I read your series with great interest, Chris. You certainly highlight what our amazing brains can accomplish if focused to do so. But, you also focus on the positive attributes that are more associated with masculinity (except for your mother/birth suffering portion, of course) - to wit: courage, duty, strength, self-reliance, risk-taking. These men you focused on are all heroic, and should rightly be celebrated. I am not saying that you couldn't find a story like these about some heroic woman; I am saying - there won't be nearly as many!
When I read "Into Thin Air", I was struck by the story of Buck Weathers who saved himself while others would/could not. I also read the book Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies and Why. It's the story, almost always of men, who face great suffering and risk and make it out alive. Or look at the amazing story of Tham Luang cave rescue - a whole bunch of guys risked their lives (one lost his) to save the kids trapped there. And so forth. Why am I writing this? Because many men are awesome in a way I - and most women - are not. And it's not celebrated enough in our culture.
Feminists are often accused of trashing men. I just want to say that I am a from-a-very-young-age feminist, and I what to be the counter-tide of feminists who appreciate our differences and our different strengths as well as our many shared human traits.
Hi Robin, I just read and thoroughly enjoyed your post on your bout with cancer--or I should say thoroughly enjoyed your deeply wise, practical and positive approach to what you experienced. Regarding your comment about men--firstly, thank you, as both a man and the author of those articles about men who are far braver than me--and secondly, despite its relatively brevity in my "Mystery in Plain Sight" series, I do think that, at a cosmic level, the feminine energy, especially as expressed through giving birth and being mothers, but also through the ability to inspire men and change world history--for example as did Joan of Arc and Teresa of Avila--demonstrates a quality of courage, fortitude and a capacity for transcendence through suffering that all wise men both revere and strive to be worthy of. Your post about cancer shows you have the feminine power in abundance--it overflows in what you write and say!
Another awesome piece, Chris. I periodically re-read Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning as I think it's like medicine for the soul. "When we accept suffering we are forging meaning" -- beautifully put. I loved your words on Bach and totally agree on your refusal to call Frederick the Second of Prussia, "The Great". Thank you for writing so profoundly. I really enjoy reading you. (PS: great photo with your daughter!)
Thank you Silvio for your gracious comments. Glad we're on the same page about Bach! As an Italian, you have such a rich musical heritage . . . Monteverdi is one of my absolute favourites.
I can tell you’re much more into classical music than I am. But I like Monteverdi, even though I haven’t listened to anything by him for a while. Your bringing him up made me think I have to remedy that!
I read your series with great interest, Chris. You certainly highlight what our amazing brains can accomplish if focused to do so. But, you also focus on the positive attributes that are more associated with masculinity (except for your mother/birth suffering portion, of course) - to wit: courage, duty, strength, self-reliance, risk-taking. These men you focused on are all heroic, and should rightly be celebrated. I am not saying that you couldn't find a story like these about some heroic woman; I am saying - there won't be nearly as many!
When I read "Into Thin Air", I was struck by the story of Buck Weathers who saved himself while others would/could not. I also read the book Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies and Why. It's the story, almost always of men, who face great suffering and risk and make it out alive. Or look at the amazing story of Tham Luang cave rescue - a whole bunch of guys risked their lives (one lost his) to save the kids trapped there. And so forth. Why am I writing this? Because many men are awesome in a way I - and most women - are not. And it's not celebrated enough in our culture.
Feminists are often accused of trashing men. I just want to say that I am a from-a-very-young-age feminist, and I what to be the counter-tide of feminists who appreciate our differences and our different strengths as well as our many shared human traits.
Vive les hommes!
Hi Robin, I just read and thoroughly enjoyed your post on your bout with cancer--or I should say thoroughly enjoyed your deeply wise, practical and positive approach to what you experienced. Regarding your comment about men--firstly, thank you, as both a man and the author of those articles about men who are far braver than me--and secondly, despite its relatively brevity in my "Mystery in Plain Sight" series, I do think that, at a cosmic level, the feminine energy, especially as expressed through giving birth and being mothers, but also through the ability to inspire men and change world history--for example as did Joan of Arc and Teresa of Avila--demonstrates a quality of courage, fortitude and a capacity for transcendence through suffering that all wise men both revere and strive to be worthy of. Your post about cancer shows you have the feminine power in abundance--it overflows in what you write and say!
Another awesome piece, Chris. I periodically re-read Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning as I think it's like medicine for the soul. "When we accept suffering we are forging meaning" -- beautifully put. I loved your words on Bach and totally agree on your refusal to call Frederick the Second of Prussia, "The Great". Thank you for writing so profoundly. I really enjoy reading you. (PS: great photo with your daughter!)
Thank you Silvio for your gracious comments. Glad we're on the same page about Bach! As an Italian, you have such a rich musical heritage . . . Monteverdi is one of my absolute favourites.
I can tell you’re much more into classical music than I am. But I like Monteverdi, even though I haven’t listened to anything by him for a while. Your bringing him up made me think I have to remedy that!
Try the Vespers of the Blessed Virgin . . . "Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis"--hard to beat, in any musical period!