Thursday, April 19, 2007

Two Tragedies

The incident in Blacksburg wasn't enough, so the wife and I drove north for a performance of Macbeth last night and a supper at Guadelajara's, our favorite restaurant there. Shakespeare's play was one tragedy, and a showing tonight at DSU of Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth," which I had not seen until tonight, was another. Not that the film was a tragedy, but rather the sorry state of things that the film depicts, a planet quickly becoming a victim of human carelessness. There's still a chance to address the second.

2 comments:

Phil B said...

The state of the world is indeed confusing. There is so much to be frightened of, yet it seems like so many are willing to idly sit by and wait for whatever will come instead of trying to do something about it. If each person would only do one small thing in his or her life, we could each have a large impact on the state of the world. (Here is where I preach about biodiesel) Using a new, fuel efficient diesel engine fueled with biodiesel and using 100% synthetic oil makes a huge impact in a person's oil dependency. Riding a bike or walking whenever possible is another good way to have a direct, daily impact. Reaching out to others, even just by saying hello, can help to create a sense of community and hopefully prevent further actions like what happened at Virginia Tech. It's the little things we can each do everyday that make the most difference. I don't think there is anything we can do about the beauty of Macbeth, however. Sometimes we just need to leave well enough alone!

P

C. Meyer said...

Your comment about the tragic human treatment of the earth made me think something for the first time: maybe humans are careless because they feel themselves "small" compared to the vastness of the earth. To the degree we are careless and wanton, however, aren't we like viruses--microscopics that debilitate and/or destroy the host? On the other hand, and playing the same metaphor, if we must be small compared to the body of the earth (and we are), let us choose to be like beneficial flora that strengthen the host. Call me acidophilus!