Category Archives: social behavior

A Crisis of Childishness.

September 25, 2018arts education, commentary, Deep Thoughts, Fundamentalism, human behavior, political commentary, psychology, public education, social behavior, social commentary, sociology, truth, UncategorizedBill Cosby's sentence, Chancellor of Germany, childishness, Chris Cuomo "tell the truth", crisis in society, Cuomo Prime Time, defining childishness, Everything I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten, keep your hands to yourself, Kindergarten, remedial society, Supreme Court nominees, tell the truth, the collapse of social responsibilityruth ann scanzillo

Kindergarten.

The term itself is Germanic in derivation and, I believe, the concept as well.

Children, able to be separated from their parents for a single school day, brought together in groups according to their chronological age to be led by a competent adult, because socialization is considered vital to the success of an earthly civilization.

I remember what we did in Kindergarten. The year was 1962. Mrs. Williams’ room was the largest one at Lincoln School, with the bay window where the painting easels stood. We each had a spot on the rug, sat cross legged, and faced her laced up shoes as she stood in front of us. We always opened each morning with a song, then the day of the week and the weather. We always made pictures, had a nap, played games and ate a snack.

But, beyond all this, a sentient sage compiled all the things that made it truly important and put them onto a lovely poster: “Everything I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten”. Herewith, a couple I’d like to add to that list:

a.) Keep your hands to yourself.

Goodness. Need we say more?

b.) Be kind.

How about:

c.) Tell the truth.

Are there any questions?

Does everybody understand?

Over the past couple of decades, I have watched the nation I call my own collapsing into a puddle of human depravity. This has made itself manifest in the form of fundamental behaviors we used to tell children were unacceptable.

Grown ups, touching each other inappropriately, but with sophisticated persuasive tactics that would make a chemist blush. And, then, going to equally intricate lengths to scrub out the crayon mark tracks they leave behind.

Alleged adults, grasping after power over one another’s things, taking what doesn’t belong to them with such drooling greed that even the 5 year olds would stop, stare, and wag an admonishing finger.

Moreover, the leader of our country, who is supposed to be the model for doing what is right, paying money to keep quiet those who would tell on his bad behavior to the people and then saying to everyone that, even though a girl said a man didn’t keep his hands to himself, we should let him into the little club where they make all the rules for good behavior for the whole country.

In fact, just today, all the leaders of the other countries laughed at him.

I don’t know about you, but I am embarrassed.

I’m mortified.

I suspect the Chancellor of Germany is appalled.

Our country is remedial. We need a retake, and a redo. We could do well to start over. Before we know it, the bell will ring, and school will be out.

littlebarefeetblog.com

Protected: The Big Sink.

September 21, 2018healing, health and wellness, human behavior, psychology, short stories, social behavior, social commentary, sociology, UncategorizedAmerican health care, assembly line mentality, Bonzai food chopper, bread maker, Bullet food processor, children of the Great Depression, clock watching, deferred dreams, deferred fantasy, double wide porcelain sink, downsizing, Duct tape, Dudley Moore, French press, George Foreman grill, hoarders, holiday potpourri, hospital nurses on call, hot h'ors doerves, incremental planning, incremental thinking, InventHelp, Jack LaLane juicer, late night television, linear thinking, low self esteem, mudroom, needing closure, nursing schedules, open endedness, Pampered Chef, philosophizing about regret, planners, planning against nature, portable fryer, Princess crystal, public education, Pyrex, rice maker, Ronco Tv, Rubbermaid, simplifying, sink load of dishes, steel wool, storage systems, the philosophy of expunging, tomato staking, wafflemakerruth ann scanzillo

Bring It To The Table.

September 16, 2018arts education, civic commentary, commentary, contemplation, dreams, film reviews, Good Food, gratitude, health and wellness, human behavior, interviews, memorials, political commentary, psychology, Recipes, slum culture, social behavior, social commentary, sociology, travelogues, tributes, Uncategorized, vacation destinationsAnthony Bourdain explorer, Anthony Bourdain found hanged, Anthony Bourdain journalist, Anthony Bourdain visionary, Anthony Bourdain's legacy, Anthony Bourdain: "South Africa", Anthony Bourdain: "Spain", Anthony Bourdain: "Thailand", Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, Anthony Bourdain: The Final Episodes, Eric Ripert, preserving culture through food, sociopolitics and culture, sociopolitics and food, story telling, What happened to Anthony Bourdainruth ann scanzillo

He probably had no idea.

But, many women crushed on Anthony Bourdain, myself included.

Given what we have now been told about his life, his worth, and the scope of his experience, this fact may have come to bear no importance to him. Like everything he’d touched, women were likely a “been there/done that” episode in an otherwise keenly focused and ultimately vital social intention.

Because, Anthony Bourdain wasn’t just a fantastic chef. He was an explorer, a journalist, and a visionary. He may also have been, in spite of his rugged earthiness, rather an idealist – receiving, with private reflection and no small frustration, the socio-political realities he encountered.

And, he found them all.

From the rapid fire race of the planet’s cosmopolitae to the cramped corners of primal civilization, Bourdain covered the story – by boat, rickshaw, taxi, mule and the boots on his own feet. And, he reached the very heart of it all, at table.

There is something about the art of not just preparing good food, but in the eating of it. When this man sat down to share a meal, be it finger fried or stew pan steamed, he brought his open mind. And, as his interviews sat with him, they ceased being subjects and became friends. And, so many of them had, until he came along, never been seen or heard by anyone outside of their tiny place in the sun.

In many cases, neither had the culture they represented. And, this was Bourdain’s fascination. He didn’t just bring his appetite. Anthony Bourdain was hungry. He really, genuinely, wanted to know them all, and everything about their lives.

And, they told him.

They told him, both through their food and the act of sharing it. By coming to the table, the story itself unfolded – unprovoked, and unrestrained. It spoke candidly, about the political upheavals of the day and the ancient history in a single pot of oil. It openly expressed the views of its people – their ideas, their needs, their hopes for survival and preservation.

I don’t know what happened in that hotel room in Paris. We are long past the proving of any of it. And, maybe that is just what Anthony Bourdain wanted. Beyond marketing and media ratings, release to our eyes and ears his legacy. Let the story tell itself.

But, do pass the mushy peas.

Please.

©9/16/18 Ruth Ann Scanzillo All right those of the author, who wonders just how many private islands there are. Really. Thank you for respecting original material.

littlebarefeetblog.com