Tuesday, November 4, 2008

History of the Day: 11/4

On this day in 1899, Sigmund Freud published his book The Interpretation of Dreams. If you would like to interpret your own dreams, you can use this nifty Dream Dictionary based on Freud's book. But I'll go ahead and tell you, you're in love with your mother.

While Sigmund Freud spend his life looking for hidden erotic meanings in everything, Robert Mapplethorpe (born on this day in 1946) had no hidden meanings in his work. He sparked a lively debate (rather an out and out free-for-all) about what exactly art means and whether public money should be used to fund artists. I'd link to one of his pieces, but you can buy your own copy of Playgirl. I remember hearing his name as a child for one piece he did in which he took a painting of a crucifix, covered it in plastic, and filled it with urine. According to the Dream Dictionary, this means that you have frustrated desires and hopes and are disagreeable and unpleasant to friends. That makes me think of Robert Mapplethorpe.

In another depressing story regarding funding, the "feral child" Genie was found on this day in 1970. Her psycho dad had alternately chained her to a child's potty chair or a sleeping bag for most of her life and forbidden her mother and brother to speak to her. When she was rescued, mute and malnourished, the scientific and health community mobilized to aid in her recovery. However, when not enough data was produced through these efforts, funding was cut off. Her foster parents sent her away the next year. She lived in a succession of abusive foster homes until her mother regained custody. Eventually, she was again removed from that home and sent to live in an undisclosed location in CA.

So, which is worse, the parents who abused her, or the society who abandoned her because she wasn't productive or useful enough to waste their money on?

Gabriel Fauré died on this day in 1924. He wrote the In Paradisum I sent on 9/11 (which I can't find again), so here is an equally beautiful and haunting piece, his Pavane.

Finally, today is the feastday of St. Vitalis. He and his master, Agricola (son of Coca-cola .... just kidding) lived in Bologna (not kidding). Agricola (wife of Pepsi-cola ... just kidding) became a Christian and converted his slave, Vitalis. They became very close. Both were martyred on this day in 304 AD. I find the story interesting because I wonder, did Agricola still consider Vitalis his slave after the conversion?

Finally, today is Election Day! Hooray! Enjoy it, because the 2012 presidential campaign starts on Thursday. As you head off to the polls, I leave you with some excerpts from the Tao Te Ching on good leadership (taken from this, longer list):
The greatest leaders are never seen, their presence is never felt
Lesser rulers are loved and praised
Lesser still are hated, and obeyed through fear
And the least are despised and ignored

If you would lead people, trust them to do the right thing
When a leader accomplishes something using the tao
He steps back, moves on to something else
And lets the people praise themselves

What happens when the nation wanders from the tao?

The people first try to be polite, assuming things will balance themselves
Then they try to be informed, or clever, or wise, and search for solutions
Then they turn to morality, like drowning men clinging to driftwood
And only after that, when the whole land is in turmoil
Do they throw up their hands and cry for strong and loyal leaders

A river makes a valley lush and fertile because it's content to settle to the lowest place
All things can draw what they need from it, without drowning in it
To be a leader, then, you must sink and be still
And let the people gather around you
You must follow the contours of people's hearts
And spill into their lives as little as possible
When you are quiet, the people will not see you as a weight on their shoulders
When you keep to your banks, the people will not be threatened by you
There will be no reason to build dykes or damns to limit your power
And the people will delight in your presence

If you would be a leader, you must claim every disgrace of the state
Take all the offenses of the state as your own burden
How can you be honored if you run from dishonor?

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