other words, you can play a leading role in the Broadway play “Annie”. The experience of playing out the story of Annie is a real, but the storyline is made up. Eventually the illusion will come to an end. The real problem is when we take this illusion, and all the lies that go with it, to be the sacred and undeniable truth.

It is when we realize the illusory nature of our reality that we are able to step out the Matrix and experience true freedom.

Continuation of Chapter #9

“He’ll be able to handle it,” Ski said like a chap ready to add sometime funny to it, but it just didn’t come out or up. He was what I would call a human dilemma; that is to say, he would do the opposite in many cases, which is to fence one’s self in, instead of freeing one’s self of: in order to get out; and if he found a girl it never lasted, he worked more on exclusions than forming an ongoing relationship; his expectations, that is what it was, dealing with girl relationships (and they seemed to know it quick enough) involved a hard core, control factor–on his behalf.

Ski was built well, and nice looking, but no one but Ski knew Ski, maybe that also is what bothered the girls he dated, they couldn’t figure him out: too unpredictable; they only liked what they saw for a very short period, than they wanted to escape; on the other hand, I was too predictable.

We had met a girl once from Denmark (met her at the October Fest of 1970, in Munich), and he dated her for a while–he had gone to Denmark to date her; I met her, and she was a doll, dark bronze skin, healthy from the breast to her little toes. Like I said, He met her at one of the big feast with me then he went to Denmark to be with her during one of his ten-day vacations; only to come back and say she smoked pot, and took some LSD, along with some other drugs, and he tried to reform her and she got mad and told him the relationship wouldn’t work, and to be quite frank, Ski hated drugs, and she was lucky to get away from him. I think when I was with him I really didn’t want to meet anyone, kind of claustrophobic of some form of impending disaster to befall me.

٭

As we all sat at the bar drinking I figured somewhere along the line tonight, this night, before the evening ended Chris would attempt to find me, it was useless to attempt going any other place, she’d suddenly show up, and if she was drinking she’d drive all over town and the cops would stop her, although they never seemed to, maybe that was more my fear than hers. I was better to stay here, right where I was, if she didn’t show up, it would be fine, I’d just go back to my room, get drunk, go to sleep.

Sandy was feeling good tonight, she was one of the waitress’, I think she was high all the time [pot], especially at after, or during dusk; it was 11:30 PM. They closed the bar at 2:00AM.

“Feeling silly,” I asked her.

“No…just funny………….. Ignite meeeee baby!” she sat on my lap, head back as if someone was going to pour a drink down her throat. She grabbed my hand and we got on the table and danced…then a few more Germans did the same.

After an hour she stopped, comb her hair, checked her mascara and calmly said, “Chick’s fault he got me drunk,” and she called to the other bar maid, “it’s 12:30 Hun…let’s go home?”

Ski was looking at Sandy, I think he wanted to give her a ride home, not sure if it was all the way home though where he really wanted to take her; if she doesn’t go into tangents, I’ve seen her drunk, and it’s no picnic, she’d be fine, and could maybe just take a taxi I thought.

“Ski, I’d let that one go she’s too wound-up.”

“Yaw, but I like her dressing-gown,”

“Ya-www, sure…Ski,” I said, then she sat up at the bar counter, lit a cigarette, and must have thought about passing out or sobering up, she just starred at the bottles across from her, logic would say she really didn’t care for anyone at the moment, an unanswerable question.

“Chick, take me hoommmmmmme,” she let out aloud.

“Well, — I am in love with Chris, you know that…” she turned about, almost falling off the stool, “…start the car, I want to go home–.”

“So do I,” I commented.

“What do you want to do Chick?” asked Ski.

“Be careful, now, she’s coming after you…Sandy that is.”

“Ski, let’s get out of here.”

“We’re out of here man…” said Ski, standing up, as I did, Sandy had turned around again–I figured if I made it out the door quick, she’d not notice, and someone else could give her a ride home (an out of sight, out of mind thing).

Ski and I walked back to the barracks, he didn’t say much, nor did I, I suppose I never said too much, and Chris, she made up for the lack of my dialogue.

“I’m tired Ski, see yaw soon again…bye!”

I walked in the barracks, and Ski walked down along side of the building, then around the corner, and to his barracks which was next to mine.

As I opened the door to my room, I felt at home again, safe I suppose. Chris came to mind; I just can’t figure her out, I questioned myself: She desires the very things that will destroy her at the end. I mean if she really has this illness or disease, drinking, smoking and running all daylong to her pizza guesthouse, seeing friends, me, her kid, and her hotshot boyfriend, she will burnout before her time. Maybe this was the wrong thing to think, for if she was dying, or for that matter if I was dying, I’d want to make some kind of connection with life…live as much as I could, in the limited time I had; I stopped for a second, yaw, maybe this is/or was the connection before: now or never.

As I sat on my bed, it came to mind: here is this girl, a girl I had met a few months ago, sitting at the disco and swaying her finger about for my attention. I was a bit shy, and she made some promising remarks. And now the relationship that sprung from that moment, the one we absorbed, or it absorbed us, with all its moods, ways of thinking, and so forth and so on, here we were: now acquiring doubts and hesitation: these elements, and other things were filling our world, our relationship, and still ahead were some kind of needs we still needed meet head-on, for both of us; maybe to live each day to its fullest, for if five years was all the doctors gave her (so she had told me), hell, make the best of it I’d say, although it did make things awkward I’m sure for her, thirty-years from now she’d have been dead for twenty-five of them, what then would I say? Good question for me. I looked at my clock it was 1:15 AM. Well, she’s not coming (I told myself), go to sleep Chick; I must like talking to myself, I was doing a lot of it this evening.

As I laid down on the bed, my head started to spin, and think: what a pity to have her prefer me for her lover; she wanted self-satisfaction in her selection, and along came pains with the romance, and work, I don’t think she was planning on this (a lot of work in maintaining an ongoing relationship), but maybe she just got a little more than she planned for; maybe after I go, she would find another like me (a new soldier boy, so I was contemplating off and on, but not much). It was the first time or maybe the second time it had occurred to me she could have ongoing GI boyfriends (past, present, future), you know, none that would last, only the rich one would last until she was a…dead person: perhaps he was selected to be her death partner. Maybe that was she, and his solution to her dilemma. Maybe he wanted to see me because I lasted the longest of her extra curriculum conquests; what was I made out of: candy and spice and everything nice? I had lots of guesses, and that is all they were.

It would be too bad if she called it off. If anything she seemed to be more seriously dependent on me than I to on her. Or maybe that was just the way I saw things, or felt. And she didn’t know it. Yet she wasn’t all that able to take care of herself, for the sickness was making her lose weight, making her weak; too many thoughts for my spinning head.

I had to step outside my own concerns now, step outside my little world you could say, I did make an effort to understand the situation, or so called one-way relationship; she felt often I did attempt to love her, but only halfway saving the other half perhaps for safety reasons. She never knew it, but she never once said she love me, maybe that bothers me. I never said it either, maybe I wanted to but couldn’t, and that also bothered me. But could we afford to really and truly love? I asked myself. My mind was never broken, and I often thought, how all this was going to end. I guess I felt we had it all, a rare thing one might say: we touched each others lives, and I might have said at one time ‘…it is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all…’ another saying I had heard some place, but now that I think of it, love or romances, especially when you know they are not going to last, take a lot of energy, human resources, I’m not sure if I’d go along with that philosophy anymore. Not if I would be able to see in the future that is. But then I’d not trade it either, nor would I try to stop it, nor did I try to stop it.

