Showing posts with label humor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label humor. Show all posts

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Charter's Internet Outage, Speculation, and "The Simpsons"


(From DownDetector, via Network World; used w/o permission.)

Our household's Internet connection fizzled, few minutes after 4:00 yesterday afternoon. My son reconnected us a few times, something to do with DNS, I understand.

Each time, the new connection stopped rather promptly. Finally, around 10:00, he reached a working landline connection to Charter — and heard a recording that said, basically, 'we know there's a problem, we're trying to fix it, really.'

This morning, service was back: and I was only about six hour behind on work that depends partly on what's online.

Looks like we had company:
"...Charter Communications, the 4th largest cable operator in the US, suffered major internet outages that some news outlets reported to be nationwide. Charter offers Internet to 'more than 27.6 million customers in 29 states.' If you zoom out on the map, then you see why it appears to be a nationwide outage.

"Many customers took to DownDetector, which peaked at 7,982 reports of being down within the last 24 hours and over 8,000 on August 23. For today, August 24, the outage heat map shows reports of Charter still being down in 'Homewood, St. Louis, Madison, Asheville, Plant City, Greenville, Ballwin, Athens, Chicago, and Birmingham.' On Saturday, Charter was reportedly also down in Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta...."
(Ms. Smith, Privacy and Security Fanatic, Opinion, Network World)
I don't know whether the two maps in Ms. Smith's op-ed were from different times during the outage, represent different degrees of 'outage,' or — something else.


(From DownDetector, via Network World; used w/o permission.)

When I checked the news this afternoon, Charter apparently still hasn't announced what caused this outage. It may, as Ms. Smith implies, be because the company's brass hats are embarrassed about being hacked.

On the other hand, I think it's possible that Charter's upper-level management may not know what happened, themselves. Whatever went wrong, it affected a complex network that's roughly 3,000 miles across.

The technicians who fixed the problem may not know what went wrong — and won't, until they have a chance to compare notes and discuss what they found.

It's possible, although I think unlikely, that this continent-spanning SNAFU happened because somebody tried playing PONG on Charter's network hardware.

Frustrating as being cut off from the rest of the world, apart from pre-Information-Age tech, was: the incident had a funny side.

The St. Cloud Times reported that "...the last tweet on Charter's Twitter page was a retweet from Entertainment Weekly regarding the FXX mega marathon of 'The Simpsons.'..."

News and views:
Oddly enough, being offline for well over 12 hours didn't produce appreciation for a low-tech world.

I don't miss the 'good old days,' partly because I've got a pretty good memory —
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Sunday, August 17, 2014

Robin Williams, Suicide, and Hope

Robin Williams was a few months older than I am when he died. That photo is from 1979, when he was becoming famous for his role in "Mork & Mindy."

I admire Williams' work, regret his addiction to cocaine and alcohol, and am sorry that he is dead. He was a remarkably talented actor and comedian. Sadly, he apparently decided to hang himself.

We can't be sure, but it's likely that suffering from depression had something to do with his death.

Celebrity deaths get heavy media coverage: so when yet another movie star dies from suicide, drug overdose, or some other avoidable cause, it can seem that fame leads to self-destruction.

Although famous folks from Hannibal to Margaux Hemmingway killed themselves, I think it's prudent to remember that many high-profile folks didn't: like Lauren Bacall and Bob Hope.

I'll be writing mostly about life, depression, death, and why I haven't killed myself. You'll find links to articles about Robin Williams near the end of this post.

Decades in an Emotional Desert


I grew about a foot, and started shaving regularly, when I turned 13. As that was happening, I noticed that seeing sunlight washing over a freshly-mowed lawn was accompanied by no emotions: at all. I saw each blade of grass clearly, sunlight still sparkled through water droplets, but my response to the scene was strictly intellectual.

At the time, I assumed that having all the beauty and wonder sucked out of the world was a normal part of growing up. The way many adults acted strongly suggested that this was the case.

I mentally shrugged my shoulders and moved on. Feeling something besides "empty" most of the time would have been nice: but now I could reach higher shelves, so there was an 'up' side.

Decades later, on the recommendation of my wife, I talked with a psychiatrist: who promptly diagnosed me as experiencing major depression. Turns out, most adults don't live in an emotional desert, constantly fighting to make their brains work.

Around the same time, I learned that I've got ADD-Inattentive, Asperger's, or maybe something else. Either way, high-strength antidepressants and a few other drugs finally sorted out my brain chemistry.

Now I can think more clearly than I could since my pre-teens, maybe ever.

It's great.

Stubborn as a Mule: Still Working on Fortitude


I thought about killing myself: once, in my teens. After a few seconds, I decided that I was very stubborn: and likely to endure longer than any of my then-current torments. Afterward, I still felt awful, but the feelings passed.

I've felt like killing myself a few times since then, but each time I remembered that obstinacy has advantages. "Perseverance" or "dogged determination" sound better, maybe, but let's face it: I'm stubborn. Properly controlled, it's a strength.

I'm still working on virtues like fortitude, and that's another topic. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1808)

Major Depressive Disorder: Real; Serious — and Treatable


So, if I'm such a stubborn man, why didn't I just decide to stop being depressed?

For one thing, I didn't realize that I suffered from psychiatric disorders. I figured that so many adults were cranky and obtuse because they were dealing with interior torments like mine.

For another, although we still don't know exactly what happens with depression, medicos have long since realized that it's a physical disorder: not the result of weak character or moral failings. Not directly, anyway.

"Major depressive disorder" comes with various combinations of altered brain chemistry, out-of-whack hormones, other biological and genetic differences, and traumatic events. (Mayo Clinic)

I was dealing with at least three of those factors, including a traumatic event I know happened: but which isn't in my conscious memory. And that's yet another topic. (January 28, 2011)

At the risk of sounding preachy, I'll repeat what you've probably heard before: being imperfect is okay; and so is getting help:
"...When our society characterizes people with clinical depression, it paints pictures of moody teens wearing black. It does not consider depression as it honestly is: a real illness that can hit anyone of any socioeconomic background. It can affect a parent as well as a student, the rich and the poor. Like a cold or the flu, anyone can experience it....

