Life On the Lake 

Dedicated to the Joys of Waterside Living

Book by Harry Frankfurt

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Harry Frankfurt is a retired professor of moral philosophy (Whew!) at Princeton, whose press kindly published this little (67 page) book. It sells for $10 at Amazon and there is no discount.

It is not an important book, but Frankfurt says what has badly needed saying for some times and is said behind cupped hand many times a day in America. There are liars and their are bullshitters, and the last named group has it hierarchy. At the top is the Artist. We all know a few of those.

But Frankfurt is old enough to find his topic "naughty." Maybe even titillating.  Of course there is nothing naughty or titillating about lying. Bullshit artists surround us. Turn on the news any night and you will hear a summary of all the bullshit of the day, much of it coming from government officials. It is how you put a "spin" on things and twist them around to reflect your views, regardless of the truth of the matter. That will always remain obscured.

But bullshit lies everywhere. On a smaller, domestic level, it is what mothers tell their children throughout the day and into bedtime. It is the reason for requesting an action that is most likely to be effective, regardless of the truth of the matter, from the child.  Such prevarications are reflexive and are uttered without thought for the sole purpose of directing behavior in a direction other than where it would go, otherwise.  It could just as easily be called lying, since it has no redeeming social characteristics.

The book came into our Lake Ketchum household via the local library a couple of days ago. At around 60 pages, it is intended to be read at a single sitting. And it is broad and general enough so that it can be read quickly. In a way Professor Frankfurt and Princeton University Press are doing a snow job on us. In other words, they are bullshitting us a bit, but they have their tongue in cheek. Hey, that's okay. That's how things go at best, in 21st Century America.

I just finished reading it at 6 P.M. Perhaps a coincidence, that is exactly the time when George Bush's fifth State of the Union Address was presented over TV. Tax cuts for the already wealthy and a demand that entitlement programs be cut for the aged and the poor.

It lasted just an hour and was a sublime example of what Frankfurt is talking about.

Same amount of time to wade through both presentations. What an admirable coincidence.

A pair of female common mergansers, photo courtesy of Miriam Lancaster

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The most dominant species of diving duck on the lake presently is the common merganser, though this bird is challenged by the double-crested cormorant, often seen fishing with the mergansers and forming a veritable net. The birds flock together, dive in the manner of synchronized swimmers, and pop to the surface like corks, one after another. And if one of them is so fortunate to nail a fish, why, the others pursue him noisily, splashing, and try to separate him from his catch. And if one of them is successful, the winner must eat his meal on the run, or else have no meal to eat.

Dense cirrus clouds form over the lake in late afternoon

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I continue to wonder about the lack of friendliness of people in the Pacific Northwest. It was much different, when I went to school in California; there, people were almost obnoxious in their friendliness and their issuing of invitations to a meal. I mean, I am Seattle-unfriendly, too. Enough is enough.

But today enough is not enough. I have neighbors who will not give me a nod or a word. Sure, we all want to be left mainly alone, but how much time does it take to smile, wave, or say hello? Who is too busy for that.

So I must try to define my terms. Friendliness is simple reciprocity. Now, there is a big difference between being unfriendly and not friendly, or non-friendly, I realize. My neighbors at the lake, for the most part, are not unfriendly, which, to me, indicates some degree of hostility or muted anger. They simply don't want to have anything to do with you, or with me, not so much as a smile or a nod. Why?

We are all busy-busy-busy. How busy is that? Well, women (wives and mothers) indeed have a busy day and are notoriously overtaxed, over worked. They take pride in being wives (not so much, though), mothers, chauffeurs, shoppers, housekeepers, gardeners. They chronically run behind schedule. Busy-busy-busy is late-late-late. They leave in their minivans in a huff and return in a frenzied state. Must get on to the next thing.

And what about men? Being one myself, I venture an opinion. They too are over-extended. In tasks they are much like their wives and must pick up the slack, when there is slack to pick up. But I think men are basically unfriendly or, by my definition, "not friendly." They have only so much inherent sociability in their bodies and the job uses up all of it and a bit more. So they want silence and to be left alone when they return from jobs that are chronically  unsatisfying.  A beer and some TV. A nap. Don't bother me. And this dictum extends to their kids.

Sad, sad, sad: that's what it is. Perhaps it is so, world-wide. Men in so many countries are drunk most all the time, even on the job, and when they are not drunk, they are busy sleeping it off. And I am one of them, alas. But I am not content with this state of being.

Hey, dude--just say hello. A smile is not necessary, not if you don't have one left in you after a hard day on the job. I'll settle for a nod in the affirmative direction --you know, up and down.

Yo!

Thanks for the visit,
Robert C. Arnold, Editor