The Quiddity Of It All
Every now and then I’ll go back to Thomas Cahill’s book How the Irish Saved Civilization along with the book Civilization, written by the late art historian Kenneth Clark. It was Clark that believed Western civilization in late antiquity had become full of “meaningless rituals, mystery religions, that destroyed self-confidence.”
Ultimately it was exhaustion that brought about the collapse of Greek and Roman civilization according to Clark. He rightly points out, it seems to me, that while civilization may consist of “fine sensibilities” and “certain amenities,” they are not what makes a real civilization. With all the gilded fixtures and shiny trinkets a society and a civilization can still become mummified and barren.
What had withered away, according to Clark, was a certain vigor and vitality, which all the great civilizations have; confidence in the society one lives in is essential, along with the broad, accepted belief in an overall guiding philosophy and support of the laws of that particular society.
While one may argue with some of Clark’s conclusions, it seems to me, as Clark suggests, a healthy and vigorous society can look forward—not backward—to a future with a confidence and a willingness to accept change and encourage creativity, in order to grow, develop and finally prosper in all the ways we humans can imagine.
Thomas Cahill, on the other hand, wants us to see the mindset of individual Romans as the fifth century begins. Certainly the majority of people could not foresee the total collapse of their civilization. After all, the Roman world had lasted nearly a thousand years and antiquity itself even longer.
But by the second half of the fifth century, however, perhaps the majority of people now had no doubt that the end was closing in on them. Cahill tells us about a well known poet and at one time an advisor to the emperor himself. His name was Ausonius.
Ausonius’ response to the unraveling was to retire to his villa in Gaul (France), where he would tend to his wine orchard and write poetry, while awaiting the end. Near the final days of the Roman Empire the people, rich or poor, influential or not were seemingly tired and overwhelmed by it all and offered no resistance as their world collapsed around them nor apparently having the wisdom and imagination to envision anything new. Pax Romana seeped away and antiquity in the West vanished. It would take another 600 years before a new, widespread awakening appeared, along with a new energy, vitality and curiosity.
Of Course Down Here If
We Want To Ponder Up There
A story about a stork and a fisherman caused me to think about “home” once more, after flirting with the cosmos ever so briefly. Earth is where I reside. I’m not interested in writing poetry at the moment or tending my imaginary vineyards.
Thirteen years ago a stork perched on a fisherman’s small boat on Lake Uluabata near an obscure Turkish village named Eskikaraagac with some 235 inhabitants. The fisherman is Adem Yilman, who is now 70 years of age. Thinking the stork was hungry, Mr. Yilman tossed a fish to the stork, then another and another. This was the beginning of their unique relationship and one that has enthralled all of Turkey over the past 13 years.
The stork’s nickname is Yaren, meaning “companion” in Turkish. Yaren, estimated to be 17 years old, winters in Africa but returns every year to the village and Mr. Yilman. As well, Yaren now has a partner and her name is Nazli, meaning “coquette” in Turkish. Eskikaraagac, Turkey is where Yaren and Nazli reside. Read the full story: A Stork, A Fisherman and Their Unlikely Bond Enchant Turkey
Yes it is a story of a cross-species relationship, the sort of relation that has always intrigued me in so many ways. To what degree are we humans capable of looking beyond ourselves? What does it take to make us truly happy … beyond the assorted bling, need for control and never ending blood lust of men in gray suits and insincere eyes?
This is a folktale of sorts but one quite factually true. Perhaps you will decide to visit Yaren and Nazli and catch a fish thrown by Mr. Yilman on Lake Uluabata next to the village of Eskikaraagac. Just look straight ahead. See: Storks Around Eskikaraagac
That Which Is In Front of Us and Below Us
Did you know that a viable ecosystem on planet Earth depends on invertebrates, like dung beetles, sea cucumbers, garden snails and pollinators in general for that matter. Invertebrates influence how plants behave and evolve, break down plastic waste that we humans produce, build coral reefs that provide homes for fish species and last but not least help oxygenate sediments in the ocean. Do you understand this?
The smallest creatures among us allow all of us to ponder the wonder of an eclipse or the nature of the universe. Now imagine our small planet in this very big universe without those invertebrates helping us survive, and survival it most certainly is.
It would likely not matter to the majestic universe but would remain very important to those of us stumbling along on an obscure planet in an unimportant solar system in one galaxy among millions upon millions of galaxies that are speeding farther apart.
As spring begins and I take out my aging dog in the morning for a walk it is becoming even more important for me to hear the sounds of birds singing when I first open the door, especially because I live in a city. It matters a lot. A lifeless, ornamental lawn doesn’t.
The Sound of Silence
Sound is the most powerful trigger of emotions for humans. Acoustic memories are very strong too. I’m thinking about it as a scientist, but it’s hard not to be emotional. (“World faces deathly silenced of nature,” Professor Bryan Pijanowski, Purdue University, The Guardian, April 2024)
Our ecosystems are slowly becoming silent. As our technology has become better we can now measure the health of our environment on land and in the water. So many species may no longer be with us; they are “acoustic fossils.” Put a microphone in the soil and you can hear the glorious sounds of life or the increasing sound of silence. Trees also have their own sound when under stress. See: Deathly Silence
You can hear what is happening. See: How a Haven for Nature Fell Silent
We humans are still indulging in smoke and mirrors and deluding ourselves even further; we are not addressing the increasing possibility of our actual demise. But, after all, does it really matter to the universe what happens to us. Really? Actually, are we really any wiser than the inhabitants of antiquity waiting for the end to arrive?
READ
What Are the Three Types of Solar Eclipses
How To Appreciate What You Have
If you like the post—share it. This has to be a collective effort if we want actual change for all of us.
I loved this article, connecting so many dots from past civilizations to invertebrates to galaxies, from sound to silence.
Even though it can be depressing to think of all that might be lost it still makes me feel hopeful about the possibility that what we can’t see or understand could still be the answer through the presence of awe.