"...But society stigmatizes depression as just a case of 'being sad,' and tells the depressed to 'just get over it.' That leads the clinically depressed to hide their illness until it is too late, scared of what people might think, instead of reaching out for the treatment that can help return them to happiness....

"...But, just as if you were to get the flu, if you feel depressed, you should go to the doctor and get medicine and advice for feeling better. You would tell your friends to do the same...."
("Coming of Age: A lesson from the dimming of a bright star," Karen Osborne, CNA (August 12, 2014))
There's more of that excerpt at the very end of this post.

Getting a Grip About Health, Hair Shirts, and Hope


Life and health are "precious gifts." Since I'm a Catholic, part of my job is taking care of my health: within reason. (Catechism, 1509-1523, 2288-2291)

Prayer is a good idea, always: so is science and technology, used wisely. (Catechism, 1509-1523, 2292-2296, 2275, 2558)

Over the last few centuries, we've been learning a great deal about how the body works, and that's yet again another topic.

I've read and heard quite a bit about suicide, some of it about as sensible as this line from a Monty Python comedy sketch:
"...After all he only did what many of us simply dream of doing --- I'm sorry. After all we should remember that a murderer is only an extroverted suicide...."
("The Tale Of The Piranha Brothers," Monty Python, via www.montypython.net)
I take humor and suicide seriously. But although immoderate laughter is a bad idea, joy and humor are okay, and I'm wandering off-topic. Again. (Catechism, 1676, 1856)

Or maybe not so much. St. Philip Neri, the 'amiable Saint,' was known for his heavy-handed humor: like giving an overly-pious young man permission to wear a hair shirt, on the outside of his regular clothes.

"Cilice" is a fancy name for hair shirt. Think of it as an all-wool T-shirt, starched. Worn next to the skin, it's a a sort of low-impact penance. Worn over your clothes, you'd look ridiculous. (November 13, 2011)

Getting back to life, death, and all that — Human life is a precious gift, sacred. Murder is wrong, even when the victim is oneself. (Catechism, 2258, 2268-2269, 2280-2282)

We get one life, one soul, and one chance at eternity. Hope is a virtue, despair is not an option, and hope lasts as long as we live. (Catechism, 366, 1013, 1021-1022, 1501, 1817-1821, 2091)

Sin is an offense against reason and truth, and quite real. (Catechism, 1846-1851)

Sin is not a matter of liking the 'wrong' sort of music, or wearing slacks during Minnesota winters. Still more topics. (September 26, 2009)

Finally, a few words about hope and joy:
"We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives."
(Catechism, 2283)
"but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'
…
"I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. "
(Luke 15:2-7)
Background
Looking for more of my take on being alive? Here's a sample:
Robin McWilliams, news and views:
Excerpt from news and view:
"...When our society characterizes people with clinical depression, it paints pictures of moody teens wearing black. It does not consider depression as it honestly is: a real illness that can hit anyone of any socioeconomic background. It can affect a parent as well as a student, the rich and the poor. Like a cold or the flu, anyone can experience it.

"Clinical depression has a lot to do with the way chemicals function in your brain. Scientists have found that chemicals that help regulate your mood are severely low in people who have depressive episodes. But society stigmatizes depression as just a case of 'being sad,' and tells the depressed to 'just get over it.' That leads the clinically depressed to hide their illness until it is too late, scared of what people might think, instead of reaching out for the treatment that can help return them to happiness.

"But, just as if you were to get the flu, if you feel depressed, you should go to the doctor and get medicine and advice for feeling better. You would tell your friends to do the same. Why suffer a headache when there are painkillers? Why suffer a sinus infection when you can get a decongestant?

"Doctors have effective medicine and methods to battle clinical depression. And yet, it is a condition that makes people feel as they cannot reach for help. There is help out there -- from friends, psychologists, doctors and even kind strangers at hotlines and help lines.

"If you are experiencing major depression, you might have difficulty concentrating and making decisions...."
("Coming of Age: A lesson from the dimming of a bright star," Karen Osborne, CNA (August 12, 2014))
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Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Whatever



About two millennia back, Jesus was born. It's still a big deal, which is why folks like me celebrate the event each year, right around the winter solstice.

You'll find a slightly-larger version of that picture on Apathetic Lemming of the North. That's the Lemming, with his back to the camera.

One more thing: Merry Christmas!

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Thursday, November 28, 2013

Thanksgiving 2013: Musing on Two Turkeys and Being Alive

I wrote a longer Thanksgiving Day post last year, but don't have much new to say this time around.


(From Apathetic Lemming of the North (2012))

There's a slightly-larger version of that cartoon in my Apathetic Lemming of the North blog. It doesn't have a profound message: apart from the notion that it's okay to laugh now and then, or at least smile.

I've got quite a bit to smile about. I'm alive, which is arguably better than the alternative, and in reasonably good health. A nasty infection will probably be cleared up in a month or so, and I won't be driving anywhere this weekend: nowhere out of town, that is.

My family is "better than I deserve," as the fellow says: but I don't mind. At all.

One more thing: Advent starts this Sunday. Now that's something to be thankful about.

Somewhat-related posts:
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Friday, March 15, 2013

Pope Francis I: "Seeming Anomalies" and a Sense of Humor

I'm still a bit surprised that we got our new Pope so fast: about 24 hours after the first vote, as I recall. It's nice to see someone from my home hemisphere hold the authority my Lord gave Peter, but I'd have been happy with whoever the conclave picked.

