9 20 5655 https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/1ebd03dc7ffa2e52436d7654e0f7c622.mp3 ee3f50efed1ba6f0a46d3973746d95d3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Items in this collection are part of a series of lectures given every year at St. John's College. During the Fall and Spring semesters, lectures are given on Friday nights. 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Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data audiocassette Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 00:56:09 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Caesars: From Plutarch to Shakespeare—and Beyond Description An account of the resource Audio recording of a lecture delivered on March 22, 2002, by Christopher Pelling as part of the Formal Lecture Series. Dr. Pelling is Regius Professor of Greek emeritus at the University of Oxford. Note: the recording started slightly after Dr. Pelling began speaking. This lecture is also part of the Steiner Lecture Series. The Andrew Steiner Memorial Lecture fund was created by the family and friends of Mr. Steiner, an alumnus (class of 1963) of St. John’s College, Annapolis. It was established to attract scholars from different disciplines and worlds, recognizing Andrew’s great intellectual versatility. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pelling, C. B. R. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2002-03-22 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource St. John's College has been given permission to make this item available online. Type The nature or genre of the resource sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource mp3 Subject The topic of the resource Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Julius Caesar Plutarch. Caesar Plutarch--Influence. Caesar, Julius--In literature. Rome--In literature. Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context LEC_Pelling_Christopher_2002-03-22_ac Friday night lecture Steiner lecture https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/b27f228af8885305d2eefc307393d4a2.pdf 2d2f9bc5c0f94061c40217f5f410e879 PDF Text Text NEH Milton Lecture 1 Argument Not Less But More Heroic: Milton's Advent'rous Song in Paradise Lost Thomas May, tutor February,11,2005 As the opening lines of this solemn invocation to Paradise Lost lay out the poem's tragic theme of"Man's First Disobedience and the Fruit ... whose mortal taste/ Brought Death into the world, and all our woe, / With loss of Eden ... " we can hear in them echoes of the beginnings of the great epic poems of the classical age that precede it: "the rage of Peleus' son Achilles ... hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls,"2in the Iliad; "the man of many devices who wandered full many ways after he had sacked the citadel ofTroy,"3 in the Odyssey; and finally, "Arms I sing and the man who first from the coasts of Troy, exiled by fate, came to Italy and Lavinian shores ... till he should build a city ... and the walls oflofty Rome,"4 in the Aeneid. This last differs from its Greek antecedents both in setting a limit to and in defining a purpose for the struggles of its hero, and Virgil's conditional tone-' till he should build a city' -has further resonances with Milton's lines, "till one greater Man/ Restore us and regain the blissful seat." Our poet then calls upon the same "Heavn'ly Muse" who inspired Moses 1 I wish to thank both.the National Endowment for the Humanities and the College for making it possible for me to explore the writings of Milton through these past two years, and for providing funding for four of my colleagues to join me in a seminar that read Lycidas and Paradise Lost last semester. 2 Iliad l. 1-3, Homer ;The Iliad, trans. Robert Fagles (Viking Penguin,1990). All further citations are from this edition. 3 Odyssey 1.1-3, Homer: The Odyssey, trans. A.T. Murray, 2 vols. (Loeb, Cambridge, Harvard Univ. Press; London: William Heineman, 1960). 4 Aeneid 1.1-2, Virgil, trans. H.R. Fairclough, 2 vols. Loeb, Cambridge: Harvard Univ. Press; London: William Heineman, 1960). All further citations are from this edition. May, Thomas L0613 Argument Not Less But More Heroic 0060 PSHOP $2.99 11111111111111111111111111111111111 1 �on Mt. Sinai and then later dwelt in Solomon's Temple on Mt. Sion, where the sacred brook of Siloa flows nearby, holy places that supercede Mt. Helicon-"th' Aonian Mount"mentioned later-and the fountain of Aganippe, haunt of the muses of classical poetry. At "Siloa's Brook" the long opening sentence comes to a partial stop with a semicolon, before the poet proceeds: I thence Invoke thy aid to my advent'rous Song That with no middle flight intends to soar Above th' Aonian Mount, while it pursues Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhyme. (1. 12-16)5 This startling word 'advent'rous' alerts us to the nature of the song we are about to hear and by implication the character of its bard, suggesting an endeavor full of risk and peril, one that is daring, possibly even rash. 6 This poet, by contrast with his predecessors, intimates that it is not enough for him to present as hero an ideal man, some solitary and absolute sort of individual, capable of prodigious deeds and superhuman endurance in the midst of conflict; an 'advent'rous song' requires something else, something more. This difference even is even more explicit in the proem or prologue to Book Nine, when, as the poet leaves the long conversation between Raphael and Adam related in the previous four books, he announces that he " ... now must change / Those notes to Tragic,"(9.5-6) continuing: ... Sad task, yet argument Not less but more Heroic than the wrath Of stem Achilles on his Foe pursu'd Thrice Fugitive about Troy Wall; or rage 5 Complete Poems and Major Prose ofJohn Milton, ed. Merritt Y. Hughes (New York: Odyssey Press/ Bobbs-Merrill, 1973). All citations and quotations of Milton's poetry are taken from this edition. Hereafter cited as Hughes. 6 OED 2,3,4. 2 �Of Tumus for Lavinia disepous 'd, Or Neptune's ire or Juno's, that so long Perplex'd the Greek and Cytherea's Son ... (9.14-20) He remembers Achilles for the implacable avenging wrath that consumes him in his pursuit of Hector around the walls of Troy; Tumus is recalled as the jilted fiance of Lavinia and for his jealous rage at Aeneas, who is mentioned only obliquely as 'Cytherea's Son;' similarly, Odysseus is styled as the 'Greek perplex'd,' i.e., tormented and plagued, by Neptune's ire. How are we to take this? Is this curious summary meant to dismiss the three greatest classical epics just as we are about to be presented with the climactic temptation and fall of man? I don't think so. The more attentively I read Paradise Lost, the more echoes and reverberations I hear with the three great classical epics we read together in our first two years here; I wonder if Milton's purpose isn't rather to rehabilitate heroic antecedents such as these. Sometimes his allusions are tinged with irony, as I think is the case in the passage I just cited, but irony of this sort can prompt us to reconsider and reassess what we think and feel about characters like Achilles, Odysseus, or Aeneas, without permitting us simply to discount them. Early on in the course of our NEH study group on Milton, at a moment when we had just noticed one of these epic echoes-one like" ... say first what cause / Mov'd our Grand Parents in that Happy state ... to fall .. " (1.28-30), at the beginning of Paradise Lost Book One, with the Iliad's "What god drove them (i.e., Agamemnon and Achilles) to fight with such a fury?"- one ofmy colleagues asked with a hint of exasperation, "What is he doing?-he can't just play around with things like this!" This remark struck me as being both fair and true, a rightful 3 �insistence that poets should not be simply permitted to do whatever strikes their fancy; they ought to be held to some standard of poetic justice. If we consider for a moment the answer to each of these epic questions' Apollo,' in the case of the Iliad, and 'Th'infernal Serpent' in Paradise Lost-we might gain some sense of what Milton is doing. Later on in Book One of Paradise Lost, soon after Satan summons his defeated legions with the majestic command, "Awake, arise, or be forever fallen," (1.330), as they gather on the plain of Hell, we learn that the names of all the fallen angels were blotted from the heavenly record after their rebellion from God, and that later, after the Fall, men came to adore "Devils ... for Deities" (1.373) and gave them the names of all the "various Idols through the Heathen World."(1.375) So, this means that Apollo, the son of Zeus and Leto, whose anger at Agamemnon for failing to honor the request by the priest Chryses for the return of his daughter prompts him to smite the Achaean armies with a fatal plague at the opening of the Iliad, turns out to be merely one of that nameless horde of apostate angels who appear in Paradise Lost in the catalogue of devils, Milton's counterpart in Paradise Lost to Homer's catalogue of ships in the Iliad. And, by the way, the Greek gods come last in this catalogue, far behind Moloch and Chemos and Baal and Ashtaroth, the horrible and magnificently obscene gods of the Ammonites, Moabites, and peoples of Canaan, all enemies of the Israelites and the living, invisible God of Milton's poem. Moreover, his prolepsis in calling the fallen angels by their names as pagan deities as named and worshipped by postlapsarian humankind also contrasts dramatically with Adam's account to Raphael in Book Eight of how, at God's invitation to him to give all living things their names, he" ... nam'd them, as they pass'd, and understood/ Thir Nature ... (8.352-53); the postlapsarian naming of 4 �bad angels by the sons and daughters of Adam does not participate in the same knowledge and insight with which God endued Adam's original, innocent apprehension of the unfallen created order. I should mention here that this is only one of many such instances in Paradise Lost, where so often we are first given the fallen version or perspective on things, the one closest to us as readers, as children of our fallen "Grand Parents" Adam and Eve, before we are given the truer but to us remoter original. This amounts to nothing less than an epic deflation, a gigantic put-down of the gods of antiquity who figure so largely in the epics of Homer and Virgil. But if Apollo is nothing more than some dissembling fallen angel turned false god, what of the heroes of Homer and Virgil; what of Achilles and Odysseus and Aeneas? Are they similarly debunked in the course of Milton's poem? By associating and contrasting these classical heroes with the chief figures of Paradise Lost, with Satan, with the Son of God, with Adam and Eve, Milton raises the same questions that are with us from our first seminar on the Iliad, the Odyssey, or the Aeneid: What is a hero and what is worthy of being considered heroic? It is important to note at the outset, however, that despite the historical precedence of the ancient epics to Paradise Lost, it claims to tell the story that is really prior, of the first man and woman and their fall, the causes for this, and the remedy that will ultimately transform their (and our) tragedy into a divine comedy in which restoration is effected and redemption is possible. Thus, the ultimate terms of heroism here range from the transcendently and divinely heroic to the demonically evil and debased, with the possibility of a genuine human heroism newly realized that reflects knowledge of these ultimate terms as the fruit of the poet's great argument. 5 �In the passage we just looked at, we saw that in raising and answering the question that introduces the narrative of the poem-'what cause? ... Th' infernal serpent'-Milton introduces the character of Satan, who dominates the first books of the poem and whose implacable envy and revenge against what he calls "the Tyranny of Heav'n"(l .124) prompt him to undertake his odyssey from Hell to our newer world, either to waste it utterly with Hell fire or to possess it as an empire (2.364-66), a demonic project that mimics elements of both the Aeneid and the Odyssey. It is difficult in these early books not to find Satan at least somewhat attractive and sometimes immensely entertaining, in spite of the numerous cues that Milton gives to warn us about his true nature. Consider, for example, the names of Satan, beginning with the aforementioned "Infernal Serpent", to "th' Arch-Enemy, and thence in Heav'n call'd Satan" (1.80-81), "th' Apostate Angel" (1.125), "th' Arch-fiend" (1.156), "the lost Arch-Angel" (1.243), "their great Sultan" (1.348), and "Arch-Angel ruin'd" (1.593)-these all occur in Book One--and this is not an exhaustive list! Each tells us something of what Satan is and that he certainly is not good, but like Eve, it is hard for us not to be fascinated and taken in by him, perhaps because of Milton's calculated grandiloquence. If such is meant to deter us, we might be tempted like the poet William Blake to say: The reason Milton wrote in fetters when he wrote of Angels & God, and at liberty when of Devils & Hell, is because he was A true Poet and of the Devil's party without knowing it. 7 More influential in our initial assessment of Satan perhaps are his own stirring words that he uses to rally the fallen angels: 7 William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1990), p. xvii. 6 �What though the field be lost? All is not lost; the unconquerable Will, And study of revenge, immortal hate, And courage never to submit or yield And what is else not to be overcome? That Glory never shall his wrath or might Extort from me. (1.105-111) His refusal to compromise or concede, his indomitable courage and enormous sense of honor and personal worth may remind us of Achilles at first, until we remember that Achilles' wrath against Agamemnon is neither immortal nor unlimited. At the height of his rage in Iliad 9, he tells the embassy of Odysseus, Phoenix, and Ajax that he will not think of arming for bloody war again, not till the son of wise King Priam, dazzling Hector batters all the way to the Myrmidon ships and shelters, slaughtering Argives, gutting the hulls with fire. (9. 795-798-emphasis mine) Later, the climactic scene in Iliad 24 shows an Achilles capable of marveling at the majestic nobility of Priam, who comes to ransom the body of his fallen son Hector (567), and who spares the life of the old king despite himself when Priam inadvertently enrages him with his suggestion that the Achaean prince can enjoy the ransom just paid, when he returns to his native land (652-669). By contrast to these heroes, Satan claims to possess "a mind not to be chang'd by Place or Time"(l.253), to which he adds, in two of the most famous lines of the poem, The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a Heav'n of Hell, a Hell ofHeav'n. (254-255) This inalterable hatred against heaven originates in the umbrage he takes at the Father's proclamation to the full company of angels that his only begotten Son, "the powerful Word" (7.208-9) through whom all things were made (6.836-38), is "Messiah King anointed" (5.664), an announcement that Satan finds unbearable, for he "thought himself 7 �impair'd" (5,665) i.e., lowered in rank and esteem among the company of heaven. The epic voice tells us in the following line (666!) that Satan, "Deep malice thence conceiving and disdain," is at that moment inspired to launch his rebellion and perpetual war against heaven. After his defeat in a three day long epic battle, related in Book Six of Paradise Lost, and his expulsion into Hell with the rebel angels, he builds his great capital Pandemonium and resolves almost immediately to 'enlarge his honor and empire' by conquering the new world that he has just heard about. Many readers have also noticed parallels between Satan's heroic journey to discover this new world, related through parts of the narrative of Books Two, Three, and Four, and the account that Virgil gives us of Aeneas' flight with his countrymen from Troy and his struggle to establish the new kingdom that will serve as the basis for Rome. By contrast it is significant that Satan undertakes this quest alone and as the ultimate in impious projects, one that is meant to thwart the divine will and to destroy the inhabitants of earth by fraud. When at the opening of Book Six he alights on Mt. Niphates, ready to initiate his destructive program, he pauses dramatically to consider his situation, only to find that Horror and doubt distract His troubl'd thoughts, and from the bottom stir The Hell within him, for within him Hell He brings, and round about him, nor from Hell One step no more than from himself can fly By change of place ... (6.18-23) In our Milton study group, one of my colleagues pointed out that Satan's inner tumult here, initially wordless, is reminiscent of Plutarch's description of Caesar's deliberations before he crosses the Rubicon: ... he wavered much in his mind when he considered 8 �the greatness of the enterprise into which he was throwing himself. He checked his course and ordered a halt, while he revolved with himself, and often changed his opinion 8 one way and the other, without speaking a word. Despite the great journey he has undertaken, Satan paradoxically finds himself trapped and confined within the limits of his fixed mind, for once at a loss for words, and as he gazes first towards Eden and then heaven, try as he might, he is unable to make a heaven out of his inner Hell. Remembering "what he was, what is, and what must be/ Worse ... " (4.25-26), he at last gives utterance to his inmost thoughts in a speech that begins with 9 lines originally intended for a tragedy Milton proposed to call "Adam Unparadiz'd." In the eighty-one lines of this soliloquy, Satan demonstrates the truth of La Rochefoucauld's maxim that "whatever discoveries one may have made in the land of self-love, there is still a lot of uncharted territory." 10 Chronologically the first lines written for Satan in Paradise Lost, these lines give us a sense of how Milton originally conceived his matchless villain. Satan recognizes the enormity of his offense against "Heav'n's matchless King,"(4.41) whom he acknowledges as his creator-contradicting his claim to the angel Abdiel later in the poem that he is "self-begot, self-rais'd-and confesses that "lifted up so high/ I s'deined subjection" (49-50). This word "disdain" returns again later in the soliloquy as he considers the possibility of repentance and pardon, in order to escape the ever lower hellish deep that threatens to devour him: 0 then at last relent: is there no place Left for repentance, none for Pardon left? 8 Plutarch, "The Life of Caesar" from The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans, trans. John Dryden, rev. Arthur Hugh Clough (New York: The Modem Library) p. 874. 9 Edward Phillips, The Life ofMilton, in Hughes, op. cit., pp.1034-35. 10 Francois, due de La Rochefoucauld, Maximes et Reflexions Diverses. (Paris: GamierFlammarion, 1977), maxim 3, p. 45. (translation mine) 9 �None left but by submission; and that word Disdain forbids me, and my dread of shame Among the spirits beneath, whom I seduc'd ... (4.79-83-emphasis mine) What is so terrible for Satan, so forbidding in this word disdain? Its primary meaning is to think unworthy of oneself, to despise or treat with scorn, 11 and Satan's sense of impairment, of his diminished status beneath both the Father and the Son of God, drives him not only to cut himself off from "Heav'n's free Love dealt equally to all"(4.68), but, as he confesses here, to seduce a third of his fellow angels from the allegiance and service they rightfully owe to God. In proposing to himself what it would mean to repent and obtain pardon, he can only imagine that his own "high thoughts" would soon prompt him "to unsay what feign'd submission swore" (4.95-96). Like Claudius in Shakespeare's Hamlet, Satan brings himself to the very threshold of repentance but in his great pain and anguish can sustain no firm purpose of amendment. In the painful course of this long deliberation on Niphates, Satan shows what Hume later on will assert in his Treatise, that "'Tis not contrary to reason to prefer the destruction of the whole world to the scratching of my finger." 12 And like Caesar, who ultimately casts aside his misgivings to cross the Rubicon and move on Rome to pursue empire and personal power, Satan rejects hope and contrition to embrace the evil that he calls his good, to win by deceit and hold by fraud "Divided Empire with Heav'n's King" over "this new World" (4.111-14). He comes to Eden as an "arch-felon" (4.179), a terrorist whose mind is set on the destruction of the blissful, sweet, newly created world that he can appreciate but not abide. "That fixt mind/ And high disdain"(l.97-98) that II 12 OED 1 David Hume, A Treatise ofHuman Nature, II,3. (Oxford, Clarendon Press,1968), p. 416. 10 �distinguish him from the outset of the poem persist through all his outward transformations: from stripling cherub to cormorant to toad and finally to "monstrous Serpent on his Belly prone/ reluctant"(l0.514-15) in Book Ten, the form he first takes on to deceive Eve but then finds himself stuck in when the explosion of hisses from his fallen angel followers, similarly and horribly and aptly transmogrified, greet him at the end of his triumphant return to Hell. In his fixity and self-professed unchangeableness, Satan distinguishes himself not only from the classical heroes of antiquity, but also from Adam and Eve, and the entire company of heaven loyal to the Father, including the Son of God. We need next to consider the last of these, for in looking at the Son of God and then comparing him with Satan, we can lay out the two extremes of transcendent heroism and unsurpassed villainy, the ultimate terms of the created order. It is important first to note that God the Father is "Omnipotent, Immutable, Immortal, Infinite, Eternal King," "Author of all being"(3.372-74), and "invisible amidst. .. glorious brightness" (3.375-376); while the Son, "the radiant image of his (the Father's) glory" (3.63) is the "Only begotten Son" (3.80), suggesting a being in essence different from the Father, 13 a unique and mutable creature, albeit the first-born of creation, in the relation to the Father of an inferior to a superior. 14 I apologize if this seems to be a needlessly abstruse digression on Milton's anti-Trinitarianism, but it helps to explain two features of Milton's presentation of the Council of Heaven in Book Three that most readers find strange, if not troubling. 13 John Milton, Christian Doctrine, trans. John Carey, vol.6, p. 210 from Complete Prose Works ofJohn Milton, ed. Don M. Wolfe et al., 8 vols. (New Haven: Yale Univ. Press, 1953-1982). 14 Ibid., pp. 275-276. 11 �First, the Father and the Son are depicted there as having a conversation in the presence of the loyal angels, in which the Father, prompted by the sight of Satan winging his way towards Eden, tells the Son how the desperate revenge of Satan will pervert man through guile to fall, and goes on to explain how the mitigating factor of this deception warrants the mercy and justice that He will show man after the Fall. Orthodox Christian theology about the Trinity, with its formal profession of the unity of substance attributed to Father, Son, and Spirit, as formulated in the Nicene Creed, would most likely deter the poet from presenting such an exchange, but here the Son is a creature, though the first born and highest of all creation, and he learns in the presence of the angels what is hidden in the depths of his Father's foreknowledge. If the Son were to know everything by virtue of his own consubstantiality with the Father, this celestial conversation would take on the aspect of a strange court masque with the king and the crown prince as the principal players, or of a duo recital for the benefit of the angels -and us readers, something I don't think Milton means to do here, however strange we may find this scene to be. Second, as the sacred conversation continues, the Father explains that once man has fallen, with the vigor of his original goodness being "forfeit and enthrall'd"(3.176), justice demands that "He with his whole posterity must die" (3.209), adding ... unless for him Some other able, and as willing, pay The rigid satisfaction, death for death. (3.210-12) This long exposition on the need for atonement for the sin of Adam and Eve culminates with the Father's hard, direct question addressed to the entire company of heaven: Say Heav'nly Powers, where shall we find such love, Which of ye will be mortal to redeem 12 �Man's mortal crime, and just th' unjust to save, Dwells in all Heaven charity so dear? (3.213-16) The silence that follows this question -"the Heav'nly Choir stood mute"(3.216)-is the most dramatic event in this scene up to this moment, until the Son of God offers himself as the proxy for disabled humanity, with the dramatic words Behold mee then, mee for him, life for life I offer, on mee let thine anger fall; Account mee man; I for his sake will leave Thy bosom, and this glory next to thee Freely put off, and for him lastly die Well pleas'd ... (3.236-40) Notice here that Milton differentiates the "mee" of the Son's dramatic offer by adding and extra "e" to the spelling, something he does elsewhere with the pronouns he, ye, and she, as if to simulate the emphasis Greek achieves with the accented or by adding the particles 817 or over the enclitic for additional stress; or like the use of moi as a stressed pronoun in French. Yet the Son's 'mee ... mee ... mee ... mee' is not the selfaggrandizing or vain-glorious egotism that we hear later from Satan, when discovered in the garden by the angel guards Ithuriel and Zephon, who do not recognize him, he asks: Know ye not then said Satan, fill' d with scorn Know ye not mee? ... Not to know mee argues yourselves unknown ... (4. 827-30) Rather, the Son's proposal is to empty himself of all that is rightfully his for the sake of mankind, which is the sacrifice of "glory ... freely put off... "(3.239-40) in the incarnation, and which necessarily entails his own death, so that his emphatic mee is a rhetorical 13 �measure both of the desperate condition of a fallen world and the heroic love of the Son for mortal man. 15 Moreover, the Son's words here echo those found in an incident related in Book Nine of the Aeneid, during the bitter war that erupts between Aeneas and the Rutulian prince Tumus for the hand of Lavinia, after the Trojans have landed in Italy. 16 Two Trojan soldiers, Nisus and Euryalus, are a devoted pair of lovers who set out from the besieged Trojan camp through enemy lines to gain help from Aeneas, who is away. Nisus, the older, cannier veteran of the two, hears the cry of Euryalus his innocent, spirited cohort, as he is caught by a Rutulian patrol after impulsively wrecking havoc in their camp. Nisus, in trying to deflect the avenging wrath of the Rutulians from his young comrade onto himself, cries out: On me-on me-here am I who did the deed-on me tum your steel, 0 Rutulians! Mine is all the guilt; he neither dared nor could have done aught; this heaven be witness and the all-seeing stars! He but loved his hapless friend too well! (Aeneid 9. 427-430) This cry of 'on me, on me ... mine is all the guilt' sets the poetic precedent for the Son's cry during the Council of Heaven, but there is a sense in which Milton, though writing his poem seventeen hundred years later, scoops Virgil by having the Son offer himself for all of fallen humanity shortly after the creation of the world. It can be seen, too, that the Son's magnanimity combines elements of the experience, generosity, and selflessness of Nisus with the innocence and beauty ofEuryalus, providing a standard of heroism that is 15 Stanley Fish calls this "the poem's first truly heroic act." Stanley Fish, Swprised by Sin. (Cambridge; Harvard Univ. Press, 1998), p.86. 16 Alastair Fowler also points out this echo in a note to 3.236-38, The Poems ofJohn Milton, ed. John Carey and Alastair Fowler (London and New York: Longman, 1968), p. 574. Hereafter cited as Fowler. 14 �at once poignant and extraordinary, perhaps we might say transcendent. Whatever the case, the Son at this point emerges as the outstanding hero of the poem. In reading Paradise Lost for seminar in junior year, we completely skip over Book Six and nearly all of Book Seven, the very heart and center of Milton's poem, where Raphael recounts for Adam and Eve both the Son's aristeia in the Battle of Heaven against Satan, the central epic episode of the poem, and his work as the "Omnific Word"(7.217), effecting the will of the Father in Creation. We should note here that the exact center of the poem, whether we take the ten-book division of First Edition of 1671 or the twelve-book division of the Second Edition of 1674, with its additional fourteen lines, is placed at the climax of the Battle of Heaven in Book Six, when the Son appears in the "Chariot of Paternal Deity"(6.750) and single-handedly defeats the Satan and his cohort of fallen angels, who throw themselves headlong into the bottomless pit. 17 It should be needless to say that in a work of such length and complexity, it is doubtlessly significant, the result of great art and deliberateness, that the center is placed here. What then of Adam and Eve? We meet them before the Fall, in Book FourTwo of far nobler shape erect and tall, Godlike erect, with native Honor clad In naked Majesty ... Lords of all, .. .in their looks Divine The image of their glorious Maker shone (4.288-292) Despite their common heroic bearing and natural dominion over the garden, they are not equal: For contemplation hee and valor form'd, For softness shee and sweet attractive Grace, Hee for God only, shee for God in him (4.297-299) 17 The central line in Edition I occurs at 6.761; in Edition II at 6.766. Ibid., pp. 441-442; cp. Fowler,441-442 15 �'Valor' suggests the sort of strength and bravery that makes one equal to conflict and battle, while 'softness,' at least before the Fall, is simply meant to imply mildness and gentleness, 18 rather than weakness or timidity. 19 As in Heaven with the Father, the Son and the angels, so too in Paradise there is a hierarchical order, here expressed in Adam's "gentle sway"(4.309) and Eve's "coy-i.e., quiet, modest20 -submission"(4.311). In the first words we hear between the two of them, Adam marvels that they should enjoy freely such unmerited happiness, while following the "delightful task"(4.437) of tending the garden and obeying God's" easy charge"(4.421) -to refrain from eating of the Tree of Knowledge. Eve seconds this and claims herself the happier of the two in enjoying Adam's preeminence, something we tend to forget-or don't want to believe- in the course of her long account of first awakening on the day of her creation. Is it the case that such perfect harmony between the sexes, though without equality, is something that can only be imagined by a poet who claims to be the beneficiary of extraordinary inspiration? If we grant this for the sake of the poem, we might be tempted to think that the created world of Eden is simple and perfect and static, but this turns out not to be the case. The angel Raphael, sent by the Father to warn Adam of the danger that Satan presents to his happiness, first shares a meal with Adam and Eve, and in answer to Adam's question about how an angel can partake of earthly fruit, gives an account of a dynamic created order in which corporal nutriments, endowed with various forms, are· equally capable of nourishing different forms of life, which all having first proceeded 18 OED 2 OED 3 20 OED 1,2. 19 16 �from the Almighty are meant by degrees and over time to return to him. The importance of this for Adam and Eve is made explicit when Raphael continues: And from these corporal nutriments perhaps Your bodies may at last tum all to spirit, Improv' d by tract of time, and wing' d ascend Ethereal, as wee ... (5.496-499-emphasis mine)) Happiness takes time, may increase over time-indeed is meant to-yet the metaphysical and moral dynamics of the created order are such that each stage is capable of only so much and no more-Leibniz would say only so much at any given moment is compossible. This is what it means to eat right. Note, too, that the ascent is to the angelic order. Raphael then tells Adam and Eve that in time they ... may at choice Here or in Heav'nly Paradises dwell; If ye be found obedient, and retain Unalterably firm his love entire Whose progeny you are. (5.499-503) In this first of six warnings that Raphael gives Adam in the course of their long conversation, 21 he sets out clearly what is at stake in obedience and disobedience, suggesting the dynamic of growth that presupposes both a hierarchy of perfection and the continuity of unchangeable love. Later, in Book Seven, Raphael relates to Adam and Eve the conversation that the Father has with the Son just prior to creation. After characterizing Satan and the fallen angels as "Self-lost"(7.154)-a divine correction of Satan's earlier claim to be "self-begot, self-rais'd "(5.860), he proposes to create Another World, out of one man a Race Of men innumerable, there to dwell, Not here, till by degrees of merit rais'd They open to themselves at length the way Up hither, under long obedience tri'd, 21 The others are found at 6.897-912;7.542-547; 8.166-178;8.561-594;8.633-643. 17 �And Earth be chang'd to Heav'n and Heav'n to Earth, One Kingdom, Joy and Union without end. (7.155-161) In his final angelic admonition, the most succinct and the one given to Adam alone, Raphael says: Be strong, live happy, and love, but first of all Him whom to love is to obey, and keep His great command; take heed lest Passion sway Thy judgment to do aught, which else free Will Would not admit; thine and of all thy Sons The weal or woe in thee is plac't; beware. I in thy persevering shall rejoice, And all the Blest: stand fast; to stand or fall Free in thine own Arbitrement it lies. Perfet within, no outward aid require; And all temptation to transgress repel. (8. 633-643) 22 'Arbitrement' is the capacity to decide for oneself; in a word, free choice. The warning 23 ends with two imperatives: require, i.e., ask or demand as a right, no outward help; and resist any enticement to break the law set down. We can only infer from this that Adam and Eve are fully capable, self-sufficient, and perfect, so far as repelling any temptation to break the "sole command"(7.47) is concerned. We know even before we reach it that Eve and Adam will both fail the "trial. .. unsought"(9.366) that Adam realizes will come, indeed must come, and of which he warns Eve as she leaves him alone, in Book Nine. Just as Homer displays Achilles in single combat against Hector and Virgil presents Aeneas alone against Turnus, Milton, in the second great epic episode of the poem, presents Eve as protagonist alone against Satan, now incarnate in a "spirited sly snake"(9.613), endowed with speech, intent on her ruin. After Eve recovers from her amazement at hearing "Language pronounc't / By Tongue ofBrute"(9.553-4), she asks 22 23 OED 1 OED II.5 18 �the serpent how he became capable of speech, and he replies vaguely but enticingly, attributing his "strange alteration"(9.599) to eating the "fair Apples"(9.585) he found after coming by chance upon a "goodly Tree"(9.576) in the garden. She then follows him to the Tree of Knowledge, which she immediately recognizes as the one forbidden, telling the serpent that it is neither to be eaten nor touched, under pain of death. In reply Satan takes on the role of advocate for cosmic justice and human entitlement, like "some orator renowned/ In Athens or free Rome" (9 .670-71 ), and in what is to be his last speech in Paradise, he rises to an eloquence that appears to provide incontrovertible proof of the native virtue of the interdicted fruit, raising formidable arguments against its ban and for its wholesomeness. 24 The most compelling of these is based upon the simple specious proportion stating that-in eating the fruit-as change from serpent: change into serpent with logos:: change from man: change into god. 25 We know that this is specious from Raphael's discourse earlier and from our reading of Genesis-and also from our status as the hapless descendants of Eve, as 'the fruit of that forbidden tree.' The true proportion expressing the change that has taken place in Satan and is about to take place in Adam and Eve is: archangel : archangel ruin' d : : man : fallen man. Eve knows the first ratio of this second proportion from Raphael, but she believes she sees the evidence for the first ratio of the first transformation before her eyes and hears it in her ears. But she ignores the contradiction between the ultimate term of the first, satanic proportion-'god '-and Raphael's earlier discourse about the possibility of 24 Barbara Lewalski , in Paradise Lost and the Rhetoric ofLiterary Forms (Princeton:Princeton University Press, 1985) note 43, p.357, states that the false analogies that Satan leads Eve to make are "evidently original with Milton." 25 cp. Fowler, note ix.710-12, p. 898. 19 �gradual, ordered ascent to the angelic order. Besides, it is noon, she is hungry, and the savory smell of the fruit beckons, so she pauses to deliberate, her private musings ultimately giving approval to what, for her, the serpent has proved. She first plucks the fruit "through expectation high/ of knowledge"(9. 789-90), and then, serpent-like, she greedily engorges it a far remove from her earlier rural repast (9.4) with Adam and Raphael, and she forgets Raphael's discourse on the natural and gradual improvement to be gained by eating in accord with the divine command. The effects of the fruit on Eve are immediately apparent: she worships the tree, praises experience as "Best guide"(9.807), speculates about whether God has seen what she has done, and then deliberates over whether or not to "keep the odds of Knowledge"(9.820) to herself by not sharing the fruit with Adam, to draw his love the more to her, now his equal, or better yet, his superior. Experience is not such an effective teacher, or so it seems. Eve's first impulse here is not to imitate her own experience of the serpent's apparent generosity. But second thoughts cause her to worry that if God has seen her, she will die alone, and Adam might re-wed, happily, a second Eve; fearful, jealous thoughts that prompt her to decide firmly that "Adam shall share .. .in bliss or woe."(9.831) The epic battle here lost by Eve is not one of "fabl'd Knights/ In Battles feign'd"(9.30-31) but one of words and will, and natural grace disregarded and abandoned. When Adam finds her at the Tree of Knowledge, Eve recounts what has happened but adds the lie that she did it all "chiefly" for him, and now she bids him to eat "Lest ... different degree/ disjoin us"(9.883-84). Adam's inward musings, like Eve's on the cusp of her Fall, show the paradoxical character of his decision: 20 �... how hast thou yielded to transgress The strict forbiddance, how to violate The sacred Fruit forbidd'n! some cursed fraud Of Enemy hath beguil'd thee, yet unknown, (9.902-905) Unlike Eve, however, Adam is not deluded by the seemingly miraculous transformation of the serpent, but just as he earlier gave irrefragable arguments for why they should not separate before, only to let Eve go off, he now abruptly adds: And mee with thee hath ruin'd, for with thee Certain my resolution is to Die; How can I live without thee ... ? (9.907-909) Another Eve could never repair the loss of the one who stands before him-or so he imagines- and "The Link ofNature"(9.914) that draws him to her also commands his inward assent, even as he hails her as "advent'rous Eve' (9.921). Well, what else might he do? He might recollect something he heard from Raphael. Earlier, when Raphael gave Adam and Eve the account of the Fall of the rebellious angels, he told them of the "dreadless Angel" (6.1) Abdiel, who in his efforts to dissuade Satan from his disastrous course urged him to "hast'n to appease/ Th'incensed Father, and th'incensed Son,/ while pardon may be found in time besought."