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Elizabeth Aquino's avatar

These questions of mind and consciousness are ones I've wrestled with all my life, I think, except they have become more poignant and at times desperate as I've raised a daughter with severe cognitive and physical disabilities -- a mind racked by seizures, non-verbal, completely dependent upon others for every need, yet a piercing eye gaze that seems to know everything. "What does she know," people ask me, I ask myself. I think, "She knows everything or she knows nothing."

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Antonia Malchik's avatar

I liked what this person said about consciousness at every given moment. It's all very complex, and yet it's not. And I guess we'll never stop wondering about that juxtaposition.

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Paul Beiser's avatar

Thanks for another wonderful column. I was esp intrigued with the link you sent on the hard right turn in MT, and esp 'wealth' being the big distinction. Interesting for sure, and I'm not sure it's the major or only thing - look at the number of Repubs who still believe the election was 'stolen' (last I read it was north of 60%!), and other interesting 'facts' they get from news sources. I don't really understand it, but I guess part of it is 'Soldier' mindset (Julia Graf's WONDERFUL new book!) and believing something regardless of other facts, etc. All very discouraging relative to our elective process.

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Antonia Malchik's avatar

That book sounds pretty interesting!

The wealth factor is something that's hard to comprehend sometimes. Not only is our new governor very wealthy, he pushed through serious pay hikes for several high-level positions and then hired people from out of state to fill them. Very odd, and very little reported.

I agree with you about the information echo chamber. There's just too little actual information penetrating the minds of those who don't want to hear it or believe it.

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Paul Beiser's avatar

oops.. Julia Galef

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JenniferS's avatar

Ruth Galloway! I do love the way the marshes come alive in those books.

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Antonia Malchik's avatar

Me too! I just finished the most recent in the series and am longing for more Norfolk :)

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JenniferS's avatar

And thank you for the link to the Atlantic series. I can't wait to dive in.

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Antonia Malchik's avatar

One of my science writer colleagues shared David Treuer's cover story on returning the National Parks to Native American tribes. I want to wait for my hard copy magazine to come so I can really sink into it, but in the meantime Ross's essay is great (he is a wonderful writer, especially on these deep and thoughtful issues, in addition to being a great editor)

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JenniferS's avatar

I have been meaning to come back and comment on Treuer's story and the accompanying podcast interview. It's taking up a lot of space in my brain (along with Tressie McMillan Cottom's podcast with Ezra Klein), and I've sent it to the national parks' lovers in my life.

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Antonia Malchik's avatar

I am holding off on reading it because for some reason I desperately want to read it in my print edition (maybe so I can give it complete focus?). And I NEED to listen to that TMC podcast. People are talking about it everywhere!

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Chris Danforth's avatar

C.S. Lewis wrote that he believed that we were souls that possessed human bodies (rather than bodies that possessed a soul). I've always liked that framing because it can be inferred that there are souls within everything around us, making us an interwoven meshwork of spirituality with the world around us (Lewis would likely disagree with that inference, in all fairness).

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Antonia Malchik's avatar

He probably would but since he's not around to argue the point let's just let it stand. I like it! Someone else, I can't remember who, said, "We are not humans on a spiritual path; we are spirits on a human path."

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Chris Danforth's avatar

That's so good! We as humans are so impermanent and limited in our tethering to the earth but as souls are intrinsically linked to the earth in a way that exists alongside the concept of time.

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Antonia Malchik's avatar

I heard it a long time ago -- and Eckhart Tolle interview with Oprah I think. But I'm pretty sure he was quoting someone else, I just can't remember who!

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Chris Danforth's avatar

Mark Twain, probably.

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Antonia Malchik's avatar

Nope, I'm completely wrong. It's Lauren Artress, whose book about walking labyrinths I read while researching my book. I should have remembered that!

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Chris Danforth's avatar

But that doesn't follow the American pastime of attributing every quote to old Sammy Clemens!

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Antonia Malchik's avatar

Haha! I think it was a Buddhist monk maybe.

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