The Catholic Church is καθολικός (katholikos, for folks who use the Latin alphabet): universal. Expecting the Pope to be from any particular part of the world seems a bit silly: although recent history has encouraged folks to think "Italian" when they hear "Pope."

Francis I has been in the news quite a lot, including the three articles I picked.
  1. Social Justice, Orthodoxy, and "Anomalies"
  2. 'A Funny Thing Happened to Me on the Way to the Vatican....'
  3. A Reminder From the Pope

1. Social Justice, Orthodoxy, and "Anomalies"

"Former Vatican diplomat sees wisdom of Holy Spirit in Pope's election"
Carl Bunderson, CNA/EWTN News (March 15, 2013)

"Despite 'seeming anomalies' in the election of Pope Francis, a former ambassador to the Vatican said that seeing the event through the eyes of faith can give us a glimpse into the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

" 'I have confidence in the College of Cardinals and the Holy Spirit,' said Jim Nicholson, who served as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See from 2001-2005.

" 'They know very well what the Church needs today,' he told CNA....

"...Nicholson said that while some may 'think there are superficial contradictions' in the election of Cardinal Bergoglio, he finds the choice 'terrific.'

" 'A combination of social justice and orthodoxy. That is greatly needed,' he said...."
I'm with Jim Nicholson on that last point. We need social justice, and orthodoxy. As I've said before, social justice is orthodoxy, or should be:

"Seeming Anomalies" and Headlines

Former ambassador Nicholson's "seeming anomalies" are interesting, and I'll get to them in a bit. They're not disturbing, not to me anyway: but I think it's possible that we'll see headlines like "IRREGULARITIES IN VATICAN VOTE!" or "IS FRANCIS POPE? FORMER DIPLOMAT CLAIMS IRREGULARITIES IN VOTE!"

Tweaking language for dramatic effect isn't necessarily limited to supermarket tabloids. Reuters has consistently used the verb "abdicate" to describe what Benedict XVI did. In context, the word is technically accurate: but it's not the term chosen by an English-language news service operating on the Vatican's server.

NEWS.va and other English-language Vatican resources I've seen use the verb "resign" to describe Benedict XVI's decision to step down as Pope:
"Resignation" and "abdication" have very similar 'dictionary' meanings, but I think "to abdicate" carries a little extra emotional baggage. For example, I can imagine someone "abdicating responsibility," but not "resigning responsibility."

But I could be wrong about that.

An Unexpected Pope

The 'anomalies' involved in Francis I's election are more interesting than disturbing. Here's some of what Nicholson had to say about the new Pope:
"...One of the apparent anomalies surrounding the election was the fact that Cardinal Bergoglio's name had not been one of those mentioned as a top possibility for Pope when the conclave began, said Nicholson. And while it had seemed like the cardinals were largely undecided and there was no clear frontrunner, the conclave lasted just two days – shorter than many Vatican analysts had anticipated.

"The former ambassador said that while this contradicted many people's expectations, it shows that Pope Francis was 'obviously very well regarded' among his brother cardinals....

"...The Holy Father's choice of the name 'Francis' is another of the 'seeming anomalies,' Nicholson said, observing that St. Francis of Assisi is 'the founder of an order of which he is not a part.'

"In addition, he said, although St. Francis of Assisi is 'one of the most beloved saints in the Church,' no Pope has ever taken his name before.

"However, taking St. Francis' name is 'consistent with his lifestyle,' which is characterized by humility, austerity and a dedication to the poor, he explained...."
(Carl Bunderson, CNA/EWTN News)
A Pope who is a Jesuit, but took the name of St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscans? That doesn't shake my confidence in the Pope's qualifications: much less my faith. As for not being one of the pre-conclave frontrunners? Same comment: 'unexpected' doesn't mean 'bad;' not for me.

2. 'A Funny Thing Happened to Me on the Way to the Vatican....'

"Pope Francis to cardinals: 'I hope God forgives you' "
Estefania Aguirre, CNA/EWTN News (March 14, 2013)

"The newly elected Pope Francis joked with cardinals over dinner telling them he hopes God forgives them for having chosen him.

" 'When the Secretary of State toasted to him, he toasted back to us and said "I hope God forgives you," ' Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan recalled at the Pontifical North American College last night...."
A joke? From the Pope??!

I didn't become a Catholic because we allow Bingo, but tolerance for something other than the 'oh woe all ye faithful' approach to piety was appealing. I've been over that before:
A little more seriously, joy and humor are part of a Christian humanism. (Catechism, 1676)

So, yes: it's okay to smile.

3. A Reminder From the Pope

"Pope Francis warns Church could become 'compassionate NGO' "
BBC News (March 14, 2013)

"Pope Francis has warned the Catholic Church would become 'a compassionate NGO' without spiritual renewal.

"In a Sistine Chapel Mass with cardinals on his first day as Church leader, the pontiff said: 'If we do not confess to Christ, what would we be?

" 'We would end up a compassionate NGO. What would happen would be like when children make sand castles and then it all falls down.'..."
It's nice to see an outfit like BBC News 'get it' about the Pope and the Catholic Church.

The rest of the article is fairly straightforward reporting. I think it's a pretty good place to go for an 'outside' point of view of the current situation. We've had Popes who held that authority while a previous Pope was still around: but not for a few centuries.

My take on the situation is that it's a good thing. Francis I could, in principle, ask Benedict XVI for insights: I've seen nothing to suggest that there's some sort of rivalry.

On the other hand, I rather hope that Benedict XVI/Joseph Ratzinger can retire and live out his years without the pressure of advising the current Pope.

"NGO?"

Acronyms are handy: as long as everyone involved knows what they mean.

"NGO" could by "Never Grow Old," a song title; the airport code for Komaki Airport/Nagoya Airfield, Japan; Non Gazetted Officer; or National Gas Outlet. (The Free Dictionary) but in this case I'm quite sure it means "nongovernmental organization." (Princeton's WordNet)

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Sunday, December 2, 2012

Advent, Seasonal Strangeness, and Me

This is the first Sunday of Advent, part of the Catholic countdown to Christmas. I look forward to this time of year, but realize that some folks don't.

