Thursday, July 28, 2011

On B.S.

I spent a couple weeks in Montana visiting my sister and brother in law.  I've met him a few times, but hadn't spent much time with him. Like me, he is a construction guy with college degrees. My sister told me Todd has insomnia and stays up at night and writes.  She said it was good stuff.

I got him to let me read some of his essays.  I brought the hard copies home with me and told him he should set up a blog and if he didn't I was going to steal his stuff and pass it off as my own because I'm running out of stuff. So, he set up a blog. He's posted up a few essays and more are on the way, on work, life, economics, faith, God, and recently one on "bullshit".  A quote:

"There are other forms of bullshit that don't mean anything. Food packages will say things like “30% less fat.” 30% less fat than what? A block of pure fat? “Fresh Frozen Food?” “Fresh Pickled?” “Fresh Smoked?” “How are you?” “I'm fine.” “Mission Accomplished.” “That's really something.”

Bullshit is not new, and philosophers including Kant, Hume, Locke, Hobbes, and Frankfurt have attempted to define it and its role in society. I think by this point we have become so glazed over by bullshit's residue that we can at least recognize it by contrast to what it is not. It seems that when you see something that isn't bullshit, it is striking. When someone speaks a simple truth or does something genuinely good, it momentarily captures our attention as if it were something rare and precious. The Lord gives us the darkness so we can see the stars." 
 
From my brother in law's blog  "Truth, Ire and the Night" 
Check it out, check back frequently.

7 comments:

Elizabeth @ The Garden Window said...

Thank you, I shall mosey over and bookmark his blog !

David T said...

He IS good! Thanks for the recommendation.

Anonymous said...

Egg-cellent.

Athanasia said...

Oh YAY!! Off to read and put on my google reader so I can stay on top of what he writes about!

Bill M said...

Whoo-hoo... another excellent blog to follow.

You must think I'm made of time.

:)

Anonymous said...

Oooo...a new place to feed my head! And points to you for your honesty when you forewarned him that you would steel his ideas and claim them for your own.....a wonderful example for us all! :-)

Anonymous said...

Re: Bullshit

People who think that money makes the world go 'round have never been a sales rep.