(5.846-48) Adam no more recalls this exemplary advice than Aeneas remembers his duty to the gods and his Trojan countrymen while trysting with Dido during the royal hunt and storm outside of Carthage, 26 or Paris his combat oath when he beds down with Helen while Menelaus ranges the battlefield before Troy. 27 As Adam eats the fruit in "This happy trial of... Love" (9.975), Eve joins him, repeating her "former trespass" (9 .1006), and the two complete together "the mortal Sin / Original" (9.1003-4) in a kind of idolatrous, sacramental meal. The force of the fruit 26 27 Aeneid 4.129-172. Iliad 3.437-454 21 �quickly inflames carnal desire in them both, and they consummate the Fall with a gross coupling that has aspects of both rape and meretricious seduction; this "glorious trial of exceeding Love"(9.961), so hailed by Eve, culminates with the transient 'link oflust,' sealing their disobedience with sex as a second pagan sacrament. They lapse into a restless sleep and awaken to guilt shame, and estrangement that leads them to mutual recrimination, "neither self-condemning"(9. l 188). Each is now isolated and alone, though together, in Paradise. Later, after the Son is dispatched from heaven by the Father to apprise Adam 28 and Eve of the judgment against them and of the mysterious promise of the seed, thus 29 tempering Justice with mercy, Adam, now alone, laments what he can only see as "the end of this new glorious World"(9.721). With its one hundred twenty-four lines it is the longest and darkest soliloquy of the entire poem, wherein Adam, at the prospect of all future generations cursing him, wishes for death and submits to the justice of his punishment. In the end he acknowledges that all his reasonings .. .lead me still first and last conviction: own But to my On mee, mee only, as the source and spring Of all corruption, all the blame lights due; So might the wrath. Fond wish! Couldst thou support That burden heavier than the Earth to bear, Than all the world much heavier, though divided With that bad Woman (9.830-837) Recall the words ofNisus and the Son that we considered earlier, words of deep love and selfless heroism; it is difficult not to hear the stressed accusatives of Adam's words, in their despair at his impotence and in his contempt for Eve, as the 28 29 Paradise Lost l 0.179-181) Ibid., 77-79. 22 �dark inverse of those antecedents. When Eve approaches him, he upbraids her for being as false and hateful as the serpent. For her part, in profoundly moving, lyrical lines, she professes her love for Adam and begs for forgiveness with words that resonate with the promise of hope and restoration offered earlier by the Son: On me exercise not Thy hatred for this misery befall 'n On me already lost, mee than thyself More miserable; both have sinn'd, but thou Against God only, I against God and thee, And to the place of judgment will return, There with my cries importune Heaven, that all The sentence from thy head remov' d may light On me, sole cause to thee of all this woe, Mee mee only just object of his ire. (10. 927-936) Eve, in acknowledging her sin and pleading for Adam's forgiveness, first reaffirms the order established from the beginning of' Adam for God and she for God in him,' the created order that has been fractured by their sin. Then, perhaps remembering Abdiel's injunction to 'hast'n to appease/ Th'incensed Father, and th'incensed Son,' she resolves to go alone to the place where they both have received the divine judgment, to implore the divine mercy that Adam cannot even imagine, overwhelmed as he is by his hellishly dark vision of divine justice. In words that most nearly echo words of the Son to his the Father, 30 she offers to take upon herself the entire burden of guilt that Adam despairs even the two of them together can sustain. Her final words 'Mee mee only just object of his ire' correspond most nearly to the Son's as he says to the Father," .. .life for life/ I offer, on mee let thine anger fall." (3.236-237) Yet, while this offer is utterly, heroically 30 cf. Joseph Summers, The Muse's Method: an Introduction to Paradise Lost (Binghamton, New York: Center for Medieval and Early Renaissance Studies, 1981), pp. 179-80. Summers rightly contrasts the Son's and Eve's use of the stressed accusative "mee" with Satan's use of"I," though we have seen that Satan uses the "mee" -to very different purpose-as well. 23 �generous, it stems from but one impulse among a host of conflicting emotions that Eve feels. Eve's heroism here is a nascent, fallen heroism. It nevertheless has its effect: Adam is moved slowly to relent in his anger and first advises Eve to bear her own punishment first, but he then imitates her generosity in wishing that all might fall upon himself, finally suggesting that their proper task is to "strive/ In offices of Love "(9.959-60) to lighten each other's burden of woe. Eve next proposes desperate measures-an end to sexual love between them, to render them childless, and joint suicide as a form of euthanasia-but Adam, perhaps reminded by Eve's earlier selfless impulse of the Son's promise that her seed will bruise the serpent's head, now urges what she had just before, that they both return to the place of judgment humbly to confess their faults in deepest sorrow, "with tears/ Watering the ground." (10.1101-1102) Significantly, the poet does not give us their words, but as Book Eleven opens, the prayers of Adam and Eve are received in heaven, where the Son renews his pledge to serve as advocate, and the Father dispatches the angel Michael with a cohort of cherubim to "send them forth, though sorrowing, yet in peace. "(11.117) To this end, the remaining two books of the poem are devoted to Michael's education of Adam, through a series of visions and lecture/ narratives in which he is shown the nature of death and the ultimate victory of the promised seed. There is not time enough now to consider the lengthy course that Michael gives Adam before the expulsion from the Garden of Eden; let it suffice here to notice Adam's response to what he learns: ,Henceforth I learn, that to obey is best, And love with fear the only God, to walk As in his presence, ever to observe His providence, and on him sole depend, 24 �Merciful over all his works, with good Still overcoming evil, and by small Accomplishing great things, by things deem' d weak Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wise By simply meek; that suffering for Truth's sake Is fortitude to highest victory ... (12.561-570) With these final words, Adam seconds those of the poet earlier in his proem to Book Nine, where Milton holds up what he claims is "the better fortitude/ Of Patience and Heroic Martyrdom"(9.31-32) as the proper subject for heroic song. Courage, bravery, and fortitude are what epic bards traditionally sing about; in Greek poetry, tharsos ((courage, confidence, boldness) and thrasos (courage, confidence, rashness), with andreia (manliness, strength, bravery) designating the word for this virtue that Plato and Aristotle use; in Latin poetry, virtus (manliness, virtue, bravery, courage) andfortitudo (physical strength, moral bravery, courage), in all three languages one of the four cardinal virtues. We saw the paradigm instance of this in Paradise Lost before, at the Council of Heaven, in the Son's volunteering to empty himself in order to redeem man, by taking on human flesh with all of its vulnerability and mortality after the fall, becoming small in order to accomplish great things. Adam has come to understand that obedience may ultimately demand the greater fortitude, from the heroic examples of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and preeminently, Messiah, all presented by Michael in his account of the career of the seed, steadfast despite the reversals brought about by Cain, Tubal-Cain, Nimrod, Pharaoh, and Rome-and ultimately by Satan, Sin and Death. 25 �Michael, in his final reply and last words in the poem, calls this "the sum/ Of wisdom"(12.575-76), higher than all earthly knowledge of the stars and "all Nature's 31 works" (12.578), as if to say with Pascal: Knowledge of physical science will not console me for ignorance . Of morality in time of affliction, but knowledge of morality Will always console me for ignorance of physical science. (23/67) It is not enough, however, merely to have such wisdom and knowledge; Michael continues: ... only add Deeds to thy knowledge answerable, add Faith Add Virtue, Patience, Temperance, add Love, By name to come call'd Charity, the soul Of all the rest: then wilt thou not be loath To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess A paradise within thee, happier far. (12. 581-87) 'Answerable,' i.e., responsible, knowledge shows itself in action, in deeds, as the fruit of this highest wisdom that Michael recognizes in Adam. Michael's words here follow almost exactly those found in 2 Peter 1. 5-8, except for the final verse, where Peter writes: For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (KJV) Michael instead gently reminds Adam that he must leave Paradise the place, taking it with him as an inner state, as if to suggest that the fruitfulness of the Garden of Eden can be extended to wherever wisdom and the greater fortitude of acts of charity consonant with it are done. We can thus see how Michael's final words are equivalent to this verse from 2 Peter, as adapted to the circumstances of Adam, who has just been brought from 31 Pascal's Pensees, trans. Alban J. Krailsheimer (Harmondsworth, New York: Penguin Books, 1984) p. 36. 26 �despair at the loss of Paradise, a despair that prompted Eve to propose a deliberately 'unfruitful' barrenness, to the prospect of an even greater happiness that comes with possession of "a paradise within."(12.586) And what of Eve? She has slept through all of this, Michael having "drencht" her eyes with a soporific before his conversation with Adam began. At Michael's urging, Adam hastens to the bower where Eve has been sleeping, only to find her already awake, and advised by her dreams of all that he has learned, "For God is also in sleep."(12.611) Eve is given the last words quoted, as beautiful and lyrical as any in the poem: ... but now lead on; chiasmus In mee is no delay; with thee to go, go stay Is to stay here; without thee here to stay Is to go hence unwilling; thou to mee stay go Art all things under Heav'n, all places thou, Who for my willful crime art banisht hence. This further consolation yet secure I carry hence; though all by mee is lost, Such favor I unworthy am voutsaf t, By mee the Promis'd Seed shall all restore. (12. 614-623) Eve at once accepts and approves their banishment from Eden, and urges Adam to lead the way, thereby reversing their roles during the catastrophe of the Fall. The flowing iambic motion of"In mee is no delay; with thee to go," interrupted by the affectingly simple chiasmus that follows, with its stop-start alternation of"go ... stay ... stay ... go," convey both a sense of the restored order she professes in her relation to Adam and the incipient joy that she feels in the newly discovered " paradise within." Her words also both echo and anticipate the words of Ruth the Moabite woman to her Hebrew mother-inlaw Naomi as they set out from the security of Moab to return to Judah: 27 �... whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge ... Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried ... (Ruth 1.16-1 7) Eve's final lines indicate that she is at once "though sorrowing, yet in peace"(l 1.117), and her final two stressed accusative 'mees' reverberate with her earlier offer to take full responsibility for the Fall and with the Son's offer to save mankind, to the extent that the two almost seem here to merge in her final line 'By mee the Promis'd Seed shall all restore.' This is the last spoken line of the poem, but it is not the last that we hear. The final five lines, with their deeply touching image of Adam and Eve as they depart Paradise, show that they are now, again, together alone: Some natural tears they dropp'd, but wip'd them soon; The World was all before them, where to choose Thir place of rest, and Providence thir guide; They hand in hand with wand'ring steps and slow Through Eden took thir solitary way. This penultimate word 'solitary' seems to be in tension with the 'hand in hand' of the line before, just as 'wand'ring' in that line is with 'place of rest' in the line before it. These tensions may strike us as both troubling and true, the very crux of the matter in an 'argument ... more heroic.' Thank you for your fortitude and attention. 28 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Items in this collection are part of a series of lectures given every year at St. John's College. During the Fall and Spring semesters, lectures are given on Friday nights. 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Visit <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/st-johns-college-annapolis-lectures/id1695157772">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6GDsIRqC8SWZ28AY72BsYM?si=f2ecfa9e247a456f" title="Spotify">Spotify</a> to listen and subscribe. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Greenfield Library Title A name given to the resource St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context formallectureseriesannapolis Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data paper Page numeration Number of pages in the original item. 28 pages Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Argument Not Less But More Heroic: Milton's Advent'rous Song in <em>Paradise Lost</em> Description An account of the resource Typescript of a lecture delivered on February 11, 2005, by Thomas May as part of the Formal Lecture Series. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource May, Thomas Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2005-02-11 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource St. John's College has been given permission to make this item available online. Type The nature or genre of the resource text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Subject The topic of the resource Milton, John, 1608-1674. Paradise lost Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context LEC_May_Thomas_2005-02-11 Relation A related resource <a href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/show/7879" title="Recording">Recording</a> Friday night lecture Tutors https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/42b0e58b253147ab2ae973941b502cec.pdf 6d01ecdf2d4e5a7eda6d12bdbe144e39 PDF Text Text kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture Tragic Pharmacy: The ‘Noble’ Lie and the Fall of Kallipolis Kevin M. Kambo I. Introduction One of the special joys for an enthusiast of Plato is reading the receptions of and responses to the divine teacher (and his school(s)) that are strewn across the history of philosophy. One notes with fascination how Neoplatonists celebrated feast days to Socrates and Plato, while in the high Middle Ages, Platonism, in the Latin West, came to be associated, among a fair number of writers, with having some fundamental errors from which Aristotle delivers us. Somewhere in between we find figures like Augustine, who attacks the skepticism of the Platonists in Contra academicos, though he praises (up to a point) the Platonists in the Confessions and arguably baptizes Platonic recollection in De magistro. These varied appraisals continue into the 20th Century. E. O. Sisson, one time president of the Pacific Division of the American Philosophical Association, calls the Republic, “that original charter of Fascism”;1 for Karl Popper, “Plato recognizes only one ultimate standard, the interest of the state. … The criterion of morality is the interest of the state. … This is the collectivist, the tribal, the totalitarian theory of morality”;2 though Whitehead famously reflects, “The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato. I do not mean the systematic scheme of thought which scholars have doubtfully extracted from his writings. I allude to the wealth of general ideas scattered through them.” For my part, I confess partiality to Charles Péguy’s judgement that “it cannot be imagined that any man ever, nor any humanity, in a certain sense–which is the right sense–can ever intelligently boast of having surpassed Plato. I will go further. I add that a cultured 1 2 E. O. Sisson, Proceedings and Addresses of the American Philosophical Society (1939), 87. Karl Popper, The Open Society and Its Enemies I, 107. 1 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture man, a really cultured man, cannot even imagine the meaning of a claim to have surpassed Plato.”3 What occasions such a range of evaluations? One reason is the distinction—or, for some, the failure to make the distinction—between prescriptive and forensic reading of Plato. Those who take Plato as merely or immediately prescriptive receive what is found in the text at face value. Socrates is taken, straightforwardly, to be Plato’s mouthpiece, with his words in any particular dialogue essentially reduced to a Platonic treatise on a theme: his conclusions present Plato’s beliefs, his arguments reflect Plato’s reasoning. On such readings, everything else in the dialogue is merely cosmetic or simply a foil. Any tensions, contradictions, or impasses in the mouth of Socrates would also get reduced to be, only, contradictions and confusions in the mind of the author; we would have to foreclose, presumptively, the possibility that Plato might be using the tensions and impasses to make a larger point. This is the kind of reading found in Sisson and Popper, of which Whitehead is critical. A forensic reading, by contrast, approaches a Platonic dialogue as a multi-layered puzzle that invites the reader not only to discuss but also to experience the question of seeming and being: what merely appears to be going on probably does not account for all that is happening. Thus, one cannot relegate the non-Socratic parts to being non-essential workers; to get at the whole one must search for easily overlooked clues, interrogate different speakers, attend to the ambient conditions, and so on. In short, reading a Platonic dialogue is not unlike crime scene investigation. And, in the Republic specifically, Plato, like many a mystery author, drops, so to speak, a body: the ‘corpse’ of Kallipolis. In attempting to solve the mystery of the fall of Kallipolis forensically, I wager, we better understand Plato’s politically philosophy than if we read the Republic merely prescriptively. 3 Charles Péguy, “The Search for Truth,” in Basic Verities. 2 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture To solve a death, Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot would have us approach the cause through investigating the dead person’s character; similarly, that other efficient and competent undoer of knots, Bertie Wooster’s man Jeeves, untangles troubles by invoking what he calls the Psychology of the Individual. Taking my cue from these venerable predecessors, I suggest that the fall of Kallipolis is made intelligible through considering the psychology of the city. II. The Usual Suspects, and a Tell in the Tale One of the central issues concerning the deterioration of Kallipolis is inevitability. Socrates appears to construct the idea city, including in it multiple safeguards for stability, but the city is still doomed to fail. Standard explanations for this ineluctable fall focus on failure(s) related to application of the eugenic algorithm, the nuptial number—of geometric precision—that determines the right and just seasons for coupling in the city. First, there is the possibility that the algorithm cannot preserve the city because, Socrates notes, “Since everything that comes to be must decay, not even [a city] so constituted will last forever” (546a).4 Not even the nuptial number can hold back the entropic forces dragging the city towards political heat-death. Commenting in the Politics, Aristotle colors himself unimpressed by this reasoning, since it attributes decay to nothing inside the city but to forces external, and does not explain why this city should fail.5 Entropy ex machina makes for disappointing writing; when Socrates describes the decline of the other regimes, however, he appeals to internal reasons. Our second suspect concerns the limits of applying the nuptial number in history. Socrates says, “Even though they are wise, the people you have educated to be leaders in your city will, by using rational calculation combined with senseperception, nonetheless fail to ascertain the periods of good fertility and of infertility for your 4 5 The translation used is C. D. C. Reeve’s Hackett edition, with some minor adjustments. Politics 1316 a 17 ff. 3 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture species” (546a-b). The number is perfect and intelligible in itself, but application is reliant on sense perception, which is fallible; mistakes will be made. And then there is the argument that geometry will be unable to control or conquer eros (see 458d), meaning it will not be possible to get the timings perfectly right all the time. After all, in geometry beings keep their shapes and boundaries, neatly and tidily; but with eros, as the Symposium and Phaedrus reflect, beings change shape, shrink and expand, are shaken and stirred, are pierced, burned, and melted. Erotic dynamism is bound to frustrate geometric presumption. That said, none of these explanations pass the smell test, for the simple reason that they all assume that the marriage algorithm could ever apply. Rather than accept the standard accounts, I opt for a dramatic perspective, taking Kallipolis’ arc from founding to fall as a single, coherent action or plot. The eugenic algorithm is concerned with controlling coupling with an eye to producing the best offspring. The algorithm, therefore, assumes the presence of gold, silver, and bronze souls to sort; that is, the algorithm runs on the myth of metals, also known as the noble lie. But, as Eva Brann points out, “The myth must not only somehow be believed at the outset if the city is to be founded, but it ought in fact not to be a lie at all, if the city is to breed true. For if men are not born from a common parent and with pure souls easily assayed, the guardians cannot control the new generation and ensure the stability of the city. Its first natural birth will refute its foundations.”6 Precisely because they are trying to apply the algorithm, it would appear that the lie is believed by the rulers of the city. The price of this belief is that they therefore cannot see that the algorithm does not work; indeed, it has never worked. The nuptial algorithm that is meant to protect the city by preserving and consolidating the rule of the gold souled, generation after generation, needs to be applied to real persons. But, the 6 Eva Brann, The Music of the Republic, 126. Emphases in original. 4 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture real persons do not have souls whose character can be charted along a simple, clear, linear hierarchy that can be easily sorted into three classes. Every application of the eugenic algorithm ‘sorts’ sets of souls that do not correspond to its categories; the application of the algorithm is therefore hollow or empty. To the extent that the algorithm continues to be employed, the leaders of the city are not exercising much control over the progeny of the city. Thus, we glimpse Plato’s daimonic genius: the leaders who think themselves to be eugenic puppeteers are, in truth, themselves chasing shadows on a cave wall. Precisely because they have come to believe in Kallipolis’ founding lie, they are unable to recognize the chains by which they have bound themselves. The city’s protective device is revealed as ineffective on account of the very act that established it. In fact, I shall argue that the noble lie, from which flows the ironic situation of the nuptial algorithm, seeds instability, whose rotten fruit is the city’s decline and destruction. III. Lies, Damned Lies, and ‘Noble’ Lies The so-called noble lie is another sore spot in the Republic. For a significant number of interpreters, it is proof positive that Plato is a consequentialist, perhaps even a clumsy one. The reason for the discontent is Socrates’ apparent endorsement of the ‘right sort’ of lies. “It is appropriate, then,” he says, “for the rulers—if anyone—to lie because of enemies or citizens for the good of the city” (389b). In view of such passages, Julia Annas tells us, “We should notice Plato’s readiness to legitimize the telling of lies in the interests of some higher end. It is an early sign of … his readiness to revise the content of morality in the interests of establishing morality.”7 For Malcolm Schofield, the lie is about “how to persuade the individual to do something required 7 That said, she also attributes some question-begging to Plato, claiming that for Plato the lies are good because the people lying—the guardians—are good. She also thinks the lie is essentially harmless. Introduction to the Republic, 108, 167. 5 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture by the good of the city.”8 And C. D. C. Reeve proposes, “Those who believe [the noble lie] do not come to believe a real lie. For the belief benefits them, and leads them towards the good itself, not away from it.”9 Given that I am implicating the noble lie in the fall of the city, I am less certain that Plato is as sanguine about the deception as he is painted to be. Socrates calls the lie the gennaion pseudos (414b), which is most often translated as noble lie. How long it has been so translated I do not know, but this rendering is not the only possibility. Popper labels it the “lordly lie”;10 Nietzsche, more poetically, “the actual lie, the genuine, resolute, ‘honest’ lie”;11 and for Giovanni Ferrari, “The lie is grand or noble (gennaios) by virtue of its civic purpose, but the Greek word can also be used colloquially, giving the meaning ‘a true-blue lie,’ i.e., a massive, no-doubt-about-it lie.”12 I prefer “Grand Lie,” both to emphasize the scale of the con and to preserve moral ambiguity—grand can be applied to criminal acts (gamers, think Grand Theft Auto) as well as to beautiful activities (partisans of Jeremy Clarkson, think The Grand Tour). The grand lie is occasioned by the evolution into the feverish city. The prior, healthy city is proposed to be complete in its simplicity, as far as everyone has a role in it and it is stable. Glaucon complains, however, that it is a city of pigs, on account of the significant limitations on human desire, and advocates for expanding the scope of human ambition and pleasure. His is the Angelica Schuyler critique: we shall never be satisfied, humanly, in the healthy city, and thus need expansion. This expansion brings with it new acquisitiveness, which leads to conflict ad extra, war, and presumably ad intra, competition and strife. It is under these conditions that the grand lie is proposed to stabilize and control the energies in the city. In trying to work out what the just city 8 Malcolm Schofield, “The Noble Lie,” 158. Emphasis in original. It is, of course, unclear how lying counts as persuasion. 9 C. D. C. Reeve, Philosopher-Kings, 211. 10 Open Society, 140. 11 Genealogy of Morals, III.19. 12 Giovanni Ferrari, Plato: The Republic, trans. T. Griffith, 107 n. 63. 6 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture looks like, Socrates speculates, “The having and doing of one’s own, of what belongs to one, would be justice” (434a). The grand lie is an attempt to impose, on the citizens, the view that they are where they should be. The citizens’ hopes, ambitions, and desires are easier to manage if they believe that there is a place for everyone and that everyone is in his place; the grand lie is aimed at convincing the citizens that each ‘deserves’ his lot, his specific place in the order of things. Lies are allowed in the city as a necessary, medicinal evil. At an important moment, Socrates explains, “What about when we are dealing with enemies, or with so-called friends who, because of insanity or ignorance, are attempting to do something bad? Isn’t [a lie in words] a useful drug (pharmakon) for preventing them?” (382c). The relevant background is Cephalus’ claim that part of justice is being honest and returning what is owed, a claim that Socrates challenged with the problem of whether one would return a borrowed weapon to the insane. Faced with the potential threat of an armed madman, the suggestion or assumption seems to be that fraud is a better means than force for managing the situation; as a drug, lying appears to be less violent and more civilised than physical restraint. Later, Socrates continues, “It follows that our rulers will then have to employ a great many drugs (pharmakois). … It looks as though our rulers will have to employ a great many lies and deceptions for the benefit of those they rule. And you remember, I suppose, we said all such things were useful as a kind of drug (pharmakou)” (459c-d). This drug for managing interpersonal frictions is also useful politically. As drugs or pharmaka, lies are a human invention. They are occasioned by human weakness, the limits of our wisdom and/or virtue to deal with threats to our peace. The gods are safe and secure; according to Socrates, they are good and can suffer no harm, their friends are good, and their enemies have no power over them. As such, they have no need for lies, nor do lies have any attraction for them. We lie because we are afraid and need a protective device or drug. 7 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture The grand lie is precisely such a device. Faced with the threat of civil strife and destruction of the city, the rulers opt to protect the peace by administering a potent drug whose aim is to reduce and restrain destabilizing forces in the city. To the extent that citizens come under the power of the grand lie, the less likely they are to challenge the city’s ordained structure and procedures. One must keep in mind that Plato’s evaluation of pharmaka is often equivocal; he is sensitive to the ambiguities of the term. In the Phaedrus, for instance, the god Theuth famously invents the written word, proposing it as a pharmakon for memory, an invention that will make us better at remembering and therefore wiser. The Egyptian philosopher and king, Thamus, however, dares to demur. He judges that the written word will habituate us to having ideas on hand externally rather than internally, which will make us worse at remembering. And, because of our collecting and hoarding writings outside the soul, we would be more likely to amass things in a disordered manner, without a grasp of their relationships within an ordered whole. We might have more information at hand, but we would be likely to be more confused than to be wiser. Theuth’s drug, while useful in some ways, would nevertheless have undesired effects, unforeseen by its uncritical inventor. That pharmakon is ambiguous, bringing both advantages and disadvantages. We witness a similar duality in the Phaedo. The first line of the dialogue invokes the day when Socrates drank the pharmakon, the potion that was the instrument of his execution. Plato plays on the two meanings of pharmakon, leaving open the question of whether the potion is a medicine or a poison. In the Phaedo, this question is explored under the theme of purification. Socrates’ friends are certain that death is an evil, and have arrived to console Socrates as they lament his passing. But, they find the philosopher remarkably hopeful that his death will be a purification and transition to a better condition. The poisonous pharmakon turns out to be purifying—at least for Socrates. Also, we note, Athens is trying to purify itself by turning Socrates 8 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture into a sacrifice or scapegoat, a pharmakos, whom it is violently expelling from the city. But, given Phaedo’s observation that the public execution was delayed lest the city be polluted, we might assume that Plato is less than bullish about the purifying effects of human sacrifice, legally sanctioned or not. So, there are reasons to be sceptical that the grand lie, Kallipolis’ pharmakon, is politically purifying and stabilizing. To grasp this pharmakon better, it is worthwhile to recall its details, so that we can work out its consequences. IV. The Grand Lie In its content, the grand lie has two basic aspects, one descriptive and the other proscriptive. The citizens of the city are to come to believe that they are all the children of a single mother, and that they differ primarily according to which metal—gold, silver, iron or bronze—determines the subspecies of their souls. They are sorted into three political classes according to the value or preciousness of the metal in their souls. As we have already discussed, this lie is aimed at protecting the stability of the city, which it does in two ways: first, in view of their common mother, the citizens are connected to the same land and are bound together under a common fraternity. Second, on account of their intrinsic differences, the citizens are sorted according to a natural hierarchy derived from the maternal soil. The myth of metals thus provides ‘scientific’ reasons for both political unity and class diversity in the city, and The Science, of course, is to be believed, as it brings, from the earth, peace to men of good will. So much for a description of what is to be accepted. There is also a task: with great lie, comes great responsibility. Socrates elaborates, “The first and most important command from the god to the rulers is that there is nothing they must guard better or watch more carefully than the mixture of metals in the souls of their offspring” (415c). This first command, the prime directive 9 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture tied to the founding of the city, is that constant vigilance must be exercised over the sorting of offspring. To protect the city, the rulers must protect the continuation of the (false, merely seeming) hierarchy. It is in view of this mission that, on my reading, that the city is compelled to live out certain consequences of the grand lie, namely the three waves Socrates proposes. Keeping in mind the ambiguous character of pharmaka, I propose that each wave is double edged. The first wave is the co-education of and shared leadership by men and women. This appears to be a straightforward good: a liberating education for both sexes, and leadership based not on one’s biology but on one’s merits—advancement for ladies and gentlemen of achievement, Lost in Thought and Rescuing Socrates for everyone capable. And yet, the justification for this wave is curious. The co-education of men and women is a way of underlining that what matters most is psychic metallurgy. Education is ordered to refining the ore of one’s soul. To drill this point home, more or less every other difference between individuals gets relegated to something, let us say, immaterial. Thus, for example, Socrates insists that men and women will exercise naked together. By stripping both sexes and treating them as almost undifferentiated, the city boldly commits to ordering itself and understanding its elites, especially, according to the categories of the grand lie. In this stripping away of all other differences, there is a sense in which the city does away with the private/public distinction. One’s soul determines one’s education, and one’s education defines one’s role in the city. To get the fullest education means becoming more and more a servant of the city; one is not educated for one’s personal freedom, but for the freedom of the city. Still, Socrates immediately has to grant something to what he calls erotic necessity. Reflecting on the young guardians as they exercise naked, work on Euclidian proofs, sing in choir, make fun of midshipmen, and perform Baconian dissections together, he concedes that they might 10 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture not be sensitized simply to each other’s souls. It is likely that as a particular pair becomes aware of each other’s strength, courage, intelligence, and wit, they might start talking and not be interested in just talking. It is probable that one fateful hour, as they translate the saucier bits of Antigone together, they, like Paolo and Francesca, will read no more. In response to the erotic necessity driving this state of affairs—or rather, this taste of love affairs—Socrates authors the second wave of Kallipolis, the sharing of spouses and children. It is easy to see how this wave flows from the prime directive of the grand lie as well as the interactions brought about by the first wave. The business of this wave is, predictably, to protect the stability of the city, primarily by fostering unity among the elite class. The wave centers the metals of the soul and, by further relegating the significance of corporeal ties, entirely does away with the natural family for the sake of strengthening the political family. Unity is fostered horizontally, with each generation viewing its members as siblings, and intergenerationally, as the older generations look to the younger ones as all their children (or younger siblings) and the younger ones look to their elders as their parents (or older siblings). By making the unity and cohesion of the elites stronger, the city and its peace are further protected from faction. Civil strife, not infrequently, comes from warring families and vendettas or cycles of violence and vengeance between them. By eliminating natural families, one significant source of civil strife is neutralized. Furthermore, agents in the younger generations are less likely to rise up in revolution against their elders, since the ruling class will have many allies across generations and many among the heirs apparent will know that they are being groomed to take over rule. There is an intelligible succession plan. The costs of this wave are easy to discern. As we have seen, there is the effective obliteration of natural or blood ties for the sake of a pseudo-nature. Then there is the eugenic, false lottery that manipulates coupling according to the nuptial algorithm. The victims of this new lie 11 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture wrongly believe pairings to be ordained by providence. And, finally, there is the disappearing of the unfit children, for whom, one assumes, a powerful city like Kallipolis would be able to care. More on that later. At this point the city needs to run a significant education system that is meant both to underline the idea that one’s soul metal is the critical factor in one’s relationships with other people in the city and, I believe, to sort out souls like a centrifuge so as to make sure that the right ones inherit executive power. On top of this, there is a rather penetrating and expansive surveillance apparatus that tracks the elites, with an eye both to protecting the idea that souls have a metallic core and to manipulating the eugenic lottery for the sake of producing useful progeny for the city. These needs make for a sophisticated system, which cannot preserve itself and therefore requires custodians. Given the system’s complexity, it needs to be in the care of persons both subtle and intelligent. Given the system’s goals (i.e., the stability of the city), it needs to be operated by people who will prefer the good of the city before their individual interests or the interests of any subordinate society within the city. The city needs leaders who marry insight, practical ability, and love for the common good. Hence, Socrates’ third wave. Rule by the philosopher-kings is rule by the wise and the just, i.e., those in whom wisdom and virtue, in view of the city’s good, are well developed. The education of the guardians who will become philosopher-kings is comprehensive: physical training makes them hardy and capable of perseverance through difficulty; musical training makes them lovers of order and harmony; the quadrivium makes them intimate with the nature of number in itself (arithmetic), in space (geometry), in time (music), and in space and time (astronomy); and philosophy advances them as lovers of the true and the good. These would seem to be the ideal sorts of people to receive the reigns of the city; one can intuit that their numerical training would allegedly prepare them well to 12 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture apply the nuptial algorithm. The plan sounds reasonable. Does this wave also have a second edge? The principal problem, from my perspective, is that those who have been raised to be the most devoted truth-lovers are the ones who have to become most intimately joined to the lies of the city. This combination will have psychological costs. V. Saving the City To make the situation of the philosopher-kings more palatable, Socrates renders it in heroic terms. He says, at one moment, “In a suitable [constitution], [the philosopher’s] own growth will be fuller and he will save the commonweal (ta koina sosei), as well as himself” (497a), and at another, “We must take good care in all these matters, since, if we bring people who are sound of limb and mind to so important a subject [sc. philosophy], and train and educate them in it, justice itself will not find fault with us, and we will save both the city (ten polin sosomen) and its constitution” (536a-b). Kallipolis is, presumably, a suitable constitution and a regime in which training and education are well attended to. In this city, the philosopher-kings are portrayed as saviors of the city, the protectors of its peace, its deliverers. But, the theme of saving the city is a complicated one; indeed, it is a popular theme in Greek tragedy. Consider the Oresteia. Agamemnon slew his daughter, Iphigenia, for the sake of saving the city; Orestes kills his mother partly for the sake of the city; and Athena presides over the suit of the Eumenides again for the sake the city, powers who threaten to destroy the city unless Orestes is executed. Things are similar with the Oedipus Cycle. Oedipus promises to discover and destroy the polluting presence so as to save the city; in Oedipus at Colonus, the body of the stricken king has power to save cities; and in Antigone Creon opposes his niece for the sake of preserving and thus saving the city. Plato, we saw, composes the death of Socrates as an attempt to save the 13 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture city by eliminating a corrupting influence. And we see this trope even beyond the Greeks: in the Gospel of John, Caiaphas explains, “You do not understand that it is expedient for you, that one man should die for the people, lest the whole nation perish,”13 i.e., the death of Jesus of Nazareth is ‘necessary’ to save the city; and, similarly, the deaths of Joan of Arc and Thomas More are ‘necessary’ to preserve the peace of the city. The theme of saving the city is central to many tragic plots. And as the above examples show, saving the city is not infrequently connected to the need for a pharmakos, a saving sacrifice to be destroyed precisely to achieve the desired salvation or rescue. My interest, in bringing out the double-edged aspect of Socrates’ three waves, was to prepare the way for an articulation of the various forms of human sacrifice that are needed to preserve the grand lie, the lie that saves the city from destabilization and destruction. In the first wave, the sacrifice required is that of our individuality and corporeality. One’s place in the city is determined essentially by one’s soul-ore; there is not much room for pursuing personal ambitions and projects, especially the more precious one’s soul is. Also, the city obliterates all psychological differences between men and women and it would have its citizens believe that physiological differences are relevant merely to reproduction and nothing else, insisting on men and women exercising naked together. With this immolation of the corporeal dimension of interpersonal relationships, we anticipate the sacrifices demanded by the second wave. The natural bonds between parents and children are repudiated as dangerous, a consequence of sacrificing corporeality in the first wave. The sacrifice of personal freedom evolves into the eugenic lottery; guardians are not allowed to pair off according to their own lights, but, rather, are manipulated into thinking that couplings are following some providential order. And, there is the 13 John 11:50. 