So here's a non-discriminatory un-greeting:



As I wrote last year:
"...Think about it. Using the straight-as-a-pretzle 'logic' of recent decades, 'happy holiday' and 'winter holiday' are as 'hateful' and 'divisive' as 'merry Christmas:'
  • " 'Happy' discriminates against people with mood disorders
  • " 'Holiday' sounds too much like 'holy day'
  • " 'Winter' discriminates against folks living in the southern hemisphere
"And, no: I don't think any of the above make sense...."
(December 16, 2011)
I generally make some sort of picture for the holiday season.

They're probably not the sort of thing you're used to seeing on Christmas cards:


This blog (2008)


Loonfoot Falls Chronicle-Gazette (2009)


Apathetic Lemming of the North (2010)


Apathetic Lemming of the North (2011)

I take my faith very seriously. Some of my native culture's customs and assumptions, not so much. And that's another topic.

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Sunday, September 9, 2012

Human Nature, Humor, and God

I could assume that God has absolutely no sense of humor, and frowns on merrymaking of any sort. As for getting more drinks when a wedding party runs dry? Horrors! (John 2:1-10)

Then there's Matthew 7:3 and Acts 9:11. Those verses have, I'm confident, deep spiritual significance. They also, I strongly suspect, had a funny angle that's still there for folks who are willing to admit my Lord's humanity. That's almost another topic.

I do not think that God gave humanity a sense of humor - and now intends to punish us severely for having a sense of humor. That just doesn't make sense. Not to me, anyway.

Still, I'm just "some guy with a blog," with no more teaching authority than any other Catholic layman. (And Now, for Something Completely Different: Catholics and Humor)

Phyllis Diller and - Dignity?

I've been meaning to write about the funny side of faith for a while now. The death of Phyllis Diller last month helped get this post started.

'Phyllis who?' I remember Phyllis Diller: but I also grew up in America; and remember the Apollo 11 landing, the first Earth Day, and the days when transistors were the latest cutting-edge technology.

I found short 'Phillis Diller' clips, "Embedding disabled by request." They're a pretty good introduction to her style of comedy.

I think they're funny, but your experience may vary. Also, the language and content of some jokes was typical of '70s America. You have been warned:
Phyllis Diller's comedy routines didn't exude dignity, but I think she helped establish dignity for women in America. That's going to take a bit of explaining.

First, saying that someone has "dignity" isn't the same as saying that the person is a stuffed shirt:
  • Stuffed shirt
    • A bore who is extremely
      • Formal
      • Pompous
      • Old-fashioned
      (Princeton's WordNet)
  • Dignity
    1. The quality of being worthy of
      • Esteem
      • Or respect
    2. Formality in
      • Bearing
      • Appearance
    3. High office or rank or station
      (Princeton's WordNet)
Stuffed shirts have "dignity," in the "formality in bearing and appearance" sense. They also, according to the Catholic Church, have the dignity that comes from being human: "the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect." (Princeton's WordNet)

I'm quite sure that when the Church talks about "dignity," it's that sort of basic respect.

I'm a practicing Catholic, so I have to embrace "...a Christian humanism that radically affirms the dignity of every person as a child of God...." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1676)

Comedy and Culture

Not all stand-up comedy "affirms the dignity of every person as a child of God," radically or otherwise. Sometimes, though, I think getting folks to laugh gets some of them to think: and can help change a culture.

Retro People Clip Art, via squidoo.com, used w/o permissionAs I've said before, I remember 'the good old days:' when "she's as smart as a man" was supposed to be a compliment; and one of my sister-in-laws shocked a school by taking shop class. 'The good old days' are gone: for which I am profoundly grateful.

Being a grimly serious social activist is one way to try turning a culture around. Another approach is to become a successful stand-up comedian:
"The Power Of Comedy And Phyllis Diller"
Liza Donnelly, ForbesWoman, Forbes (August 21, 2012)

"Phyllis Diller reminded me of my mother. I grew up in the fifties and sixties, and my mother and I loved watching comedy on television. Laugh-In and Sanford and Son are the two I remember us watching together, but in the years before that, we often saw Diller performing her wacky routines on the talk shows. My mother was of the post-war generation and was a homemaker. She really only got to express herself by decorating the house and cooking us dinners - I always thought she aspired to do more....

"...She understood that in order to break into the male world of stand-up, she had to play by their rules: don't vary from the stand-up format; and because you are a woman, act and look ridiculous. She needed to pretend she was not a successful at being a 'woman' (read: pretty, sexy, domestic, good wife and mother) because in 1950/60s America, 'real' women were not supposed to be funny...."

'Nice' Women, Culture, and Assumptions

I don't think Phyllis Diller's jokes transformed American culture - by themselves. I do think that Phyllis Diller's success as a comedian helped change America's rather limited notions about what a 'real' or 'nice' woman should do.

I've known folks who seemed to believe that men and women should act 'correctly.' So far, I'd agree. The problem was that they seemed to believe that God's eternal and unchanging law was indistinguishable from the cultural mores of a particular set of Americans: between about 1945 and 1955.

By those standards, these women weren't being very 'nice:'
"At this time the prophetess Deborah, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel."
(Judges 4:4)
"When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls....

"...2 Like merchant ships, she secures her provisions from afar....

"...She picks out a field to purchase; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

"She is girt about with strength, and sturdy are her arms...."
(Proverbs 31:10-28)
I'm not shocked at Deborah's behavior, because I understand that there's more to my faith than what's happened in my native culture recently. A lot more.

