Like forced laughter when no-one’s listening anyway

Gee, with a title like that, I can just tell
that I’m going to be a bundle of joy today.
Lucky me. Actually, though, I’m referring to
a conversation I had last night with Theo, Tim
and Daniel about anti-depressants and A.D.D.
Theo’s been studying the different types of ADD,
what their symptoms are and where the problems
come from, and what sort of treatments work.
For some, drugs work, and for some drugs are
a hinderance. For almost everyone, drugs or no,
a change of lifestyle, including diet, exercise and
habits is a necessity for improvement.

Anyway, this led me to my naive ideal:
save the world through education,
literature (and art), and philosophy.
Herein lies a catch-22, as far as concerns those
who suffer from ADD; as it stands it takes
a certain strength of attention span to be able
to garner strength and character from these things.
Though I’m sure they’d help in the long run,
that does no good if you can never break into them.

Thus my idea, which is still, sadly, entirely
dependant on the frail idea that the US might someday
give a damned about how it educates its youth. Ha!
The idea: break philosophy, literature, art, et al down
into basic, interesting, and engaging packets.
Don’t make them read Plato’s Republic,
break it down for them, tell them how it relates to their
life, other philosophy; personalize it to them
[the idea that even then they’d become interested is where I get naive].
Even so. I think we need to encourage teachers less to teach,
and more to develop in students an eagerness to learn.
I think that philosophy needs to start running alongside
religion in the mainstream, even if it’s just the practical
philosophy you would find in the stoic shephard boy who guards his flock.
Stalwart, responsible, appreciative, courageous, and resolute.

We’re giving our children too many fish without teaching them how.
Those we’re even bothering to feed, anyway.

Question: How many public high schools in this country
offer a philosophy course, even as an elective. I’d wager not many.

Yes, well onward from doom & gloom.

–

This is a silly rhyme [it doesn’t rhyme, though];
I wrote it yesterday.

I’d gladly take hidden midnight rendez-vous’;
I’d become your secret lover in the blackness;
I’d be your full-moon muse.
Yeah, boys can do that too,
or so I hear.

I’d dance in the field ’til lightning strikes;
it’s our little secret.
I’d balance your reason with my Dionysus,
if you drank from my cup.
I’d sing you the songs that lovers sing,
softly in the starlight.

I’d become the enigmatic message left on your machine:
“Blue vistas under witching-hour darkness; come cradle me.”

Boys can do that too,
or so I hear.