Some vague ramblings, senseless and aimless as a colorless moth
Now, for a short bit of of professional criticism.
Not from me, mind you, but from one Ishmael, who has noticed a few problems with how this whole whaling operation is being run. Like all insider suggestions, born of hard experience, it is very specific and points to something I noticed before, which was probably just me remembering this specific chapter and blurting it out like it was my idea.
Man, where do you even begin?
Star Wars is many things to many people. It has changed genres many times as the series has gone on, drawing from many different points of inspiration. It used to be the very symbol of outsider auteurship succeeding in the face of Hollywood studios, and now it’s part of the great Disney media conglomerate. It is modern mythology, and has been interpreted and reinterpreted many times. Continue reading “A War among the Stars”
Let us now turn our attention to the recipient of Ahab’s fiery, blasphemous words, one Starbuck of Nantucket. How’s he holding up?
Well, he left the scene fearing for the the soul of himself and everyone else on the ship, so I’m gonna guess “not well”. Alas, Starbuck is doomed to be a tragic figure, as we already know from Ishmael’s preemptive eulogy. Continue reading “Chapter 38: Dusk”
It’s time! Time to get in a boat and go hunt some actual, factual, living whales.
Well, it’s not quite time for the hunting part yet, but it is time for this most famous of American maritime novels to actually get to the part where they’re on the ocean. Technically, they’ve already been there, it’s hard to avoid when you’re going to Nantucket, but you know what I mean! The whaling voyage! It’s… well, it’s time to go aboard, as the title says. Let’s get into it.
Today’s chapter is pretty short and breezy, but still does some important work. As we approach the fateful voyage of the Pequod, the omens and portents of its ruin are gathering thick in the air.
But, there are still the final preparations to make. So many little things must be taken care of. The ship will be away from land for three whole years, so they must plan for every eventuality. Continue reading “Chapter 20: All Astir”
Last week, I went to a meeting of a local political group about the Green New Deal. It turned out to be made up almost exclusively of retired people. This being Seattle, they were very excited for the GND, and had a lot to say about other things that should be done to prevent global climate change.
The types of ideas that were present was interesting to me. They were very interested in some big, radical changes to our society, the end of consumerism and a return to a more agrarian way of life. It would be necessary, they thought, in order to survive on our planet, and it would be good for society as well. They were interested in accepting more refugees, being prepared to accept the millions who would be pushed out of their countries by the ravages of a warming planet. Continue reading “Universal Basic Income: Changing the Rules of the Game”
It’s cliche to blame things on capitalism. But it’s such a vague thing, only one step removed from blaming it on some amorphous concept like “greed” or even “sin”. When I say that capitalism “makes things worse” it’s easy to dismiss, because it is so very vague.
So. Let me get specific. Continue reading “Capitalism: Only for No Reason”
The Beige Moth 