Yesterday I was sent the following piece of fan mail — for you, really, not for me — and I share it with you now:

I didn’t realize intelligent conversation (sans political banter) existed on the internet. How refreshing.

I thanked the person — who has yet to join our discussions — and I thought the comment was interesting and insightful for a new reader. While my name is on this Urban Semiotic blog — this blog doesn’t belong to me — it belongs to you. Without you, and your comments, I would not be as interested or as active as I am here every day. We have had our share of dividing political and religious discussions and while I appreciate those heavy debates it seems more people participate when the conversation is less core beliefs-threatening and more core values-introspective as together we try to figure out and analyze the skin of the Human Beast that covers us all. One of the most moving opening lines of play was spoken by a frantic woman entering the stage breathless and bedraggled as she tries to catch her breath between gasps for air:

“I have this human life to live and I don’t know what to do with it.”

Do you want to hug her or pity her or yell at her? Like every good play we are left, in the end, with more questions and fewer certainties about the predictable path of living and dying. Her human and universal dilemma is terrifying because her crisis is the common risk we face in our lives. Will we founder or flourish trying to divine our place in the world? Will every opportunity for caring and self-satiety escape our eager grasp despite our best efforts? Will we end up living in greater loneliness and deeper darkness than that in which we were birthed headlong — and without our permission — into this human life?

21 Comments

  3. Hi David,
    Thanks for inspiring us and letting us contribute to Urban Semiotic!
    I always learn something when I come by to visit. That’s something that can’t always be said about other places I’ve gone on the internet.

  5. I enjoy these conversations. People don’t change each other’s views, or open wider vistas in the “heavy debates.” Minds are already made up. The topics here, at least the ones since I started reading, encourage thought and consideration. I may take one viewpoint, then widen it or change it when others offer their thoughts.

  6. Hi Antoinette —
    You are absolutely right that if someone does or doesn’t believe in God or does or doesn’t believe in our leaders — their minds won’t be changed here and the end result is a hardening of sides instead of an opening of minds.

  7. David,
    All I can say I am indebted to you for this blog. I learn something substantial everyday from your feedback, enjoy others’ contribution enormously, can express myself…what else do I need to relax in a constructive way?
    I started participating in it as a hobby…looks like this is going to be my future! 😀

  8. Hi Katha!
    I appreciate your kind comment and I am fond of your fine participation here!
    I look forward to all the wise and bright things you will share with us from the future!

  9. I have to agree with Chris and Katha – this is one of the most interesting blogs I’ve read in a long time. I’ll definitely be checking back a lot in the future!

  10. Nice email followed by nice thougts and dicussion. I have come to appreciate the dicuss here vey much. So much so I am going to have a go at the four corners thing I think.

  13. Nicola —
    Ooo! I would love to see what you come up with for the Four Corners project!
    I love having your perception and point-of-view here!

  16. David said “Ooo! I would love to see what you come up with for the Four Corners project!”
    It is proving an interesting challenge – it niggles away at me! I am still trying to decide which world to do the four corners of – if that makes any sense !

  19. I’m excited, Nicola!
    Just remember — no cursing (but penises and vaginas and other proper medical names are welcome!) — and no visual naughty bits that will get us an “X” blocked for content.
    That said, I’ve seen your website/blog and your images there are perfectly fine for here and they are extremely intriguing!

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