14 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture disappearance—likely exposure—of the unfit children. I suspect that these children are killed not because they are useless nor because they are a drain on resources, but because their presence proves, in a vivid and visceral manner, the falseness of the grand lie. Unfit children, who come from all classes and resemble none, demonstrate that human beings do not geometrically reproduce according to the city’s sub-kinds. Each unfit child refutes and repudiates the grand lie; as material proof of the emptiness of the grand lie, these children need to be eliminated. But perhaps what is most directly distorting is the sacrifice of reason or rationality that is required of the philosopher-kings themselves. Socrates judges that the grand lie would be most efficacious if the rulers themselves fell under its sway: “How, then, could we devise one of those useful lies we were talking about a while ago, a single grand lie that would, preferably, persuade even the rulers themselves; but, failing that, the rest of the city?” (414b-c). Glaucon is sceptical that they will be able to deceive the founders, but suggests he has a device for bringing the later rulers under the power of the lie (415c-d). But, later in the dialogue, Socrates poignantly reflects, “Won’t we say that a soul is maimed if it hates a voluntary lie, cannot endure to have one in itself, and is greatly angered when others lie; but is nonetheless content to accept an involuntary lie, does not get irritated when it is caught being ignorant, and bears its ignorance easily, wallowing in it like a pig?” (535d-e). Yet, surely the grand lie is such a necessary, involuntary lie. Socrates’ words suggest that the philosopher-kings would have to betray themselves, pervert what is most divine about them, their reason, for the sake of serving and protecting the city. They make a sacrifice of their rationality that dooms them to wallow in the squalor of falsehood. The Republic constantly reminds us that lies are hateful to the gods, utterly alien to divine nature. But, the vocation of the philosopher is to be as godlike as possible. The philosopher-kings, then, are tragically bound, on account of the grand lie, to frustrate their pursuit of their proper end as lovers of wisdom. 15 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture The grand lie and its consequences thus require human sacrifices, of different sorts, from the citizens of the city. Even those who rule the city are not spared; in a way, of all the citizens, the grand lie requires the leaders to be most unfaithful to their human nature. Those who were portrayed as controllers and custodians are in reality controlled and prisoners; the rulers of Kallipolis are enslaved by the lie, for the lie. The grand lie generates its own perverse offspring— namely, more lies, more manipulation, and even physical violence—all for the sake of preserving itself. Those who employ the useful lies and violence see these as necessary sacrifices for the city, not unlike the people of Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” and Ursula Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.” In the words of Wilfred Owen, the guardians of the city have internalized “the old Lie: Dulce et decorum est / Pro patria mori”; it is sweet and meet these sacrifices be made, in this case, for the sake of the motherland. But the grand lie is empty, we recall, and so these sacrifices cannot be efficacious; they cannot preserve and maintain an order that does not exist. As Brann notes, with every crop of natural births the hollowness of the grand lie is made more and more manifest. Indeed, the dramatic framing of the Republic offers clues that are meant to inoculate us from the grand lie. We are given, for example, the family of Cephalus. The patriarch hosting the evening’s discussion offers a summary of his family’s history in the city, noting how his grandfather was a very hard worker, how his father was prodigal, and how he himself is something of a mean between the two. From these details alone we see that fathers do not easily produce sons with souls like their own. Saliently, when Polemarchus inherits Cephalus argument about the nature of justice, the son develops the father’s definition in a more aggressive and combative direction, again showing that the souls of father and son are different. And then we have the sons of Ariston, Glaucon and Adeimantus, who are Plato’s brothers. Given that their apparent susceptibility to some aspects of 16 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture tyrannical living, Plato may be suggesting that his brothers are not like him. With Cephalus’ line we get the problem of variable descent, and the sons of Ariston give us horizontal variety between brothers, which once again stresses that a father has not produced sons who share the same basic soul-form. And towards the end of the main account of the just life, Socrates opts to characterize the declension of declining regimes along the lines of fathers who produce sons who are unlike them. This framing, at the beginning and at the end of the dialogue, reminds us that the grand lie is empty, which makes the sacrifices made for its sake only more absurd. In the mostly misleading explanation that Kallipolis fails because of the failed application of the nuptial algorithm, Socrates works out how mixture will find its way into the offspring and corrupt the generations and therefore the city: “The intermixing of iron with silver and bronze with gold will engender lack of likeness and unharmonious inequality, and these always breed war and hostility wherever they arise. We must declare faction to be ‘of this lineage,’ wherever and whenever it arises” (547a). If my reading is correct enough, there will necessarily be intermixing with every new crop of births. With every new season of offspring, more and more unlikeness and unharmonious inequality will enter into the city with a multiplier effect. Two main consequences follow from these conditions. First, those who inherit rule cannot be assumed to possess the neat and tidy stability of golden guardians. The courage, temperance, and love for truth and the common good in them will inevitably contain impurities. Not only are the leaders not perfectly golden, their offspring will not be such either. Thus, it is inevitable that eventually rulers will not be as interested either in the truth or in the common good of the city. These leaders will not be as attentive to protecting the pedagogical and eugenic priorities of the city. They will not be reliable. Second, with time more and more souls will ‘wrongly’ be assigned to classes lower than they ‘deserve’. These souls will likely notice some of the fraud and violence that maintains the stability of the city, 17 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture and take issue with being ruled by governors whose souls are not better—and are in fact even worse—than theirs. If it is explained to them that their rulers inherited gold souls from a previous generation, some will become resentful on account of being ruled by those who would be essentially Nepo babies. The more natural births occur in the city, the more the grand lie will likely be uncovered and the more keener intelligences will suspect that each one is not in his place, that each deserves his lot. If they attend to the sacrifices that the city demands, it seems inevitable that someone will question the efficacy of these sacrifices and come to resent Kallipolis for requiring them. To the extent that people become aware of the unlikeness of souls and the inharmonious inequality of the city, they are primed to revolt against the established order and to return strife and faction into the city. Natural births are threats to a city whose stability has been founded on the grand lie. Because human beings are naturally jealous of their interests, the fraud and force of Kallipolis mean that the city is ripe for rebellion. The grand lie makes Kallipolis vulnerable. VI. Tragic Fall The grand lie was introduced to stabilize the city. In the attempt to order and control the city, it introduces more disorder and servility into the city. The maintenance of the lie demands violence, in the form of more lies and killing. If these disorders are discovered, the city would be delegitimized and made unstable. And with every crop of new births, the more likely it is that the lie and the violence that sustains it will be discovered and rebelled against. On my reading, then, the lie is unsustainable. Kallipolis thus has a dramatic arc that moves from ‘noble’ founding to destined fall. This doomed arc is a tragic arc. In the Poetics, Aristotle defines tragedy, among other things, as “a representation of an action of a superior kind, great and complete in itself … effecting, through pity and fear, the 18 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture purification of such emotions.”14 And when sketching the tragic figure, he proposes, “We are left, then, with the person in between: a man not outstanding in virtue or justice, who falls into ruin not through vice or depravity but because he errs in some way.”15 The arc of Kallipolis is a superior action, the complete plot of a great city. And the city is also a tragic figure. As human—and not divine—it suffers from human weaknesses that make it vulnerable to instability and needs to employ saving devices to protect itself from dissolution. But, by grounding these saving devices in falsehood, the city’s stability is grounded on something empty and therefore ultimately inefficatious and unsustainable. In many Greek tragedies, mere suffering is not automatically tragic; the tragedy comes from an inadequate or deficient response to suffering. Sophocles’ Oedipus and Creon, for example, respond to evils in the city; Euripides’ Medea and Hecuba respond to evil suffered personally; and likewise with Aeschylus’ Orestes. The grand lie of Kallipolis is also a response to danger or suffering, viz., instability, but it is a response that brings with it its own evils and disorders. This response is hindered by the kind of tragic error or fault Aristotle describes. The treatment of tragedy in the Philebus is presented as the coupling of greatness with overestimation of self. The tragic figure has power, but overestimates his excellences, whether those are his means, his strength, or his wisdom and virtue (48b-50e). By acting without an accurate estimation of himself, he ends up being destructive both to others and to himself. This outline is an apt description of Kallipolis, which is a grand city that, nevertheless, overestimates its wisdom and virtue by thinking it can tame or control falsehood, but in the end is the one mastered and controlled. 14 15 Poetics 1449b. Poetics 1453a. 19 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture Kallipolis is revealed as what we might call an Oedipal city. It is a great city with great rulers, while at the same time blind. The grand lie, the great device that was designed as a cunning and effective way to address one of the principal sources of strife and instability in the city, viz., the desires of different and unequal people, is the same device that reduces the capacity of the city (and the rulers) to see what might be going wrong in the city, weakening the ability of the city to respond adequately. Like Oedipus, Kallipolis is doomed from its birth; the very act that establishes the city is an action that eventually undermines its founding. For Aristotle, a well-executed tragic plot will have the tragic figure’s reversal of fortune coincide with the revelation and recognition of the figure’s actual situation. Kallipolis’ arc might even produce such an effect: on my reading, the grand lie will continually introduce disorder into the city until such a time as when the violence born of the lie will be challenged, exposing the emptiness of the lie. By the time this revelation occurs, it will be too late to save the regime, as the rulers and the constitution would be discredited. Still, while the recognition arrives too late for the protagonist, it is meant to be purifying for the audience. In the terms of the Poetics, this purification is achieved through fear and pity, and in the Philebus witnessing tragic self-overestimation should occasion self-examination. Along these lines, I suggest that the trajectory of Kallipolis is meant to invite the reader to consider his own city. The story of Kallipolis’ rise and fall raises the question of what grand lies might be operative in our cities, and cautions us both against the violence that is done in the name of maintaining the city and against a naïve belief in the stability of a city that is supported and protected by violence. VII. Conclusion 20 �kkambo@udallas.edu | SJC Friday Night Lecture Here at the end, let us reconsider our beginning. Those who read Plato as a consequentialist are limited by their immediately prescriptive approach, the assumption that what is found in Socrates’ mouth corresponds to what Plato wants us to believe. I have attempted what I called a forensic approach vector, attending to details beyond Socrates’ statements, and reading the doom or fate of Kallipolis as the consequence of a coherent, compelling logic that is initiated at the city’s founding. Having done this, is there anything so say about what Plato might be telling us? In my view, the Republic articulates, quite effectively, the pressure of compelling necessities that lead us to invent or devise political lies. Furthermore, by presenting founding lies as necessary even in the best possible regime, I believe Plato is rousing us to consider the place and price of political lies in every regime. In the Apology, Socrates warns Athens by contrasting death and vice as predators. He observes that some people are so fixated on escaping death that they are caught by vice, on account of the unscrupulous means by which they avoid death. Something similar might be operative here. Plato appears to be exploring how political lies, devices by which we attempt to outpace instability and disorder, probably end up being the shackles that doom us to be overtaken by violence, to be forced into sacrificing ourselves and others. These sacrifices, allegedly necessary and apparently redemptive, are actually destructive of justice and right order. We cannot, therefore, afford to be naïve about the justice of the regimes in which we find ourselves—nor, perhaps more importantly, about ourselves as complicit in these regimes. Plato is less a consequentialist, then, but more a tragedian. 21 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Items in this collection are part of a series of lectures given every year at St. John's College. During the Fall and Spring semesters, lectures are given on Friday nights. Items include audio and video recordings and typescripts.<br /><br />For more information, and a schedule of upcoming lectures, please visit the <strong><a href="http://www.sjc.edu/programs-and-events/annapolis/formal-lecture-series/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St. John's College website</a></strong>.  <br /><br />Click on <strong><a title="Formal Lecture Series" href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/browse?collection=5&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CDate&amp;sort_dir=d">Items in the St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Collection</a></strong> to view and sort all items in the collection.<br /><br />A growing number of lecture recordings are also available on the St. John's College (Annapolis) Lectures podcast. Visit <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/st-johns-college-annapolis-lectures/id1695157772">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6GDsIRqC8SWZ28AY72BsYM?si=f2ecfa9e247a456f" title="Spotify">Spotify</a> to listen and subscribe. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Greenfield Library Title A name given to the resource St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context formallectureseriesannapolis Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data pdf Page numeration Number of pages in the original item. 21 pages Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Tragic Pharmacy: the "Noble" Lie and the Fall of Kallipolis Description An account of the resource Typescript of a lecture delivered on November 3, 2023, by Kevin Kambo as part of the Formal Lecture Series. Professor Kambo describes his lecture: "In Plato's Republic, Socrates suggests that the best regime is doomed to fail. This failure is often attributed to inevitable errors in the rulers' eugenic calculations. I propose that the city's constitution must decline not because the eugenic calculations go wrong, but because the calculations have always been wrong, and this on account of congenital errors in the city's establishment.&nbsp; In this dramatic arc, from noble founding to destined fall, the reversal perhaps reveals the city to be a tragic figure. The Republic, then, would not be, as some read it, a prescription for authoritarianism or totalitarianism, but a reflection on political lies, human sacrifice, and the tragedy of politics." Professor Kambo is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Dallas. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Kambo, Kevin Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2023-11-03 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource A signed permission form has been received stating: "I hereby grant St. John's College permission to: make a recording of my lecture, and retain copies for circulation and archival preservation at the St. John’s College Greenfield Library; make a recording of my lecture available online; make typescript copies of my lecture available for circulation and archival preservation at the St. John’s College Greenfield Library; make a copy of my typescript available online." Type The nature or genre of the resource text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Subject The topic of the resource Plato. Republic Utopias Political science--Philosophy Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context LEC_Kambo_Kevin_2023-11-03 Relation A related resource <a href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/show/7990" title="Lecture recording">Lecture recording</a> Friday night lecture Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Items in this collection are part of a series of lectures given every year at St. John's College. During the Fall and Spring semesters, lectures are given on Friday nights. Items include audio and video recordings and typescripts.<br /><br />For more information, and a schedule of upcoming lectures, please visit the <strong><a href="http://www.sjc.edu/programs-and-events/annapolis/formal-lecture-series/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St. John's College website</a></strong>.  <br /><br />Click on <strong><a title="Formal Lecture Series" href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/browse?collection=5&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CDate&amp;sort_dir=d">Items in the St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Collection</a></strong> to view and sort all items in the collection.<br /><br />A growing number of lecture recordings are also available on the St. John's College (Annapolis) Lectures podcast. Visit <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/st-johns-college-annapolis-lectures/id1695157772">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6GDsIRqC8SWZ28AY72BsYM?si=f2ecfa9e247a456f" title="Spotify">Spotify</a> to listen and subscribe. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Greenfield Library Title A name given to the resource St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context formallectureseriesannapolis Hyperlink A link, or reference, to another resource on the Internet. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data mp4 Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 00:50:06 URL https://youtu.be/aar1cdBheP0?si=G0wK-yy28X_O4amZ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <a href="https://youtu.be/aar1cdBheP0?si=G0wK-yy28X_O4amZ">Tragic Pharmacy: the "Noble" Lie and the Fall of Kallipolis</a> Description An account of the resource Video recording of a lecture delivered on November 3, 2023, by Kevin Kambo as part of the Formal Lecture Series. Professor Kambo describes his lecture: "In Plato's Republic, Socrates suggests that the best regime is doomed to fail. This failure is often attributed to inevitable errors in the rulers' eugenic calculations. I propose that the city's constitution must decline not because the eugenic calculations go wrong, but because the calculations have always been wrong, and this on account of congenital errors in the city's establishment. In this dramatic arc, from noble founding to destined fall, the reversal perhaps reveals the city to be a tragic figure. The Republic, then, would not be, as some read it, a prescription for authoritarianism or totalitarianism, but a reflection on political lies, human sacrifice, and the tragedy of politics." Professor Kambo is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Dallas. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Kambo, Kevin Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2023-11-03 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource A signed permission form has been received stating: "I hereby grant St. John's College permission to: make a recording of my lecture, and retain copies for circulation and archival preservation at the St. John’s College Greenfield Library; make a recording of my lecture available online; make typescript copies of my lecture available for circulation and archival preservation at the St. John’s College Greenfield Library; make a copy of my typescript available online." Type The nature or genre of the resource moving image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource YouTube video Subject The topic of the resource Plato. Republic Utopias Political science--Philosophy Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context LEC_Kambo_Kevin_2023-11-03_ac Relation A related resource <a href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/show/7991" title="Typescript">Typescript</a> Friday night lecture https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/1dab08a251433a029562e23bda745f23.mp4 400054e7d65b841388b983db9c7e6515 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Items in this collection are part of a series of lectures given every year at St. John's College. During the Fall and Spring semesters, lectures are given on Friday nights. Items include audio and video recordings and typescripts.<br /><br />For more information, and a schedule of upcoming lectures, please visit the <strong><a href="http://www.sjc.edu/programs-and-events/annapolis/formal-lecture-series/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St. John's College website</a></strong>.  <br /><br />Click on <strong><a title="Formal Lecture Series" href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/browse?collection=5&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CDate&amp;sort_dir=d">Items in the St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Collection</a></strong> to view and sort all items in the collection.<br /><br />A growing number of lecture recordings are also available on the St. John's College (Annapolis) Lectures podcast. Visit <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/st-johns-college-annapolis-lectures/id1695157772">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6GDsIRqC8SWZ28AY72BsYM?si=f2ecfa9e247a456f" title="Spotify">Spotify</a> to listen and subscribe. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Greenfield Library Title A name given to the resource St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context formallectureseriesannapolis Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data mov Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 00:50:14 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Ethics and Aesthetics of Sympathy in Sophocles' Philoctetes Description An account of the resource Video recording of a lecture delivered on October 11, 2024, by Dr. Ellwood Wiggins as part of the Formal Lecture Series. Professor Wiggins (SJC Annapolis, 1998) is an associate professor in the German department at the University of Washington, Seattle, where he teaches comparative literature and philosophy. He has also taught in Kentucky, Germany, and Russia. His teaching and research explore how people come to know one another and themselves, often exploring literary figures such as Odysseus or Philoctetes. Professor Wiggins describes his lecture: "The plot of Sophocles' Philoctetes turns on the experience of sympathy, which is often given credit for the moral education of Neoptolemus, Achilles' son. Yet is this emotion a reliable force for good? Sophocles' tragedy is a perfect proving ground to explore this question, and to test Aristotle's description of compassion in the Rhetoric." Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wiggins, Ellwood H., Jr. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024-10-11 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource A signed permission form has been received stating: "I hereby grant St. John's College permission to: make a recording of my lecture, and retain copies for circulation and archival preservation at the St. John’s College Greenfield Library; make a recording of my lecture available online; make typescript copies of my lecture available for circulation and archival preservation at the St. John’s College Greenfield Library; make a copy of my typescript available online." Type The nature or genre of the resource moving image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource mp4 Subject The topic of the resource Sophocles. Philoctetes Sympathy Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context LEC_Wiggins_Ellwood_2024-10-11_ac Alumni Friday night lecture https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/f243f9b28c30786923bfbc7a91ae60f8.mp3 99ac91a484233e0d3d178808a169e75f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource St. John's College Lecture Recordings—Santa Fe Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Meem Library Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Santa Fe, NM Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data m4a Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 00:58:19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Way of All Flesh: Mortality and Transfiguration in Bach's Funeral Cantata Description An account of the resource Audio recording of a lecture given by Nathan Shields on October 11, 2024 as part of the Dean's Lecture & Concert Series. The Dean's Office has provided this description of the event: "J.S. Bach's Funeral Cantata, Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit—'God's time is the very best time,' also known as the Actus Tragicus—is a stunning meditation on mortality, by turns hopeful and despairing, composed by a man not yet twenty-four. In this lecture, Santa Fe tutor Nathan Shields will discuss the cantata as a cultural document, a work of art, and an existential confrontation. We will examine its relationship to the intellectual and religious life of 18th-century Germany; explore the rapture and haunting austerity of Bach's music; and consider the cantata as a vision of—and an attempt to come to terms with—the human condition." Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Shields, Nathan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Santa Fe, NM Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024-10-11 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Meem Library has been given permission to make this item available online. Type The nature or genre of the resource sound Subject The topic of the resource Bach, Johann Sebastian, 1685-1750. Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context SF_ShieldsN_The_Way_of_All_Flesh_2024-10-11 Friday night lecture https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/4e9ab8b6b07f1438fb1b76a2fa4ddbf9.pdf 2f15dfdc49d59caa954cef376a0ff654 PDF Text Text THE St. John’s College Annapolis, Maryland GADFLY Autumnal Amblings September 26, 2024 Vol. XLVI, Issue 2 �CONTENTS THE GADFLY STAFF COVER λόγος : news reports & narratives regarding immediate campus life Introduction to the DC Seohyun Lee 3 Bug Bulletin Louis Rosenberg 6 Club Spotlight: Reading Women Vivian Miyakawa 8 Croquet for Dummies Willa Rothenberg 9 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASSISTANT EDITORS συμπόσιονÊ:ÊEssays on various topics for thought Voting Voices El’ad Nichols-Kaufman 10 Let the Discussions Begin Avery Beaudette 13 Dora Vecoli El’ad NicholsKaufman Vivian Miyakawa Louis Rosenberg Willa Rothenberg Molly Sprout Tamar Pinsky πόλιςÊ:Êvoices of the community: opinion, poetry, reviews, etc. Amha Worku TikTok Troubles Helen Felbek 14 My Government Education is Obsolete Pia Ibsen 17 Frog and Toad Tarik Mahmud 18 American Dream LCD Retrospective Isaac Strauss 20 Caiden Cawthorn AM Radio Andy Manne 21 Helen Felbek old awnings Natalie Goldman 22 Gabriella Forte Dorm Cooking Marit Hendrickson 23 Natalie Goldman Μουσειον Gabriela Forte 24 Marit Hendrickson Art Criticism Caiden Cawthorne 25 Restaurant Review Molly Sprout 27 Seohyun Lee Reluctant Optimist Tamar Pinsky 28 Horoscope Madame Quiznos 30 Crossword Molly Sprout 35 Cartoons Tamar Pinsky 36 Photos from the Achilles Rager Dora Vecoli 38 Notices and Classifieds 39 Letter from the Editor STAFF Reagan Bo omley Sadie Lewin Tarik Mahmud Lainey Rendelman CONTRIBUTORS ART AND PHOTOGRAPHS Pia Ibsen Isaac Strauss Helen Felbek Tamar Pinsky Dora Vecoli September is coming to a close, and our campus is back in full swing! I’ve seen more reading groups, more parties, more club meetings, and more studying going on in the past few weeks than ever before, and the energy from that can be felt across campus, and in this Gadfly. Within, you’ll find news about the new Delegate Council members, opinions on the College TikTok, a review of the Mitchell Gallery’s new exhibition, and more. I hope you can take a moment out of your busy days, which I am sure are busy regardless of whether you’re a student, tutor, or staff member, and enjoy the fruits of the Polity’s creativity and care for our community. Always your faithful editor, El’ad Nichols-Kaufman 2 �THE GADFLY λόγος September 26, 2024 Introduction to the Delegate Council By Seohyun Lee, Student Politics Correspondent St. John’s College held a representative election for the Delegate Council (DC) on August 27th. A total of 16 student representatives, four in each grade, were elected. We have seven of them come to introduce themselves to us. watching YouTube videos, playing video games, reading, and all things outdoors. Additionally, and perhaps more so than anything just mentioned, I very much love spending my time conversing with others, for I find most people incredibly fascinating. I always love meeting and getting to know fellow members of the St. John’s community, so, if you ever see me out in the wild, feel free to say hi! Hi!ÊCouldÊyouÊintroduceÊyourself? * * * My name is Raquel Thompson! I’m a freshman and I am from southern Virginia; I obviously enjoy reading but also anything civic engagement/politics-esque. Hi everyone! My name is Adele Francis-Jones, and I am so excited to be representing the freshman class this semester in the delegate council! I'm a very outgoing person and I love meeting and talking to new people. If you see me around on campus, please stop and say hi! I love our ceramics room on campus so much and am very excited to get better at swing dancing over the course of this year. My name's Jacob Sharpe, I'm from Mechanicsville, Maryland (about 1 hour southwest of Annapolis). I see myself as a person of many interests; my Freshman year I did KWP (the King William Players, a student run theater group) and this year I'm co-editing the Collegian (the campuses weekly newspaper), and KWP, where I'm playing Polonius in Hamlet. I love reading most of the program texts, but some of my favorite non-program ones include Catch-22 and Emma. * Hello. My name is Reagan Bottomley. I'm pretty outgoing, so you've probably met me at some event or other on campus. If not, feel free to stop me whenever you see me and introduce yourself! I'd love to meet you and learn what you want to see from the DC. You can usually find me at sailing or rowing practice down at College Creek, or caught up in conversation on the Quad. * Hello. My name is Nicholas Hoo. My primary hobbies include studying random subjects, * I'm Amado Garcia, I use they/them pronouns, and I am one of four senior representatives. When I'm not doing things directly related to the program, my free time is usually split between playing video games, doing my best to read the news, reading non-program books (currently The Left Hand of Darkness), preparing for a weekly GURPS game (It's like Dungeons and Dragons but not quite), and a bunch of other things. * My name is Colin Josler, I'm a senior and I've been Vice Archon of the Alexander Hamilton Society for a couple years now. HowÊ doÊ youÊ viewÊ representativeÊ role?Ê AndÊ canÊ youÊshareÊyourÊcommitmentÊrelatedÊtoÊthatÊrole? * Raquel Thompson: I'd love to be a class representative that can cultivate a sense of community through clear communication and mutual respect. Effort to make open space for concerns from the student body can be pivotal in the role of the student government. Examples like frequent and easy to complete evaluation for certain projects, or ones regularly sent out. * Adele Francis-Jones: I want to be representative that people feel comfortable actually talking to. I know it can be intimidating, so I'm hoping that having someone on the Delegate Council, like me, who is really open to discussing with peers, will make that easier. I want to try to be active in a wide variety of clubs and extra curriculars so I can get a comprehensive understanding of what the polity wants more or less of, funding or otherwise. 