The bedrock of optimistic fatalism is the belief in the inevitability of progress.  No matter how intractable current problems may be, as long as human innovation and invention are not subverted, all problems will be solved. This is the ultimate reason for the rationality of hope.

Pessimistic fatalism does not believe in progress, but that all human endeavors inevitably will fail. This leads to the failure of hope, an increasing belief in failed futures and a psychology of resignation and despair.

As David Runciman points out, "The trouble with all fatalisms—optimistic and pessimistic, ardent and resigned—is that they preclude alternative futures."

What is left out of these arguments on all sides, is considering what is offered up by dreams as potential sources of illumination. In this regard, I have had a dream that has impacted me to my core. It is a dream that speaks of celebrating the final Ragnarök. Such an image suggests that there will be no rebirth of humans following the final extinction. This is indeed an "alternate" future offered up by the dream and moreover not a future to be feared or negated but one to be celebrated.

I have written this dream in the form of a poem. It is this dream that at present is forming my view of the future. I will be blogging about this a good deal in 2019.

Welcome and toast, $5.99 a cup

The setting:

An anywhere, everywhere

living room middle crust

at best or no crust at all

The characters:

Strangers all, but known

to me; everyone friendly

not a party, but festal still

The hostess:

Black-gowned but all

eyes on the black earthen

cups, squatting on her tray

The drink:

Black too, Blavod it is

libation for night’s time

black clay holding black

The toast:

She says it costs $5.99

a cup for this final toast

just drink up and welcome

Ragnarok

From Dreampoems

Ragnarök dream, March 1, 2015

In the introduction to his book Why Poetry, poet Matthew Zapruder focuses on the perennial question of why people have such difficulty understanding poetry. The difficulties and frustrations are summed up in the question: “Why don't poets just say what they mean?” I've encountered this question many times over the years, but what hit me this time was the parallel to common reactions to dreams. People are as puzzled by dreams as they are by poems.

This is not the first time this parallel has struck me. One night, after hearing Robert Bly speak out the lines of Federico Garcia Lorca's poem, “Casida of the Rose,” I had a dream. In the dream, a piece of paper fell out of Jung's Memories, Dreams, Reflections. On the paper was written these lines:

                                            The poem wants a poem

                                            The dream wants a dream.

Note that the dream lines are not about the meaning of poems or dreams, nor about interpreting or understanding dreams or poems, but asserting that dreams and poems are related through desire. The emphasis is not on "our" desiring, but on the poem's desire for a poem and a dream's desire for a dream.  Of course, it is not the poem on the page desiring, but the source of the poem, the deep imaginal source, that source, like the dream-maker, is desiring a poem in return.  More than likely the poem-maker and dream-maker share a common geography in the deep imaginal realm.

Note that I am not talking here about poems written entirely from a conscious standpoint. These poems will not convey the mysterious desire that inhabits poems from a deeper place.

Note that Zapruder’s title is Why Poetry. Note the absence of a question mark in the title. He's not going to be asking this question. He is going to be providing his answer.  When I have finished reading his text, I'll return with another blog post and see what relevance his work has to Why Dreams. No question mark. That may become my text.

Here is a link to an artist whose work I feel is very important...

Listening to this CD, was like listening to music from the future.

Let me know what you what you think.

Here is the link: http://www.missymazzoli.com/vespers

British Doctors To Prescribe Arts & Culture to Patients: “The Arts Are Essential to our Health and Wellbeing”

For a long time, I have considered Lewis Lapham to be the voice of America's conscience. On the eve of one of the most important points in the history of the United States, Lapham, former editor of Harpers and now editor of Lapham's Quarterly, has published a searing truth-telling essay entitled, "Of America and the Rise of the Stupified Plutocrat."

Here is the link:

Lewis Lapham: Of America and the Rise of the Stupefied Plutocrat

"Our way of life is incompatible with the continuance of life."

This sums up the important reflections by Kristine Mattis in her article, "Eco Crises: Doom & Gloom, Truth & Consequences."

Yes, this implicates each of us.

Eco Crises: Doom & Gloom, Truth & Consequences

A must read from  my favorite magazine, THE SUN:

https://thesunmagazine.org/issues/515/unfair-advantage

An important talk by Richard Manning"

Richard Manning on catastrophic agriculture, population overshoot, industrial civilization - YouTube

Hi all,

Here is a link to an important conversation between Peter Kingsley and Murray Stein.

Kingsley's forthcoming book, Catafalque: Carl Jung and the End of Humanity, will be

a must-read. Pay close attention to Kingsley's insights. Click on the picture below

and follow the link to watch on YouTube.