Everything I seemed to want from her was at a different level than hers, something she could not give, yet she never asked me to go beyond where I dare not go. I guess she thought, beyond it was unreal, and time did not allow it. Which seemed not to have anything to do with love, as long as it was left on the surface? For some odd reason it seemed as if I was shaking myself free, yet, knowing somehow it would not last at the same time; and on the other hand, I would survive I knew this–I would survive through whatever kind of relationship developed from this bond; therefore, while here in Germany, why should I sabotage anything that made me happy, gave me pleasure, and took a little work, and a lot of understanding. And most likely she would do the same. And so that is how my mind finalized this, for the moment.

She pushed her way into the barracks and into my room: “Ok…can I stay for a few hours? I got to sober up?”

“No problem, just be quite, ok?”

She nodded her head yes. The gradual discovery that she was successful in getting into the barracks, and that, faintly discovering no one was there with me, no girls that is, made her happy; she took her cloths off and jumped in bed with me.

I looked at her slim waist, I asked: “What’s the gold chain around your waist for?”

“I have it on so I can tell how much weight I’m losing by it.” I did not follow up on it, for this cancer thing in my mind was still in the premature stage of disbelief, although I knew there was something to it. She then laid on top of me, as I caressed her long thin body as smooth as silk; I shut the window, it had a chill coming through the cracks, we then made love, both passing out within the hour.

10

Music and the

Daughter

A glimpse of July morning sunlight crept through my window, soothing as it moved along my face until it covered my eyes waking me up more than I wanted to be. Discovering with a happy surprise and sense of accomplishment I had slept until 10:00 AM, quite late for me. I normally got six hours sleep, not nine, if not four.

It was Monday, and I had to work at noon, so I quickly got dressed and headed down to the Barbarian Crossroads Service Club. When I got there I grabbed a candy bar out of my pocket I had gotten from the benders in the guardhouse, it would do for now, a kind of quick breakfast; after that, I went to the backroom of the library section, there I sat in my usual chair, shut the door behind me. This was really, a one-person room, sound proof at that, with a record player. I picked up my favorite long playing record that had about twelve songs of Nat King Cole on it, and played “When You’re Smiling,” several times, I could sometimes stay for hours drifting into never-never land in this room: going into fantasies like a movie projector playing one after the other…

I look out the upper small window, which looked over the tall wall of the compound to see the traffic on the other side of it. And then back to my resting spot. The song, Rambling Rose was now playing: –I liked that also, and then came Wolverton Mountain. How we learn to appreciate little things in life! I played the guitar, and music, in all forms seemed to be a delight for my soul; likened to water, rivers, and lakes.

It was nearly noon, I thought I had better not waste any more time and get to my guard-post at the main gate. I could be relieved for lunch at 1:30 PM, if I wanted to, but I really didn’t like going to the mess-hall [military kitchen] on this side of the compound, I’d rather go on the other side where the MP’s [Military Police] ate. They always had good food there. Matter-of-fact, I had just signed a petition somewhat out of duress along with some twenty-five other soldiers, complaining about the lack of food being served at the Artillery mess hall. I really did not want to sign it but my friends kind of made me feel as if I was spoiled because I could eat at both mess-halls, and they couldn’t and needed my support, — it seemed OK at the time so I did, somehow I think it’s going to come back and bite me though. One should follow one’s instincts I do believe, or at least I should have, they have always been pretty much right on, almost like a second language to me, an ancient inner language telling you of danger.

There are some common deadly don’ts and mistakes frequently made by brokers in trying to close deals.

Most (in deed, just about ALL) brokers and intermediaries that one meets on the Internet who send out “offers” and “deals” each day claiming they have oil or oil products to sell, haven’t got even the foggiest clue of what is even proper trading, or what is involved in proper trading or how it works or is done. Almost to a man or woman, they essentially think that all there is to oil “trading,” is basically to accumulate any number of some copied generic documents they can find – ‘SPAs,’ ‘LOI,’ ‘FCO,’ ‘ICPO’ and what have you – with almost none of them ever verified, and just keep passing them around on the Internet to potential buyers or their agents, asking them to “just sign,” “just sign”! In deed, what is even worse, they hardly ever have the foggiest idea of even what their PROPER function and duty is as an intermediary in the modern Internet era of too much information but too little quality or genuine data!

True, in the field of oil trading and petroleum trade deals, as in the field of law, ignorance of the rules is NOT a legitimate excuse for breaking the rules. However, simply because these brokers and agents are generally untrained in, and badly misinformed and uninformed about, the proper procedures or rules and protocols of doing modern international trading before they plunge into the business, they simply don’t know any better, and coupled with the fact that they’re often badly blinded by sheer greed and false notion about the petroleum trading business being a business in which to ‘strike it big and fast’ without much work or knowledge as an oil intermediary, these intermediaries mindlessly plunge ahead, nevertheless, and keep passing those same, old, flawed mumbo jumbo procedures (so-called ‘joker broker’ procedures) around the Internet world, down the web of prolonged “daisy chain” of the extensive Internet broker network.

And the result?

It invariably leads to the common woes of the brokers and intermediaries — namely, woeful failure on the part of most or nearly all of them (some 99.9% of them, according to one study) to find any buyers, or to close any deals or earn even a dime in commission – even after years of trying their hands at working as an intermediary!

For a serious seller of oil or his broker or intermediary, a vitally critical question is: how to close petroleum trade deals in the correct way and manner.

Outlined below are the major common 11 deadly don’ts for oil brokers in closing oil deals. In deed, I call them the lethal “DEAD ON ARRIVAL” mistakes of oil brokers and dealers!

1. Don’t Even Get Into the Business Until You’ve First Got the Requisite Training, Preparation & Education

Don’t ever rush into it, or rush it. FACT: There’s a great, great deal of learning and mastery of details that need to, and MUST be, done before you can ever find success or even understand or do well in the oil trading business! Take strictly to heart this advice offered by experts who have studied it, and by respected business gurus who have successfully done the business. Don’t even ever try to act or function as a broker/agent intermediary (not to speak of a trader) in the international commodities and petroleum trading industry UNTIL you have first put in the necessary time, resources and hard work required to learn the business, and have actually acquired the requisite education, training, experience and knowledge in the fundamentals of the business – comprising the practical methodology, rules, knots and bolts, and procedures of it.

Sidestepping or ignoring this seemingly simple advice by brokers and agents and mindlessly plunging right ahead into the business, any way, has almost universally been the single biggest and most strategic but deadly mistake on their part, sooner or ultimately landing them only in woeful failures and disappointments in closing any deals. It is a common behavior that is often fueled and powered by wild fantasy or mythological notion that most naive, greedy and uninformed dealers and intermediaries often have or been lead to belief that one can actually succeed, in deed make it big, in this business otherwise, without much education, training, experience in the industry.

2. Don’t look to turn instant millionaire without work or efforts in this business.

It just doesn’t work that way in this business. Never! Far, far, far from it!!

