What it is, dearest reader…

Much of your mail for the last couple of years has had to do with contemporary societal issues which, traditionally, in more civil and genteel times, I have generally tried to avoid wading too deeply into.  There are just usually much more interesting things to talk about.  But these days are different and your questions and issues keep coming  And I’m very limited in what sort of detail I can go into here about work on the books, outside of just general stuff like the going is slow or today was a good day or whatever.  So what the hell…we can look at some of these issues, if that’s what you want to do.

I have to deal with this nonsense every day whenever I’m teaching college, that unabashed bastion of political correctness.  Half the battle in composition classes is getting the students to boldly express their actual opinions rather than parroting the opinions of their instructors whom have been all too willing to share said opinions in lieu of actual subject-oriented instruction.  I could usually break the students out of their pernicious PC habits in a few weeks, though some were more more challenging than others.

Rather than address each issues as it comes along, it makes much more sense to first explain a few aspects of my thinking that may be different than yours.  The first characteristic that might be different is that I’m an atheist.  I’m not happy about it…I was much happier when I Still Believed.  And I really wish I could believe again.  I’m envious of people who have Faith.  But it’s like finding out about Santa: once you know, you can’t go back to not knowing, as much as you may want to.  But yeah…I looked into The Abyss, and nothing looked back.  There was nothing fucking there.  Nada.  Not only do I not believe in any god, but I believe in nothing supernatural.  No ghosts, no magic. no nothing.  So when I’m analyzing/discussing something, divine will, providence, or any kind of diving order do not enter into the thought process at all.  Just so you know.

Okay…more tomorrow.

N.P.: “Barra Barra” – Rachid Taha