Popular piety: Dryly Discussed

"Popular piety" is what happens when folks take what the Church teaches, and apply our cultures' ways of 'being religious.' Sort of:
"Besides sacramental liturgy and sacramentals, catechesis must take into account the forms of piety and popular devotions among the faithful. The religious sense of the Christian people has always found expression in various forms of piety surrounding the Church's sacramental life, such as the veneration of relics, visits to sanctuaries, pilgrimages, processions, the stations of the cross, religious dances, the rosary, medals,180 etc."
(Catechism, 1674)
Quite a bit of 'etcetera' has collected over the millennia. For example, my own native culture is essentially northwestern European. We drag a tree inside near the winter solstice, when the Church celebrates the birth of Jesus: and call it a "Christmas tree." Our midwinter celebrations also involve quite a lot of stuff that's red and green: just like in the older 'good old days.'

The Church didn't change what my Lord taught to accommodate barbarian warlords. But we weren't forced to pretend we were Romans, either. Or Hebrews, or anyone but ourselves.

"This Wisdom is a Christian Humanism"

There's a serious side to being human: but like I said before, humor is in the mix, too. And the Church is okay with that:
"Pastoral discernment is needed to sustain and support popular piety and, if necessary, to purify and correct the religious sense which underlies these devotions so that the faithful may advance in knowledge of the mystery of Christ.182 Their exercise is subject to the care and judgment of the bishops and to the general norms of the Church.
"At its core the piety of the people is a storehouse of values that offers answers of Christian wisdom to the great questions of life. The Catholic wisdom of the people is capable of fashioning a vital synthesis. . . . It creatively combines the divine and the human, Christ and Mary, spirit and body, communion and institution, person and community, faith and homeland, intelligence and emotion. This wisdom is a Christian humanism that radically affirms the dignity of every person as a child of God, establishes a basic fraternity, teaches people to encounter nature and understand work, provides reasons for joy and humor even in the midst of a very hard life. For the people this wisdom is also a principle of discernment and an evangelical instinct through which they spontaneously sense when the Gospel is served in the Church and when it is emptied of its content and stifled by other interests.181"
(Catechism, 1676) [emphasis mine]
I've quoted that part of the Catechism before. (December 18, 2010) Maybe I should seriously consider using more humor in this blog. And that's another topic. Topics.

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Monday, December 5, 2011

Faust and Friars - Cursing God? - For the Pope?!

New post about Marlowe's
"The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus" each Monday

Marlowe's 'Faustus:' Why Bother?

Another Monday, another 'Marlowe's Faustus' post: which may seem like an odd topic for a blog called "A Catholic Citizen in America."

This blog is supposed to be about being a Catholic in America.

So why am I posting about what some Englishman wrote, long before this country existed?

For starters, I wanted to get reacquainted with Marlowe's adaptation of the Faust legend. It's one of those 'culturally significant' things.

"The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus" helped bring the German story to the English-speaking world, where it became part of our culture. For example, I think some Mad scientists in the movies are a 20th-century take on Faust, and I've been over that before.

The Catholic Connection

Ever since Henry VIII decided to be a mini-pope, the English speaking world has 'known' things about the Church that are colorful, sensational, and wrong. Marlowe put a fair number of those beliefs in his "...Faustus."

It's the 'Catholic connection' that I'm mostly concerned with: particularly since I think American culture inherited quite a lot of England's store of misinformation.

Marlowe's England isn't 21st-century America, but there's a fairly straight path leading from Elizabethan England to the country I live in. I'll get back to that.

Faustus, Friars, and All That

Last week, I looked at:
  • How Marlowe got Faustus and Mephistopheles to Rome
  • Gluttonous friars in Marlowe's imagined city

Fictional Settings, Real Names

Rome was, and is, real enough. Marlowe's version isn't.

That's not a criticism. Marlowe's "...Faustus" is fiction. His Rome was essentially a fictional setting: a backdrop for his characters. Authors, playwrights, and directors routinely set their stories in real places: like Ironside's San Francisco, or New York Undercover.

I think it's a good idea to remember that their settings are fictional versions of real places: a combination of real and imagined elements.

Profligate Papists, Long-Winded Actors, and Action Movies

Marlowe gives his Elizabethan audience an earful about the extravagant lifestyle of those profligate papists. Which I take about as seriously as WWII-era depictions of Germans and Japanese in American movies. And that's almost another topic.

Long-winded actors seem to have been popular in Elizabethan theaters: like Hamlet's "To be, or not to be,--that is the question...."

About 200 words later, he says "...Be all my sins remember'd," and gets back to the business of driving Ophelia insane while racking up an impressive body count.

Tighten up the dialog, drop the soliloquies, add a few explosions, and you've got an action movie. And that's another topic.

The point is that Marlowe's "The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus" is downright wordy:
"...FAUSTUS. Well, I'm content to compass then some sport,
And by their folly make us merriment...."
("The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus")

Pranking the Pope

I'm skipping past quite a bit of that sort of thing, to where Faustus plays a practical joke on the (fictional) Pope:
"...POPE. My lord, here is a dainty dish was sent me from the Bishop of Milan.

"FAUSTUS. I thank you, sir.
[Snatches the dish.]

"POPE. How now! who's that which snatched the meat from me? will no man look?—My lord, this dish was sent me from the Cardinal of Florence....."
("The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus")

Sour Saints?

Individual Catholics may act as if 'thou shalt not smile' is part of the Decalogue, but that's not what the Church teaches. I've posted about 'sour saints' before.

Interior conversion, penance, repentance, and learning to control my desires, are all important. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1430, 1431, 1434, 2015)

So is joy and humor. (Catechism, 1676)

I think the action in this part of Marlowe's play is, essentially, funny. But I also think Moe Howard and the other Stooges are funny.

"The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus" and The Three Stooges

Some of Stooges' films weren't theologically sound, but I'm not likely to do a detailed critique of of them. Seriously, who would see "Bedlam in Paradise" as anything more than 16 minutes of The Three Stooges?