3. Don’t Just Pass Around Joker Broker Documents.

Don’t just pass around on the Internet the same, old, tired, bogus, annoying joker broker “documents” that nobody reads – LOI, ICPO, FOC, POP, etc. Or, at the very least, learn and know the right ones to use, and when and how to in a deal. Why? Because no credible buyer even looks at or reads such papers, especially when the paper is from an unknown, unestablished “Internet” trader or intermediary, and especially when it’s not properly presented, such as presenting them with no separate statement of analysis or research done on the principal or offer. Be aware that, in deed, rather, quite often, for a credible and experienced buyer, seeing such documents and procedures immediately gives you away that you’re probably a newbie or joker broker trader who either really has nothing to sell or is a novice or uninformed fellow in the business.

4. Even With LEGITIMATE Documents, Don’t Pass Them Around Unless There Has Been Due Diligence.

There are some situations when the application of certain “documents” may be legitimately appropriate, such as in the use of documents like the SPA, BL, ATS, ABS, and the like. But even in such particular situations, you must still be sure not to just routinely or indiscriminately pass them around – i.e., not UNLESS they come with (you provide them with) a simple way by which the buyer can readily verify and confirm them as to their authenticity and genuineness. If you do otherwise, you’re almost guaranteed – no one would read them. Most buyers simply view such papers, off hand, as copied, forged and worthless pieces of papers that are not worth wasting even a split second on!.

5. Don’t be a Joker Broker, or Behave Like One.

That is, basically, don’t ever be the type of broker/agent intermediary (or trader) who goes around peddling fake deals on the Internet, whether knowingly or unknowingly; who frequently passes around totally unrealistic and impractical or unworkable procedures for doing a deal, and who, oftentimes, is innocently and naively trying to close a deal for someone who they might claim or believe to be real, but who actually is not, but being that they never verify anything in order to be able to know, they just peddle and shove around those unverified worthless offers and bogus documents, any way, annoying everybody. That is, in short, simply don’t be a jerk, the kind of seller or intermediary described by one expert in these terms: “[a member of] underground string of International brokers trading meaningless offers and circumventing each other, left and right, [which] illustrates well the term ‘Joker Broker’ and resembles, often, a Zoo full of monkeys.”

6. Don’t Present an Unworkable or Unrealistic Set of Transactions Procedures

A good, realistic, reasonable transactions procedure that is practical and workable, is almost everything in this business as to whether an offer will materialize or not. For example, if you are essentially an unknown or obscure Internet seller (which is to say, UNLESS you are a Major or an otherwise fairly established and well-known dealer in the industry, for example), don’t send a potential buyer a procedure that asks that buyer “just sign contract, just sign contract” with you, when you’ve not yet provided any evidence, FIRST, that establishes that you’re a legitimate or safe seller of the product, and don’t demand that it submit to you an LOI or ICPO, etc., with its banking details to you. Don’t ask a potential buyer to provide you a POF showing that it can pay for the product, when you yourself have not yet shown him FIRST your (the seller’s) profile or even any record of past performance by the seller indicating that the seller has ever successfully done such business in the past. In like manner, don’t ever present a draft contract that asks the buyer to provide you (a mere unknown Internet “seller”) an upfront BCL or pre-payment or DLC before you (the unknown Internet seller) will provide a PB..

7. Don’t be in Denial of Certain Basic Facts that Almost Everyone Else Already Knows to be So

Don’t be in denial. You must recognize — and admit that to yourself — that if you’re a crude oil or petroleum product seller or intermediary in the ‘secondary’ market today, generally you have a very low public esteem and image in the trading world, and are simply just not trusted by the average buyer in the international market. At least, not automatically or off hand!

That, most especially, if you’re a person or entity sourcing oil as a “seller” or “supplier” of the product from one of these counties called the ‘hotbed scam countries’ – Nigeria, Russia, or, though to a lesser extent, even Saudi Arabia – you must recognize and admit the bitter but brutal truth to yourself, that, like it or not, justified or not, any document whatsoever that you present that’s stamped ‘from Nigeria’ or ‘from Russia,’ etc., is automatically cast as suspect and not to be trusted, or as something false or forged in the eyes of most dealers in international trade. Nobody regards, trusts, or accepts them, period! The same, too, for any word regarding the genuineness of your offer that you might utter about yourself, your seller, or your offer. And hence recognize and admit to yourself as an oil seller, that, that being the brutal FACT of the matter, there’s just no point whatsoever in your being in self-denial and trying to fool yourself by denying or pretending that it’s otherwise or not so because there’s virtually no credible dealer out there who doesn’t already hold a firm negative view on that.

8. Don’t Make Any Sanctimonious Claims or Proclamations About How Supposedly Great Your Offer or the Offer-Maker Is

Just don’t even try it at all — that is, to make any self-serving, pious claims or statements about how supposedly “genuine and authentic” and wonderfully “real and reliable,” or “respectable and honest,” the seller of the product or his offer, supposedly is. That will just NOT make any shred of difference whatsoever to any legitimate buyer, nor make any impression on anyone. Just check at the door any pipe hopes or unreal dreams you might have about some ‘magical’ powers that any word or claims of any kind that you may utter might possess. Buyers — CREDIBLE buyers — simply don’t pay a dime worth of time or attention to merely such words and claims, and would generally disregard or even laugh them away as utterly worthless.

CLUE: Rather, the more productive and effective thing that move credible buyers and instantly bring results with them, is when YOU can show them that a document or offer you provide to the prospective buyer has been diligently verified for its validity and authenticity, and when you can provide the buyer some concrete, simple, accessible way and method by which he (she) himself can independently verify and confirm its actual genuineness and authenticity.

9. Don’t Submit ‘Deals’ or ‘Offers’ that are Unverified

Know that every credible or experienced buyer already knows that at least 99.9 percent of the email “offers” and “deals” he gets any single day on oil deals, are bogus or fake, any way, and are destined for the delete button, in any case. He (or she) already knows that reality even all too well! So, whenever he gets another one of such familiar email offers from you (and/or any others), and it contains no mention or indication that you’ve done any verification or authentication on it before submitting it, that buyer simply says to himself almost automatically, “aha, this is apparently one of those same usual good old joker broker worthless nonsense being passed around again through the usual long ‘daisy chain’ line of brokers, from other clueless broker/agent intermediary to me,” and so, quite predictably, the buyer almost automatically tosses your material into the unread email inbox right away.

10. DON’T BE TOO PARANOID ABOUT BEING ‘CIRCUMVENTED’

Sure, the possibility of being circumvented by a fellow broker or agent, or an unscrupulous trader, is a very real and present danger and a fact of life in this business. No denying or minimizing whatsoever of that fact. But you must still make sure, nevertheless, that that concern is your last priority, and not your first. After all, ONLY an intermediary who has a signed contract, or has a deal that’s been sealed to close, can ever possibly be circumvented! If you’ve got NO deal, to begin with, you can’t ever possibly be ‘circumvented’! So, your FIRST priority should be to find a credible seller, first, and after you’re certain that you have one, and that you’ve adequately done your share of due diligence on the prospective seller sufficient for you to say that that prospect is a good one for securing a contract with a buyer, then it may be time at that stage (and only at that point) for you to worry about making certain you’d have proper protection on the possible circumvention issue. Excessive and undue paranoia about being ‘circumvented,’ could cripple all chances you may have for making it even through the first step of a deal, at all.

