Cubism or ice-cube-ism?

 

Metaphorical and literal fruit of the ice storm on our deck on February 2nd.
The fruitful tree was once again a yaupon, Ilex vomitoria.

 

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There are all sorts of ways in which lies gain currency. The hysteria of [the] Salem [witch trials] is just one of the more evocative historical instances of people collectively fabricating a false reality and punishing those who fail to attest to its veracity. We are living through a period in which, much like the days when religious convictions were generally uncontested, articles of faith are peddled as truths by those in positions of power. The new puritans, then, are best understood as a clergy for a godless age, presiding over a dreamscape of their own making, rewriting our language, history and traditions as they go along. Yet, for all their clout, there are still some among us who steadfastly refuse to praise the elegance of the emperor’s new clothes, who would rather point and laugh at the naked man in our midst. Not for the first time in human history, our way out of this madness will depend upon the heretics.

That’s from Andrew Doyle’s 2022 book The New Puritans, which I’ve been reading and which I recommend.

 

© 2023 Steven Schwartzman