I see slapstick elements in Marlowe's "The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus." But the play doesn't read like a comic romp. I get the impression that "...Faustus" is entertainment that folks could take serously.

Back to Marlowe's Rome, a peeved pontiff, and far-fetched friars.

Mephistopheles, Faustus, and Cursing Friars

Under the impression that he's dealing with ghosts, the Pope has some friars come in.

Think 'Elizabethan Ghostbusters.'
"...MEPHIST. Nay, I know not: we shall be cursed with bell, book, and candle.

"FAUSTUS. How! bell, book, and candle,—candle, book, and bell,—
Forward and backward, to curse Faustus to hell!
Anon you shall hear a hog grunt, a calf bleat, and an ass bray,
Because it is Saint Peter's holiday.

"Re-enter all the FRIARS to sing the Dirge.

"FIRST FRIAR.
Come, brethren, let's about our business with good devotion.

"They sing.

"CURSED BE HE THAT STOLE AWAY HIS HOLINESS' MEAT FROM THE TABLE! maledicat Dominus!

"CURSED BE HE THAT STRUCK HIS HOLINESS A BLOW ON THE FACE! maledicat Dominus!

"CURSED BE HE THAT TOOK FRIAR SANDELO A BLOW ON THE PATE! maledicat Dominus!

"CURSED BE HE THAT DISTURBETH OUR HOLY DIRGE! maledicat Dominus!

"CURSED BE HE THAT TOOK AWAY HIS HOLINESS' WINE! maledicat Dominus? ['?' sic] Et omnes Sancti! Amen!..."
("The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus")
There's quite a bit going on here.

Elizabethan Theology?

Marlowe's audience knows that Doctor John Faustus is a living human being. They should realize that, anyway: yet more topics.

Mephistopheles is up to his old tricks, encouraging Faustus to think of himself as being a creature like the demon: "...we shall be cursed with bell, book, and candle...."

What's disturbing in this part of Marlowe's play is the "dirge," cursing Faustus and Mephistopheles. It's aimed partly at a person who is alive, and whose eternal destination isn't yet determined. As such, it's inappropriate: putting it mildly.

On the other hand, Marlowe's fictional Pope is under the impression that he's dealing with a "ghost." Which might, maybe, be approximately correct, in the case of Mephistopheles.

That's not the main problem, though.

Having a chorus of friars singing, "maledicat Dominus," and "et omnes Sancti" is - far-fetched, at best.

Marlowe, Latin, and Cursing God

I'm no Latin scholar, but I think "maledicat Dominus" translates as "curse the Lord." In the context of Marlowe's play, that's something Faustus might say.

But those friars, acting on the Pope's behest?

Here's what Marlowe has them say:
"...maledicat Dominus? ['?' sic] Et omnes Sancti! Amen!..."
("The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus")
Translated:
"...curse the Lord ... And all the saints! Amen!..."
("The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus")
That's wrong. On at least two levels.
Sadly, I think a fair number of folks here think that saying "curse the Lord ... And all the saints! Amen!" is the sort of thing done by the 'Satanic' Catholic Church.1. A friend of mine insisted that the moon and sun revolve around Earth, because it says so in the Bible. That chapter's footone 3 discusses probabilities. I've discussed science, faith, and getting a grip, before. Fairly often.2

"Curse God and Die?!"

Some Americans believe every word in the Bible is literally true. Like Joshua 10:12-13.2

Sure, "curse God and die" is in the Bible. (Job 2:9) But Job said it was a bad idea. (Job 2:10) I think it is, too.

Cursing God on stage, as a line in a play, is one thing. In real life? I've got my particular judgment to think of. Death will have closed the books on my decisions, and I'll spend eternity in Heaven: or Hell. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1021-1022)

What my final destination is depends on whether I've accepted or rejected "the divine grace manifested in Christ." (Catechism, 1021) All things considered, cursing the Lord is a very bad idea.

Excommunications, Exorcisms, and Getting a Grip

As for the notion that the Pope would formally send someone to Hell - for a comparatively minor offense? That probably played well in post-Henry VIII England. It sounds like what some Americans believe about the Catholic Church, too.

The fact is, excommunication is as far as the Church goes with punishment. (Catechism, 1463)

Since Marlowe's make-believe Pope thought he was dealing with a "ghost," that "curse the Lord" "dirge" could be seen as an exorcism. Problem is, that's not how exorcisms work.

Not even close. (Catechism, 1237; 1673; Glossary, E; Also see Catechism, 517; 550) I've been over this before.3

We're Not English: Now

Here's where I get back to the idea that Marlowe's England isn't 21st-century America, and why I'm posting about "The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus" anyway.

America and England have a long history:
  • The United States of America started as a set of English colonies
  • The default language here is English
  • American culture was heavily influenced by English culture
    • No surprise, since the colonists were English
    • We're less 'English' now
      • But our roots show
America isn't the WASP nest it was several generations back, and that's another topic. The cultural baggage brought over by English colonists, and others, includes a fairly well-defined attitude toward 'those Catholics:'


(From Thomas Nast Portfolio, Ohio State University, used without permission.)

New Century, Old Assumptions

Granted, we're living in the 2000s. Thomas Nast spent most of his life in the 1800s. Jonathan Edwards wrote his famous "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" in 1741.

Quite a bit has changed since "Sinners ... Angry God" helped set the spiritual tone over here. But I think American culture retains residue from beliefs and assumptions of earlier centuries.

Tolerance, Beliefs, and Fulton Sheen

On the whole, America has treated Catholics rather well. It's illegal to kill us. Which didn't keep Father James Coyle alive, back in the 'good old days,' and that's almost another topic. Topics.

Despite a cultural and legal history of comparative tolerance, I think there are rich veins of anti-Catholicism running under much of America's cultural landscape.