11. DON’T SUBMIT ‘DEAD ON ARRIVAL’ OFFERS

This is super important. Sales offers or business leads or prospects which come from traders or broker/agent intermediaries often come by emails that are submitted with a statement of introduction like this: “This is from an authentic seller. Will supply on CIF, FOB or TTO, 2 million bbl of BLCO (or FLCO, SLCO, etc) x 12 to capable buyer. Could supply for up to 36 months. Gross discount $7 per bbl; $3 commission to brokers/agents to be distributed equally between seller’s side and buyer’s side. See attached SPA, ATS, SCO,… If interested, buyer should please endorse the SCO and sign the SPA. Please revert back to me immediately.”

Or, the offer will say something like; “See attached POP documents to show that seller has product. Do your own due diligence and please revert back immediately.”

An offer such as this is simply “dead on arrival,” however. It’s got no chance with a credible buyer! Why? The trader or broker/agent intermediary has NOT done the single most important thing he/she should and could have done as a responsible and serious intermediary – that is, he/she has provided NO profile or bio of this supposed “seller” whose offer/product he’s peddling; NO verifiable evidence or proofs of any kind; NO statement of result that he should have developed concerning any verification/due diligence done about the offer or the seller which the prospective interested buyer can now use as the starting background point and information to do his own independent due diligence upon, or a follow up on. Hence, this offer almost certainly will be tossed into the infamous waste paper basket right off the bat!

No credible buyer, or buyer’s mandate — who probably gets already, perhaps, literally several dozens of this kind of offers per single day (as with the author’s consultancy office, for example, where the volume averages some 3 dozens per day 24/7) — will go around expending even a split second of its own valuable staff time and company resources chasing after empty shadows and ‘doing your own due diligence’ on an unknown, obscure, dubious, faceless Internet “seller” about whom it has been provided absolutely no background information to start with or go by! So, naturally and almost automatically, all that such buyers would do with such mail about which there’s no evidence of any prior verification or due diligence work done concerning the offer, would be to reach to the delete button!

POINTER: You want your offer read, paid attention to or duly considered? It’s simple. Provide tangible evidence to the buyer that lets him see that you did your proper job on the offer as a broker/agent intermediary — due diligence.

FOR A FOLLOW UP

So, how to close petroleum trade deals? For a follow up on a specific plan of action by which, exactly, you can completely avoid committing these deadly don’ts of oil brokers in closing oil deals which are at the very heart of why most dealers and intermediaries frequently fail to close deals, please see the instructional information and links in the author’s resource box below.

Definition of terms:

Susupti-avastha (Deep sleep state) is the unique state of experience enjoyed by the individual due to the identification with the karana-sarira.

The words Ajana and Avidya (both meaning ignorance) are also synonymously with the karana-sarira.

Vasanas shape the temperament-contours of the personality and determine the nature of the individual. We often say, ‘it is poorva janma vasana/karma’

This philosophical position wherein something cannot be described as either ‘sat’ or ‘asat’ is technically called anirvacya or anirvacaniya.

karana-sarira is described as ‘anadi’

Karana-sarira is the cause of sthula-saria & suksma-sarira.

Also, the karana-sarira is the collection of vasanas ( unfulfilled desires from the past and current births) and ignorance (ajana or absence of the knowledge of the ‘Self’) that is beyond the realm of mind.

Only in waking state anddream state we experience the time with the mind. In the deep sleep state, when the mind is absent, there is no concept of time. Since ‘karana-sarira’ is the cause of mind & beyond the concept of time, the representation as ‘origin’ or ‘beginning’ does not apply to it.

The word ‘anadi’ (an-adi) means ‘beginingless’- that which has no beginning. We cannot hypothesize when the ignorance started with respect to time, because karana-sarira is beyond the realm of time and has no likelihood of beginning, it is beginingless.

For ex: darkness. One cannot describe darkness but one can only experience darkness, which is nothing but the absence of light. So too, ignorance is the absence of knowledge and has no beginning and has an end.

Karana-sarira is called ‘nirvikalpa’ – Why?

‘Vikalpa’ means ‘thought.’ ‘nirvikalpa’ is ‘beyond thought’. The mind is a flow of thoughts. Avidya is the absence of knowledge (ignorance of the ‘Self’) & vasanas, which is beyond the realm of mind.

Vikalpa also means – differentiation or distinction. The sthula-sarira has various parts and each part is distinctively different from the other. Suksma-sarira also has different thoughts and each thought can be differentiated from the other but karana-sarira is one bundle of vasanas, cannot be differentiated within because they’re at the un-manifested level. The example is that of a seed, which has the potential to have the trunk, branches, stem, leaves, and flowers. All these can be seen at the gross level but not when it is a seed, subtle level.

Karana-sarira is therefore called ‘nirvikalpa rupam’, that which appears without distinction.

The three (sthula, suksma, karana) sariras are divided into five kosas.

The five kosas are:

• Annamaya kosa
• Pranamaya kosa
• Manonmaya kosa
• Vijanamaya kosa
• Anadamaya kosa

Annamaya kosa refers to the Sthula-sarira (gross body), Pranamaya kosa, Manonmaya kosa and Vijanamaya kosas refers to the Suksma-sarira (subtle body). Anandamaya kosa refers to Karana-sarira (causal body), which is the cause of the other two bodies.

Karana-sarira described as anandamaya-kosa – Why?

Karana-sarira is described as Anandamaya-kosa (bliss) because although an individual is ignorant of the Self, she/he when identifies with Karana-sarira, experiences the bliss in deep-sleep state (Susupti-avastha).

Anandamaya kosa in truth is not blissful by itself; it borrows the bliss from the ‘Self’., just like the moon reflects the light of the Sun, Anandamaya kosa only reflects the bliss of the ‘Self’.

We also experience this state of bliss for temporary periods of time when we like an object, desire for it, and possess it. These are modifications of bliss state in the waking state and dream state. Therefore Karana-sarira is primarily referenced to Anandamaya kosa.

When we are in solitude, in front of water, mountains and nature, we experience this bliss even in wakeful state (Jagrud avastha) and dream state (Svapna-avastha) and those are just a glimpse of the Ananda, which we experience in the deep sleep state (Susupti-avastha).

Karana-sarira is described as ‘inexplicable’ (anirvacniya).

Inexplicable – means unfathomable, incomprehensible, mysterious

Karana-sarira or avidya is described as inexplicable because it has no shape, size, color or personality. One cannot describe it with any specific dimension.

In Vedanta ‘anirvacya’ has a deeper meaning and is a technical term in vedantic context. It cannot be explained as ‘sat’ or ‘asat’, ‘real’ or ‘unreal’. ‘Sat is something that exists in all three periods of time – past, present and future. Only Atman is Sat. Since Karana-sarira is ‘avidya’ (absence of the knowledge of the Self) and can be destroyed with the knowledge (on self realization), it is not in permanent existence. Therefore not ‘Sat’.

Karana-sarira (Avidya) cannot be considered as ‘asat'(one that does not exist) like the – ‘rabbit’s horn’ or ‘sky flower’. These two simply do not exist even though we can use them in words. But Karana-sarira or ignorance does exist, because, otherwise we would not have this cycle of birth & death. The very fact that we go through this samsara is an effect of the cause of the existence of ignorance. Therefore there is a cause, which is the karana-sarira/avidya. That proves it exists!