3 �λόγος THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 St. John’s College Student Council, 1916 * Jacob Sharpe: As class representative, I hope to be a voice of reason (though I hope that's everyone's goal here), I want to be open-minded regarding the clubs we choose to fund. Obviously, there are many interests here on campus; I can't relate to all of them, but I feel it's my responsibility to foster a place where they can all exist. Otherwise, I want the DC to be a good representation of popular opinion, any disconnect there is undesirable. As CSL rep this year, my opinions are pretty much the same. I hope that I can be a person my classmates will come to with issues and be heard. Problems inhibiting learning or quality of life should be viewed as things to be solved, not things to be endured. I'm committed to using all my prudence and wisdom on issues as they come, and to be as impartial as possible. * Reagan Bottomley: I'm a representative for the junior class, and this is my third year on the DC. As a more experienced delegate, I hope to help others get accustomed to the ins and outs of the DC and provide a consistent, supportive council for archons to work with. I believe the DC exists to support and serve the Polity however is needed, and I'm excited to put that into action this year. * 4 Nicholas Hoo: What such discussions with others on campus have taught me is the sheer diversity in interests, backgrounds, thoughts, and affairs held by those in our community. As a delegate, I want to serve as an aid for any and every member of the Polity who may have business with the Delegate Council. Whether it is informing someone of procedure, working to produce club charters or budgets, taking suggestions for Polity Law and Acts of Council (a severely underutilized capacity of the DC - ask me if you would like to know more), I want to be a present and open mediator for all who may desire my help. Ultimately, what student governance on this campus needs most is better attempts at outward engagement from its representatives, and that is what I will strive to institute. And for internal council affairs, I aim to hold the DC accountable to standard and orderly procedures, collaborative discussion, and fiscal responsibility. In addition, I seek to serve on (and hopefully improve) various subcommittees of the council, such as the Budget and Archives Committees. * Amado Garcia: I hope to be a representative whose comments, for those who read the DC's weekly minutes, are infrequent but helpful. In that vein, I will be committed to reading all the necessary documents closely and paying close attention to the conversation, making sure that details don't go overlooked and that issues are �THE GADFLY λόγος tackled with many perspectives in mind. * Colin Josler: In my experience in that role, going in front of the DC can be a little intimidating. Sometimes your budget may get cut or edited for reasons that seem arbitrary, or the DC itself can feel generally unfriendly to you. Recently the DC has improved greatly in this regard, and I want to help continue this improvement by being as helpful, clear, and respectful as possible to club archons. I want to help make budget edits that are reasonable and are explained well to the club archons. September 26, 2024 shoot them an email (mine is rmbottomley@sjc.edu). We're happy to answer any questions you have about the DC or listen to what you think we should do. * Nicholas Hoo: Just as our seminar and tutorial readings help cultivate an understanding of the subtle and technical, student publications grant us invaluable information regarding the present community in which we live. In many ways, this knowledge is just as crucial to leading good lives as that professed by the philosophers, for it enables us to best engage with and serve our community. Even if what you learn is not immediately relevant to your life, it may be greatly beneficial to someone you know…… (Also, check your emails; they contain more helpful information than you might expect). * IsÊthereÊanythingÊyou’dÊlikeÊtoÊsayÊtoÊstudentsÊwhoÊ readÊtheÊmagazine? * Raquel Thompson: I love talking and getting to know anyone I meet! Please reach out even if you aren't a freshman or it's not about DC :) * Adele Francis-Jones: Thank you so much for taking the time to read my introduction! I am so grateful to have been chosen for this position and am excited to serve on the DC for this semester and beyond! * Jacob Sharpe: Reading magazines is good, but writing for them is even better! Amado Garcia: I'll leave off with two requests: One, submit to Gadfly (and Collegian if that's still happening), I read every issue and really enjoy seeing a long contributors list. Two, pay attention to local and state politics, at the very least look up what your state's ballot measures are this year (similar advice applies for international students with different political subdivisions, I hope). * Reagan Bottomley: Your delegates are eager to hear your thoughts! Sit with your representative at the dining hall, catch them on the quad, or Listening to the newly selected student representatives, I look forward to this year with them. Congratulations on your election! St. John’s College Student Polity Executive Commi ee, 1956 5 �section title THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 Bug Bulletin Antheraea polyphemus: Polyphemus Moth By Louis Rosenberg, Creepy Crawly Correspondent I was walking back to my apartment from campus a couple weeks ago when I noticed a large green caterpillar making its way leisurely across the bricks in front of me. I stopped to get a better look at the little guy and move him off the sidewalk. He was one of the biggest caterpillars I’ve seen — almost as large as the short side of a brick, with a body that looked charmingly overstuffed, his little head wobbling in and out as he barreled over the fallen pine needles that stood in his way. He was bright green, with yellow stripes running vertically down many of his body segments and scoli — wartlike bumps from which hair-like bristles (setae) sprout — were orderly aligned down the length of his body, yellow near his head and a silvery red further down his abdomen. Later in the day, I decided to try to identify his species, and eventually concluded that he was an A. polyphemus caterpillar. Based on his size and coloration, he is likely in his fifth instar, which for this species means that he’s nearly ready to pupate. This species changes dramatically over the course of their instars — during their first instar, they are white with black stripes and very prominent setae.1 As larvae, they feed on a variety of broad-leafed plants, and while generally not considered agricultural pests, they often fall victim to parasitic wasps which were introduced to control the spongy moth, an invasive species in North America.2 1 Donald Hall, “Polyphemus Moth,” University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, July 2012, https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/Creatures/MISC/ MOTHS/polyphemus_moth.htm. Polyphemus Moth Caterpillar, Photo by the Author As adults, polyphemus moths don’t feed at all, and hence live short but majestic lives. As would be expected from their larval size, the moths are quite large, with a maximum wingspan of around 6 inches. Their wings vary in color but are usually shades of brown, pink, and tan, with large eyespots on their hindwings.3 Their common name, a reference to the legendary cyclops Polyphemus, comes from those eyespots,4 and the eyespots are also actively displayed by the moths in an attempt to scare off predators. Adults will begin mating overnight, with the females emitting a specific pheromone to attract males. Once two animals pair up, they will remain together during the subsequent day and then separate around sunset. The female will then lay eggs on leaves that the larvae will later consume.5 As for the caterpillar I found, I coaxed him onto a stick and carried him away from the sidewalk to a nearby tree. I hope that he survives the perilous transition from larva to pupa to adult — and that, unlike his namesake, his future eyespots stay undamaged. 3 “Polyphemus Moth,” Butterflies and Moths of North America, https:// www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Antheraea-polyphemus. 4 “Species Antheraea polyphemus,” September 9 2023, Bugguide, https:// “Polyphemus Moth,” Missouri Department of Conservation, https://mdc.mo.gov/ bugguide.net/node/view/427. discover-nature/field-guide/polyphemus-moth. 5 Hall, “Polyphemus Moth.” 2 6 �λόγος THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 Reading Women Club Spotlight- An Interview with Elleanna Berthel By Vivian Miyakawa, Club Correspondent If there’s one thing Johnnies seem to love, it’s a seminar. If twice a week isn’t enough, there’s a plethora of clubs out there to give you that sweet satisfaction of more reading assignments and more riveting discussion. In all honesty, I wasn’t planning on joining one of these clubs. I’ve never been a huge fan of seminars, but when Delaney Costello, archon of the Reading Women club, encouraged me to join one of her “feminars,” I decided to give it a shot. To my delight, it was a breath of fresh air to be in such a relaxed and welcoming seminar environment. Everyone was so supportive, and Ms. Costello did an amazing job at facilitating a balanced discussion space. After such a lovely experience being part of the Reading Women club, I decided to reach out to the vice-archon, Elleanna Berthel, and ask her a couple questions about the club, which she answered beautifully in writing. VivianÊ Miyakawa:Ê What goes into making a safe space for women and non-cisgender people, and what steps will this club take to achieve that? ElleannaÊBerthel:ÊI think the most important thing to keep in mind…is simply allowing anyone to talk. Making space to hear out each idea is particularly important to making a safe space for women and gender minorities because unfortunately, our voices tend to get run over more during class than others. My biggest hope for our members is that they leave each seminar feeling like they were truly able to engage with the text and conversation. Apart from our seminars, we're also hosting office hours and community events this year to offer a space for students to discuss any frustrations (or wins!) they might be experiencing during class. We want to make sure people have a space to feel heard and encouraged by their peers, and sometimes the best way to do that is to simply listen to someone rant and offer any advice and encouragement that you can. VM:Ê What are your opinions on the curriculum in general, and what do we lack when studying these “great books” that are mostly written by men? EB:Ê I think we not only lack more texts written by or about women, but we also don't address female experiences or characters in seminar unless they are the main character, such as Antigone or Medea. In texts like the Iliad, Herodotus, and Thucydides, we see women being directly oppressed by men at war, but sometimes it feels like seminars as a whole struggle to address this phenomenon apart from categorizing it as a "product of the time." The rape and kidnap of women during wartime feels like a glaring part of the text, yet it is easily overlooked. I also wonder about the rigidity of the program. On one level, I can understand what the program is trying to achieve by being very particular about which texts to layer upon each other, but how much does it mean when a large portion of your student body feels overlooked? I read texts written by men constantly, I am always looking at the world through their eyes, and I believe our student body is deprived of experiencing the opposite effect through the program. Austen, Woolf, and de Beauvoir are all incredible authors and deserve their spot on the list, but I think there should be room for more. 7 �λόγος THE GADFLY VM:ÊGiven your goal of supplementing the program with more female authors, what are some of the readings you’ve chosen, and why? EB:ÊWe picked our readings to mimic the chronological order of the Program, beginning with older works and eventually reaching both modern feminist theory and contemporary literature by women. Although not all the texts on our reading list are written by female authors, they are all centered around female stories and experiences. I'm particularly excited for our next seminar over Plutarch's writings on historical female figures--I loved reading Solon and Lycurgus in freshman September 26, 2024 seminar last year, so I'm excited to engage with more of his work. VM:ÊThoughts on the year so far? Anything you want the Polity to know? EB:ÊNo matter what time of the year it is, we're always happy to welcome new members to our seminars or have a chat during office hours. So far, we've read Sappho and Sor Juana and had fantastic seminars on both, and I think the conversations will only keep getting better from here on out. Adult Education Seminar, 1948. At the time, there were two segregated adult education seminars. The College would not admit women as students for another four years. 8 �λόγος THE GADFLY Croquet for Dummies: A Guide for New Johnnies By Willa Rothenberg When considering St. John’s College in their college search, most students take interest in the Program of Instruction, not the sports offered. The exception to this rule might be if a student wants to learn croquet. This is because St. John’s College sets such a high bar in American collegiate croquet. The College was the 2024 US Croquet Association Collegiate champions in both American Croquet and Golf croquet. St. John’s also hosts the Annapolis Cup, the annual croquet match held between the United States Naval Academy and St. John’s. In a unique way, the Polity has found a way to make sports part of its tradition. Aside from being the most public facing Johnnie sport, what is croquet and how is it played? By the most basic definition, croquet is a field game played by hitting balls through metal wickets in the ground. There are many variations of the game, though over the years the school has created its own. Johnny Croquet is similar to backyard croquet, with rules added and adapted through oral tradition at the College. The course is made up of nine wickets with two stakes— one at each end of the field. Johnny croquet is unique in that it involves more strategy than other varieties. The nature of the grounds is a large factor in this. Johnny croquet is played on an unmanicured lawn, unlike Association Croquet. This can result in uncontrollable variables like ant hills, rocks, and other impediments that can prevent a good shot from following through. For those skilled in the game, the type of lawn is simply a matter of preference. Magnus Oberg, Imperial Wicket (captain) of the SJC team prefers the difficulty that comes with an unmanicured lawn. Additionally, it is an advantage for those who learn on the St. John’s lawn as the transition to a manicured lawn is simpler than going from a manicured lawn to an unmanicured September 26, 2024 lawn. Other forms of strategy come in the actual playing of the game. The rules allow for continuations after passing a wicket, and after hitting your ball into another ball. If one plays their wickets right, they may continue their turn for what seems like forever. Watching and playing games are the best ways of gaining an understanding of the game and strategy, though as soon as I felt I understood the game it got more complicated. Something unique to the strategy of the St. John's croquet team is how fine-tuned it is, because of the long-standing tradition. The tried-and-true Johnny strategy is what makes the school so successful in the sport. Other schools, Oberg observes, are only just now implementing strategy as they start to take the game more seriously. It has been suggested that the Midshipmen’s strategy lacks complexity. This is surprising considering the focus their school has on war strategy and games. On the other hand, St. John’s has a frightfully unique fascination with a very obscure sport. To each their own, I suppose. Looking forward, team leadership wants to play matches against other clubs, not just in Nationals. This was more common prior to COVID-19, when more collegiate clubs existed. Luckily, this year we should see some more croquet action. In preparation for the Annapolis Cup, both the Naval Academy and St. John’s will play the Ginger Grove croquet team, a team from a retirement community in the greater Annapolis area. The Croquet Team is filled with history and tradition, but the future also holds so much. Aerial view of the 1985 Annapolis cup 9 �συμπόσιον THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 Voting Voices: Civic Disengagement and The Underestimated Power of the Vote By El’ad Nichols-Kaufman Tucson late afternoon in the summer is an eerie time. It is empty and quiet as the heat of a day's worth of stored sun radiating off the sidewalk gradually becomes sensible while the sun slips lower in the sky. In a few hours, after the sun sets, and the temperature descends from its 107 degree high, the streets will become alive again, but as evening slowly begins to settle, few are out except the stray mailperson, and me. A I was out knocking on doors in the blazing heat, interrupting people and their after work routines, not because of any personal desire for suffering, or a desire to irritate the general populace, but for that activity so long reviled and necessary for the function of our democracy: political canvassing. I found, as I walked, a few people with questions about the candidates I represented, a greater number of people eager to learn, and even one who wanted to talk about cologne. More than that I found closed doors or people who turned me away when I opened my mouth. In general, I found a very familiar kind of ignorance: many hadn’t even heard of a primary election, telling me they planned to vote a straight party ticket, an absurd proposition in an election where only members of one party were on the ballot, as well as apathy: declaring that no election has ever made a difference in their life. I call this ignorance and apathy familiar, because it exists, perhaps even more strongly, here at the College. When I first arrived here, I expected a community of politically engaged people. I made the, retrospectively naive, assumption that if you read Plato and Aristotle, Hobbes and Locke, not to mention the Constitution and Supreme Court Cases, you must naturally care about them in practice, and not only in abstract theory. However, I found that despite our insularity, the lack of feeling of connection with our 10 own political world that has a grip on so much of the United States impacts the College just as much as anywhere else. The most visible example of that is the number of Johnnies that do not vote. Given our contemporary national political climate, it is easy to see why so many people, including readers of this essay, may doubt the efficacy, or even the merit, of voting. However, in dismissing democratic engagement entirely, many young people miss the broader picture of the working of our political system, and the ways in which a lack of voter engagement perpetuates and worsens the very problems that cause people not to vote, making their lack of a vote a tacit endorsement of the general direction the nation is currently headed in. Most importantly, they often do not see the power of their vote, a power which cannot necessarily be seen on the federal level, but that by looking at the more human-scale world of local politics, one that has a more immediate impact on day-to-day life, is easily seen. I hope that by sharing some of my personal experiences with local politics, I can provide a reason for Johnnies to recognize the power and importance of their vote, and of civic participation in general, which goes far beyond voting. While there are occasionally noteworthy cases where a federal race is determined by a handful of votes, most Americans live in generally homogenous congressional districts, in safely red or blue states. However, when it comes to local elections, the issues at hand become much more immediate, and upset victories, won by razor thin margins. The first political �συμπόσιον THE GADFLY campaign I ever worked on was a prime example. I got involved in school board politics because of the troubles I saw in my public school district. The district, in inner-city Indianapolis, was mostly democratic, but when it came to the school board race, issues of privatization and funding did not align neatly to any party line. That race, which ended up reshaping my school, a big part of my world at the time, was won by a handful of votes in a low turnout election. Whether through having children going to the schools, working at the schools, or paying taxes to the district, hundreds of thousands of people were affected by this election, whose outcome was in no way predetermined by general trends of where people of certain political conviction live, or by partisan gerrymandering. Those few people who did vote, many of them mobilized by pro-privatization charter school groups, decided the quality of education, and the use of taxpayer funding, for the entire district. This scales up, too, even to the state level. While state politics can be dominated by parties just as much as federal politics, and can also be manipulated by gerrymandering introduced by Republicans in 2010, the issues at the heart of state government, like roads, schools, and healthcare, mean that unexpected people can win elections and address long lasting problems, but only if voters actually bother to turn out. When voters pay attention, and do turn out, state politics become surprisingly volatile, and a Democrat like Andy Bashear can be elected in Kentucky, or Larry Hogan in Maryland. In both of those cases, every vote mattered when it came to their initial election, and things in both states might be very different, for better or worse, if they had not been elected. The fact these shifts can happen at a state level even in a deeply red or blue state, means that the power of each individual vote, even in scarlet Kentucky or azure Maryland, is always that powerful: if enough individual people thought the issues a federal politician was talking about were important, they September 26, 2024 could cause the same kind of flips that happened at the state level. At this point, many disengaged citizens might complain that although their vote is powerful, they have nowhere to use it since no candidate aligns with their political views. There is a level at which this concern can be dismissed off hand, in that a democracy necessarily needs to move towards beliefs of large numbers of their citizens, and it is selfish to believe that your opinions alone deserve to have candidates that stand behind them, it would be a mistake to dismiss it entirely. It is far too frequent that reasonable voices fall outside of the American political discourse. However, this lack of candidates representing positions comes partially from a lack of voter participation. Working with politicians, particularly locally in Arizona, I’ve seen how strong of a concern there is for the views of constituents. At the end of the day, a politician is not a machine operating according to the input of lobbyists and party, they are a human being who wants (ideally) two things: to improve the community they represent, or to keep their job. Both require listening to the concerns of individuals and coming closer to their views. Politicians who are interested in bettering their communities, which I find most frequently in glory-less but powerful positions like county Boards of Supervisors, or state Corporation Commission, tend to be continually looking for what the needs of their constituents are. If you are engaged, and write letters, work on their campaigns, or even just show up at their meetings, you will at least have a voice at the table, and while you will not always get to vote for someone who believes exactly what you believe, what you believe will be fairly weighed against the beliefs and needs of all members of the community. Politicians concerned with winning reelection, which is all politicians, necessarily must listen to their constituents. Because, at the end of the day, every race might turn into an unexpected swing race, they do have some level of concern for your views. If the incumbent is dismissive of you, it is almost a guaranteed law that some challenger cares about your view. 11 �συμπόσιον THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 Maybe that challenger is not always the one that wins their party’s primary, but the only way to make sure that person who does care about your voice wins is to vote for them. By not voting, you indicate to politicians that you are merely a crank not worth listening to, since you cannot get them into office. The candidates who truly believe what you believe will never move beyond the fringes unless people like you vote, and mainstream candidates will never have any reason to listen to you unless you use your vote. It is somewhat of a truism to say that if voting did not matter, there would not be so many people trying to get your vote. Nonetheless, we, as American citizens, cannot forget that. Likewise, we cannot forget that our lack of voting is equally as significant. A refusal to vote, which so many Johnnies practice, is not a refusal to endorse the political system; by working in the US, paying taxes, and simply living, you are endorsing its government. When you don’t vote, you are instead casting away your voice. You tell politicians it does not matter and deny yourself any responsibility for governing yourself. If you prefer to be ruled over by a group of millions of strangers, you may choose to do so, but all of us young people should remember how many decisions that have changed our lives have happened in our short timespan. These range from concrete issues like suffering after the recession partially due to government decisions and people we know being affected by the loss of a woman’s right to choice to more intangible ones like rising housing prices tied to planning policy or the problems caused by climate change. None of these issues are insignificant. If you are not perfectly happy with how these things have changed your life, as I suspect many of the readers of this article are not, then you must vote. Nothing will ever get better if you don’t. If you do, things will not always be fixed, but your voice might just be the one that tips the scale, and the stakes are too high for you not to. 12 President Dwight D. Eisenhower speaking at the dedication of Mellon Hall, 1959 �συμπόσιον THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 Let the Discussions Commence By Avery Beaude e Over the past few weeks, through opening new chapters of their lives and a rush of new beginnings, the freshmen of St. John’s College have been diligently dissecting Homer’s timeless works, beginning with a classic that has stood the test of time, a story of sacrifice, perseverance, and hope; the Iliad. The newest members of our polity have officially taken on seminar and have begun their journey of discussion, learning more about themselves, their peers, and what it means to truly be a student here at St. John’s. It is through the stories of heroes that we learn the most about ourselves, and there is certainly no shortage of heroic stories in the Iliad. Just like the Greeks and Trojans, Johnnies are being put to the test with many new challenges and choices. The themes of fate and friendship bleed from the pages of this epic to the fingertips of eager Johnnies learning to find their place among the strong comradery of the campus, as well as in the classroom. Great conversations have been had over the past few weeks, and the energy of the campus after our biweekly seminars certainly reflects that. Walking around the quad as a rush of students comes filing out of the classrooms and getting to witness them carrying on the conversations and continuing to discuss the complexities of the Iliad, is truly something special. The loudest among the eager voices echoing through our campus’ academic serenity are the newest members of our community. From talking about the thrill of collaborative learning, to discussing the joy of hyper analyzing the Iliad, this year’s freshman have bravely taken on the brunt of the Great Books program. However exciting and engaging the first few seminars were for the majority, some freshmen have expressed disappointment about the lack of conversational awareness possessed by their fellow students. There is certainly a want for more passionate dialogue, and some Johnnie’s have stated that it seems the cultivation of said dialogue is being stunted by half-formulated questions and some people’s determination to be the smartest in the room. With that being said, I would like to take the opportunity to instill a lesson into this year’s freshman: Learn from those around you, some of the greatest snippets of knowledge you will come across in this life will be from the stranger sitting right next to you, but you will never know unless they are allowed a chance to share. Along that same note, to every new Johnnie finding it hard to share your thoughts, regardless of reason (maybe feeling mentally inadequate, or as if your thoughts are not substantial enough) there will always be a place for your voice in these conversations, and I wish you luck in the seminars to come. 13 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 TikTok Troubles By Helen Felbek For many of us at St. John’s College, being “chronically online” is something we take pride in avoiding. Disconnecting from our digital existences by locking away our phones for an afternoon, like Mr. Abbott suggested last year, is socially acceptable here. In fact, students with flip phones—or no phones at all—are often admired for their commitment to simplicity and the real world. But while many students might not see social media as essential to our daily lives, the college still has a notable online presence, both official and unofficial. Instagram, for example, is particularly popular among students. Here one can find the official St. John’s College Annapolis account (@sjcannapolis), as well as the Greenfield Library (@sjcalibrary), the career development office (@sjcareers), the Mitchell Art Museum (@sjcmitchell), and the gym (@templeiglehart). There are also plenty of student run accounts: the intramural teams like to bring their team spirit to the internet as well as motivate students to come out to play. Other student groups such as Reality (@sjcreality), the Waltz Committee (@sjc_waltz), the Delegate Council (@sjcdelegatecouncil), the Art Studio (@artstudio.sjc), the Darkroom (@sjc_darkroom), the King Williams Players (@kingwilliamplayers), and Energeia (@energeiasjc) have Instagram accounts to advertise events and share student creations. And of course, we should not make the mistake and forget about Santa Fe. Our sister campus is not immune to creating a manifold of Instagram accounts for all possible aspects of student life either. All these accounts, often quirky and humorous, do in my opinion an excellent job of reflecting the creative and lighthearted aspects of campus culture. While there is, of course, reason to question the point of having all these accounts, this is not the focus of 14 this article. If there is some sort of interest and demand, who am I to say that we should be Luddites and completely reject all social media presences? It could even be argued that there might be as subsection of students who use Instagram more regularly than their emails so perhaps just for campus internal communication, Instagram is an actual “social” medium helping to increase community and turn out to events. However, while many of these accounts are in fact publicly accessible, the main target audience is current students. This probably wouldn’t stop determined prospective students or parents from snooping around, but that is the beauty of the still somewhat transparent nature of the internet. But I would argue that curious prospective students, their parents and other people that might go through the effort to look for these unofficial pages would get a fairly authentic and innocuous impression of campus life. Of course, we should still think about how we would like to be perceived as a collective by the internet-using world who might stumble upon college associated internet presences. These general reflections lead me to the college’s TikTok account, launched in May 2022. With just 202 followers as of September 8, 2024, its reach is far more limited than the official Instagram account which currently has 5,116 followers. Most TikTok posts are similar to the content uploaded to Instagram—waltz parties, dorm tours, and interviews with students. A couple of recent posts, however, have left many scratching their heads. �πόλις THE GADFLY One video from September 3 features the message, “Finals? Exams? Textbooks? We don’t know her!!! Come to St. John’s, a reader's paradise.” The video is accompanied by a cheesy, seemingly AI-generated graphic of two dolphins jumping at sunset and Clean Bandit’s “Symphony” playing in the background. The caption reads: “Think about it Pookie We are waiting for you #stjohns #annapolis #dolphins #books #symphony #johnnie #maryland.” Perhaps I am just out of the loop – not having TikTok myself – on what is considered funny or trendy, but to me this post seemed to be fundamentally at odds with my and perhaps many of my peers’ experience of St. John’s. The claim insinuates that the program is not rigorous, which I am sure most students and tutors would disagree with. Further it purports that being a reader is sufficient to be happy at St. John’s, a claim I would argue is misleading at best, considering the importance of class participation as well as our focus on very challenging math and lab tutorials. Another post from August 21 shows members of the administration dancing (or “shimmying,” as the caption puts it) to welcome the Class of 2028. Although well-intentioned, it feels forced and awkward, lacking the irony or self-awareness that might make it funny. It’s not that these videos are inherently wrong, but they raise a more significant concern: What kind of image are we presenting to the world? When prospective students, grad school admissions committees, and potential employers stumble upon our TikTok, what will they think? I, by no means, wish to disparage the hard work and dedication of the individuals who developed and executed these specific posts. My point of contention is pertaining to the endeavor in general. It is always easier to criticize than to suggest alternatives. One student I spoke to suggested that the idea of clickable and trendy videos is by nature at odds with an official college presence, independently of what kind of college we are talking about. This student suggested that an alternative might be to split the two strategies and have one official TikTok account very similar to the September 26, 2024 The picture used on St. John’s official TikTok account @sjc.edu (https://www.tiktok.com/@sjc.edu/ video/7410425577758264618) might be inspired by the colorful work of the contemporary US-American artist Lisa Frank (Screenshot 09/08/2024) Instagram account even at the risk of not generating as much traffic as the college might want to, and have a second account run by students that would in a way “memeify” the college experience. This would, according to the student, be much more authentic. According to Sara Luell, Senior Director of Communications and Operations, the college has been experimenting with a new TikTok strategy since August 20. The goal is to appeal to prospective students, specifically 16-year-olds who may be unfamiliar with St. John’s and its Great Books curriculum. As part of a collaboration between the Admissions Office and Communications Office, young Admissions counselors and student employees have been empowered to get creative and , trust their instincts on what might attract this demographic. Luell emphasizes that this is only a trial and that they “would pull back after a couple of months and assess.” Further, the posts still require approval from the communications team. 15 �πόλις THE GADFLY Interestingly enough, this strategy shift led to the creation of a wider gap between the online representation of the two campuses: In Annapolis, the focus has been on creating trendy, light-hearted content, whereas Santa Fe’s TikToks are more subdued and thoughtful. One might argue that this experiment leads to inconsistent branding and could actually confuse prospective students. “The goal is for us all to learn from one another on how trends do and don't work for us, on when our brand needs to override trends due to potential brand damage,” summarizes Luell. She and her team have noticed that the Annapolis content is getting more likes than the Santa Fe content, but she admits: “we do not know if these likes are the ‘right likes.’ For example, are they simply getting likes because the content is very popular and accessible, but those likes are not coming from prospective Johnnies?” Luell also shares the observation that while Santa Fe posts get fewer likes, they get “a decent number of ‘Saves/Booksmarks’ which might indicate more serious engagement from better prospects.” However, Luell finds that currently “it is too early to tell what these results mean so we will continue to evaluate.” While this experiment may be innovative, it has also sparked conversations among current students. Many feel that the TikTok account’s recent content is inconsistent with the college’s identity and values. One student summed it up by saying, “Our social media reflects our values as an institution to the outside world, and based on some of our recent TikToks, those values seem inconsistent and frivolous.” This case also touches upon the bigger issue of college advertisement in general. Last year, the Committee on Student Life hosted a forum on how the college is advertising. Many participants voiced concern that the line between portraying the college in a fair but positive light and making unauthentic claims in the name of attracting as many students as possible, is blurred. This issue seems to carry over to the TikTok account as well. Perhaps the trendier posts are not actually as harmful as I think they are but I believe there should, at the very least, be a bigger con16 September 26, 2024 sideration for showing the rigor of the program. As Mr. Abbott reminds us in his recent Gadfly article: “Beautiful things are difficult.” We should embrace these challenges as they are what makes the education we receive here so rewarding and enduring. Diminishing or hiding this is unfair— both to prospective students as well as the entire polity who is committed to the program, with all its challenges, every day. Luell emphasizes that feedback from the student body is essential and that she is open to suggestions for improving the account. “The purpose of this experiment is learning, and that learning very much includes hearing feedback from current students on what does or does not appeal on the account, as well as ideas for future posts,” she says, welcoming student contributions. St. John’s College faces the same challenge as many other institutions today: how to remain relevant in a rapidly changing (digital) world without losing touch with the core values that make us unique. How can we attract prospective students to counteract the negative effects of the demographic cliff on enrollment numbers? The question we need to ask ourselves is whether TikTok—or any social media platform—is the right place to convey the depth and richness of the St. John’s experience. While I do not claim to know the telos of the program, I think it is universally agreed upon that we are a college that values deep thinking, intellectual engagement, and meaningful connections. If our social media presence doesn't reflect that, we risk alienating both current and prospective students. The goal should not be to hop on the latest trends just to attract attention but to share an authentic version of St. John’s with the world—one that reflects who we are and what we stand for. In the end, it’s not about whether we should have a TikTok account or not. It’s about how we use it. And right now, we could use it a lot better. �THE GADFLY πόλις My Government Education is Obsolete By Pia Ibsen As a high school senior in the great state of Texas, I was required to take a semester of a government course. I took the Advanced Placement (AP) government and politics class around six months ago, where we learned about how our government operates and the different political and judicial issues that the United States has right now. With recent rulings by the Supreme Court, the AP government class must rethink the content they're teaching. The major ruling, which was released on July 1st, stated that the President has near full immunity from prosecution when acting in an official capacity. This is a complete change from what's been upheld in the past, with this ruling also encompassing criminal prosecution, the precedent before only protecting the commander and Chief from civil prosecution. But with this new precedent via the Supreme Court, it now seems that our Chief Executive is now immune from any sort of prosecution when acting in an official capacity. This is an extremely dangerous precedent set by our aging Supreme Court, with the looming 2024 election in less than two months. This ruthless battle between a prosecutor and a convicted felon has broken many historical precedents for behavior in presidential campaigns. I've seen a stark contrast in debates from even four years ago. The new ruling on presidential immunity has shaken up the way that President Trump has looked at his indictments and criminal trials, in Georgia and the District of Colombia, his once flouting legal team now has a new defensive strategy in both. September 26, 2024 This new ruling has turned the presidency from an office of the people to a monarchial one. With complete immunity, which puts the president above the law, the president could do anything and claim immunity. Preventing this is exactly why our Founding Fathers included three branches of the government: the Legislative, Judicial, and Executive. Article 1, Sections 2, 8, and 9 of the Constitution lay out the different checks the Legislative branch gets on the executive, put in place to assuage the concerns of the Anti-Federalists. They were worried that the executive would get too big, becoming monarchical. Unfortunately, just shy of 250 years later, that has nearly been realized. One could pinpoint this unraveling of our democracy about 20 years ago, 45 days after the horrific events of 9/11. A bill called the "Patriot Act" was hastily passed, which allowed for the judicial and executive branches to "sneak and peak' into any American's life that they wished, without probable cause. This was said to help capture "terrorists" before they attacked, but this unconstitutional act only helped lead to one conviction after looking and bugging over 200,000 Americans. This was a fundamental intrusion of not just Americans' lives, but also violated the 4th Amendment. This unprecedented breach of American privacy has led to a steady overreach of executive power, which has amalgamated into a gross misuse of executive privilege. The United States was founded on the notion that we are a representative democracy, not letting any branch have too much power over the others. In my government class, we were taught that all three branches have equal say in how the government is not just run, but what laws are made, but now just six months later that has proven false. The executive branch is overreaching its power, which is exactly what our founders feared. The upcoming election could prove fatal not just for us, but for our American democracy. 17 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 Commentary on The Adventures of Frog and Toad; Bk. I Ch. II: The Story By Tarik Mahmud When I was but a wee Tarikling I was, as many who know me are aware, greatly taken by nature documentaries. The countless hours I spent as a mere sapling of consciousness watching these, or otherwise passively receiving them as my puerile mind was elsewhither distracted, were so numerous that in my brain they have mixed into a smooth drone of constant involvement. But not only to the primary content of these programs was my germinating soul attracted, but also vehemently to the “Making-Ofs”; I was greatly interested in how these shows were produced, to the point where I could remember such latter programs at least as precisely as I could the former. It is with this past experience that I approach a commentary on the second chapter of the first book of the Adventures, whereon Mr. Lobel bestowed the uniquely abstract title “The Story”. Invalid Frog requests a story from Toad whilst the former rests his weary frame. Toad, not being a spurting fount of poetry, despairs in this endeavor to invent a story for his friend. He first paces up and down the porch—as any sensible man in the midst of concentrated thought does in such a situation—then stands atop his head after returning indoors, which signals the onset of his aporetic madness. He pours water on top of his head when this works not, before finally resorting to bludgeoning his own cranium on the wall of his house. Whereupon concerned Frog forgets his sickness out of worry for his friend and tells Toad that he need not think of a story anymore, as he has recovered his health, thus affording Toad the opportunity to rest from his 18 self-inflicted wounds in Frog’s place. When Frog volunteers to tell Toad a story (which mirrors Toad’s acceptance of the same duty in relation to Frog previously in the story), he recounts Toad’s foolish methods for coming up with one. Toad is fast asleep by the time he finishes. The most eminent theme encounterable in this story is the frustration of Toad in inventing a story. This is an intimately familiar obstacle for us Johnnies, who several times a semester must confront the umbrous caverns of Writer’s Block. The belly of the earth is huge, and we have no way to speak of: yet we simply must take a path and follow it. The not-taking-a-path is here demonstrated to be an indecision of the utmost harm, rendering Toad so poorly that he must to bed, thus exchanging the ill being with the narrator. In his anti-manic ravings, Toad has himself become the passive receiver of the story, rather than the creator. Furthermore, his head hurts like hell. So let this be the first bit of wisdom to take from this: that we ought not to resort to such mad means of generating content. But although these means are wholly and incontestably evil in their outcome, we must notice also Frog’s position here. For Toad has become so uniquely and interestingly deranged that from his barren tongue sprouts a novel germ. For having changed places with Frog, to Frog is now given the poet’s space, that the misfortunes of the fallen hero be recounted to him in his slumber and such is the great paradox of this chapter: Toad’s inability to invent a story is itself the story. Thus the absence of object, that is to say the absolute negation of object, has itself become object. But it is a tragic object; as the verses of Aeschylus �πόλις THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 and the rest turn the evils of the heroes into good lessons for their audience, so Toad suffers inadvertently for our benefit, that we may reap what he has himself sown. Cohabiting in this apartment of the account (lógos) of this chapter is the “Making-Of” this chapter. We see painted in the ink of the page the inner machinations of the author, and possibly Mr. Lobel’s own grievous toil in making a story: he came to the same solution as Frog, though in this case the twain amphibia are synthesized in the author’s singular consciousness. It is this point (along with the all-too-familiar Writer’s Block) that particularly attracted me to this chapter, since in it I found echos of my previous condition, sunny memories of my fore-years watching the behind-the-scenes specials of my favorite nature documentaries. It is in this unexpected coincidence that I find my own childhood synthesized, at least in part: my favorite picture-book; and the incessant peelingback of something to uncover its hidden causes, which I believe is among the greatest virtues of childhood. Not to mention the self-referential nature of this peeling-back, so that the exposition exposes itself—a good toy for thought. I would like to close this commentary with a final exhortation that is manifest from this chapter. Seek not to please those around you in hurting yourself! See Toad’s folly: how it grieves Frog so much that it quickly outhurts his sickness. Consider whether Toad has ameliorated Frog’s illness, or has conversely made his own pains worse than the latter’s. Take care and hold fast in your minds that the health of the one is the health of the other, and that the pleasing of friends is in direct proportion to the pleasing of the self. Trees Near Pinkney Hall, ca. 1910 19 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 American Dream, Madison Square Garden, and the Legacy of LCD Soundsystem Seven Years Later By Isaac Strauss I’m of the humble opinion that no party is complete without some version of LCD Soundsystem's Dance Yrself Clean. Specifically, when the night is drawing to a close, the song is made not for the start of a party but for the early morning, when the crowd has thinned and sobered, leaving only the devotees who are happy to populate a gathering that should have ended hours ago. However, Dance Yrself Clean is now a fourteen year old song, an eternity in the fast paced alternative world that LCD helped build. It was released on their third and allegedly final 2010 album, This is Happening, which debuted to greater commercial success than the band had ever attained. In 2014, LCD took to Madison Square Garden for what was to be their last ever show before dispersion and retirement. In 2017, they were back with American Dream, which - Electric Lady sessions notwithstanding - appears to be the true last release of the project. The circumstances surrounding its release make American Dream worth a close read: what was so important that it needed to be said after the intense finality of 2014? In an attempt to answer this question, I want to defer to the title track. It’s undoubtedly the most symphonic song on the album, lyrically bearing its heart on its sleeve over lush, timeless synthscapes. The radical vulnerability on display is nothing new for LDC, but the song american dream is suspiciously devoid of the ironic and self-effacing twists writer and frontman James Murphy uses in spades throughout most of his discography when his writing turns inwards. Sonically, it’s the most accessible track on the album. Lyrically, it feels like reading someone's tell all memoir. However, much unlike the All My Friends and I Can Changes of albums past, american dream faces the ever present subject of youth’s fleeting nature head on and manages to find a resigned sort of com20 fort in the loss of the manic neo punk scene of 2000s NYC to time. And, also unlike previous tracks of a similar nature, it does so without a hint of insecurity. Tracks five and ten, how do you sleep? and black screen are two of the most charged on the album: both ask for emotional catharsis in vastly different ways. The first is a pointed takedown of Murphy’s estranged production partner Tim Goldsworthy: their mutual hatred of each other was as intense as it was public when Goldsworthy split from the band in 2011. Written six years later, how do you sleep? is still incredibly vitriolic, purporting closure that’s only half convincing over a bass line that’s so powerful it’s almost painful. The second is an incredibly personal reflection on the limited time Murphy was able to spend with friend and collaborator David Bowie, whose death hangs heavily over the latter half of album American Dream. Murphy lays much of the blame at his own feet for being “bad with people things” and confesses regret for the distance between the two that, again, only feels partially resolved by the end of the twelve minute track. American Dream isn’t an album interested in wasting time. It says everything it needs to in only eleven songs, one of which is an instrumental outro. And it would seem that what it needs to say is thus: the scene is dead, the band members are tired, and while not all old wounds have healed, the process is well underway. It’s for this reason that is doesn’t feel all that bad that this “comeback” flew relatively under the cultural radar. It reached number one on Billboard’s rock charts and was well received by critics, but American Dream didn’t have any hits on the level of Dance Yrself Clean or Daft Punk is Playing At My House. It was too moody, too introspective for that. There’s a touch of tragedy in the idea that a band so �πόλις THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 obsessed with parties had grown out of making music for dancing and drinking, but to return to the same persona that had governed LCD for their last three albums would make American Dream a meaningless project. If I were to be deliberately reductive, I’d call it an album about change, about closure, about acceptance. But it’s not quite so cut and dry, American Dream is just as messy, strange, and open ended as anything that came before it. What I can say for certain is that it’s the most mature album in the LCD catalog, answering the questions that bubbled to the surface when the band formally debuted in 2002. Waltz Party, 1981 THE A.M. RADIO PRESENTS: a le er from your host, brought to you by Seeing All Red by Shakey Graves By AM Stop asking me why my eyes are red. No, I’m not high. Yes, I am okay. No, it doesn’t hurt. Yes, I appreciate your concern. Yes, I understand that I look like a “freaky vampire, but not like a sexy one, like a weird one that kills people.” My eyes are red because there’s blood in them, and there's blood in them because the blood vessels in them burst. According to the wonderful people in the health center, this is nothing to worry about. I should apply a cool compress and enjoy my two to three weeks of looking like a little white crusty- eyed little white dog with reefer madness. At least it brings out the green in my eyes. And I’m also supposed to avoid touching them. After all, there’s only a thin membrane separating my pristine and sterile blood from the dirty, dirty world, and while I might look good in an eyepatch, an infection in the eyes is going to do nothing for my look. You might then ask, “Wwhy G-d? Why would you let this happen?” I asked the same questions. Apparently, when I got sick from a cute little stomach virus on Friday the 13th (a happy holiday to all who observe), I vomited hard enough for my. Eyeballs. To. EXPLODE. -10/10 do not recommend. But never let it be said that I don’t give it my all in everything that I do. Anyways, this malady and the bloody fallout left me marginally compromised over the weekend. And to that end, the article that I planned for this issue of the Gadfly will have to be aired at a later date. But rest assured, dear listeners, it will be a good one—an exclusive interview with one Mr. Nate Burke on the phenomena he dubs “Goofball Lunch.” I had the pleasure of dining in his company the evening of my illness, and while I cannot for certain say that his cooking (or the toe fungus possibly spread by his unshod roommate) did not cause my present state of optical ingloriousness, I can reliably share that it was not the “Goofball Lunch” that did me in. But to uncover what really makes a “Goofball Lunch” (and why our meal was not one) you’ll have to tune in next week at the next printing of the Gadfly! 21 �THE GADFLY πόλις old awnings Natalie Goldman Under the shade of old awnings, I used to pass many muggy evenings. I watched days drop away like flies, Though, then, they felt long. A midwest sunset always seems to stand still, Paint asleep on canvas, Until it passes away in one eye’s blink. I breathed deeply, Practically inhaled the gnats and mosquitoes, Counted days on my fingers, Tried to cheat time. I don’t need to cheat anymore. Now we are trying to get along, To be friends. Time braids my hair to keep The heat off my neck. 22 September 26, 2024 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 Dorm Cooking By Marit Hendrickson This month for my 2nd act, I present to you, my hungry audience, two recipes that only have two ingredients! MUG CAKE This first recipe tastes just as good as the prepackaged mug cakes but costs way less than the prepackaged ones. Prepackaged mug cakes cost $15 for three mug fulls while this recipe costs only $3 and gets you 21+ mug cakes. 2 tortillas Handful of cheese (pre-shredded Mexican works best) Sandwich the cheese between the tortillas in an even layer on a plate and microwave for 30-45 seconds, then carefully flip it to the other side and microwave for another 25-30 seconds. Flip once again when fully cooked and let cool before eating. Tip: You can add leftover chicken and beans to this recipe for some protein or dip it in ketchup or hot sauce for extra flavor. Ingredients: 3 Tablespoons cake mix 2 Tablespoons water Mix directly in mug and microwave for 1 minute and enjoy! Tip: This recipe is easy to double or triple in larger mugs. You can also add sprinkles or chocolate chips for more variety. QUESADILLA There's nothing that tastes better at 3 in the morning when you’re wrapping up a paper that was due at midnight than a microwave quesadilla. It’s quick and surprisingly filling too! Ingredients: Chef in the Dining Hall Kitchen, Date Unknown 23 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 ΜουσειονÊ St. John’s College is “The Decline of Western Civilization” By Gabriela Forte Personality abounds in punk rock: poets, writers, burnouts, academics, amateurs, serious musicians. Yet the unifying characteristic among them all is an unshaking independence and dedication to going against the grain. Punk has meant many things over the generations—working class solidarity, feminism, self-expression, shock value, good music—it’s all punk rock. What makes this movement so interesting is that it is perceived and experienced in a myriad of ways, yet its constituents are still very much a united front against the conformist expectations of external society. There is a potent rage to it—a rage that differs in origin, but one that seems to unify the movement. But this is exactly what catches one’s attention in Penelope Spheeris’ documentary, “The Decline of Western Civilization,” an up-close and personal view of the Los Angeles punk rock scene of the late 70’s and 80’s. She captures the singular nature of each person involved in the subculture, punk icons and audience members alike, while also highlighting the common values that unite them: revolution, hopelessness, frustration, excitement, intoxication, fear, loneliness, community. It also appears that this unity could not exist without the characteristics that distinguish each member of the movement. There will never be another Claude Bessy, or Exene Cervenka, or Keith Morris. They embody such different parts of the punk rock movement, but each one of them has been essential to the unique fingerprint it has left on music and subculture. This is not just the case for those whose names we remember today. Every single person in the punk rock sphere made the scene what it was and what it will be. The kids taping bootlegs in the alley because they couldn’t afford a ticket made just as indelible a mark on punk rock as the guitarist who left to record 24 folkstyle hurdy-gurdy music before the band made it big. The impact of the individual does not necessarily need to have been groundbreaking to be significant. What matters is that they were there. And Spheeris does a fantastic job of showing us every single cog that pushes the gears of punk rock along, no matter how big or how small, no matter how smooth or how rusty. Every rickety piece. At a place like St. John’s College, with so many subgroups within the community, it is very easy to feel certain social divisions. However, I find it incredibly important to remember that each person is just as essential to St. John’s as each person was (and is) to punk rock. We all came here for a reason, and while we may differ in our self-expression, our motivation, or our interests, we share a common love of conversation and inquiry that truly unites us. The DC members and the artists and the archons and the friend groups all make up parts of the St. John’s culture that we would be incomplete without. We are bolstered by our community members and are beautifully complicated by their most minute contributions. Without even the smallest pieces, the gears would fail to turn. I encourage you to look upon our polity with this kind of appreciation—there are no “others,” no insignificant individuals. We are not set apart by our differences. We are made more remarkable for them. �πόλις THE GADFLY Art Criticism: Mitchell Museum’s Theater of Turmoil By Caiden Cawthorne Trying to unveil an aspect of human nature is a high enough bar on its own—invoking Artaud, another. The Mitchell Art Museum put forth both as guiding goals of its new exhibition, entitled, in allusion to the 19th-century artist’s essay within The Theatre and Its Double, “The Theater of Turmoil”. Filled with photo print reproductions; from broken antiquities and Baroque masterpieces to Post-War Warhol’s and depictions of police brutality, the show invites one to take in the multifaceted manner by which turmoil can arise, all while entertaining the central question of whether or not we exist in what they term “unusual times”. Though the Museum puts forth this question in a seemingly objective manner, their answer to it is clear as they represent turmoil as being an allencompassing and inescapable part of human existence—nothing new at all. Indeed, the introductory text offered to one before entering the exhibit almost seems to conflate calamity, denoting, “accidents, race riots, and domestic violence” as simply “troubling aspects of daily life”. This cacophonous combination of elements lacks both cohesiveness and emotional gravity, creating a level of intellectual abstraction that diminishes the degree of engagement one could have with the work. Furthermore, the notion that these atrocities are somehow synonymous with one another and occur every day, that such is simply the natural way of things, lends itself to the creation of a very callous and uncomfortable environment to walk into—and for all the wrong reasons. Indeed, the print of a painting that shows police brutality which adorns the closest wall to the entrance being equated to that which depicts a fatal car accident, serves to mute the circumstantial significance that each piece has in context. Though this may have been a conscious September 26, 2024 decision, as to further focus upon the placement of these events under the wider umbrella term of “turmoil,” such could have been accomplished more readily had more of a correlation been derived between the works, as opposed to their decontextualization. Such is a pervasive problem, as the nature of what exactly “turmoil” means within the show remains elusive due to such lack of care. Taking, for instance, John Heartfield’s 5 Fingers Has The Hand, it becomes evident that the exhibition is more concerned with shock than sentiments. For, created in 1928, the piece was made more so as a statement of unity than chaos, with the five fingers of the hand being an anti-fascist symbol championing the benefit of voting. Likewise, though the exhibition features the return of the original architects of the Museum, immersion is still nowhere to be found. Perhaps what’s most striking within the show is its intentionally ambiguous installations, large and looming grey walls that jut out like rocks on a cliff side, upon which the pictures are placed. Though a worthy idea, with certain prototypes of these installations appearing more suitable, the final execution proved impractical, as it further warps the display of the various pieces and serves as a distraction from their contents as opposed to an enhancement. That is not, however, to say there isn’t anything good about the show. One can most definitely commend the intentionality in color usage, which, though it hides some of the more aesthetically appealing elements in certain works, puts on full display the 25 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 nature of each depictions form and balance, allowing one to be further attentive to specific subtleties. Furthermore, the jarring and deceptive background composition, created by local composer Zachary Konick, solidifies a sturdy foundation for the overall presentation of the pieces. Similarly, the inclusion of photographs that deal with the destruction of cultural and artistic artifacts are of immense intrigue, creating a narrower scope much more fascinating than the Museum currently finds itself entertaining. It is such that, as interesting as these positive attributes are, they alone cannot correct the more glaring and prominent errors of the exhibition. For, though filled with imaginative and expansive potential, the show stands as a mountain without a summit—barely an adventure—and by no means a walk through Artaud’s door. Mrs. Edward Lathrup and Robert Thompson Looking at a Book with Artwork by Michelangelo ca. 1945 Children and Teacher at the Mitchell Museum (Then Gallery) ca 1989 26 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 Restaurant Review: City of Pigs: Timber Pizza By Molly Sprout have a distinct memory of being an 8-year-old girl and lying in bed at my grandparents’ house, reading Peter Rabbit and thinking, “something feels wrong about this”. This was the first time I felt this uncanny feeling. It’s hard to find words for this discomfort; there is something unfamiliar and uncomfortable about the reality that you are viewing, though there is little one can point to for the source. All you know for sure is that there is something off about what you are viewing, leaving you with a sick feeling in your stomach. Freud has a name for this feeling: “unheimlich”, the unhomely. He gives a description of this as “starting from the homely and domestic, there is further development towards the notion of something removed from the eyes of strangers, hidden, secret. This notion is extended in a number of ways...” That feeling of the “unheimlich” at 8 years old was not the last time I felt that way. This feeling was evoked last Tuesday night when I walked into Timber Pizza, a poor simulacrum of a pizza restaurant. I The interior has a pizza oven, checkered floors, and wood tables. The air is that of a campsite Italian restaurant, as it is highly informal and woodsy but with high prices and bougie pizzas. The vibe is almost as confused as the staff. The restaurant serves cocktails, the presence of which is confusing, though. This place does not present itself as a bar at all, without the ability to order there. All orders are placed at the counter like a fast-food restaurant with no table service. I see the concept they are going for, but it just doesn’t work. All it seems is lazy. I know this sounds harsh about a pizza restaurant, but seriously: what the hell are they doing? The plates are plastic versions of paper plates. These plates are almost a fourth-wall break, looking at the customers saying, “we know we’re kitsch and an impression of a pizza place, too.” Onto the food, we ordered two pizzas and a salad. The salad is a greens mix with candied peanuts, corn, and a sesame scallion dressing. The dressing was pretty good, with rich umami flavors covering up the mistake that is candied peanuts on a salad. They are too sweet, too crunchy, and confuse what should be a simple salad to go with pizza. The pizzas we ordered were “the Bentley” and “the Lot”. The Bentley is a red pizza with provolone, mozzarella, cured meats, and hot honey. The pizza delivered on taste but was nothing better than Pizza Hut. Hot honey is taking the culture by storm for no good reason. Spicy and sweet, who would have thought! It is lacking in interest and taste but, on the positive side, it made me less hungry. The next pizza, “the Lot”, is a white pizza with slow cooked pork, jalapeños, and pineapple. Upon arrival, it does not look appetizing. The pork was grey, and it just looked sad. This was worse than the first, with much too strong cilantro put on top. Cilantro is a strong and powerful flavor that has been taken advantage of here. It is just not the desired forefront of a pizza. To top it all off, they had no ranch. Am I crazy, or should a pizza place have ranch? All in all, this place is no better than Fox’s Den on Main street, which is a quicker walk and the same price. For three drinks, two pizzas, and two salads we spent 90 dollars and none of us would spend it again. The flavors, the staff, the environment were almost as confused as I am as to why I thought going there was a good idea. 27 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 The Reluctant Optimist The D in OCD Stands for Descartes By Tamar Pinsky “Everyone at St. John’s is depressed.” – said an upperclassman, giving me my first impression of St. John’s as a very green freshman. And yet, here I remain. For I did not take these words as a threat that the coursework would consume me. I took them as an offering of comfort, saying that there is no need to worry if one is not 100% mentally stable, because St. John’s inherently attracts students with mental illness. Or is it philosophy in general that inherently attracts people with mental illnesses? As someone with mild (diagnosed) OCD, I find that many seminar texts appeal to my obsession-obsessed mind. Their arguments’ structures resemble my obsessive thinking patterns and thus I do not look at them with fresh and frustrated eyes. These texts seem familiar to me; moreover, they are exhilarating. Dopamine-esque even. One text that bears a striking resemblance to my obsessive thinking patterns is Descartes’ Meditations. It exemplifies how a worry can turn into perfectionist behavior and/or into hyper-focused thinking, both of which revolve around the need to determine what is “right” or what is “true.” Descartes starts from a place of doubt, saying that “several years have now passed since I realized how numerous were the false opinions that in my youth I had taken to be true, and thus how doubtful were all those that I had subsequently built upon them.” Descartes’ overwhelming doubt lent him the need to write his meditations perfectly. He admits to procrastinating for so long, waiting for the perfect time to focus on his project in isolation, so he could stop brooding over it. This succession mimics the steps of an obsessive thinking pattern: an event (it is unclear what Des28 cartes’ event was) leads one to worry that a previously held belief is false, and so one scrambles in panic to solve the problem of unsurety. However, because one knows this to be a difficult task, one that will require dedicated effort, one procrastinates, as a form of perfectionism. Sometimes, one is able to move past the perfectionism and get started on the task. Then, the mind becomes entranced in working out the resolution. It keeps a tight grip on what it knows to be true, and then reframes the worry so that it can align with the mind’s strongly held “right” beliefs. In Descartes’ case, his strongly held belief is that his thinking is essential to his being, and he orients his explanation of God’s existence to fit into this framework. He does this by focusing only on what logical conclusions he can make, until he reaches the need for God. Then he acknowledges the difficulty he has maintaining strict focus, saying that he is “unable to keep [his] attention constantly focused on one and the same item of knowledge.” Here he differs from the obsessive mind, which hungers for such attention. The obsessive mind poses infinite what-if questions, yearning to stay on the same subject for as long as possible, so it can always be approaching the resolution, but never reaching it in its entirety. Descartes reaches his conclusion, and stops there, though he admits , in his Letter of Dedication , that his work is not “sufficiently complete.” He knows that his own mind cannot continue any longer on the subject; or at least he knows that he must stop at some point. My mind has a hard time finding a stopping point. The type of work Descartes forced himself to put for- �πόλις THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 ward in his Meditations is the type of work that the obsessive mind is held captive to every day. Could the obsessive mind in a sense be at an advantage when it comes to studying philosophy, because it is used to this type of work – that of worry spiraling into doubt spiraling into meticulousness, for the sake of an end that may never be reached – ? It seems absurd, and politically incorrect, to deem an illness as an upper hand. But even if having OCD does put one at an advantage for studying philosophy – that still might be bad news for the OCD-ers, for we may be using the study of philosophy to redirect our obsessive thinking. While it serves as relief from harmful thinking patterns, obsessive thinking is obsessive thinking; it is rarely beneficial. One strives to eradicate obsessive thinking, not continue partaking in a disguised version of it. Can one even eradicate obsessive thinking fully? It seems an impossible task, for it involves stripping away a piece of oneself, a mode of one’s thinking. Who would I be without my obsessive thinking? How am I to define who I am if not for what the inside of my mind is like? Now I sound like Descartes! But maybe that is why he is so appealing to the mentally ill – Descartes puts so much emphasis on the importance of thought. For Descartes, “thought exists; it alone cannot be separated from me.” For everyone, especially the mentally ill, writers, philosophers, anyone who lives in their head – of course the thoughts are a source of vitality; they are essential to one’s character. I can imagine how many a person with varying mental illnesses might likewise find refuge at St. John’s, a rare place, in that one’s ability for self-introspection is celebrated. But this comes with a risk, that of praising navel-gazing. It is so tempting to define oneself by one’s thoughts, but maybe we ought to look outside ourselves a bit more. What else can we define ourselves by? Or ought we to stop defining ourselves at all? Woodward Hall, ca. 1900 29 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 THIS MONTH IN HOROSCOPES WEATHER REPORT (SEPTEMBER 2024) By Madame Quiznos ARIES (March 21-April 19) Aries knows best that the land is habitable for the strong. Summer ends and brings with it a second spring; the newly emerging foliage pokes out tenderly from the rocks, only to be swept away the next night in the coming monsoon. Nothing is supposed to live here, it’s punishment for man’s arrogance. There is no time to mourn, no time to reflect. The locals always parrot the same three phrases to each other; “We really needed this rain, huh” they’ll say to no one in particular. Everyone says this, no one responds. The worst is the haboob. Sweeping in from miles of nothingness, the biggest cloud of dirt you’ve ever seen consumes the city. It’s always the biggest cloud, you can’t tell if they’ve been getting bigger or if you forget the chaos as soon as it ends. You can’t see in front of you, your lungs fill with sand as cars line up along the emergency lanes on the highway, waiting for safety. Tonight, the rain will cement the dirt into mud on everything, painting the city with large clay bullet holes and endless tree limbs that tie themselves around your ankles like snakes. You’ll figure it out, after all, we really needed this rain, huh. TAURUS (April 20- May 20) The sky is a sickly green today, the radio warns of a tornado. Warnings are rare nowadays. Usually, the whole neighborhood scurries to their porches to watch the storm, arms crossed, making disapproving clicking noises as the storm wreaks havoc across 30 town. Apparently, this is the big one. The DJ advises hunkering down in the storm shelters and under no circumstances coming out till the ‘all clear’. It’s about 4 o’clock, which means, like clockwork, your no good, rat bastard husband has just gotten off work and is lying drunk on the couch. At least he’s quiet when he’s asleep. He’s been getting worse. Sure, he’s never hit you, but he loves to pick fights when he drinks. Tonight, though, he’s passed out in a pile of half empty cans. The siren sounds, blaring throughout the neighborhood. You jump at the noise; you hear the rain starting up outside. Sighing deeply, you go to shake your husband awake. He groans and swats your hand away; you think you heard him call you a bitch, but you can’t make out the words. Fine. You head to the cellar, start up the little battery powered radio, and lock the doors. He’ll sleep real good tonight. In the morning, your house is gone, foundation jutting from the ground like crooked teeth, you can’t help but laugh to yourself as you sift through the empty shell of what was your living room. The radio reports an ‘all clear’. GEMINI (May 21- June 20) The paperwork from ‘meet the teacher night’ sits in the little green folder that was so graciously gifted by the wide-eyed kindergarten teacher. The sky is empty and blue. On the calendar inside, circled furiously in yellow washable marker, is today’s date. It stands out among the quirky word art that decorates the schedule. Today, every other parent got to drop off their babies, lunch boxes stuffed with snacks and cute �πόλις THE GADFLY notes folded neatly atop sandwiches and pudding cups. The empty lunchbox that was picked with such delight sits inside its matching, empty backpack; first and last name scrawled in Sharpie along the leg of the mighty, albeit cartoonish, T-Rex. The house feels too big now. Raindrops sputter out of the clear sky, spitting wimpy little drops that color the pavement in a way that is not significant or meaningful. A bag from the dollar store is slumped on the kitchen table among cards, bouquets, bills and pamphlets. It is full of number two pencils, new washable markers, small, flimsy, red safety scissors and two glue sticks –the purple ones, not the white ones– despite the almost two dollars difference in price. It is so nice to have color in the world. The rain continues, the pavement is washed dark with water, chalk drawings slide into the road leaving a blank slate. The sun shines through the window, illuminating photos and scribbles on the walls. Toys remain strewn about the floors, as if moving them would somehow anger whatever lingered in the home. It becomes increasingly obvious that nothing is lingering. It’s a museum to someone no longer here. The rains continue their pathetic dribble, the sky is empty and blue. CANCERÊ (June 21- July 22) The sun has gone up and down around you about three times, at this point. A hedge maze was a stupid idea for a meetup, but it seemed cute in theory. You would have gotten so many cute pictures for your Instagram! You would have thought of so many cute captions, too, like “we had an aMAZE-ing time today!” Your last Hinge date would have found this hilarious. You’d lost your friends about an hour after arriving, though. The green, bushy walls of the maze snag your shirt as you continue to walk through. The pollen is thick, everything is caked in a thick layer of yellow dust. Your sneezes echo. It’s hard to stay awake, it’s hard to focus. Your nose tickles. When was the last time you’d