Thanks to this country's Protestant roots, and fallout from post-Reformation European politics, I think Fulton Sheen's observation is still true:
"There are not a hundred people in America who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions of people who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church - which is, of course, quite a different thing."
(Bishop Fulton Sheen, Foreword to Radio Replies Vol. 1, (1938) page ix, via Wikiquote)

Fire, Brimstone, and Getting a Grip

It's been quite a while since I last heard about a 'fire and brimstone' preacher. I think that's a hopeful sign. Emotionally rousing as something like 'Brimstone Bill and his First Hallelujah Revival Touring Show' might be: I don't think scaring people silly is a good idea.

'Scaring' isn't the problem. It's 'scaring people silly' that I don't think is prudent. Fear, by itself, can be a good thing:
"The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."
(Proverbs 9:10)
When an emotion like fear gets too strong, though, folks have trouble thinking straight:
Then there's the sort of malignant virtue that makes it hard to emulate the tax collector in Luke 18:10-14.

I try to have a calm, reasoned acknowledgement of my sins - without:
  • Trying to
    • Divert attention to 'that sinner over there'
    • Convince myself that sin
      • Isn't real
      • Doesn't matter
      • Can't be wrong, since it feels so right
    • Whatever
  • Panicking
That's no great virtue on my part. What the Church teaches about judging others - but not being stupid - is fairly clear:
"1 Therefore, you are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. 2 For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things. ... There is no partiality with God. " (Romans 2:1-11)
"You hypocrite, 3 remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye."
(Matthew 7:5)
"although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1861)

The Faust Legend: 'Based on Real Events'

Stories about Faust first hit the press in 1587. Christopher Marlowe finished his "The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus" a little over ten years later, and the story's been resurfacing at intervals ever since.

That was about 150 years after Gutenberg (re)invented movable type: which poured oil on the troubled fires of European politics. Movable type made from clay had been invented in 1041, in China.4 But someone had invented bureaucracy in China long before that, which is another topic.5

And I'm not going to get distracted by comparing the Internet and the Gutenberg press.

Where was I? German legend. Faust. Right.

Like I said, the first printed retelling of Faust's story was a Faust chapbook, produced in 1587. It's been retold quite a few times since then, including:
  • Dr. Faust at Boxberg Castle
    (Germany, Bernhard Baader)
  • Dr. Faust's Hell-Master
    (Germany, Joh. Aug. Ernst Köhler)
  • Dr. Faust in Erfurt
    (Germany, J. G. Th. Grässe)
  • Dr. Faust and Melanchton in Wittenberg
    (Germany, J. G. Th. Grässe)
  • Dr. Faust in Anhalt
    (Germany, Ludwig Bechstein)
  • A Scholar Assigns Himself to the Devil
    (Denmark)
  • Selected musical works based on the Faust legend
    (from "Faust Legends," D. L. Ashliman, University of Pittsburgh)
John Faustus and all the other Fausts trace back, more or less, to a real person: Johann Georg Faust.6 Looks like stories 'based on real events' didn't start with television shockers.

Other posts in this series:
Somewhat-related posts:
Background:
"...Faustus" excerpts in these posts taken from:
1 As I've said before, folks can have odd ideas about what's real:
2 My faith doesn't require me to ignore facts and stop thinking, as I said at the start of this link list of posts about the Catholic Church and studying God's creation:
I take the Bible very seriously. But it's not a computer repair manual, or a science textbook:
3 I have nothing against movies as entertainment. But "The Exorcist" and "Scream Blacula Scream" aren't particularly good ways to study exorcism:
4 There's a pretty good introduction to Johannes Gutenberg's printing press, book printing, and movable type at:
5 Bureaucracies are okay: the Catholic Church uses a 'bureaucratic' system to stay organized.

Bureaucracies are quite efficient at dealing with tasks. Provided that:
  • The tasks don't
    • Change
    • Require innovative thought
  • The bureaucracy's environment doesn't change
Like I said, I think bureaucracies are okay. Provided that they're used by an authority that can change the rules, whether the bureaucrats like it or not.

My understanding is that China and civilizations growing around the east end of the Mediterranean Sea weren't all that far apart, technologically, until about 2,000 years back. Then China developed a bureaucracy. There's an interesting discussion about bureaucracies and China online:
6 Johann Georg Faust / Johannus Faustus was a real Renaissance man. Literally:
The article has enough cited references to be plausible.
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Sunday, November 13, 2011

That's Funny: Another Way of Being Catholic

Growing up in America, about a half-century back, I 'knew' what 'being spiritual' was. There were folks who:
  1. Apparently equated poor health with virtue
  2. Sent money to chronically peeved radio preachers
  3. Were grimly pious
    • Might have smiled
      • Once
      • In their sinful youth
      • But had since repented of such wicked ways
  4. Acted fairly sane
    • And went to church
Then there were those 19th-century pictures of Jesus, where my Lord was "apparently seven feet high, with the face of a consumptive girl." Folks in category #4 helped me take Christianity seriously.

Humor seems to be part of being human. I don't know where the notion that being humorless and being spiritual were the same thing: but I suspect that it's a cultural thing. Sort of like the assumption that churches should be as devoid of decoration as possible.

Reverend Feelgood, The Gospel According to Newsweek, and Mystic Crystal Revelations

Then came the '60s, feel-good religion, weird 'in the spirit of Vatican II' nonsense, and weirder New Age stuff.

My parents were part of a nice mainstream Protestant church, which lacked the pathological extremes I've mentioned. For the most part, and that's another topic.

Crazily incompatible notions about 'being spiritual,' Christianity, and human nature encouraged me to take a long, hard, detailed look at religion in general: and Christianity in particular. Eventually I converted to Catholicism, and that's yet another topic.

Smiling's Not a Sin?!

I'm pretty sure that Jesus never said "thou shalt ever bear a grim countenance, even as one who hath bitten a lemon which rotteth." Ever notice how King James' English tends to sound like someone with a lithp? Which reminds me of Carrie Nation, the temperance movement, Prohibition, Demon Rum,1 and I'm wandering off-topic again.