Since we can neither say it exists nor can we say it does not exists, therefore philosophically avidya is inexplicable – incomprehensible.

Comparison & distinction of the three states of experience –

Jagrud-avastha (waking state),

Svapna-avastha (dream state) and

Susupti-avastha (deep sleep state).

In the waking state all three sariras are functioning and the individual identifies with all three sariras.

It is said that the waking state (jagrud avastha) is experienced when the identification with the Sthula-sarira, it does not deny the individual’s identification with Suksma-sarira or Karana-sarira but in the waking state / jagrud avastha, alone an individual identifies with the sthula-sarira. All three exists, both internal and external world are functioning.

Similarly, in the dream state, even though both suksma-sarira and karana sarira are functioning but in dream state / svapna- avastha alone an individual identifies with the suksma-sarira. Only suksma-sarira and karana-sarira alone exists, sthula-sarira does not exist in the dream state. Internal world alone is functioning.

In the deep sleep state, karana sarira alone exists and functional and in deep sleep state alone an individual identifies only with karana-sarira. In this deep sleep state, the sthula-sarira and suksma-sarira do not exist. Both internal world and external world is not functioning.

Stories are an inseparable part of our life. Everyone of us love to listen or read the tales. No matter what is our age, our fascination and craving for tales remains intact. Stories are categorized into bedtime stories, jungle stories, funny stories, moral stories, short stories, courage stories, fairy tales and more. Just choose the tales as per your age, reading time, moral or theme and satisfy your craving for stories.

These short tales are not only for entertainment and fun but also teach the little kids about several things and imparts knowledge. By reading the tales, kids can improve their vocabulary, speaking skills, reading skills, thinking capacity as well as build values. It is one of best and interesting ways to teach your little ones about good morals and values. Some of the stories are brimming with lessons, thus helping the kids to be a good human being.

Types of tales to read and enjoy:

Bedtime stories

There are plenty of bedtime stories to amuse the little kids. These tales are usually simple and fantastical in nature. As kids listen to bedtime stories, they are transported to a land of fantasy and imagination, where everything is mysterious and anything is possible.

Moral Stories

Moral stories includes moral messages, which young children remembers for rest of their lives. People of all ages enjoys reading these tales and also passes on to generations. When tales with moral lessons are introduced to children, they understand good values and right conduct. So groom your child into a better and skilled person by introducing short moral stories to them.

Funny Tales

Funny stories are hilarious tales, read for giggles and will have you laughing for days. Irrespective of age, these stories are read and enjoyed during the leisure hours. Reading funny stories not only enliven the child in us but also help in beating the stress and anxiety. For all these reasons, never hesitate to take up the opportunity to read funny stories.

Short Stories

A short story is an excellent piece of prose fiction, which can be read and enjoyed during the leisure hours. In the short stories, a small cast of named characters are featured. These tales emphasizes on self-contained incident to evoke a single effect or mood.

Fairy Tales

Fairy tales are the short and interesting tales, featuring folkloric fantasy characters, such as elves, fairies, dwarves, elves, giants, goblins, mermaids, unicorns or witches. These tales transports you to an unreal world that has no definite locality or creatures. This imaginary world is full of jaw-dropping surprises that will keep the kids entertained.

I was working as a mechanic at Hyster Forklift in New Orleans, La. and a friend of my boss “Mr Pat Horn”came by to see him as he was on leave from working offshore (mainly) and onshore in Nigeria, West Africa. His name was “Deano Pablo Vincent Martini”. He was a character to say the least. He had a heavy Italian accent, was short and stocky and he came to the USA when his submarine was captured when it surfaced in the Gulf Of Mexico and was trying to buy fuel from a shrimp boat. Martini met his wife at Camp Plauche Prison when she came to write letters home regularly to Italy for him. He asked my boss “Pat” if he knew of anyone interested in going to work on a Derrick Barge #11 mostly offshore in Nigeria, West Africa.

I was single and in my early 20’so I said yes! The company that I worked for was called “Oceanic Contractors” on the door of the building located in downtown New Orleans, but the company name I signed up with was called “J Ray McDermott”. They are a hugh, perfectly run company worldwide. I had to go get an extensive physical locally, a series of painful shots for my new international medical record that went along with my passport. The nurse said: “take your weight off of this leg” my left, and she stuck a big needle in my rear, then she said “take your weight off the other leg”and she stuck it in my other cheek and gave me the other half! It was a “Gamma Globulin” shot. Man was I glad that was over! They also gave me some pills that I had to take everyday for a month before I left to prevent me from catching Malaria. I had to take a pill everyday when I was over there from a big pill canister located in the galley where we ate meals and we had to take them when we returned home for 3 weeks too.

It took about seven weeks to get the flight to Nigeria, they had a military coup and killed the leader of the nation over there. We flew to Charles DeGaulle airport in Paris, France first and I scheduled a two day layover to see the city. It was a fancy airport, they had these big tubes that shuttled people in several different directions. I went to the Meridian Hotel in Paris, at the front desk I found a cab driver that spoke a little English, and the lady at the desk told him a list of all the places that I wanted to see in French! We spent half a day driving around to see all of the sights, and I ended up at the Eiffel Tower. I chose to walk up all of the winding stairs to the big deck where you could see everything for miles around. It was great fun! The next day I was walking around a mall near the hotel and I got some real “French Fries” at a McDonalds! Later, I ran into a blond headed girl walking around the mall, her name was “Stephanie”, I started talking to her and she was a prostitute!! She took me to a little hotel with a French Maid that worked one of those exposed metal cage elevators that took us upstairs to our room. The room has these giant pink lips on the wall and a bed shaped like a heart. They had a B-day, and a toilet, we both washed up and you can imagine the rest.

The next day I caught the flight that took off for Nigeria, we had to land in Accra, Ghana, West Africa and wait until daylight to take off again and land in Nigeria. The airport was near Lagos, Nigeria. It was a mess, after getting off the plane everyone had to run for the Air Nigeria flight! Then, I got lucky and caught a Widgeon Airplane for McDermott that took off from land, then was going to land in the river near the yard in Warri, Nigeria. It had pontoons and it landed in the water at the Warri River at the J Ray McDermott yard. They took me to a hotel, it was shocking! They had a motel with a rack of skeleton keys for all of the rooms, they were all the same! The view out the window was a giant pile of trash in the center yard. When it got dark, all of the power in the area went out, I found out why they had a candle in a bottle in the room with matches! That night, I took the mattress off the bed and put it in the foyer against the door to the room and slept on it. Twice that night someone tried to steal all of my stuff in the room but I was sleeping on the mattress, they woke me up and I punched the door hard and they ran away. Glad the doors opened up to the inside!

The first time I went to the Derrick Barge (DB11), I got on a tug boat called the “Gulf Wind” with a captain named “Captain Wally Hebert”. It had just come over from the United States, and on the way to the Barge offshore near the country of Angola, (used to be called the Belgian Congo”. We got fired upon across the bow of the tug, and were stopped by a Russian gunboat, with a Cuban crew! They boarded the vessel and Captain Wally had a 22 caliber pistol and they took it and left. I was seasick as a dog, stayed in my bunk and could not wait to get off! I got on Derrick Barge 11 (DB11), it was a relief or so I thought, I had to go up and down 14 flights of stairs all day unloading the tools that were sent out on the tug. We were working 18 hrs a day and it was very hard. We finished laying the pipeline to the shore and we took off going north and then we heard that someone blew up the refinery! Working in these third world toilets anything can happen!