eaten? You bleed into your shoes, heels rubbed raw from the endless search for September 26, 2024 the exit. Your socks are soaked. You lost cell service when you got here. Your stomach growls. Your hands shake. You continue walking; dead end again. Your mouth is dry and you’re freezing despite the sun shining overhead. You march bravely forward, back to the same intersection you were just in. Maybe you could use the loose thread from your shirt? It's hard to focus, and if you lose your shirt, you risk freezing at night. You’ve read about that online, and even if it's not true it beats chewing on the bitter, waxy leaves ripped from the walls of the maze. Water to drink would be even better, your lips crack and bleed as you draw your mouth tightly closed. Your tongue is too big for your mouth, everything is dry. Your head is pounding. Your stomach cramps painfully, like a pulling at your guts. You feel weighed down. Everything hurts, a dull ache pulls you towards the ground. Pollen fills your nose, snot drips down your face. You’re too tired to wipe it away. You slump down alongside the wall, snagging your shirt again. You close your eyes as you imagine how the water would feel in your mouth, cold as it slips between your teeth and down your throat. You long to feel it lap up along the walls of your stomach– it’s cold there, too. You picture it painting your insides as it sloshes around inside you, the feeling would be so cathartic. You want to cry, but nothing comes out, just loud wails as your shoulders shake. The sun is directly above you, you know you’re wasting valuable travel time, it’s too dark to see at night, but your eyelids are too heavy, you let darkness wash over you as you rest. Does it matter if you wake up again? LEO (July 23- Aug 22) On warm summer nights, the air wraps around your naked body, pajamas long ago discarded in a vain attempt to cool down. It flows through your skin and into your organs, seeping through the spaces between your guts and dancing along your bones. The thick air weighs heavy around you, the open window lets more 31 �πόλις THE GADFLY of it in, it sucks up all the breeze produced by your small, enervated fan. It sinks onto any surface it can, rolling down your pudgy, bare body where it dampens the sheets before sliding onto the floor in a thick heap. You surrender to the air’s sticky embrace. It caresses your cheeks, slides slender fingers down your jaw and along the tendons in your neck. You feel it fill up the hollows of your collarbones and the dip where your throat ends. The posters on your wall droop, as if to cover their eyes, offering privacy to you and the humidity. It holds firm on the space behind your knees, the small of your back and the weird little fleshy bits that dip where your leg meets your hip. It is gentle but commanding. It’s uncomfortably warm, but the damp is worse. Movement makes it worse. It licks inside your ears- you don’t hate it as much as you think you should. It’s nice to be held, even if the sensations aren’t what you remember. Its full weight presses onto your chest, your breathing isn’t labored but it is deep and heavy. It has wrapped itself around you like a thick film. Does it care that your skin is dry or that your legs aren’t shaved? It doesn’t even seem to notice. It’s too hot to sleep, it’s too humid to ignore. Hopefully by the time you doze off– around 6am or so– the rain will come, and your lover will leave out the window it came in from. You can wake up to this sickening moldy smell in your hair alone, sheets akimbo and thoroughly dehydrated. VIRGO (Aug 23- Sept 22) Virgos, ruled by Mercury, presiding over communication and intellect, is in an unfortunate situation. Contacts in Maine warn me of a proverbial ‘mud season’ approaching. Being from Maine, they cannot be taken too seriously, and upon further examination and intense study of the Heavens, I have discovered that there is nothing proverbial about their warnings, in fact, it may have been a curse. Your life is soon to be full of a sickening, gray sledge that coats the roads and sticks to everything. Try as you may, tire chains 32 September 26, 2024 are more expensive than anticipated. The slush is everywhere. Your house is ruined, carpets stiff with icy goop tracked in on your worn duck boots. You can’t get clean. Bootscrapers, coarse welcome mats, even changing shoes, it does not matter, you’re marked eternally. A snowy snail trail drags behind you. It only becomes a real issue when you realize that it’s not just your boots. Everywhere you go a haunting reminder of the thawing earth follows. You swear you feel it in your sinuses sometimes, it’s cold and chunky, you feel it slide down the back of your throat in big, viscous globs. It makes you gag. Sure, it melts eventually, but you can’t stop thinking about it, your face feels swollen, eyes and cheeks puffy; applying pressure causes the sledge to leak from your eyes, the cold is agonizing, drying out your eyes as the breakup dribbles down your face, again, staining the goddamn carpet. What a wretched place to live. LIBRA (Sept 23- Oct 22) Olympia Springs, Bath County, Kentucky. March 3rd, 1879, approximately 11am. A single lung drops from the sky into the dust below. More fresh meat to follow, raining down from the clear skies above. About an hour of loud wet plopping sounds followed as decently sized chunks of meat rain down upon the town. When the skies cleared, residents brave enough to eat the mystery meat reported it to be deer or lamb. This never happens again. This is all true, by the way. The most commonly believed cause of this is said to be vultures, who will projectile vomit to escape predators, but as many townspeople mentioned, the skies were clear and the meat was fresh and solid, taking on the visual quality of a moderately priced ribeye. I have no cosmic messages for you this month, Libra, but they tell me it is of utmost importance that you have this informa on going forward. SCORPIO �πόλις THE GADFLY Ê(OctÊ23-ÊNovÊ21) September 26, 2024 (Nov 22- Dec 21) shout. The end is nigh! The illustrious House of Urchin has fallen! O! Tragedy! The great wave crashed into the South wing of the castle, crumbling it into the very sand it was made of. The soldiers clack their claws, attempting to bring silence over the frenzied crowd, but the chaos continues. Legions of sand mites burrow in and out of the castle's crumbling walls, looking for survivors. Priests open their church doors, trying to protect the survivors, their cathedrals flooding with occupying octopi and frightened fish. Diplomats hopelessly search for their traveling parties, who were washed away into the shallow waters during the backwash unbeknownst to their fellow countrymen. Villagers retreat into tidepools, not caring if they returned to their respective homes, cramming into houses of strangers in a panic. T he fear of being in the open is too much to bear. The king sits in his bedchamber, watching the madness unfold from the hole that’d now opened in his wall. He is silent and unmoving, a beacon of stoicism. Seagulls circle overhead, summoned by the chaos. They watch mothers comfort their children and they plot their next meal. Another wave slams into the castle, taking out the watchtowers and transforming the intricate courtyard into nothing more than an indiscriminate lump on the beach. The king falls from his post, sliding onto the ground below, losing a spine in the descent. Lords and Ladies of the court weep as their benevolent ruler falls. The moat floods and the citizens panic, trying to burrow into the sand or escape into the remnants of the once mighty castle. The plastic yellow shovel that once acted as a gate is claimed by the ocean as the tide ebbs. The wooden nobly held up the county’s flag topples into the debris below. All hope is lost. Too cold to keep writing. Fingers hurt. Losing feeling. Figure it out. AQUARIUS CAPRICORN (Jan 20- Feb 18) (Dec 22- Jan 19) You’re brought to a gurney in the hall, it smells like Cottonelle and floor cleaner. The restraints curl up around your gut, your legs are tied together, they pull When was the last time you were in a field, Scorpio? You need to learn to slow down. Imagine a crop, I prefer wheat, alone among the grain. Maybe there is peace. It can be anything, corn, oats, soybeans, barely; whatever it is it must be in a field. What does your wheat field look like? What season are we in? Are your crops tall? Does it brush up against your legs, trying to grab onto you for an easy escape? The corn is touching you. Maybe it cuts into your arms, littering you with little paper cuts as you walk through. Is there a crop circle? A scarecrow? A gaggle of teenagers hiding out, drunk off a bottle of Pink Whitney, expertly shoplifted from the gas station down the road? Are you alone here? Do you know it? Does it matter? You’ve never seen farmers here, it’s here one day and gone the next. Wind combs through the crop, maybe it changes color in the sun, as wheat is known to do. There is sudden change all around you, but it feels weird knowing that a lot of it is manual. Someone had to harvest it, and you were none the wiser. You’re vulnerable here, your back is exposed to the endless sea of foliage. Something is touching you. It’s probably corn. You are not afraid. Stand totally still, ignore the sounds of your body, of your breathing and your heart beating, just listen to the wind blow through the crops. Listen to the slow drip of the irrigation ditch a few feet away. Listen to cars zip past you, listen to things run around in the dirt below. Isn’t this nice? The corn is touching you again. The sky is big and endless here, the sounds are different and many. SAGITTARIUS Ten thousand soldiers run wild around the courtyard, the church bells ring frantically and the townspeople 33 �πόλις THE GADFLY your arms into a passionate embrace. You are splayed out– crucified. It’s disturbingly sterile in the fluorescent white room. You hear the shuffling of feet, witnesses you assume. The door clicks open, in comes two medical staff, blue scrubs interrupting the white walls that house them. You declined last rights, you were never a God-fearing man before, why start now? Silence is so loud in here. They wipe down your arm, little individually wrapped wipes that leave you smelling like chemicals, it’s a symbolic gesture, surely. The IV is pressed into you successfully after many failed attempts, finally settling into your vein among the 12 previous attempted entry points. You know what happens, why are you scared, Aquarius? First they flush you with saline, then a light sedative, then comes the paralyzing agent. More saline. It feels a bit cold going in, you try to shift in your restraints, but your body won’t let you. Now comes the poison. It fills you up, it’s warm in contrast. For the first time in your life, you feel your blood circulating in your body. The heat increases, your flesh feels like it’s bubbling, something under your skin is scratching its way out from the inside, attempting a violent escape. Your light cotton uniform is smothering you; you need it off, now. You try to open your mouth, to move your hand, to let out any sort of sound to signal to the medical staff that something is wrong, but you can only lay there. It becomes a fire, you feel your blood pooling in the tips of your fingers and toes, your body spasms, chest heaving, fighting against the leather straps. It burns, you can’t breathe. The witnesses watch you choke and heave; cool air feels like it turns into steam as you gasp for breath like a fish. Jesus Christ, it’s hot in here. Your veins feel like they’re expanding and contracting inside you, as if trying to milk the poison out of your body. Thrashing involuntarily against your binds, everything blisters and burns. You imagine the outer layer of your organs sliding off, melting away in the heat into the empty spaces in your body. Agony. You writhe for ten minutes. Mercifully, your heart stops; 34 September 26, 2024 justice is served. PISCES (Feb 19- March 20) The painful mundanity of a small-town tragedy means nothing to anyone but the people who suffered them. Looking around, your town is full of them, most painted over with some sort of emotionally stunted “landlord special”. The wounds are festering, albeit quietly. The woman who sells you your lottery tickets wanted to be an Olympic gymnast, a long time ago. A bike accident took that from her. She never would have made it, but she was robbed of the privilege of a direct rejection. Her knee aches when the rain comes around. On the drive home, on a stretch of backroads no one pays attention to, a matted, dirty teddy bear is delicately stacked atop a little wooden cross. It is decorated with little lawn statues that hold now deflated ‘sweet sixteen’ balloons and pink, glitter foam stickers that are peeling off, revealing the discolored white wood underneath. Faux flowers lay sun bleached under the memorial of a car crash that everyone seemed to forget about a month after it happened. Her mother will never forget, but the memorial is dry rotting on the side of the road. Her name and birthday are washed away in the oncoming storm. A man runs into his high school sweetheart in the Kroger. She waves and asks how he’s been. His answers are brief yet courteous, he’s too distracted trying to look for a wedding ring on her finger, he completely blows any chance of future interaction, she’s reminded of how boring he is. He’ll finish his shopping after they part ways again, he’ll be so distracted he’ll forget the milk and won’t realize it till he’s already halfway home. He still drives the same car they had their first kiss in. He dissociates in his driveway for a while as he watches the windshield wipers shake the raindrops out of view. The rain isn’t sad, but it is cleansing. It’s something about the devil you know, I’m told. �πόλις THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 35 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 Why I talk to my Uber Driver Nonchalant Ex-Nun 36 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 The Mysterious Doctor Sajoco No. 2 by Sean Stickle Originally published in the Gadfly January, 1995 37 �πόλις Photos from this month on campus, including the Achilles Rager and intramural games, taken by Dora Vecoli 38 THE GADFLY September 26, 2024 �THE GADFLY πόλις Your Campus This Week Friday, September 27: ¨ 3:30 pm, Edensword Hall: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony ¨ 7:30 pm, Great Hall: Friday Night Lecture, “What’s Wrong with History?” by Zena Hitz Saturday, September 28: ¨ 2 pm, Bookstore Patio: Meet Financial Expert and Author, Anne Lester. ¨ 2 pm, Back Campus: Alumni Soccer Game ¨ 4 pm, Bookstore: Reading and Book Signing with Mark Pothier September 26, 2024 Sexism Survey Sexism has long been an issue in higher education at large, and necessarily our St. John’s College is no exception. Aspects of the classroom appear to lend themselves to equable treatment (e.g. the use of honorifics) but for many students, expectations for unbiased conduct often clash harshly with reality. In the interest of creating a more truly equable experience, we as a polity must publicly examine what feels distinctly unequal. To please an observer interested in examining anecdotal data, submit a roughly paragraph-long response detailing an instance in which you feel you experienced sexism as a Johnnie, either inside or outside of the classroom. Submitted by Fe Tower Please scan this QR Code to submit your response Sunday, September 29 ¨ 10 am, Conversation Room: All-Alumni Meeting & Elections Classiflieds Seminar Readings 9/26 9/30 Freshmen Plato: Gorgias, 447A–481B Plato: Gorgias, 481B–to end Sophomores Lucretius: De Rerum Natura, IV–VI Virgil: Aeneid, I –IV Juniors Hobbes: Leviathan, Chapters 12–18 Hobbes: Leviathan, Chapters 19–21, 24– 25, 27, 28 (only last paragraph), 29 Seniors Tocqueville: Democracy in America (selections) Businesses: LawyersÊinÊHighestÊPosition Markby, Markby and Markby will represent impeccably. Write for more information at 104 Grosvenor St. FinestÊSpermÊOil Samuel Enderby and Sons, hunting Leviathan since 1775. Inquire with Capt. Boomer for prices. Miscellaneous Wanted Shoes on Feet ImportantÊQuestion Did anyone see Gary the Orca? Was he real? Please Tocqueville: De- find Herschel Reubens and tell him, he wants to know. mocracy in WantÊtoÊleaveÊaÊclassifliedÊad?ÊWriteÊusÊatÊofAmerica fice.gadfly@sjc.edu,ÊorÊdropÊoffÊyourÊsubmissionÊatÊ (selections) ourÊofficeÊinÊtheÊBBCÊbasement 39 �THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE Founded in 1980, the Gadfly is the student newsmagazine distributed to over 600 students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the Annapolis campus. Opinions expressed within are the responsibility of the author(s). The Gadfly reserves the right to accept, reject, and edit submissions in any way necessary to publish a professional, informative, and thought provoking newsmagazine. Submissions sent to the Gadfly should either be in Microsoft Word Document or JPEG format. The deadline for submissions is the Friday prior to publication. St. John’s students on State Circle the morning a er a party, date unknown. For more information, contact us via email at gadfly.office@sjc.edu. Photographs without a listed source are from the St. John's College Digital Archives. St. John's College owns the rights to these photographs. All illustrations and doodles without a listed source were drawn by Helen Felbek 60 COLLEGE AVENUE ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND 21401 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>The Gadfly</em> Description An account of the resource Founded in 1980, <em>The </em><em>Gadfly</em> is a weekly student publication distributed to over 600 students, faculty, and staff of the Annapolis campus.<br /><br />Click on <strong><a title="The Gadfly" href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/browse?collection=16&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CDate&amp;sort_dir=d">Items in the <em>The Gadfly</em> Collection</a></strong> to view and sort all items in the collection. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Greenfield Library Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context thegadfly Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data pdf Page numeration Number of pages in the original item. 40 pages Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Gadfly, Vol. XLVI, Issue 2 Description An account of the resource Volume XLVI, Issue 2 of The Gadfly. Published September 26, 2024. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Nichols-Kaufman, El'ad (Editor-in-Chief) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024-09-26 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource St. John's College owns the rights to this publication. Type The nature or genre of the resource text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Subject The topic of the resource College students' writings--Periodicals College student newspapers and periodicals St. John's College--Periodicals Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Gadfly Vol XLVI Issue 2 Gadfly Student publication https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/60a3e45dccbb1ea0c0d7ca42b04e2c53.pdf 78f9939023ade10f1df4d0484aafac8e PDF Text Text THE St. John’s College Annapolis, Maryland GADFLY A Polity Awakened September 5, 2024 Vol. XLVI, Issue 1 �CONTENTS THE GADFLY STAFF COVER DESIGN λόγος : news reports & narratives regarding immediate campus life Dora Vecoli El’ad NicholsKaufman BVG Summer Meeting Reagan Bottomley 3 Great Books in Berlin Helen Felbek 6 Goodbye Ms. Munsey Tamar Pinsky 10 What’s Your Major Sadie Lewin 11 Summer Art Natalie Goldman 12 Louis Rosenberg Club Fair Vivian Miyakawa 13 Willa Rothenberg Bug Bulletin Louis Rosenberg 14 Molly Sprout EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASSISTANT EDITORS συμπόσιονÊ:Êcontrasting opinions on various topics for thought Vivian Miyakawa Tamar Pinsky Amha Worku Our Most Difficult Delight Robert Abbott 16 Sicut Cervus Tarik Mahmud 18 STAFF Reagan Bo omley Caiden Cawthorn πόλιςÊ:Êvoices of the community, including poetry, cartoons, etc. Helen Felbek A Call to Reform Prank Louis Rosenberg 22 truth-hunters Natalie Goldman 25 You’ve Got Mail Caleb Briggs 26 AM Radio AM 28 Dorm Cooking Marit Hendrickson 29 Seohyun Lee Μουσειον Gabriela Forte 30 Sadie Lewin Restaurant Review Molly Sprout 32 Madame Quiznos Horoscope Madame Quiznos 33 Tarik Mahmud Johnnies in Town Helen Wagner 37 Andy Manne Reluctant Optimist Tamar Pinsky 38 Lainey Rendelman Cartoons Polina Vatralskaia and Tamar Pinsky 40 Crossword Molly Sprout 42 Eli Zitler Letter from the Editor Gabriela Forte Natalie Goldman Marit Hendrickson CONTRIBUTORS Robert Abbo Caleb Briggs Once more, as predictably and freely as the summer jellyfish, the Helen Wagner Johnnies have come marching home. We return to a different Helen Felbek campus, with new faces, new buildings, and new thoughts, but ART AND somehow, unreasonably, we know it to be a homecoming, a return PHOTOGRAPHS Tamar Pinsky to a well known place. This Gadfly, hopefully, should be the Dora Vecoli same: a familiar return to something new. Some things have shifted; you’ll notice a much longer Logos section, with dedicated Polina Vatralskaia news staff, and the first part of many returning columns, but all with the same kind of intangible, Johnnie spirit. This, dear reader, is only possible with you. Whether you are a GI, tutor or undergrad, your work at the College creates this paper. Please read it, talk about it, pass it on, write in it: these things make the Gadfly able to continue carrying this spirit for years to come. I look forward to seeing you many more times on these pages. Your companion on our continually new familiar journey, El’ad Nichols-Kaufman 2 �λόγος THE GADFLY Board of Visitors and Governors Meeting Reagan Bo omley, Student Politics Correspondent This past June, the Board of Visitors and Governors, or the BVG, met on the Santa Fe campus to finish its work for the past academic year. It presented numerous annual reports on the state of both campuses. All-College President Mark Roosevelt’s report set the general tone of the meeting, which was his last before official retirement. As such he mainly focused on the future of St. John’s, and what the main strategies of the BVG should be over the next several years. He stressed that the board must exercise careful stewardship over the College, as challenges like the nationwide decline in college applications will require a dedicated administration to keep St. John’s successful. In line with this, the BVG must place a major emphasis on fundraising, while the College must simultaneously stay lean in its operations and keep all spending as economical as possible. A strong focus must also be kept on student retention, as the administration seeks to understand why students leave and what can be done to keep them at St. John’s. With these last reminders Roosevelt officially retired, with Walter Sterling Jr. succeeding him as the new Santa Fe President and Annapolis President Nora Demleitner assuming the role of All-College President. SanteÊFeÊDean’sÊReport The year at Santa Fe “wrapped up very nicely” according to their dean Sarah Davis, despite tensions around student employees attempting to unionize as they seek higher pay from the college. In this past year our sister campus has hosted several successful events, including Earth Day programs, Shakespeare Week, and a student lecture series with nine students presenting papers they had written to the polity. (A note from the writer: perhaps this would be an interesting event for our own SCI to coordinate?) September 5, 2024 AnnapolisÊPresident’sÊReport The administration in Annapolis has been busy preparing for a number of regulatory changes. The US Department of Education has released a host of new rules for the College to comply with, in addition to a separate 1,577 pages of new Title IX rules. This last includes making all student employees mandatory reporters, which as of this article’s writing has already gone into effect. With the help of generous grants to the College, the Annapolis campus is implementing further programs to aid its students. Most notably, Demleitner said this includes “helping our students figure out how their passions, their skills, and what they’re learning at St. John’s fit together to get them ready to kind of engage with career services and then to succeed on the outside.” This will be realized through Johnnie Career Pathways, a program opening this fall that will allow Johnnies with particular career interests to see how St. John’s can support them. AnnapolisÊDean In her report, our dean Susan Paalman was highly appreciative of the board and community, giving special thanks to now-retired Heather Latham for her tireless work on behalf of the college. Ms. Paalman praised the DC’s efforts over the academic year, stating that they “reconciled their books with virtue” and noted that in general students are incredibly active on our campus. The athletic program broke attendance records this past year, with never-beforeseen numbers of blazer points earned and blazers awarded to students. Outside of campus, St. John’s and our neighbors at the Naval Academy have continued to strengthen our ties. The Academy has extended an invitation for Johnnies to join their fellowship preparation program, “an excellent opportunity for students interested in applying for the Rhodes, Mitchell, or other highly competitive scholarships.” AdmissionsÊandÊVisiting The admissions office has found a significant decrease in international and domestic applications for the fall of 2024. The class of 2028 has reached 130 in Annapolis and the mid 90s in Santa Fe. This marks a decline for Annapolis compared to the class of 2027, and a slight increase for Santa Fe. The new 3 �THE GADFLY λόγος discussion-based application begun this year was used by about 15% of students. These lower numbers are not unusual; college applications are trending downwards across the country, and according to Johanna Wilson, chair of the Admissions Committee, “we are doing better than many of our peers” despite still falling short of our goals. Her report echoed President Roosevelt’s reminder that “if we stay flat in the next ten years in terms of average student revenue and enrollment, we’ll be doing really good work,” or in other words, St. John’s cannot expect to grow for several years. Student retention also continues to be a prominent issue, with the board’s commitment to a 92% retention rate driving questions about how to reach potential Johnnies and how to give them the assistance they need once they arrive. Summer Academy, however, continues to grow, with the largest-ever program being held this past summer. Scan this QR code to read the Charter and Polity of the College FinancesÊandÊInvestment At the February meeting of the BVG, the Finance Committee tasked the administration with cutting half a million, which they managed to do by this meeting in June. The College’s projected deficit for this year has therefore sunk to between $5 and $5.5 million, which bequests will reduce by $2.5 million. The finance committee stressed that this current fundraising trajectory is not sustainable. Planned gifts and bequests cannot be counted on, and they cannot anticipate increases in tuition revenue. The current endowment stands at about $270 million, with various gifts set to bring it just over $350 million. The Financial Committee did not sugarcoat the daunting financial prospects facing the College over the next few years, but their tone was one of cautious optimism. Finance Chair Richard Lincer has strong hopes for the future, stating “We now have a realistic idea of the go-forward challenge, but we’re going to have to work on it.” Similar to the Admissions report, the Finance Committee expects lean but manageable years ahead as the nationwide interest in college degrees begins to dwindle. 4 September 5, 2024 Group Portrait of the St. John's College Board of Visitors and Governors outside of McDowell Hall, by Pickering Studio PolityÊReview The Polity, the main governing document of the College, is due for its quinquennial review and amendment. As such, the Board will vote on Polity amendments in its October meeting. They are confident in their goal of legally sound governing documents that reflect our unique institutions and are looking forward to the amendment meeting. As the committee representative stated, “We may not agree on every matter, but, where we differ, our goal is to do so with full information, deliberate decision making, and mutual respect.” The Gadfly will publish updates on the Polity amendment as soon as the October meeting takes place. Facilities With the help of the Pritzker family donations, several improvements have begun on both campuses. The newly christened Edensword Hall is now housing students, although work is still being done on the lower level. The construction is expected to be complete by September 27th, when a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held for both the new bookstore and the Annapolis Cup coffeeshop. In Santa Fe, much work is being done on the Pritzker Student Center along with $10 million worth of maintenance projects. IT on both campuses is busy installing new tech infrastructure, with improvements such as our new Wi-Fi network continually being added. �λόγος THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 Board of Visitors and Governors Meeting in the King William Room, Annapolis, Maryland Advancement In the words of the Advancement Committee, there is “good news and not so good news.” The good news is that in total, this year $56.8 million was raised for the College. However, the lion’s share of this was from non-recurring donations, and $15.8 million came from fundraising. One important initiative was Mark Roosevelt’s tutor salary fund, which totaled $8.34 million and still had $1.89 million to go in order to meet the necessary amount as of this meeting. This fund is dedicated to increasing tutor salaries over the next several years, although additional fundraising or some other means will be necessary to continue that increase in the more distant future. The report closed with a reminder of the College’s $5 million projected deficit, which must be carefully managed in the upcoming years. Diversity This meeting was also notably the last for the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, which disbanded this summer. Despite praising the College for its work in encouraging diversity, the committee spoke only vaguely about its success. The report stated “We should be proud, very proud” of improvements here, and seemed to think the committee was no longer needed as diversity would flourish on its own due to the unspecified increase in representation on both campuses. Conclusion All in all, the tone of June’s meeting was optimistic but cautious. Concerns over enrollment and retention are on the minds of every board member, but each report made it clear that St. John’s can expect to succeed with careful planning by the BVG. Several initiatives have already seen good results, such as Roosevelt’s fund to increase tutor pay and the successful renovations on both campuses. The next BVG meeting will bring further updates on these topics as well as amendments to the Polity, and we can expect it here on the Annapolis campus in late October. 5 �THE GADFLY λόγος Traces of the Great Books in Berlin By Helen Felbek Sometimes the best way to reflect on a familiar place is to be physically removed from it. I felt the truth of that this summer, which I spent in Berlin, interning at a German political association for energy efficiency (DENEFF e.V.)—the last place where I expected to encounter the legacy of liberal arts in Europe. Usually, I do not expect Germans to know about St. John’s or even to have heard of Great Books programs. So, you can imagine my surprise when one of the executive directors of the organization, Mr. Henning Ellermann, told me that he went to a program similar to St. John’s, called the European College of the Liberal Arts. Ellermann first came across ECLA during his civil service in 2001 or ‘02 in a Die Zeit article. “While traveling through Germany with a school friend…, I met the people who had come up with the program. They were about to start their first one-year program, the Foundation Year Program. It was only offered once… I thought, you know, that sounds fun. It was definitely appealing because it was clear they would challenge you a little,” he said in our interview. He was indeed part of the first cohort of students who completed a one-year program which would later be known as the Academy Year. September 5, 2024 ECLA, founded in 1999 by a group of scholars and philanthropists around the German Ivy-league educated Stefan Gutzeit, was largely funded by the Christian A. Johnson Endeavour Foundation in New York. Situated in Pankow, a district in former East Berlin, ECLA did not have a traditional campus. Instead, its classrooms and offices were scattered across several former embassies to the GDR. For example, the library was located in the building of the former West German embassy. Students were housed in the former Egyptian and Cuban Embassies. At least initially, classes were held in the locality Buch-Buch, in a building, finished in 1907, which served as a psychiatric clinic, among other things. But the architectural style, reminiscent of East Coast private universities, showed the founders' ambition to create an institution akin to those private universities. ECLA had a very international student body, with many students hailing from Eastern Europe. So, it is important to note that, while we typically associate the liberal arts with US-American higher education, ECLA was initially a distinctly European project. For example, Jan Werner Müller, a German professor of Political Science at Princeton University, and his wife Erika Kiss were heavily involved with the school, and German foundations like the Robert Bosch Foundation invested initially. Given the rather short history of the school, the founding ambition to create “Harvard in Germany” might have been misplaced. In 2012, ECLA was acquired by Bard College. “I liked the idea of having something like a mixture of different systems,” Ellermann said. “They tried to sell it as this old-school German Bildung idea, which then ends up meeting this American system… What was most appealing was that nobody in the world knew what it was going to be like, and that it was going to be something that hadn’t been seen before. Coming from sort of provincial western Germany… going to a place where people were saying, ‘Let's do this funky thing,’ was intriguing.” Besides the academic rigor promised by the program, Ellermann was ECLA Class of 2008 . Photo from the ECLA Website attracted by the idea of the unfinished. After ECLA, he went on to study in Leipzig (former GDR), 6 �λόγος THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 When I walked around the streets, I saw small groups of students sitting outside with laptops and books in front of them, apparently discussing their writing. Stephanie Hausotter, head of admission, told me that they are part of a three-week pre-orientation program. While I haven’t spent much time in Santa Fe, the spread-out character of student housing and the many small outdoor seating areas (instead of one central quad) reminded me of the campus structure in Santa Fe. Library (former official residence of the Head of the West German mission) (photo: Helen Felbek) because he “wanted to be in the East where things were still changing, where things are malleable, where you can leave your mark in some way, rather than remaining in the more staid western part of the country. Berlin is a sprawling city, about nine times larger than Paris, and reaching ECLA in Pankow was a trek involving three different trains, trams or buses. To some ECLA students, the location is so remote that they spoke of “The Island of ECLA” or “The City of ECLA.”1 For me, the journey also involved three different trains. Most of the historic buildings are located on Platanenstr., a street that is, as the name suggests, lined with old, gnarly plane trees. It is very calm. There are no stores; it is a very typical street in a nice residential neighborhood. Frankly, it’s one of the last places where you’d suspect a college. And most of the buildings — with the exception of the two new additions — are seamlessly integrated into the neighborhood, marked only by red banners celebrating the institution’s 25th anniversary. However, I did not find any public plaques explaining the history of the buildings — neither providing information about their first residents (ambassadors to the GDR) nor their later ones (ECLA students). I wondered whether these students were aware of the place’s history and to what extent ECLA’s aims and curriculum were still present in its teachings. Over the course of its 13-year long history, four different programs of study were developed: the international summer university, the academy year, the project year, and the BA in Value Studies. In a press release, ECLA touted their BA as an innovation, saying it would be the “first of its kind worldwide,” representing “a new European approach to liberal education.” Unlike the distribution requirement model of liberal arts education at most liberal arts colleges or the structured great books programs we are familiar with, ECLA’s approach sought to create a curriculum that would be relevant beyond academic confines. I am not entirely sure whether the approach was unique per se. But their aim of “educat[ing] students as holistic individuals and engaged citizens, not just future professionals” seems noble. ___________________________________________________ 1 Clara Sigheti, “News Archives 2007, BERLIN, The City of ECLA,” European College of Liberal Arts, June 12, 2007, http:// ecla.peterhajnal.info/news/news-archives-2007/index.html. Teaching building (former residence of the cultural a aché of the United States) (photo: Helen Felbek) 7 �λόγος THE GADFLY The method of instruction at ECLA consisted of three components: Seminars, Tutorials, and Lectures. Seminars seemingly followed the same concept as seminars at St. John’s — the joint exploration of a text. In a tutorial at ECLA, however, the student and teacher discuss, one-to-one, an essay written by the student, much like a writing conference at St. John’s. ECLA’s program was not all-required, but there also was not much choice. ECLA had a writing-heavy curriculum with students writing one essay per week. Additionally, there were lectures that were usually followed by a discussion. While ECLA emphasized its uniqueness in the educational landscape in Europe, it is important to keep in mind that it never was the only one of its kind. There was and still is some interest in the liberal arts in Europe: Ellermann remembers that many of the Polish ECLA students had previously studied at a liberal arts program at the University of Warsaw. One should also consider the University College Freiburg and other EPICUR institutions (an alliance of nine European colleges and universities who share the belief in the importance of “Liberal Arts and Sciences Education” and aim to create a four-year “European bachelor of liberal arts and sciences”) when asking about the relevance of the liberal arts in Europe. While I can perhaps speak for most current students in saying that I had never heard of ECLA before this summer, there were apparent connections between ECLA and St. John’s. At least within the academic leadership of ECLA, the intellectual kinship to St. John’s was a well-known fact. In the commencement