Saints: Getting the Whole Picture

Then there were saints. I 'knew' about saints, too.

They were
  • Folks who
    • Died of starvation
      • On pillars
      • More than a thousand years ago
      • In some faraway land
        • That isn't there any more
    • Inhumanly perfect characters
      • In a melodrama
      • Dying horribly
        • From some disease
        • Or hideously painful torture
    There's a little truth to those lurid tales: and that's - you guessed it - still another topic.

    Some Saints could probably have given my Nordic forebears lessons in grim fortitude: but that's not the whole picture. One of the Saints, Philip Neri, earned a reputation for having quite a sense of humor. Which he wasn't afraid of using.

    If that's not like the Philip Neri you read about, I'm not surprised. Some details of his life were, ah, bowdlerized from 'proper' books for the American Catholic market.

    An AMIABLE Saint?!

    Sometimes Saint Philip Romolo Neri is called the Apostle of Rome, or Amabile Santo: which doesn't mean the same thing. Depending on which Italian phrase book you read, Amabile Santo means "Lovable Saint;" or maybe Agreeable, Amiable, Genial, or Sweet Saint. I've mentioned Saint Philip Neri's distinctly unsour approach to life before:
    "...St. Philip devised mortifications without end for attacking pride in souls of promise who could bear his heavy-handed humor. ... An especially pious young man asked permission to wear a hair shirt and Philip granted his request with this stipulation: he wear it on the outside. He was known around Rome as 'Berto of the hair-shirt.'..." ("St. Philip's Suggestions for Idleness and Learning Patience," CatholicCulture.org) (first posted March 15, 2011)
    Hair shirts have been out of fashion for quite a while, at least in America's branch of Western culture. They're a sort of exquisitely uncomfortable underwear: think of an all-wool T-shirt. Starched. The idea was to wear a hair shirt under normal clothing, and suffer in silence.

    I'm not criticizing the practice: I'm a practicing Catholic, and understand a little about the value of penance and mortification.

    But wearing a hair shirt - OVER your clothing?! That would be more comfortable, physically, than the usual arrangement. Socially, not so much. (Hair shirts were really uncomfortable to have next to the skin - I'm guessing that having one on the outside would be socially 'uncomfortable.' In a different way, of course.)

    Learning to Laugh - at Myself?

    In a society where your neighbors understood what a hair shirt was, and how it was supposed to be used, my guess is that wearing one on the outside of your clothing would be a bit like wearing a clown wig at a formal dinner. Or skivvies over a tuxedo.

    I think it's a good idea to cultivate the sort of humility we call 'laughing at yourself.' Think of how you feel about stuffed shirts, and I am not going to start off on another 'shirt' digression.

    I've got at least my share of self-importance. My wife tells me that if I hadn't been crippled, I would probably have been insufferable. That isn't quite another topic, but this post is getting long. "Has gotten" is more like it.

    Humor, Emotions, and Being Human

    Humor, in one form or another, seems to be part of the package: part of being human. I figure that 'God doesn't make junk,' and that having a sense of humor is no more sinful, by itself, than being able to feel non-dour when seeing a sunrise. Like any other emotion, 'humor' can be misused - or used. There's quite a bit in the Catechism about emotions: 1762-1770, summarized in 1771-1775.
    "Cheerfulness strengthens the heart and makes us persevere in a good life. Therefore the servant of God ought always to be in good spirits." ("Saint Philip Neri," Saints.SQPN.com)
    Somewhat-related posts:
    More:
    Background:
    1 Alcohol abuse is a very real problem, as I know from personal experience. Being sober makes sense.

    Then there's the 'Biblical' attitude about alcohol: Demon Rum, and all that.

    Sure enough, the Bible says "you and your sons are forbidden under pain of death, by a perpetual ordinance throughout your generations, to drink any wine or strong drink."

    Wow. Even Carrie Nation and her little hatchet didn't carry temperance quite that far.

    That quote isn't quite complete, though. It's from a part of Leviticus that describes distinctly hardball discipline involving Aaron and his sons:
    " 'When you are to go to the meeting tent, you and your sons are forbidden under pain of death, by a perpetual ordinance throughout your generations, to drink any wine or strong drink. You must be able to distinguish between what is sacred and what is profane, between what is clean and what is unclean; you must teach the Israelites all the laws that the LORD has given them through Moses.' " (Leviticus 10:9-11)
    I could use Deuteronomy 29:5 to 'prove' that wine and beer lead surely to damnation. But first, I don't need the kind of trouble that'd come from deliberately messing with the Word of God - and to be consistent, I'd have to claim that eating bread is sinful.

    Besides, the first miracle my Lord performed was getting drinks for a wedding party, and that's another topic, too. (John 2:1-10) Which has theological significance. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1613)

    Even being "Biblical," the reasonable instructions seem to be 'don't get drunk.' Ephesians 5:18 is pretty clear on that point.

    The Catholic Church doesn't forbid alcohol. Or food. Or Bingo. What we're taught is to not drink in excess. We're also not supposed to eat in excess. There's more to it, of course. (Catechism, 2290, for starters) The key seems to be moderation. Our reasons for permitting 'wicked' activities like Bingo and pinochle follow the same general reasoning. (Catechism, 2413)
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    Marian Apparition: Champion, Wisconsin

    Background:Posts in this blog: In the news:

    What's That Doing in a Nice Catholic Blog?

    From time to time, a service that I use will display links to - odd - services and retailers.

    I block a few of the more obvious dubious advertisers.

    For example: psychic anything, numerology, mediums, and related practices are on the no-no list for Catholics. It has to do with the Church's stand on divination. I try to block those ads.

    Sometime regrettable advertisements get through, anyway.

    Bottom line? What that service displays reflects the local culture's norms, - not Catholic teaching.