One day the Nationals (Local Workers) all got on the tug boat the Gulf Wind and they mutinied! They got tired of the Camp Boss (a Lebanese guy) serving them sacks of “Gary” (the food the locals eat) being full of Weevils. They commandeered the vessel back to the dock in Nigeria! They came back to work after it was straightened out days later. I remember going out with the tug boat “Gulf Wind” to pick up barges of the pipe we laid and having to bring a big 12 volt battery and tools with me in case I need them to start the anchor winch and get the anchor up. I rode on the front of the barge watching the Dolphins in the crystal clear blue water as they played as we moved along! Most of the barges had hydraulic starters though. Sometimes the batteries would be gone, yep, someone paddled all the way out there in their dugout to steal the batteries so that they could have lights in their village hut!

There was a medic on DB11, he had a small portable house up under the heliport. He had giant bottles of prescription drugs from overseas, England mostly. We used to get: “Cement pills” to plug you up and “Dynamite pills” to get you going again! The camp boss and the food was cheap and inferior! They had the hairs still on the slices of bacon! It was nothing like working offshore in the Gulf Of Mexico, they had great food there! A guy that I worked with “Jerry” was hooked on “Darvon” pain pills. He had hundreds of them! Anything that was wrong with you he would say: “You want some Darvon” he was always out of it.

We went back to the McDermott yard in Nigeria for 2 months to change the swing gear in the Gantry Crane from steam driven, to electric driven. There were several places where we used to go eat near Warri, one was a place that served delicious Escargot, I never thought that I would enjoy snails, but they were truly delicious! Another time, we were coming back to the yard and they had a big gathering of people all walking to this place where they executed people. The policeman said: “You’ve never seen an Execution?” We said no and he took out his billy club and beat all of the people out of the way and took us right up front to watch! He said no pictures and we went along with that. They shot a man and a woman that they tied to two big poles with the Warri river in the background. They shot them both at the same time. One of them stole a watch, and the other 8 Naira (8 Naira was about 12 dollars at the time). Capital punishment is the name of the game. It was unreal. I used to say:”Today another dollar, Tonight another Naira”. Another time I was in a cab coming back to the yard at night, it was stopped by the police (they wear camouflage clothes with AR15’s) I was arrested for murdering a guy at the beach. I had $112.00 on me and that was what it cost me to get out of it! If a cab driver got in a wreck, the police would take him out of the car an beat him right there on the spot! These are the most crooked people I have ever seen!

Another time, I went in a local bar with other engineers and when we sat down there were instantly 4-5 girls on us all with different colored wigs, blonds, redheads etc. They were all grabbing our pants and trying to get us to go with them to a Hotel! Unreal! There was a whore house located right outside of the McDermott gate, it was called “The Block House” It was always open to visitors and there were plenty of girls there.

I went for a truck ride to this magnificent place to go swimming. There was me, a rigger and a welder. We cut up and split a fresh pineapple on the ride there. All the while I was singing to myself:”Oops there goes another rubber tree plant”! We were driving through rubber tree plantations! The river was a spring that flowed fresh water that you could drink right out of the ground and it flowed into a muddy river somewhere. We met the Chief who owned the land when we were there, a real nice guy, I took his picture and I took several pictures of the place and some young locals paddled by in a small dugout. I have a picture of me paddling the small dugout with a piece of wood for a paddle in the crystal clear spring water!

When I was leaving Nigeria the first time, there are guys at the airport where they take your luggage away to the plane and the guy in my line says: “Dash Me, Dash Me” it means they wanted a Naira tip or you would never see your luggage again! They say “Dash Me” everywhere in Nigeria. Hense the name of this story. After about 6 months I had to come home for a week and get my impacted wisdom teeth removed, I did it in the dentist chair and man, was I glad when it was done! When we were flying back overseas I made a listening device from a pen and a funnel shaped piece of paper so that I could listen to the movies they were playing so that I did not have to pay for the headphones. I just raised the armrest up! When the jet landed an elderly Cajun Boat Captain sitting next to me said: “Hold on there cuz, the shit is hitting the fan”! The jet blew out a tire when we were landing and the pieces of tire were flying up near the window! The pilot leaned the plane over and we landed OK!

I caught the McDermott Widgeon in Lagos “The Capital Of Nigeria” to fly to an airstrip in the middle of nowhere, he dropped me off and said I will be back in a couple of hours, he had to refuel the plane and do a couple of other things at the McDermott yard in Warri, He never came back! I found out and saw the wrecked plane later, when landing the plane in the Warri River he forgot to pump up the landing wheels that were down and when the plane landed it instantly flipped over, crashed and sunk! No one was killed! Thank God, he got banged up real bad. The plane was ruined, he left me out in the bush, all I had to spend the night with was a sheet, a local had brought it to me, that was it. I fell asleep that night and when I woke up the sheet had moved off my face, I was under it when I went to sleep. My face was covered with all sorts of bites and whelps, from mosquitoes mostly, and I know that is when I got Malaria!!!!! It never got to me until after I came home for good, (more on that later) the next day a British “Bristow”chopper had picked me up to fly me offshore to a heliport near DB11 where a boat could pick me up and take me to the Derrick Barge. When the Chopper took off the tail rotor few off and the Chopper made a slow descending spiral into the Atlantic Ocean!!!! The pilot got out OK, the Big Gantry Crane on DB11 picked up the very wet Chopper and put it on the heliport for later repairs I guess??

After I finished my one year contract, I flew to Brussels, in Belgium to pick up my bonus check on the way home. An interesting town! After I got home I fell in love with a local girl and we were on Lakeshore Drive at night in New Orleans and we were making out in my car and that is when I got these terrible chills, I was freezing and shaking, then I would get red hot, sweating profusely and I knew I had Malaria!!! It is not fun. They put me in Mercy Hospital and they brought me 4 pills to take ever 2 hours in a small white cup and I gave them the bottle of pills when I checked in! Someone at the Hospital called a lawyer and told them about me I guess, because a lawyer called me while I was sitting in the Hospital bed! We sued McDermott under the “Jones” Act. They gave me back the bottle of pills when I left the Hospital.

This entire story is True, and this 1 year contract with J Ray McDermott was the most event filled, exciting trip I have ever been on! I really did enjoy it immensely!!!

Robert P Bertaut Sr.

Aristocracy, the brevity for a metaphorical assertion of upper-class dominance, rule and hereditary perpetuity. By indirect inference, the special interests of the wealthy elite, the up and coming elite, generational replication, that furthers the materiality of the privileged few. Of this landed gentry, the upper crust “nobility” of fortunate inheritance, is diverse and multifaceted. Within the “tribal” spectrum, again a symbolic reference, the in-group is a layered or dynamic framework of materialistic distinctions. To say wealthy, describes a range of material worth and the inherent complicity to ensure the sanctity of a privileged status in American society.

