Elevate Yourself

[omega minimo]

“We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake . . . by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep. I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of humans to elevate their lives by a conscious endeavor.” --Henry David Thoreau


Elevate Yourself

The level of public discourse has become so fractious, so toxic, so WWF bordering on WWIII, that we forget there was ever any other way. We’ve grown so accustomed to the animated onslaught of 24/7 screamfests passing for news, that the adversarial stance becomes a way of life.

“Banality is a symptom of non-communication. Men hide behind their cliches.” --Eugene Ionesco

Yet most of our leaders and heroes know how to string a sentence together and do more than play dueling soundbites. Their words inspire us, from the past and into the future.

“We hold these Truths to be self-evident...”

“Ask not what your country can do for you...”

“Heh. Heheh. Heh. Mexed missages. War on Terra... Heh. Heheh...”

“I have a Dream...”

The dumbing-down and road-raging of American life has people running scared and acting tough, fighting just to fight. Even so, words of wisdom of the ages still inspire us and elevate our spirits.

So how did “elevate yourself” become an insult? “You’re trying to elevate yourself...” When did we become so disempowered that “elevating ourselves” became a foreign concept?

“If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” --James Madison

The inspiring words of our heroes call on us to elevate ourselves, elevate each other, elevate our common life. Their words are alive, their vision is a legacy that calls on us to participate, not collapse under the weight of our fears. That's what the fearmongers and newsshouters want us to do-- collapse in a comfortable heap, afraid to "elevate" out of complacency and complicity.

“Man cannot degrade woman without himself falling into degradation; he cannot elevate her without at the same time elevating himself.” --Alexander Walker

There is no shame in elevating the level of discourse or refusing to get suckered into the trashtalk level of reverse-logic political bullies. The shame is in letting them get us to think we are fighting them with their own propagandized dirty tricks, when all we are doing is playing right into their plan to keep us down.

They dominate. We elevate.


“Ideologies separate us. Dreams and anguish bring us together.” --Eugene Ionesco

[Swamp Rat]

1. "Wanna get high?"

Aw Towelie! You're messing up this thread!! x(

[omega minimo]

3. Thank you

...for elevating the thread :spray: :hug:

[H2O Man]

9. "I want to take you higher"

Feeling's gettin stronger
Music's gettin longer too
Music is flashin me
I want to take you higher
Baby baby baby light my fire

Boom shaka-laka-laka Boom shaka-laka-laka

Feeling's nitty-gritty
Sound is in the city too
Music's still flashin' me
Don't ya want to get higher
Baby baby baby light my fire.

Boom shaka-laka-laka Boom shaka-laka-laka

Harmonica solo
Higher!

C'mon light my fire
Want to take you higher

Boom shaka-laka-laka Boom shaka-laka-laka

Feeling that should make you move
Sounds that should help you groove
Music still flashin' me
Take your places
I want to take you higher
Baby baby baby light my fire.

[omega minimo]

10. "Boom shaka-laka-laka Boom shaka-laka-laka"!!

:rofl:

Music is flashing me :woohoo:

[Swamp Rat]

15. Yeah you rite!

:)

[H2O Man]

19. My boys think

I'm strange when I get out those old albums!

[Swamp Rat]

20. Play for them some Igor Stravinsky or something atonal by Schoenberg or Webern

They'll beg for Tina! :D

[omega minimo]

22. Ain't It Strange...................

Lots of youth listen to "classic rock" or soul music... lots of them don't like today's somewhat limited choices...


And when is whoever owns the rights to "People Get Ready" gonna take John Mayer to court? ("Waiting on the world to change")

[porphyrian]

11. I'm ready for some of that elevation, too.

;)

[Swamp Rat]

12. There's always Mardi Gras

;)

[omega minimo]

13. Bon temps

:yourock:

[Swamp Rat]

16. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

[porphyrian]

17. That's coming up here real soon, isn't it?

I don't know if I can make it, but we'll see.

[omega minimo]

14. High P!

:hi:

[porphyrian]

18. High indeed.

;)

[omega minimo]

21. Going UP!

:hide: :bounce:

[saltpoint]

2. "I don't want realism. I want magic." -- Blanche DuBois in

Tennessee Williams' A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

A lot of the time I'm with Blanche. Nevermind that the low-rent nobodies in her care shipped her off in a tight white jacket to the loony bin. She saw the lyric poetry in the fetid streets. She smelled the lillies on the banks of the drainage ditch.

Hey there omega minimo. Very nice to see you this evening on DU. Great post, too. Thank you.

[omega minimo]

4. Heh heh

hehe heheh heh -- you said fetid. B-)

"She saw the lyric poetry in the fetid streets. She smelled the lillies on the banks of the drainage ditch." :applause: beeyooteeful, OC.

:pals:

[saltpoint]

5. Damned nice to see you hereabouts, omega minimo.

:hi:

[omega minimo]

6. Nice to be seeable

:evilgrin:

Haven't seen you in forever and a day, OC. Happy poetic New Year to you :toast:

[saltpoint]

7. Many thanks. And to you the same.

Here's hoping 07 will be a brighter highway than 06.

[omega minimo]

8. After OP saw Howard Stern on Letterman: "Sometimes I think I should elevate myself....."

[omega minimo]

23. "and then I thought, 'What would I be elevating?' "

[omega minimo]

24. nevermind

:banghead: :toast: :headbang:


“Ideologies separate us. Dreams and anguish bring us together.” --Eugene Ionesco

[burythehatchet]

25. spirituality vs. religion, individual exploration vs. dogma