Monday, Monday
Posted on | August 10, 2009 | 9 Comments
Hi Monday. What are you up to today?
There was 91% humidity when I woke up this morning. Clouds heavy and thick, threatening thunderstorms, then sun. A trip to the river is in the forecast today, for sure.
This weekend was all about out-of-town friends, hanging out around the bonfire in the back yard, roasting marshmallows and sipping summer beer. We spent the evening talking about heady, esoteric things like love and the evolution of technology.
I love conversations like these that loop and spiral and press at the edges of what we know. We talked a lot about the state of the world, about the future, and about power. I am very interested in the idea of power right now. It’s a theme that keeps coming up in my new novel, unbidden and determined to be there on the page.
What do you think it means to have power (and how is this different than to have money)?
Also, some lovelies I perusing this week that I wanted to share:
This gorgeous daily record by the author of Lobster & Swan. Isn’t it a great idea? I think I may steal it, and try it out in my moleskine this week. I always see images I love, and never end up doing anything with them. Nothing some paste & a date stamp can’t fix, apparently. In a similar vein, this ‘savings account’ of daily inspiration is also absolutely lovely and full of goodness.
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9 Responses to “Monday, Monday”
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I am Christina Rosalie
Hello. I'm so happy you've stopped by!
I am a multimedia storyteller, digital strategist, idea starter, stalker of wonder, finder of four leaf clovers, MFA graduate student, and mama of boys. My first book,
will be published by SKIRT! Books in September, 2012.
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August 10th, 2009 @ 8:25 pm
OOH! THREE new blogs to drown myself in. You are an INSTIGATOR!
August 10th, 2009 @ 8:42 pm
oh, the daily record is totally amazing, i’ve immediately added it to my reader, thank you.
i keep a journal/diary/ of images and things i need to have in one place like paint chips or a business card, make-up tips, a poem…it started as a way to eliminate the incessant piles in my studio and has evolved into a place that i like to look, if only to see what i’ve liked over the years.
August 11th, 2009 @ 12:52 am
We had family in from Australia and my ears have never been happier – full of their lovely accents.
It has been unseasonably cool here, but I love the crisp in the air.
August 11th, 2009 @ 11:22 am
Power….hmmmm….
I guess it depends on the individual situation, but when I think of having power, I think about control, authority, persuasion over others or things…..I think about the ability to be able to change or manipulate something, the ability to make something happen. I think of strength and motivation and gusto. I think about things beyond my control, things that have power over me….and think that the give and pull of power is a complicated, yet simple thing. I guess I’m happy for having power over some things, and grateful that other things (and people) have power over me.
Hmmmm…..power….interesting thought!
August 11th, 2009 @ 12:57 pm
Power(ful) = strength, muscular, mindful
Power = money, energy, hatred
Power (company) = GREED
August 11th, 2009 @ 1:18 pm
Interesting… what do you think makes power turn from strength to greed. How does it go from energy to hatred? Why are some people compelled to want power over others? What is the psychology of the CEO’s behind multi-national corporations (Monsanto, Pfizer, Nestle, etc) and what makes it possible for them to continue with their company’s design even after there is evidence that it has directly negative consequences for significant groups of people/communities?
August 11th, 2009 @ 1:56 pm
When I read your question about power, I couldn’t separate it from the book I am reading (Shanghai Girls, Lisa See). Some power is cultural, for example, in Chinese culture gender dictates power. Males whether it is your father, husband, or son (!) have power over the females in the household. This is regardless of money, or status, but it is within families. In our culture we have the ongoing race issues, the sexual orientation issues, as well as some religious underpinnings that permeate how power is distributed. I am also reminded of Sam’s post about her acquaintance who was not ready to have another baby, but her husband insisted. There is still power in being male in this country in families, and in the overall culture.
Of course, money provides the backdrop to power. A wealthy person will have power over a person who is in poverty regardless of the cultural norms. And with that becomes a sort of ignorance? disregard? dehumanization? of those in poverty.
Even I am guilty of this. (Not proud of that.) If I don’t look too closely, I can ignore the people with signs begging for food. I can overlook many injustices because they don’t directly affect me or my life. Being able to bury my head in the sand is a privilege of the power I have in society. This relates to the companies that you list…they have the luxury of pretending what they are doing doesn’t affect people, because it doesn’t affect THEM. I don’t really think it is hatred, I think it is complete disregard. Dehumanization. Greed is most likely the motivation.
As for the power over others question, I don’t know. It reminds me of bullies. Bullies have to pump themselves up by taking other people’s power. They are usually scared and their self confidence is shaky, but when they have power over someone else they feel a surge in confidence. Like a drug. However, when thinking about people in this country who have power, not all of them fit into the bully category. Maybe it is this…whatever kind of person you are, that is the kind of person you will be in power. There have to be people in power who are compassionate and generous. We just don’t see their names in the headlines. Is my head still in the sand? I hope not.
August 12th, 2009 @ 11:07 pm
From before conception every last one of us is composed and confonted with wheat and chaff. Sorting through all of it, making sense of it and (hopefully) keeping more of the wheat and letting as much of the chaff go as possible gives us a real power -the power to truly know ourselves.
With that power in hand, perhaps we will not proceed like Scott Fitzgerald said we do (forgive the paraphrase!) Beating on, boats against the current, drawn ceaselessly into the past.
August 14th, 2009 @ 7:23 pm
i don’t know how you feel about oprah, but the latest issue of her magazine is all about power. might be interesting reading.