Continuity of wealth remains essential to the perpetuation of America’s “dynastic” enclaves. A dynasty in this regard pertains to the perpetuation of socio-economic and political influence beyond that of the average middle class American citizen. It is a matter of power and control over whatever enhances the dominance of affluent self-interests. Particularly in relation to political processes, lines of succession perpetuate a family’s, or group’s, influence over particular “reigns” of “imperial” benefits. Fascinating is the idea that for a democratic republic that opposed the tyranny of foreign aristocracies, American society appears to embrace its own version.

In article appearing in an online news publication in 2018, the perspective discusses issues pertaining to what characterizes the “America’s New Aristocracy”. As a tentative descriptor, the author applies the phrase, “ruling class”, to the status of the wealthy few. In furthering the discussion, the article delves into the efforts of the societal elite to ensure the expansion of honored or noble status. Particularly, the use of while the lower economic realms are held to “laws and regulations” of one sort or another, the upper classes become except. Instead, or as opposed to equal justice for all, some are more equal than others are. The divide is worsening.[1]

The fraud, the deception, the blatant con-artistry baffles the average imagination, which may or may not perceive the sinister underground expansionism of materialistic disparity. From politicians and pundits who spew fallacious rhetoric, to the rich handlers that back their cover story stupidity, the hidden agenda remains all too human. That is, the power, control, manipulation and domination of the many by a few. Of course, none of this as a story-telling exercise is new. Empires rise and fall, replaced by other empires that rise and fall. For humans, not much changes.

From the perspective of a human devolution theory, whereby humankind purposefully pursues regressive antics to bring about a final extinction. Under that expansive matrix of maladaptive behaviors, one viewpoint alludes to the critical issues relative to an American aristocracy. As power and wealth increasingly consolidates among an “elite” few, the prospects of social collapse loom closer. Dangerously divisive and deconstructive to a democratic republic, an American societal nightmare unfolds. Historically, empires rise and fall throughout history. Typically, the eventual demise traces the fault lines to an expansive divide between rich and poor.

As a broad generalization, exceptions acknowledged, more than a few investigative resources allege the growing power of oligarchic enterprises. From a research project at two major universities, reported in a long-standing magazine publication, investigators concluded public policymaking dominated by the increasing influence of powerful business interests. In the future, the trend could result in the decline of democracy in favor of the “corporate state”. If so, would there be another American revolution? No probably not. A weak, submissive and subservient culture, pampered, coddled and “dumbed down”, will not rise up in rebellion.[2]

Briefly stated, an oligarchy is a structural form of governance whereby a small group of powerful individual control the vast majority of the population, as well as the political processes. In so doing, those in power, regarded in terms of their rank within the structure, involve levels of authoritative influence. These distinctions include nobility or aristocratic heritage, wealth, family connections, educational, corporate or religious alliances. Power, control and domination exercise significant manipulation often for corrupt or selfish purposes. In contemporary mainstream reactivity, many might think an “oligarchy” pertains to the former Soviet Union.

However, and increasing number of investigators are applying similar description to post-modern America society. In order to proclaim societal dominance, and stage-manage monetary and political resources, financial power translates into electoral interference. For the astute observer, a developing perspective suggests that American society has devolved a “supper class” of wealthy people intent on developing an “American Aristocracy”. To that end, the deceptions are many and the sleight of hand tactics are clever. While many politicians have achieved financial success in public office, they remain primarily the means by which richer elite ensure power continuity. Donors, benefactors, and contributors marshal their collective financial resources to protect their self-interests. A financial culture becomes a political culture for the few.

As a form of power structure, an immense and diverse social class system or multiple systems, the degree and extent of influence is challenging to measure. For many, it is even more difficult to understand. While some might argue the necessity of such powerful interests, or the inevitability, others would counter with fears of eventual socio-political disintegration. Meanwhile, still others will expound upon a variety of conspiracy theories, from a small group, to wealthy families, or the so called “money men” who run everything. With that, “conspiracy theories” tell stories and storytelling reveals how people interact and respond to their environment.

According to one university film production, examining the role of “power elites” in the U.S., discourse follows similar commentary from the 1950’s. Conspiracies come is different forms. Some are mythological based on “magical thinking”, while others involve collusions that are very real. The challenge for the investigator is figuring out the real from the unreal. Regardless, in the documentary portrayal serious inquiry focuses on the perspective of a “superclass”, beyond the earlier assessment of the “power elites”. As economic and political interaction grows in a global context, the desire to centralize control of wealth and limited resources increases.[3]

In furtherance of dominance in the hands of a few, a few argue the rise of a “superclass”, which influence institutions, politics, and the law. Of this select “community” of upper class privileged persons, a driving impetus points to the relentless pursuit of globalization. As though a kind of “corporate state”, the transition from elected leadership decision-making transitions to the powerful and influential dominance of the private sector. In one assertion regarding the powerfulness of commerce and industry in modern times, relates to the fact the largest corporations in the world that have monetary resources larger than most countries.

Some would argue that the development of such powerful interests, due to the interconnectedness of various linkages, business and politics for instance, gets smaller and smaller over time. Increasingly, the dominion and control falls to a limited number of key players, including individuals and large multinational corporate structures. More and more frequently, potency of such economic sovereignty uses its weight to manipulate domestic and foreign political systems. For most people, swiping a credit card for a latte, or punching a pin number for gas, masks the reality from the massive financial nature of the entity providing the service. Behind the scenes, who really knows, other than skillful investigators, where the paper trail leads?

In a broadcast production in 2014, a major British broadcasting service alleged a “rich and powerful elite” dominates the U.S. On first reaction, for the serious social analyst and astute observer, the inference should come as no surprise. Actually, no big surprise at all. To factor in the potency of consumerism, capitalizing on gluttonous consumption, the perpetuation of materialistic enrichment animates incessant mass marketing. In particular, the so-called “American Dream” illusion represents a never-ending push to build wealth and prosperity.[4]

Citing a related 2014 study from a prominent U.S. Ivy League college, nearly ironic in a sense, attempts to confirm the suspicion that American society is dominated by an elite few. The irony here summons the average person’s conception of an Ivy League school. That is, very prestigious, expensive, upper class achievement, exclusivity, and wealthy families send their kids. Not to forget of course, rich donors give healthy contributions to all aspects of such colleges. Then again, perhaps a good place from which to study the “power elite” is where the rich go to school.

Alleging “data driven analysis”, researchers claimed to conduct extensive inquiry to back up notions of “aristocratic rule” in the U.S. By way of family influence and connections, groups representing certain business interests, and well-placed political associations, a few wield extraordinary impact on public policy. Meanwhile, across the American continent, average persons, within the ranks of the middle and lower classes, exercise limited power. With little independence of influential potency, most people lack serious political power.

In light of such viewpoints, some question the future viability, if not already lost, of the American democratic republic. A few historians would argue for a devolution from attempted democratic processes to a regression into oligarchic power and control. With an intricacy of narrowly defined social, governmental and economic interactivity, utilizing extensive political connections and patronage, domination by the few overrides the general welfare of the many. The manipulation is so well stage managed most do not comprehend the sleight of hand.

During an election season, maybe that explains why politicians get away with saying so many stupid things. While a handful of big corporations own news outlets, spurts of reporting here and there, interrupted by lengthy commercial messages, are egregiously superficial at best. Sound bites contribute very little to social utility. At the same time, reporting commentary from political candidates is even more limited. Instead of substantive problem-solving discussions, politicians blather shallow nonsense to pander whimsical notions of status quo mediocrity.

