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That covers the first half of the title entirely. Is it good enough? Isn't there a bit more to it than that? Are we left only with this Leftist anomie? Is that all there is?
A bit back I was reading Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, The Occult Roots of Nazism, and therein I came across "disaster utopia." It sums up so much so well.
And for those who like to be cool, who tell me the telos is nothing, here's their theme song.
Is that all there is?
SPOKEN:
I remember when I was a very little girl, our house caught on fire.
I'll never forget the look on my father's face as he gathered me up
in his arms and raced through the burning building out to the pavement.
I stood there shivering in my pajamas and watched the whole world go up in flames.
And when it was all over I said to myself, 'Is that all there is to a fire?'
SUNG:
Is that all there is, is that all there is?
If that's all there is, my friends, then let's keep dancing.
Let's break out the booze and have a ball,
If that's all there is
SPOKEN:
And when I was 12 years old, my father took me to a circus, the greatest show on earth.
There were clowns and elephants and dancing bears.
And a beautiful lady in pink tights flew high above our heads.
And so I sat there watching the marvelous spectacle.
I had the feeling that something was missing.
I don't know what, but when it was over,
I said to myself, 'Is that all there is to a circus?
SUNG:
Is that all there is, is that all there is?
If that's all there is, my friends, then let's keep dancing.
Let's break out the booze and have a ball,
If that's all there is.
SPOKEN:
Then I fell in love, head over heels in love, with the most wonderful boy in the world.
We would take long walks by the river or just sit for hours gazing into each other's eyes.
We were so very much in love.
Then one day he went away and I thought I'd die; but I didn't,
and when I didn't I said to myself, 'Is that all there is to love?'
SUNG:
Is that all there is, is that all there is?
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing.
SPOKEN:
I know what you must be saying to yourselves:
'If that's the way she feels about it why doesn't she just end it all?'
Oh no, not me. I'm in no hurry for that final disappointment,
for I know just as well as I'm standing here talking to you,
when that final moment comes and I'm breathing my last breath, I'll be saying to myself:
SUNG:
Is that all there is, is that all there is?
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing.
Let's break out the booze and have a ball...
If that's all there is....
Written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller; performed by Peggy Lee, 1969
"My life sucks and everything's fucked-up. God, I love it."
It ain't for me. I don't like cool at all. What I like?
Memorial Day comes on Monday. I hope to post something on Stephen Austin, the founder of the Republic of Texas. Maybe I just might refer to the Alamo. If Texas were all there is, then I'd break out the booze and ask you to dance. But there's more. There are another 49 reasons to celebrate. Let's have a ball.
[Dysteleology is the philosophical view that existence has no telos or final cause from purposeful design. The term "dysteleology" is a modern word invented and popularized by Haeckel.[1]]
2 comments:
dyastrotopia: keeper!
And you've really got the materialistic left's number with this post. The thing about the left is that it can be reduced to a "that's all there is". No faith, no grasp of transcendence, no sense of the little beauties everywhere.
Stephen Austin is a great man. He died not too well off, not well remembered, not a high and mighty figure in the nation. But I'm sure he died feeling that there was more he could have done, and that in that he would have been happy. He got all kinds of bad breaks, from friends and foes alike, and then Life up and killed him. Well, that sure enough stopped him. But nothing else did.
"Is that all there is?" Can't I do more? Austin was a maker. What a hero.
Yeah, I had to strap on the old tool belt and bang away at "dysastrotopia" till I got it right, so it trips off the tongue as lightly as it does. I kind of like it. It's not Texas, but it is big.
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