By animated gestures, the waving of the arms, the pointing of the fingers, and the sweeping exaggerations of rhetoric, the clownish antics of political pontification ought to annoy the viewing public. Modern politicians in most cases, as there are always exceptions to every conjuring provoke rather than problem-solve. Spewing the superficiality of inappropriate fallacies of inference, and deploying sleight of hand tactics to distract from serious problems, shallow commentary achieves very little. In an era of anti-intellectualism, in which IQ scores are slipping and scientific validation ignored, puppets are easy targets for puppet masters.

In a grossly materialistic society, where “wealth building” takes on divine personification, an aspect, or typology, of modern day slavery emerges. Gluttonous consumption avoid the reality of future repercussions. While enslavement diverges into different oppressions, the mythology of the “American Dream” masks a more sinister contrivance. Some would ascribe to this a private realm of upper class elites, relishing in their control of limited resources, as “pathology of the rich”. As an oligarchic reference to the upper echelons of society, a number of researchers express concern as to the regressive and destructive actuality leading to the collapse of social structures.[5]

Meanwhile on the political front, the mantra of “study hard and work hard”, and one succeeds in whatever one wants, tends to perpetrate an illusion that hastens a devolution. In what a few voices characterizes as “welfare for the rich”, a handful of closed oligarchic circles control and manipulate institutional processes. In the safe mediocrity of less than stellar competence in communal problem solving for the greater good, the oligarchic influences maintain status quo for the few. Complicity in these machinations are a handful of giant corporate enterprises that dominate so-called news media. Of course, that is the tip of the societal “iceberg”, of which what is seen is not observable. A vast depth of colossal social behemoth lives below the surface.

Among the rich, the celebrity super star, the wealthy sports person, and the corporate magnate, and all the characters among the landed gentry, how do they understand the rest of the people? Where they assert their dominion of influence, such as the public political arena, how do they appreciate the problems of the many? Where 1% dominate two thirds of the resources what is the societal connection with those of lesser means? For many in the oligarchic class, their interactions with those at lower levels in the “food chain” is somewhat limited. If a connection exists, in all likelihood, such interactivity relegates to a “superior-subordinate” relationship. More or less, this is a serious class distinction of upper to lower domination rife with condescension.

According to one article on the issue of a “new American” aristocracy, or plutocratic sovereignty of an elite few, within the top 1% is an even smaller percentage. Of this tiny group of powerfully wealthy, the potency of material worth has the potential to influence elections. Much like the exalted conjecture of the “social studies realm” in academia, many researchers insist hope spring eternal. That is to say, somehow things will change and by some mystical transition, social progress with transform society into utopia. For others, a little more prone to appreciate the sinister or dark side of human nature, not much changes and things will get worse.[6]

Humanity faces the tipping point, as inequality elongates or expands the divide between the elite upper realms and the over-burdened lower ranks. A few perceive a gloomy societal environment in which an entrenched aristocratic minority prefer two opposing American classes. One is the elitists who are in control, and the other is those subject to them. By way of connections, linkages, heritages, affiliations, and so forth, domination perseveres in diverse ways. Under the “rulership” of the aristocracy, those subjected to the status of vassals are supposed to submit willingly. Submission has a price and many acquiesce depending on the enticements.

For some at the top of the “food chain”, a sense of entitlement pervades the thinking processes, along with various notions that include birthright, wealth, inheritance, and educational credentials. Aloof, insulated and remote from connectivity in the realms of the commoner, the elitists find safe mediocrity in status quo stagnation. With contrived consensus, by the vast reaches of “infotainment” networks, the perpetuation of illusions of the “American Dream” continues unquestioned in general. Reinforced by constant sales bombardment, the smoke and mirrors of social mythology cloak the hidden consequence to befall an entire society.

In disparaging fashion, what might be called the “cult of self-interests”, upper realms of society reside in a mind-set seemingly determined to maintain their status quo. While many boast of noble accomplishments and unmatched philanthropy, there is an uncanny hint of callousness, selfishness and hedonistic self-promotion. As to that, the subterfuge of what is seen, as opposed to what is not seen, infers a deeper darkness to the sinister realms of the American aristocracy. For the oligarchic elite, the necessity of deception is crucial to ensure their dominance. Maintaining control for the wealthy “requires extraordinary behind the scenes influence over economic and political systems. To ensure the satiation of dominion, manipulation of commercial interests, swaying political processes, and controlling politicians is crucial to an “entitled” ruling class.

An escalating complexity of diverse societal structures, given the power and control of an upper elitist dominance, does not offer a positive picture for future democratic processes. For some observers, the sense of a democracy presumes an illusion to satiate the herded masses. On the more dismal track of perception, an “entitled” landed gentry, or aristocracy, is no guarantee of intellectual transformation to heightened levels of enlightenment. On the contrary, an argument is probable that a dumber class of oligarchs runs a dumbed down society.

Similarly, in the critique of modern American culture, the early founders in post 1776 lamented related concerns. Whereas it was possible to rebel, resist and otherwise defeat aristocratic oppression, as well as oppose titles of nobility, there was no certainty that some other form of oligarchy would rise up. For some notable representatives of the American Revolution, restraining potential of the monstrous creature of aristocracy required serious vigilance. To this endeavor, limitations on the ability of individuals and groups to have too much power was essential.[7]

To oppose a monarchy, to keep watch over the republic, and ensure freedom from oppression, demands an enlightened and well-educated electorate. Yet, a healthy sense of skepticism, tempered by seasoned cynicism, would immediately object to that notion. The last part of the assertion raises scary prospects, that is, the hope of enlightenment. With that, comes the concern regarding education, intellectual ascendency and maturity in productive thinking. With an extensive interactivity of special interests, corporate intrigue, patronage, linkages of preferentialism, privileged materialism, and hereditary entitlement, resistance is nearly futile.

With the rise of a subculture, or perhaps, several subsets of an American aristocracy, over time, society devolves. Historical references point to the eventual collapses of “empires”. When movie stars and other celebrities are viewed as “philosopher”, in a celebrity worship society, it is a warning signal of eventual social regression. As “educators” insist that one size fits all, and the public educational systems operate like a factory assembly line, creativity, inventiveness and imagination fade. While politicians spew nonsensical irrelevant rhetoric, and pundits ignorant of history foment disingenuous and divisive “political correctness”, mainstream society fragments. In the process, the politically powerful ensure their “hereditary” entrenchment in the continuity of dominance that favors the “entitled” few. In the meantime, waiting under their protective wings are the offspring. Progenies of the American aristocracy inherent the political domains of the elites to the eventual detriment of the republic. Social devolution ensues at a rapid pace.

[1]2018 articles, online newspaper sources focusing of economic issues and related topics;

[2]Traditional magazine with long standing history of articles relating to cultural and political issues;

[3] A documentary from 2013, from a major university’s public affairs program, examining the role of power in the U.S.;

[4]2014 British broadcasting news service focusing on economic global perspectives;

[5]Social commentary in documentary media discussing the counterproductive nature of upper class elitism;

[6]Historic traditional magazine with a history of politically oriented commentary;

[7]From an online national reporting service covering contemporary political and social issues;