speech of 2008, Thomas Norgaad spoke about Scott Buchanan, suggesting that Buchanan's Great Books approach had been “one of the most interesting educational experiments of the 20th century, and worthy of study.”2 In addition to the common intellectual connection, St. John’s and ECLA shared some faculty members, namely Mr. Michael Weinman (now a professor at Indiana University) and Mr. Boyle, though this is probably not an exhaustive list. ___________________________________________ Livia Marinescu, Samantha Williams, “News Archives 2008, Graduation of the class of 2008,” European College of Liberal Arts, August 7, 2008, http://ecla.peterhajnal.info/news/newsarchives-2008/index.html. 2 8 September 5, 2024 Michael Weinman remembered that “long-time Dean of ECLA/BCB, Catherine Toal, has always kept one of those ‘the following teachers will return to St. John's College next year’ posters in her office; this despite the fact that she never attended or taught there.” He considered this “as a sign of how deeply the underlying projects of the places are connected.” Weinman was a tutor at St. John’s between 2006 and 2008 and taught some GI classes in the summers of 2009 and 2010. He was at ECLA and later at Bard College Berlin from 2010 to 2020, teaching three of the six core courses. He found the biggest difference, both culturally and in terms of the program, between ECLA and St. John’s was “the extent to which at ECLA/BCB the faculty as well as the students tend to feel that they need more choice rather than less, despite the fact that (from an SJC-like perspective) so few of the courses are fully required.” Boyle, who taught at ECLA before coming to St. John’s, observed a “deep temperamental affinity” between St. John’s and ECLA in that “the faculty at ECLA took this commitment to a curriculum rooted in great books very seriously.” But he felt like that at ECLA the faculty “had a somewhat looser, somewhat more open understanding of what might ‘count’ as a great book and thereby be incorporated very easily into a ‘course.’” Both Ellermann and Boyle noticed a strong sense of disciplinary affiliation among the faculty. “Boyle felt that the faculty seemed to think of themselves as ‘historians’ or ‘literary critics’ or ‘classicists.’” “By contrast, most tutors at St John's maintain only a very attenuated connection to the disciplines in which they were trained.” Ellermann remembered that there “were some major clashes in the faculty, some of it the unusual birth pangs of a new institution, especially between the historians and others for whom context is key, and the dean, who had a comparative literature background and in their eyes sort of flitted between texts and ideas.” Ellerman remembered that some more experienced students and faculty needed to “unlearn the ways of the university,” or what they assumed education should look and be like. He felt that it was an advantage to just be curious and “unafraid to be a dilletante because I didn’t know what I didn’t know.” �λόγος THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 This willingness to incorporate current affairs, was not limited to one week of the year. It seemed to have been embraced by the faculty. For example, in 2007, following the initiative of a tutor, ECLA hosted the ECLA-Oxford Conference on Climate Change, Energy and Security. The topics of the conference corresponded with the themes covered by the elective course “Global Issues,” designed as a survey of the most pressing challenges to humanity. At St. John’s, we engage deeply with the Great Books, often shielded from the immediacy of current events to preserve the purity of academic discourse. While St. John’s has Friday Night Lectures as an opportunity to engage with outside scholars, I view our program as attempting quite deliberately to be removed from current affairs as a way to protect academic discourse in seminar from potential polarization that can come with politization. ECLA did not seem to share that fear, seemingly at ease with incorporating current affairs into their college with less of a concern for detrimental effects. Each year all students were required to partake in a special course called “State of the World Week.” During this week topics such as “What Shall We Eat?” (2011), “The Politics of Cultural Ownership” (2009), “Water” (2008) or “Social Entrepreneurship” (2007) were discussed. This award-winning pedagogic concept had at its core the assumption that “the voices of thoughtful experience will enrich theoretical discussions” so “that theory may in turn inform practice.” In a student article, Clara Sigheti remarked about the impact of the “State of the World Week” on the students’ learning. She noticed that the course gave students a chance to “reflect on the role liberal arts can play in confronting social realities.” She argued that the experience helped her and her peers to recognize the limitations of government and non-government action while realizing the power of personal involvement and generosity. She views theoretical understanding of the systems underlying a social problem as the first step to resolving it: “the next step is leaving theory and entering praxis.”3 ___________________________________________ 3 Clara Sigheti, “News Archives 2007, STATE OF THE WORLD WEEK SUMMARY,” European College of Liberal Arts, May 17, 2007, http://ecla.peterhajnal.info/news/newsarchives-2007/index.html. But whatever ECLA was like, it is no more. In 2012, ECLA was acquired by Bard College, carrying on the torch of liberal arts in Berlin in a different form. For his part, Ellerman says he sees the Program “as one of the most intense experiences” of his life. His best friend is his roommate at ECLA. “At least I, and the people I’m in touch with, still get each other, even if I haven’t seen some of them in 10 years. I feel like we all haven’t aged at all, even if outwardly we have, but I still see them as if they were 20. You get to know people really well… But we don’t necessarily have an emotional connection to the institution as it is now. I’ve driven past it and I see that my dorm is still standing, but the other dorm was torn down to build a new building. … that’s just gone. It’s obviously not what the founders envisioned it would be, but I assume it was probably a financial decision to look into how to make this viable,” he said. But even though ECLA does not exist in its original form anymore, he would encourage people to seek an education similar to the one it provided. He says, “Would I recommend anyone doing something crazy like that [weird first year] again? Yes. But also, if you took it from a more established institution, would I recommend doing this type of intellectual boot camp? Yes.” Special thanks to Mr. David Kretz, who helped provide access to the old ECLA website which is no longer searchable via common search engines. Main Building (Platanenstr. 24, former ambassadorial residence of the Kingdom of Morocco) (photo: Helen Felbek) 9 �λόγος THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 Goodbye Ms. Munsey By Tamar Pinsky If you are a freshman, then you might not know Ms. Rachelle Munsey, who has left the college after working here for eight years. As the Community Facilitator for Student Activities and Events, she worked with administrative staff and students to facilitate events big and small, such as After Dark Donuts, Friday Fare, Collegium, Writing Lounges, and many more. She also supported student organizations and ran the off-campus trips. Helping her in all her work were the group of student aides fondly known as “Munsey’s Minions.” The Minions remain at St. John’s – and technically, Munsey has not fully gone yet. Munsey has moved back to Sacramento, which according to student aide Nella Carlini, is “tragic.” Not only has she left St. John’s, but she still needs to continue working for the school remotely until her replacement is hired. “Even when she isn’t our boss,” student aide Gelila Kebede says, “Ms. Munsey is a great boss.” Munsey is grateful though that soon she will be able to “wear fewer hats.” Her many jobs have included teaching classics, wedding coordinating, and writing – in fact, the second book she coauthored has just been published; it is called The Small Group Initiative: Facilitate Productive Communication & Sustain Lasting Culture Change Across Institutions. But for now, she will focus on editing work and teaching her four-year-old, Ariadne. As a Johnny herself, she enjoyed connecting with the diverse student body at St. John’s, and aiding Johnnies through the ups and downs. As a coordinator, her favorite event was the Club Gala – which she created two years ago to address the need for appreciating archons. As part of her legacy, the Club Gala reflects the intimate way in which she knows St. John’s; its design being “intensely referential to life within the Johnnie bubble... unapologetically nerdy and glamorous.” To all Johnnies, glamorous and nerdy, Ms. Munsey extends these parting words: The individuals I most highly esteem exhibit a breath-taking sort of humility, so that will be my parting wish: "May you draw 10 steady confidence, rich wisdom, and genuine compassion from a deep wellspring of humility in your inmost being; furthermore, let that humility fuel your capacity to be captivated by wonder in the texts, the world around you, and the person across the seminar table." And to her Minions, who are “Majestic, Magical, Meticulous, Magnanimous, Masterful and Macho:” Munsey “will fight anyone who says they had finer or more hard working student aide teams than I during my years as a CF - it was such a joy to lead you and see you create and laugh and champion each other and rise to every insane challenge thrown your way with unparalleled grace and determination. May the rest of your time at the college be marked with new depths of flourishing and peace.” And for the new coordinator, whose role will change significantly, Munsey would like to say that “the polity is very lucky to have you - welcome and my best wishes for your time at the college! P.S. In case of an apocalypse, MEL 126 has everything you need to survive, just ask Mr. Kebede.” Ms. Munsey, what beautiful words. You will be sorely missed. �section title THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 What’s Your Major? By Sadie Lewin, Student Life Correspondent You just had a visceral reaction to that question, didn’t you? The academic program seems to be the most obvious connection between fellow Johnnies. Every one of us panics and stumbles when some well -meaning person outside of the Johnnie bubble asks what our major is. Because how do you even start? How does one begin to describe the nature of being a part of the community at St. John’s? The program is contrarian enough, and then you throw in the rich history, traditions, and campus culture. There truly is something unique about being able to call yourself a Johnnie. And, with a new year starting, a whole new group of students get the chance to experience this place as so few do: as a member, or an insider. Convocation was, as usual, a beautiful ceremony. It’s so interesting to watch the freshman seated at the front of the FSK auditorium, an anxious sea of black robes. They were excited and apprehensive as they walked across the stage to shake the president’s hand and receive their copy of Euclid’s Elements. Some seemed nervous (although that could have been stage fright). As President Demleitner said in her speech, this is a huge transition and the start of a new chapter of their lives. They seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for their career at St. John’s to begin. Little do they know that in a year from now, many of them will come back to campus and breathe a sigh of relief: “I’m home.” There is so much more to what makes St. John’s, St. John’s than the academic program. So, the Convocation Waltz served as a social and communal Convocation for the new freshmen. A half hour before the party began, beloved seniors Rachel Hauben and Peter Quinn gathered a huge group of freshmen in the quad and taught them basic swing dance steps and outside turns. It was fun to look out A proper Johnnie; or what recent Freshmen may hope to become. Photo by Dora Vecoli into the crowd and wonder: which of these students will fully invest in Waltz and become instructors? Who will become intramural captains in a couple years? Who will audition for KWP shows? In the waltz itself, freshmen and returning upperclassmen danced the night away. McDowell emanates joy, laughter, music and community whenever there is a waltz going on. The dance floor was packed, with people spilling out the front steps into the lawn, and the snack trays became bare within the first thirty minutes. The current freshmen are just beginning the transition from fly-on-the-wall to member of this little community we call St. John’s College. Throughout this year, they will join clubs, figure out how to have a successful seminar, sing Sicut Cervus about a million times, and learn years' worth of Johnnie lore from the history of the college and stories passed down from upperclassmen. While many Johnnies enjoy their lives outside of school, St. John’s offers a community of like-minded people who understand each other in a way that simply can’t be found in the real world. So, what’s your major? There will never be an answer sufficient to cover the experience we live as Johnnies. 11 �λόγος THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 Approaching Art Away from Annapolis By Natalie Goldman, Art Correspondent Summer can be a daunting time for any college student. How best to spend the abundance of time seemed to be the question at the forefront of everyone’s mind. This question was magnified for St. John’s artists. On the one hand, the summer months might be perfect for jumping into projects that would be too timeconsuming to execute during the school year. But, on the other, leaving campus means leaving behind a like-minded community and resources that might be hard to find elsewhere. How do Johnnies feel about creating art in a vacuum? Is solitude worth the gift of extra time? I talked to sophomores Liza Love and Kat Goodrum to get a sense of how they used their summers to the fullest. Ms. Goodrum is a film photographer and drummer, Ms. Love is an oil painter, and both create drawings and collages. When I asked whether the time they spent making art increased or decreased when the summer started, Ms. Love told me it increased. Over the summer, she spent as much time painting as possible. “If I don’t have work or anywhere else to be, I oil paint as much as I can squeeze in a day, it’s my favorite,” she said. “I’ll spend up to 14 hours in the studio at a time. Basically, til I feel like I’m rotting. Once I’m clammy and my eyes are sore I know it’s time to pack it up.” She also found her interest in collage heightened and 12 worked it into her family’s routine. “My grandma has this old coal bucket filled with magazines in our living room. Every night when I come home from work I flip through and make clippings while we watch crap TV.” She predicts, however, that she won’t be able to spend as much time with her art this year, as the artistic process can be isolating, and she wants to be as involved in the St. John’s community as possible. Alternatively, Ms. Goodrum said that the time she spent on art went down during the summer. “Because my art form is film photography, my routine changed drastically over summer break, since I didn’t have access to a darkroom. I still shot film, but significantly less. I think not being able to print my photos really affected my process, because having that control and creative expression is really something you can’t replicate.” Now that we’re all back on campus, Ms. Goodrum is looking forward to getting back in the darkroom. Last year, she spent several hours a week developing and printing photos and expects to do the same this year. In the darkroom’s absence, though, she did surprise herself with a silver lining. “I spent more time drawing than I typically would,” she said. “I think it’s such an accessible art form that it makes sense. It also feels like a summer activity, because it’s so adaptable to what’s most convenient at the moment.” Both artists agree that there are certain things you can do on campus that you just can’t do anywhere else. Having a community of artists at your disposal is invaluable, even if it means compromising your creative process slightly to take advantage of it. Because there are so many art-related clubs and activities that exist at St. John’s, it’s tempting to drop everything and try something new. This year is a chance to give in to the temptation. �λόγος THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 Going Clubbing By Vivian Miyakawa, Club Correspondent Every year, school clubs gather on the quad as freshmen wander around them, picking which groups they’ll end up procrastinating homework for. Club archons sit behind folding tables, calling any unsuspecting passerby to come over and listen to them rave about the perks of joining the BEST CLUB EVER. This year’s club fair was met with just as much enthusiasm as in past years. Between the jokes and friendly rivalries, everyone was genuinely excited about sharing their passions with a new group of Johnnies. Despite the general excitement and high spirits, the club fair seemed haphazard and disorganized. Every club had to share a table due to lack of space, but some of the larger clubs objected to sharing with the smaller ones, needing more room to set up. As an archon of Spanish Club myself, I was left floundering for space until Purls of Wisdom so kindly invited us to share a table with them. Poster making materials were few and far between, and clubs were left scrambling for markers and paper. It did work out in the end, with plenty of shenanigans, as always. The Board Game Club vice archon only found out they were in a leadership position halfway through the fair, there was a healthy amount of bribery, and Bowling Club promised that the 200th person to sign up for the club would get to throw a bowling ball at the archon’s head. The event had a great turnout, and the class of 2028 seemed genuinely interested in getting involved around campus. This year’s club fair was a win for everyone, except, of course, the people pleasers. As one myself, I’d like to offer my condolences and best wishes. Good luck with your inboxes this year! Croquet Imperial Wicket Angus Preston at the club fair. (Photo: Dora Vecoli) Sailing team members at the club fair (Photo: Dora Vecoli) 13 �λόγος THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 Bug Bulletin: Clogmia albipunctata: Drain Fly By Louis Rosenberg Author’s note: I had originally intended to write on this species last year, following an apparent sighting in one of the dorm buildings. When I reached out to one of the building’s residents for comment, they rather rudely told me to not write on the creatures at all, and thus I did not end up submitting an article at that time. However, as the self-appointed Campus Creepy-Crawly Correspondent, I felt then and feel now that the polity deserves to be aware of the small creatures that surround us in our day-to-day lives. When I saw the C. albipunctata specimens described in this article myself in the bathroom under McDowell I decided that I would finally complete and publish the article. I want to be clear that nuisance insects impact everyone at the college — as evidenced by the reappearance of the drain flies — and around the world, but this is no cause for judgement. Many entomologists actively study pest control due to the pervasiveness of infestations and the hardiness of the insect colonies. Please know that when I write about insects like these, I try to do it with utmost respect for both the people impacted and the bugs themselves. Even creatures that are bothersome to us can provide fascinating insights into the animal kingdom. In my articles I strive to raise awareness of that while still acknowledging the negative impacts the insects may have on the humans around them. I spent the weekend before school started in Annapolis trying to finish “War and Peace.” Every so often, I would move locations to help focus and eventually ended up in the McDowell Coffee Shop. I took another break to get a drink of water and go to the bathroom, and I found that the toilets had an interesting surprise, something far more exciting and less disgusting than what you normally see in them: 14 Photo taken by author an adult drain fly was lurking in the bowl, just above the water line! There was no one else in the bathroom, so I decided to peer into the other stalls. One had a drain fly on the door, and the other seemed to be insect-free. Like any good entomologist, I took some pictures to document. The insects appeared to be adult specimens of C. albipunctata, a species belonging to the subfamily Psychodinae, which are collectively known as drain flies due to their propensity for living near water sources that contain decaying organic matter. C. albipunctata itself is commonly known as the bathroom moth fly, the bathroom moth midge, or simply the drain fly. The “moth” part of the common name stems from the appearance of their wings — the wings are large, positioned like a flat triangle over the body, and fuzzy (especially around the margins). This makes the animals, while taxonomically classified as true flies, resemble small moths. C. albipunctata is also known for having white antennae and white spots around the wing margins; these spots are the namesake of its species name, which means “white-dotted.” They can fly, but do so poorly, and thus they are known for taking short, hopping flights. �λόγος THE GADFLY C. albipunctata is very common in warmer regions, and it can feed on a wide assortment of organic matter. While not cold hardy, it can be found in colder regions where larvae may find warm shelter during the winter, and thus its range has expanded from the tropics to around the world. Drain fly infestations often start when water is left to stand for more than a week, making clogged pipes or infrequently used toilets (like those in the coffee shop over the summer) a prime breeding ground. Larvae are rarely seen, as they spend most of their time deeper in the pipes, but they may surface if a drain becomes too backed up. They are worm-like in appearance, usually gray or brown in color, and they have a breathing tube at one end of their body, which enables them to submerge most of their body for long periods of time. September 5, 2024 Steve Nanz, et al. “Species Clogmia Albipunctata Bathroom Moth Fly.” In BugGuide.Net, August 24, 2022. https://bugguide.net/node/view/250015. “Moth Flies.” Missouri Department of Conservation. Accessed August 31, 2024. https://mdc.mo.gov/ discover-nature/field-guide/moth-flies. Entomological News, published by American Entomological Society. 1997, accessed 8/18/2024 through Biodiversity Library (https:// www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16343772). Townsend, Lee. “Drain Flies or Moth Flies.” Department of Entomology. Accessed August 31, 2024. https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef615. While larvae eat refuse material from the drains in which they dwell, adults simply consume flower nectar and water; drain flies are harmless to humans and are not known to be common disease vectors. Adults live for just a couple weeks, and it takes between a week and a month (depending on environmental conditions) for eggs to mature into adults. When in outdoor habitats, drain flies are usually beneficial to other species in the ecosystem — they cleanse decomposing matter from their home but are themselves edible, with the adults being widely consumed by a variety of terrestrial animals. The earlier life stages are also often consumed by aquatic creatures. Personally, while I do appreciate the cleaning capacities of these little guys, when the excitement of seeing one myself wore off, I decided that sitting on the floor of a public bathroom and stick my phone in the toilet bowl for pictures was not particularly hygienic. I went home to shower and wipe down my phone with rubbing alcohol. And eventually I went back to my book. An anti-fly club found in the 1923 yearbook, featuring officers with titles like “Most Excellent Executioner Murray, Tom, David Ferguson, Vox Sciurorum, of the Elusive insect,” “Final Finisher of the Flimsy Chuck Entz, Joshua Stuart Rose, Beatriz Moisset, Fly,” or “Persistent Persecutor of the Pesky Pest.” Sources: 15 �συμπόσιον THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 Our Most Difficult Delight Writing, AI, and the Difficulty of Beauty By Robert Abbo For the past two years, I have written an essay for the Gadfly directed primarily at the freshmen joining the polity. This year I offer a shorter reflection and perhaps there will be more as the year goes on. One of the first Greek sentences you read in the Freshman Language Tutorial is: χαλεπὰ τὰ καλά. “Beautiful things are difficult.” But why should this be so? Why are beautiful things—noble actions, great achievements, lovely works—inherently difficult? If you are reluctant to agree with this statement, remember that the word χαλεπὰ does not necessarily mean “painful, anxiety-inducing, and debilitating.” It is true, certain difficult things are painful, either in their preparation or performance e.g., running a race, dancing in the ballet, or building a house. But when a capacity is being exercised to its utmost, even when the most difficult work is being done, often a kind of delight appears alongside the effort. And it is a special feature of the intellect that when it is most at work, when it is doing what it is meant to do, it enjoys itself. Leisured intellectual activity, of the sort you are invited to undertake here at the college, is difficult, but it should not be, in itself, painful. You should learn to distinguish exhilarating exertion and worthwhile sacrifice from misapplied effort and unnecessary anxiety. If the latter impedes you, do not indulge, but remedy them by changing what you are doing or seeking assistance. For an anatomy of the inherent difficulties found in the scholarly life and the trials you are likely to face in your pursuit of it, I recommend Ms. Brann’s lecture, The Student’s Problem, available in the library. But we still have not answered the question. Why should the beautiful things also be difficult? What does it mean for something to be difficult? I am studying Japanese—by all accounts a difficult language for someone my age to learn—so I have a 16 Student writing, between 1950 and 1960 good example to hand. (You too are probably studying a difficult language.) Last week I was in a hurry to reply to a text, and to make sure I had the right words, I used an online translator. I could read the artificially generated response well enough to know it was more correct than my own attempt had been. I marveled at the ease with which my phone had produced the intended Japanese expression, and later in the day, I felt relieved I had responded as quickly as I had. But my self-congratulation was half-hearted. I was pretending I had accomplished something because I modified the translation, but really I had only been witness to its appearance. I had done no real work. I had not spoken the words. One of the things happening in the world right now is that the inventors of artificial intelligence are marveling at their own creation–a mechanism that produces, often unaccountably to them, a stream of words. I find this embarrassing, on the one hand, and appalling, on the other. Speaking is our most essential activity. Consult Genesis, Aristotle, and the �συμπόσιον THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 have made a machine to replace the very activity that makes us human. Why would anyone be happy to abandon a gift that made them what they were? We hide the fact that this is what we are doing by saying that, as with any other technology, we will use it to do only the unpleasant or difficult tasks that we cannot or do not want to do. One name for the outsourcing of one’s essence is alienation, another, bondage. And now you see why I am asking you to think about what makes something difficult, and to be ready to take on difficult tasks. To speak and to write beautifully is difficult. To be yourself is sometimes difficult; the difficulty is to do something yourself rather than to make someone else do it for you. Speaking and writing are so essential to who you are, that you should disdainfully refuse to hand over the chance to speak or to write in even the smallest task. Rejoice in your grocery list. Politely refuse the suggested expressions of the operating system trying to operate you. Appreciate the extraordinary opportunity it is to write an essay—to organize a world of words and ideas. You may thereby produce or perceive something truly difficult and beautiful yourself. St. John’s President Henry Barnard (1811-1900) Gospel of John: it is the word that makes us human. The origins of language are buried so deep within us it must be the only artifact we cannot be entirely sure is an artifact. If it is a technology, it is the most complicated one we have at our disposal, but surprisingly—and here is the source of my vicarious embarrassment—it is also the most common. Adults already teach children to speak. It has happened billions of times, all over the world. But because we have trained an artificial mechanism to produce speech like ours, we marvel at it, as at an idol. That might sound daunting, especially when you are facing a blank page. It is tempting to let someone or something else do the work, but that kind of false assistance leaves you weaker and worse off than before. There are many people here willing and able to set you going—your tutors and the writing assistants among them—but they will leave you to make your own way and to find your own words, however preliminary, tentative, or homespun. You will soon discover that the written and the spoken word are honored guests here at the college, in whatever rough and ready disguise they might first appear. We give them a place by the fire and our rapt attention, as if they were Athena herself, waiting for the right moment to take flight and reveal what they truly are. The appalling part is that some people are pleased to 17 �συμπόσιον THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 Sicut Cervus: An Analysis By Tarik Mahmud Many of us have heard Sicut Cervus so many times that we do not often think about its musical beauty. Our deep emotional attachment to it has taken hold of us so strongly that a single feeble A flat sends jolts down many of our spines, triggering some kind of instantaneous neurological reaction. And while it is clear to me that it is a very beautiful motet, when I sing it week after week, I sometimes find myself losing track of its beauty as a composition—which is inevitable for any so often repeated practice. Wherefore I would like to engage in an examination of Palestrina’s Sicut Cervus in this article, as complete as I can bear to make it. I will not be going into its sequel Sitivit anima mea, both for brevity’s sake and due to the fact that I am not as familiar with Sitivit as with Sicut. I would also like to forewarn that if I speak of specific pitches, like F or C or Bÿ, I refer to the pitches as originally written. Our Polity sings Sicut transposed up a minor third in pitch in order to accommodate contraltos; but the original key is F, so this is how I will refer to the pitches. With that being said, I will try to avoid this if I can. We begin this motet with a single sustained F (or A flat) in the tenor. The melody which the tenor, the leading voice, sings is a relatively static one to start with—one whole measure1 and a half of the tonic, a little trip on G, then back to the tonic. Only after this do we get a leap to the dominant and a little more flourishing in the melody. This is not a unique formula for the starting melody of a polyphonic motet in this style; in contrast to the more exaggerated subjects of, say, baroque fugues, the starting points of imitation in these compositions ease us gradually into the polyphonic texture. I called the tenor the ‘leading’ voice. In imitative counterpoint, this refers to the voice which begins the melody. Most often in Renaissance polyphony, this is 18 the tenor. The alto here is the first following voice (which term refers to the voices that follow the lead) and enters on the fifth (as is usual in imitation). Normally, the imitation of melodies is strict, at least for the first couple bars or so, and especially at the beginning of a motet—but Palestrina breaks that convention in having the alto leap down a third rather than a fourth (like the tenor), and from thence the alto goes off into free counterpoint2. The reason for this is to accommodate the entering soprano voice. The soprano enters half a measure earlier in relation to the alto than the alto did in relation to the tenor, ___________________________________________ 1 For the sake of convenience I will be speaking of ‘measures’ in this article. In Palestrina’s day, barlines were not used in the notation of vocal music, and any meter was not explicitly marked. This meter did in fact exist, and there are clear upbeats and downbeats—but these upbeats and downbeats were not tallied up like how we do nowadays, with our neatly divided and numbered measures. The only indication of rhythm in Sicut as originally written is the sign C, placed at the beginning. This is a mensuration sign indicating ‘tempus imperfectum cum prolatione minore’, that is to say, that the breve (double whole note) consists of two semibreves (whole notes) (tempus imperfectum), and that a semibreve consists of two minims (half notes) (prolatio minor). This is part of an ancient system for indicating the relative lengths of notes and defining meter: having once been much more complex, by the time of Sicut it was mostly used to indicate duple vs. triple meter. This C symbol appears to be the origin of the modern symbol for ‘common time’. 2 ‘Free counterpoint’ referring to any counterpoint that does not follow a strict rule or ‘canon’. �συμπόσιον THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 builds up to a large climax two measures later, and involves some quite charming parallel thirds—fail to fill sopranos and altos with delight. This climax which I mentioned occurs in the second half of measure 20, after a brilliant little diminution in the soprano; here all four voices come together for a big subdominant chord held for two beats—the only place in the motet where all four voices are static for such a long time (except, of course, the very end). This climax is followed by a sort of deceptive cadence4, though not a very strong one on account of the soprano’s suspension. __________________________________________ Douglas Allanbrook seated at the piano during music tutorial on suspension, between 1952-1959 providing an exciting little flash of light to the growing music. he bass enters in, as is most satisfying for a bass entrance, on a cadence. Specifically, we expect the tenor to drop a fifth from the dominant to the tonic in order to fill the role of the lowest voice at a cadence3, but instead, the bass enters on the tonic, allowing the tenor the opportunity to fill out the third of the chord. Because the bass enters where the tenor was expected to go, the transition is utterly seamless, and this seamlessness is why the bass does not enter on the dominant. During this expository section, we get a beautiful little flourish from the alto, followed by an actual full imitation (at the octave to the tenor’s). At this point there is a notorious voice crossing between the alto and the tenor, which, I believe, has sometimes led altos to accidentally sing the tenor melody briefly. These flourishes are particularly characteristic of this introductory section, their lengthy watery melismatic meandering around like the water-brooks themselves. 3 This ‘role of the lowest voice at a cadence’ consists in a leap from the dominant (scale degree 5) to the tonic (scale degree 1); which can be either upwards or downwards. It is usually performed by the bass, but in upper voice textures, whatever the lowest voice is will do this. 4 Which, by the way, almost includes a dominant seventh, though the tritone (between the alto and tenor) does not resolve as one would expect from a true V7 chord, both voices moving in parallel fourths, which is not too unusual for the time. There is a tritone at measure 27, however, that does resolve this way: but it is not a full cadence there. I could imagine a particularly licentious editor adding an editorial accidental to the tenor’s offending note, thus removing the tritone altogether: such accidentals were sometimes implied by the composer without being explicitly written. If, in a modern edition, you see accidentals placed above notes instead of next to them, that indicates that the accidental was added by the editor, and is not present in the original source. I have not seen any editions of Sicut with this edit, however, and this tritone is certainly brief enough that it is not necessary to remove it, and a good editor probably wants to avoid unnecessary edits. Interestingly, though, the tritone in measure 27 is a result of one of these editorial accidentals in the tenor. In measure 17, we get our first full cadence with all four voices, followed by a little series of parallel thirds in the upper two voices. I have never seen this series— which is a refreshing start after a cadence, 19 �συμπόσιον THE GADFLY The “ita” section begins with a light cadence, omitting the bass on the ultima, and a most memorable phrase from the alto (can you guess what my favorite part is?). This is followed by a new point of imitation, beginning in the bass this time. In measure 27 we get a wonderful tritone resolution, though it falls short of being a complete dominant seventh chord, instead being a simple diminished chord5. The soprano and bass sing in parallel tenths for a measure, which, I am somewhat embarrassed to say, I had not previously realized. I cannot quite discern the intention of this series of parallels; both the previous one and the next are part of a large build -up, but this one is decidedly in a very mellow section. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that it sounds somehow excellently placed—perhaps it attains this by being a playful little moment of camaraderie between the two voices. The subject of imitation becomes familiar to the listener, most notably through the bass’s repetition of September 5, 2024 it on the tonic. Amidst the interweaving polyphonic texture, this singular voice is not altogether too noticeable, but it eases its way into the listener enough for it to become surprising when it changes. In measure 37, the tenor begins its imitation on the same note on which the bass has been doing so, pretending, as it were, to be a bass—but the bass then enters a fifth lower, bringing a sudden and unexpected warmth with another subdominant chord. This is followed by the first instance of the “anima mea” melody, in the soprano, then in the alto at the lower fourth one measure later. This occurs simultaneously with a splendid upwards series of parallel thirds between the bass and tenor; all this coming together to make, in my opinion, the most sublime moment of the whole motet; and I trust that others are at least subconsciously of the same opinion, because whenever we have sung this, there is a great crescendo from every corner of every voice. __________________________________________ __________________________________________ 5 I would like to elaborate on this interesting dissonance further. It is not very thoroughly prepared or resolved, by usual sixteenth century standards. Here is how the dissonance is achieved and how it is resolved. We start with a D minor sixth chord on the third beat of measure 26: F in the bass, D in the tenor, F in the soprano. Bass and tenor move in parallel sixths so that the bass has a passing E in relation to the soprano; the tenor has a fourth with the soprano. The bass moves to a D to resolve the dissonance with the soprano, but this makes it dissonant with the C in the tenor: so the bass moves down again, to a C in octave with the tenor. But this is once again dissonant with the soprano (who holds an F this entire time), so it is treated as a neighbor tone and ascends back up to a D. But this is once again dissonant with the tenor, so the tenor’s C is treated as a suspension in relation to the bass’s D, and resolves to a B; in all editions it is a B flat rather than a B sharp (mi rather than fa), and this is what creates the tritone with the F fa in the soprano. In the editions of the Freshman and Sophomore music manuals, this is written as a normal accidental, but it is an editorial one, and not in the original score (which can be accessed here: http:// tiny.cc/GadflySicut). I suppose the reason for adding this accidental is that the editors noticed that this is a cadence on C, and figured that the tenor note needed to be raised in order to make a major sixth with the bass, something which is generally 20 required in cadences (cf. Zarlino’s Istitutioni Harmoniche, III.liii): even though it makes a dissonance with the soprano; for this reason Zarlino advises against such accidentals, as they lead “to countless errors as well as offense to the ear” (ibid. III.xlv). This dissonance could theoretically be justified as a neighbor tone, but this would be to ignore the fact that it doesn’t sound remotely like one. The bass and soprano resolve in contrary motion. The reason I’ve gone over each of the parts in detail is to show the general attitude of Renaissance voice leading. I have started and ended this analysis by naming chords (the D minor sixth and the B diminished sixth), but between these I have simply listed every note in every voice. This is because, though it is sometimes possible to analyze Renaissance polyphony with chords, in places such as this it is improper and futile. For each of the dissonances encountered here and their resolution is between two voices only: the bass’s dissonant D is dissonant only with the tenor, but is consonant with the soprano: and when it resolves to C, it resolves for the tenor but enters into a neighbor dissonance with the soprano. All this is to say that to treat these dissonances as being ‘non-chord tones’ in some otherwise uniform progression of chords is impossible, and this is the nature of Renaissance counterpoint. A four voice texture is, in reality, six simultaneous two-voice textures, each of which individually follow the rules of counterpoint without regard for the other voices. �συμπόσιον THE GADFLY What more is there to say? The “anima mea” section is the cataractic fall before the pool, as Ms. Paalman so exquisitely put it. There is a subtle difference in this section compared to the one before it, which is barely noticeable, but makes all the difference in its effect. This has less to do with the music itself: the imitation in this section is itself quite similar to that in the “ita”, and more to do with the words. The great difference lies in the word “anima”, which begins with an open vowel: this open vowel makes each repetition of the word stand out. In contrast to the close vowel of “ita”, which creeps up on the music sneakily, this open vowel allows for the first syllable of “anima” to really fill out and make its presence known in this final section; the sonorant Ns and Ms add to this. This attention to the phonetics of the text is something that Palestrina has a clear mastery over. Note, for instance, how the T of “ita” often coincides with another voice’s D in “desiderat”, and the affricative C against S between the alto and soprano in measure 4. It’s not consistent enough to be any sort of rule, but it is noticeable when it happens, and very pleasing. I can’t say that there is any “anima mea” in this section that does not fill me with profound emotion: and particularly the tenor’s entrance in measure 51; I would also like to shout out the alto’s melody in the preceding measure which culminates in a Dorian plagal cadence. We get our big cadence in measures 54-55, which is subverted as a deceptive cadence by the bass’s D, which initiates the final coda, which consists of a soaring imitation between the leading bass and following alto, with the tenor in free counterpoint, all beneath a soprano tonic pedal. It ends with a plagal cadence in the Ionian mode6. I cannot recall the first time I ever sang Sicut. I imagine it was probably towards the beginning of freshman year in St. John’s Chorus, with me stumbling around trying to discern and keep up with what the basses were singing, having really no clue what was going on. Three years later, I can probably September 5, 2024 sing the bass part in my sleep and have somewhat learned all of the other parts as well. I don’t want to think that there will be a last time I sing Sicut. There will be a last time this year, the last time as a St. John’s undergrad—but I shall consider this only a pause before the next time I sing Sicut, which, I like to think, will inevitably come. I am not sure I’ll be able to adequately sing my last Sicut as a St. John’s undergrad, for I fear a lachrymose sort of reaction will take place to hinder me. But I will greatly cherish every Sicut sing this year; I will try to soak in every note,every consonance and every dissonance. It is hard to say what in me has grown the most in my time here at St. John’s; every part of my soul, I think, has become more intricate and more florid while I’ve been here, like a fractal continually proceeding—but I do know that among the greatest of these elaborations has been my musical journey, the beginning and end of which being Sicut Cervus. A pair of glasses on the Elements of Music manual ________________________________________ 6 This is a very common formula in Renaissance polyphony—a primary cadence where the soprano reaches the tonic, holding it above the other voices as they come to a plagal cadence (i.e. a IV-I cadence) on the tonic; an authentic cadence is, of course, impossible against the soprano’s tonic. This period between the soprano’s cadence and the other voices’ plagal cadence is called the coda. This formula is mostly used in the Dorian and Aeolian modes, often accompanied by a final suspension that resolves to a Picardy third. Here, however, we see it in the Ionian mode, which is slightly less common. Because of the deceptive cadence followed by the coda, there is no authentic cadence to speak of at the end of Sicut: this is intentional, because this is not really the end of the motet. The second part, Sitivit anima mea, does indeed end on an authentic cadence, marking the true end of the motet. 21 �THE GADFLY πόλις A Call to Reform Prank By Louis Rosenberg I’m here to suggest some reforms for an enduring tradition of St. John’s: Senior Prank. I’ve had these issues on my mind throughout my time at St. John’s, and now that I am, in fact, a senior, I hope that I can finally present these concerns without being shut down by my peers. While I strongly value Prank’s role in our community, I still believe it is worth discussing ways in which certain aspects of the tradition can be harmful. I specifically wish to address the different way Prank Committee is treated during the DC budgeting process, as well as a known tradition of Prank: alcohol consumption in the classroom immediately following the adjournment of seminar. To start, anyone familiar with the Delegate Council (DC) budgeting process will note that it’s a regimented procedure. Clubs first submit spreadsheets with their planned expenditures during the budgeting season. Line items must be specific — if a club is planning a party, they are advised to have not just one line item for that event, but instead figure out the specific costs of food, decorations, and so on, and put those as line items. These budgets are then September 5, 2024 sent out for DC members to review, and a budget hearing is held with a club representative in attendance to provide more detail on specific items or answer other questions as necessary. Every club at St. John’s follows this procedure, and many archons sometimes end up not being fully reimbursed for the costs of running their club. As Insect Farming archon, for example, I have spent some of my own money in the past to cover small price changes in budgeted-for items or urgent purchases which we could not have foreseen — going to the DC to request a line item adjustment can be too time-consuming for purchases which are timesensitive (in our case, those relating to animal care). We attempt to avoid excessive overbudgeting, which may be scrutinized in subsequent budgeting seasons, so this is in some ways a balancing act. Still, I find these standards fairly reasonable to prevent abuse of the budgeting system, especially seeing as every club is subject to these same intricacies and restrictions — well, every club except Prank. Prank initially follows the same procedure as other clubs, except their line items in the initial budgets are typically satirical. During Prank’s budget hearing, a game is made of asking for absurd things and then cutting them down to a more reasonable request of funds, while also not newly specifying what items the funds will be spent on. The invocation to an opere a performed as part of prank in 1972, as well as a stage direction from a skit that followed. 22 �πόλις THE GADFLY The justification for this is that this approach preserves the secrecy of Prank. Prank’s receipts are still required at the end of the year for verification, though they are given their budget as a lump-sum, unlike any other clubs, and receipts are simply checked to ensure they list the item purchased, the vendor from which it was purchased. While other archons will have to request an additional hearing or take a hit to their personal finances by going over budget on any specific item, Prank does not have such concerns, because they do not have specific items. From my observations, however, it seems that this procedure also tacitly permits money laundering. Clubs cannot buy alcohol with funds from the DC; this has been stipulated by the administration and is included in club charters, including Prank’s. The restriction on alcohol purchases applies even to clubs who wish to use alcohol for religious reasons — such clubs are generally granted permission to have alcohol at their events, but the alcohol must be paid for by club members. It is my understanding that in past years’ Prank, tshirts were purchased using funding the club receives from the DC. These t-shirts were then sold to students in advance of the event, with the proceeds used to purchase alcohol which is then distributed in seminar classrooms for free during Prank. It is generally understood that the t-shirt sales fund alcohol purchases. In fact, during last year’s Prank, after a large quantity of alcohol intended for Prank was confiscated, some of my peers complained that they purchased a t-shirt but may not receive free alcohol as expected. To be clear, I’m not some kind of puritan when it comes to alcohol or drugs; I certainly understand wanting to be intoxicated, and I also recognize that many people drink alcohol safely and responsibly. But bringing alcohol into classrooms in this way is fundamentally problematic. Even aside from the illegality of providing alcohol to minors, offering alcohol in a classroom setting should simply not be September 5, 2024 normalized. Seminar is, like all St. John’s classes, mandatory, and alcohol consumption during Prank typically begins immediately after the tutors leave the seminar classroom (as the auditorium, where the larger kickoff event occurs, is more closely monitored by Public Safety). There is not always a subtle way to leave the classroom prior to this. A person who wishes to avoid alcohol can reasonably decide not to attend parties where alcohol will be present; they cannot reasonably avoid class, nor should they need to. For people who are recovering from substance misuse, avoiding alcohol and other intoxicants altogether may be an important part of their early recovery. But there are also other reasons someone might not want to be around alcohol, and al, because there simply is no good reason to bring alcohol into a classroom setting. I write this as a 20-year-old who has already attended St. John’s for three full years. I’m well aware that alcohol (and cigarettes and weed) are frequently made available to minors through their older peers. For those over 21, there’s a multitude of liquor stores and smoke shops (and a dispensary) within walking distance from campus. Still, the availability of alcohol to the polity is in no way a case for allowing alcohol to be purchased and distributed in the way it tacitly is now. In fact, it’s nearly the opposite. If everyone who wants to drink will already be getting drunk with their friends later in the evening, what reason is there to also bring large quantities of alcohol (purchased, again, through what is at best a loophole in school policy) in the classroom setting? Thus, I propose the polity consider the benefits of limiting Prank’s special treatment in two ways. First, Prank should be required to provide an itemized list of their intended purchases prior to making them. I understand that, due to the secretive nature of Prank, the Prank Committee may deem it important for that list to be kept private. 23 �πόλις THE GADFLY Therefore, I propose that the list be either (a) provided to the DC Treasurer, if they are a senior or approved by Prank Committee, or (b) if the DC Treasurer is an underclassman, provided to a DC Officer of the senior class or to a Senior Delegate, selected by the DC Treasurer. If the person who is provided the itemized list has specific apprehensions about it, they could then privately discuss those concerns with the Prank Committee and even bring them up during Prank’s budget hearing if the concerns are not able to be resolved in private. Prank would then be audited like any other club at the end of the semester or the year. (Because Prank’s budget is typically divided across two semesters for the DC’s benefit, even though the bulk of their purchases are made in the spring, I do think it would still be reasonable to roll any unspent funds from the fall into their available funds for the following semester, so long as any items which will be purchased are declared beforehand.) Second, those affiliated with Prank should stop bringing alcohol into classrooms. There is no good reason to bring alcohol into a class, especially when so many people will get drunk on their own later that night. There is often significant peer pressure to stay in the room following seminar’s adjournment for Prank, especially as skits and activities are often performed with the whole class. The alcohol and drug culture at St. John’s is, as at many colleges, often unhealthy. Leaving alcohol out of the classroom is one easy step towards ensuring all students feel comfortable going to classes. Author’s note: After I had written this article, I spoke with a current member of Prank Committee who assured me that no DC funding will be (even indirectly) used to supply alcohol this year. I decided to preserve my article as an expression of concern about how Prank has been run in the past, but I also want to express appreciation for the active role that this year’s Prank Committee is taking in addressing concerns such as these, and make it clear that these concerns may not (and hopefully will not) apply to this year’s Prank. 24 September 5, 2024 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 the truth-hunters By Natalie Goldman Don’t get carried away When the truth-hunters come. They want to snatch you up And stuff you in that horrible canvas bag To live alongside their little fragments and splinters Of Frankness, Verity, and Candor. When the truth-hunters come You need to hide, For you are worth more than every crumb, Combined or standing in solitude. How do I know? Your substance—the stuff that gives you Shape and structure and being, That runs in your blood And makes up your bones— Is Beauty, And nothing else. 25 �THE GADFLY πόλις September 5, 2024 You’ve Got Mail x2 By Caleb Briggs This year marked the end of private mailboxes at St. John’s and the beginning of mail folders. Students receiving letters and magazines must now go through the same process as those receiving a large package. This means that now any letter addressed to a student at the college arrives and is processed by the mailroom. The letters are then sorted into a folder with an assigned number, and an e-mail is then generated to alert a student via their St. John’s email account that they have a magazine or a letter waiting in that folder. The student must then go to the package room in the basement of Humphrey’s Hall during its business hours (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.noon and 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.) and ask for their mail at a counter. The challenges this poses should be readily apparent: in summary, everyone will have to jump through more hoops than before. To start, the system generates more messages regarding mail than ever before. Every time mail arrives, an e-mail must be sent to its recipient informing them of its arrival. Now, in addition to the chore of sorting mail, the mailroom workers must also generate an e-mail and note down the mail’s collection upon the student picking it up, tasks previously only required for larger packages. In addition to having to go pick up their mail (a chore few people, especially receivers of junk mail, relish), students are faced with yet another e-mail. You’re telling me I now receive mail to inform me that I have mail? Absurd! The system appears to be no better than a 21st- century imitation of the post horn used to herald the arrival of the post-coaches of old. 26 Post Horn. Image Credit: Merriam-Webster Now that we have extra steps on both sides, there is also the challenge of the business hours. Coming from coastal Maine and having lived through the pandemic, I am no stranger to weird and annoying post office hours. Even in the great Capital of Annapolis, our local post office is not open on weekends. But even many rural and understaffed post offices maintain a bank of P.O. boxes for those who cannot or do not receive mail at home to come and pick up their mail at their leisure. While packages must generally be picked up during business hours, P.O. boxes are often accessible 24/7. St. John’s has a similar and wonderful system: the package pod. Upon receiving an e-mail that their package has been placed in the pod, students are free to pick it up at their leisure. Granted, they still should not leave it there for days on end, but it does allow them to swing by during lunch or after seminar, if those times are more convenient for them. Mailboxes in McDowell used to afford the same luxury of patience to letter recipients. There was no pressure and no detour necessary if one wanted to get their mail on their way through campus; a mail run could work with any schedule. Now, it is more convenient to get a package from Amazon than to receive a letter from one’s parents. Likewise, a student must hand any outgoing mail to the mailroom instead of popping it in the slot that used to be in the coffee shop’s wall. They could go down to the mailboxes throughout town, but again, that is one more step than we used to have to take. �πόλις THE GADFLY Sending and receiving intra-campus mail used to also be painless. The main thing frequently sent across campus are the scored algebra tests that must be taken before jJunior year. For those of us who perhaps had to take the test more than once to get a passing score, the anonymity of one’s mailbox was a godsend. With the old mailboxes, one didn’t have a queue of peers behind them, many of whom may be there for the same thing and thus inclined to excitedly ask “what’d you get?” when the appropriate answer is “nothing good.” People who work in the mailroom are frequently classmates and friends, and it is no fun to watch them extract a bill marked “PAST DUE” and hand it to you. September 5, 2024 replacement for a physical card from grandma or a letter from a friend miles away. We at St. John’s are a tactile bunch, and physical media is near and dear to many of our hearts. A Kindle will never be a substitute for a book, and an e-mail will never be a substitute for a letter. We live in a world that is increasingly online and isolated. All manners of things are already communicated electronically, and the fatigue of constantly being on a phone or computer is very real. A book or note can be a brief refuge from the demands of devices. St. John’s is one of the last places of learning and living where the packing list can categorize a computer as “optional.” Few things these days seem simple. Why complicate one more? So, what is a good alternative? The mailboxes aren’t coming back and having a package-pod style interface for regular mail both seems silly and wouldn’t solve the e-mail issue. A good middle ground could be reached by having an optional sign up for those of us who receive mail regularly to have access to a small bank of mailboxes on campus. Not everyone would want this and most would not need this, but for those who find a trip to the package room inconvenient or incompatible with their working hours, it seems a good compromise. I close with an appeal to the simple things, something snail mail is the poster-boy of. Inboxes at St. John’s are already inundated with exhortations, calls, Postcard showing much of St. John’s campus, ca. 1913 demands, queries, announcements, electronic Gadflies, and junk; adding yet another e-mail to come along a few times a week is not greatly appreciated. E -mail has failed to fully supplant postal mail despite the predictions of tech bros pre-Dot Com Bubble. Part of the reason for that is that there is no good 27 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 AM Radio: First Week Thoughts Welcome back to campus Johnnies. And welcome freshmen, you may not yet be Johnnies, but don’t fret—in a few weeks most of you will be. There is a decidedly odd air about campus this week. Perhaps it has something to do with the unseasonal cold followed by seasonal thunderstorms, or the low roar of the cicadas, or maybe it’s to do with the changes around campus. Campbe—I mean Edensword, is now finished and filled with an indeterminate number of students, half of whom can’t even enter the building. The coffee shop remains unmoved, and the bookstore exists in a strange sort of bricked up limbo, and the new faculty room remains inaccessible to students except to linger by the windows, sorrowfully looking in. Or perhaps it has to do with the new makeup of students. A hundred fresh faces, popping up around every corner—and to the freshman make that several hundred. The now-graduated class of seniors are gone, well most of them anyways, and their absence leaves a vacuum of culture. The freshmen present an intriguing unknown—what, who, how will they do? The juniors have all but completely abandoned the dorms. The sophomores partake in excess but without finesse, and the seniors have seen the light at the end of the tunnel. The vibes are strange and off-putting, but yet...there is an air of optimism. Who knows what will happen? The year is young and there is much to do, much to think about, and many, many cigarettes to smoke. Will it be the same as years past? Of course not. Will things change? They always do. So, my fair and foul weather friends, how shall we make the best of it? This piece has been brought to you by the album Narrow Stairs by Death Cab for Cutie. Coffee Shop scene, ca. 1960 28 �THE GADFLY πόλις September 5, 2024 Dorm Cooking: Mug Pizza By Marit Hendrickson Welcome to the joys of living in the dorms! While college life has a lot to offer, fantastamazing dining hall food is not one you’ll find. Unfortunately, eating out often eats into one’s budget, so what are you to do when you have a craving for more than what SJC has to offer? What happens when you’re starving but the dining hall is closed? The answer is cooking in your room! Steps Learning a few staple recipes that don’t need much more than a microwave and a mug is a great way to start feeding yourself on a dime. That’s where these quick and easy dorm cooking recipes come in. They only take a handful of ingredients, a microwave to pop it into, and are ready in a few minutes! And they taste pretty rootin’ tootin’ delicious to boot! For my first installment in providing delicious and easy recipes to the masses of starving johnnies, I present, 4. Sprinkle on the cheese, dried seasonings, and toppings of your choice. 1. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a microwavable mug. 2. Add in the milk and oil, then mix. There might be some lumps but that is okay. 3. Spoon the marinara onto the dough and spread it around the surface. 5. Microwave for 1 minute to 1 minute and 20 seconds, or until it rises and the toppings are bubbling. 6. Enjoy straight away! MUGÊPIZZA Ingredients 4 Tablespoons flour 2/8 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 3 Tablespoon milk 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 Tablespoon marinara sauce Three Johnnies seated with bowls of food. 1+ Tablespoon shredded mozzarella cheese ½ teaspoon dried basil or oregano Either 5 mini-peperoni or 5 cashews 29 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 Μουσειον Poetry and Madness: “Howl” as a Lesson for the Creative By Gabriela Forte “I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness…” These are the opening lines to Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl.” Yet what exactly has driven this generation mad? There seems to exist a madness wrought upon us by a society plaguing our world with war and suffering and conformity, a madness that has been so deeply engrained in us that we believe it is part of our psyche, and not a consequence of our hypnotized participation. where one loses meter and tone and simply feels pity. Every single one of these poetry “styles” seems to depend on this idea of total insanity and/or hopelessness, to the point where the question arises: are we amping up the state of our own despair for a poem? Once we have bathed in our own imaginary crazy, where is the line drawn? When does it no longer become an exaggerated act but an actual way of living? I don’t think much has changed since the 1956 publication of “Howl.” It’s why I find it so essential that we read and understand the poem properly. I think we are still going mad. I think we have made our madness more palatable, more desirable, and more mainstream, but I believe it is still a response to the concrete-hearted Moloch described in this poem nearly seventy years ago, the demon that drives these people mad with hopelessness to the point of destitution, “yacketayakking screaming vomiting whispering facts and memories and anecdotes and eyeball kicks and shocks of hospitals and jails and wars.” The place where this deception appears clearest is in the same medium that Ginsberg used to warn us of its evil: poetry. Ultimately, I believe that for many, poetry has become a collection of aesthetics and poorly ordered phrases intending to evoke the feeling that one is reading poetry rather than the feelings within the poem itself. It is perceived as a feature of the craft, not a deep infection the art has fallen victim to, born of a loss of imagination and a romanticization of our own neuroses. This is not to say that you should not write poetry. You absolutely should. But give it direction. Give it purpose. Give it voice. Your own voice. But do not let it fall victim to Moloch. Do not contribute to the wheel that keeps us crazy as long as it keeps spinning. Everyone is a poet these days. With such a heavy focus on what poetry looks like, it becomes quite hard to discern the intention behind the words. It feels as though there are different aesthetic camps that have arisen, where the illusion of voices can be distinguished. There is the camp of writers so preoccupied with images that there seems to be no message behind the endless depictions of pomegranates and cigarettes and the Catholic God. There are the Rupi Kaur types that spit out a collection of line breaks and phrases that feel more like a thought than a poem. There are the poets who detail their own psychological torment to the point 30 I believe the only way out is to read “Howl,” and to read it for what it is trying to say, not for the images. It is not a revelry in insanity. It is not a how-to guide for the beat poet. It is not a checklist to reach the purest intellectual salvation. It is a raw and disillusioning work that demonstrates the consequences of a world that is literally driving us mad. These great minds have “presented themselves on the granite steps of the madhouse with shaven heads and harlequin speech of suicide, demanding instantaneous lobotomy, /and…were given instead the concrete void of insulin Metrazol electricity hydrotherapy psychotherapy occupational therapy pingpong & amnesia.” They are not role models. They are a warning. �πόλις THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 It seems that we have internalized this hysteria, behaving as though it is a part of us, something dirty and mysterious, something to include in our selfpublished chapbooks that nobody can tell apart. I believe the more we lean into glamorizing the ways in which Moloch has captured us, the longer we will smoke our cigarettes and bemoan our lost loves and be oblivious to the gravity of the lunacy that, due to its attractiveness, we have voluntarily checked ourselves into. This confusion is not glamorous. It is not romantic. It is to be fought against. We are all creatives of some sort, and as creatives, I find it vital that we continue in our journeys of artistic exploration. Read “Howl” and read it as a cautionary. Be warned of Moloch. It is not your friend. Do not bask in your own insanity, choosing to write derivative poetry about it, a lunatic in the asylum of our own minds “where we hug and kiss the United States under our bedsheets the United States that coughs all night and won’t let us sleep.” Instead, work to discover and condemn what exactly it was that drove you mad to begin with. 31 �THE GADFLY πόλις Restaurant Review: Luna Blue By Molly Sprout I was met with deep blue walls, white brick, and the smell of garlic when I walked into Luna Blu. Luna Blu is an Italian restaurant tucked away on West Street, about a five-minute walk from campus. I’ll be honest, my expectations were not particularly high. Annapolis is not the spot to go for authentic Italian cuisine, as you might know. But it’s my birthday and my boyfriend decided to take me to Luna Blu. For $48 dollars you can get an appetizer, a salad, an entree, and a dessert. This is enticing to us as we can’t always afford to have multiple meals a day and like to go big when we can get some good food. We both decide to get the full four course meal and are ready to eat more than we should. Our server was a kind and tall man, who is courteous and understanding when we take just over 15 minutes before deciding on appetizers and drinks. For the first course we got the crab bruschetta and the calamari. He warns us about the calamari, it is not like the traditional appetizer, battered and fried. Am I slightly offended about being warned about the non-greasy calamari? A little bit. But when it comes out, it is indeed fresh squid covered in a balsamic tomato sauce. The calamari has a rich sauce, overwhelming the flavor of the actual squid. This isn’t necessarily a problem, with the actual calamari becoming a vessel to eat more of the sauce. The sauce is salty and deeply colored and really does leave you wanting more. The crab bruschetta appears to be a crab dip served baked on top of bread. While the crab tastes fresh, the bread is too crunchy and a bit much in the mouth. Both appetizers are good, but the calamari were something I would order again. The next course is the salads; both of us order Caesar. A Caesar salad is something I have high expectations for. Its simplicity begs for perfection, and for the most part, I was not disappointed. The dressing is rich and creamy, and though to some it may have 32 September 5, 2024 been overdressed, but it really was good dressing. However, the croutons were not great. They lacked seasoning and tasted like a crunchy shortbread cookie. Otherwise, a great Caesar. Now for the entrees. We decided on the salmon with spinach, along with the veal of Aosta. The salmon with spinach is one of the best things I have ever eaten. This dish is baked salmon on top of sauteed spinach topped with fresh crab and a cream sauce, and it, surprisingly, is not lacking at all in salt and flavor. The cream sauce delivers what salmon cannot and the crab adds something I never would have thought was necessary. The spinach is light to a quite heavy dish and all in all, there is nothing I would change about this entree. The other entree, the veal, was not my favorite. It is veal overtop red sauce angel hair pasta topped with fontina and prosciutto. It was good, and maybe it was the fish entree that made this dish seem lacking, but it was nothing to really celebrate. The veal was under seasoned and slightly tough, and the prosciutto did not add much but more salt. While fontina was a good choice of cheese, being rich and pungent and capable of making up for smaller flavors, it did not compensate enough. That isn’t to say that it was a bad dish, but I probably would not order it again. Finally, we had dessert. We ordered a tiramisu and the apple strudel. Tiramisu is one of my favorites, but the apple strudel with a side of vanilla ice cream absolutely blew us away. It was warm and tasted like an apple donut. I could not get enough of it. I am infrequently a pastry person, but I would happily order it again. The tiramisu was also good, with chocolate chips in the mascarpone that added something unexpected to the texture. With a bill of 150 dollars for two four-course meals and four drinks, we were full and happy. They have large portions and enough to take home if you don’t stuff your face like we did. The environment was good, filled with other couples and happy chatter. The service was professional and warm, and the food was amazing. �πόλις THE GADFLY THIS MONTH IN HOROSCOPES (THE WASH, RINSE, REPEAT ISSUE) BIRTH, DEATH, REBIRTH, ETC, ETC WITH MADAME QUIZNOS After a year away at a spiritual retreat in Sedona, your beloved campus psychic is back with a sunburn and more messages from the stars ARIESÊ(MarchÊ21–AprilÊ19)Ê As August begins, the new moon will be entering Leo just as Venus is leaving it. Since Leo is your sister sign, this means that your passion and lust for life will be reignited, and what’s more Aries than a challenge? The bloat is getting worse. You feel swollen and shaky, too hot and too cold. This overlaps with the sun entering your sixth house. By this point, it's already happened. The small, red creature has your exact face. It crawled out of you one night after a particularly grueling bout of cramping, but finally, it’s free. You look into your own eyes as you watch the creature paw at your chest, its hunger is unending. Your whole body aches, you haven’t slept in weeks. You’re so tired, Lord. You can’t let it starve, something about this thing awakens an empathy within yourself you didn’t know you could feel. It suckles your fingers;, rows of sharp and endless teeth draw blood from sensitive digits. It’s growing every day. You’re becoming anemic. Maybe things would have been different if you had someone who loved you like this. Maybe this is a form of wish fulfillment, or a sick type of selfcare, you are killing yourself to feed this new youit’s more beautiful than anyone outside of yourself will ever know. September 5, 2024 on their way to eternity. Names and death dates are the only thing that distinguish them. Two dozen matching wooden urns drift along the strait in silence. Funeral home owner Reuben Huston waits for the small boat to approach the Golden Gate Bridge, anchoring under the roar of cars above. He tosses flower petals into the water below, says a quick prayer and begins opening the urns. Hundreds of people, left behind because they don’t have anyone, or because it’s simply too expensive to claim them, are dumped into the sea, mixed together in a thick gray paste before dissolving into the depths. He can’t think about who he’s holding for too long, the mystery is too great and the answers too upsetting. His assistant’s hands shake, not from emotion or hunger, but just the sheer magnitude of it all as he cuts open the plastic bag, containing all that remains of ‘J Martinez, Sept. 8, 2023’. J Martinez is emptied on top of a ‘H Marshall’, the two become one as they splash up against the side of the small boat. Mr. Huston says it’s best to lower the ashes to the water to avoid blowback, his assistant obliges. It’s a quiet affair, sometimes they play music, sometimes they just listen to the waves. Next month, the routine repeats, business as usual. Welcome back to school, Taurus. TAURUS (AprilÊ20–MayÊ20) After a year and one month, the unclaimed dead of San Francisco are finally put to rest. People as young as 18 and as old as 99, all strangers in life, sit side by side, stacked atop each other on big wooden pallets Ptolemaic Universe. Photo: the Astrological Explorer 33 �πόλις THE GADFLY GEMINI (MayÊ21–JuneÊ20) “MERCY! FATHER!” cries Berryman, bleeding out into his own dream song. We must extend empathy to our dear old dads, which is easier said than done, yet here we are. Why do you think so many men are inclined to run, Gemini? It must be frightening, being suddenly cast into the role of father. To now be christened protector, mentor and provider. Your lover is filled by a needy tumor, you feel it contort and expand inside her. It’s grotesque. Expectations are frightening. How can a child raise a child? Do you think you ever really stop feeling like a child? Will you wake up one day, your baby at your side and finally know that you are now a man? It’s crazy to think that all the pain and poison you fill yourself with in your lifetime oozes into your babies. Maybe it’s merciful to leave them, to spare them your pain — that doesn’t feel right. We’re learning that every style of parenting produces fucked up, emotionally stunted children. Maybe arrested development is just a natural part of life. CANCERÊÊ(JuneÊ21–JulyÊ22) This Mercury retrograde combined with Venus in Virgo has not been kind to you, Crab. You need a firm reset. When was the last time you thought about the all-consuming rot? To eat and be eaten feels both grotesque and perfectly balanced. Is it selfpreservation that makes you fear the decay? It’s a popular practice in Buddhism to picture yourself dying through nine phases; I believe this could greatly benefit you, Cancer. Peel back the layers of your physical body. Can you imagine skin sliding off? Is it a slide or a melt? Maybe it’s not that graphic at all, maybe it’s just there one minute and gone the next. It’s muscle under that. Then bones and fat and organs, all sliding away till you’re left with 45 miles of nerves. That part is what you are completely, sans religious or metaphysical arguments. It’s not a clean fade; your body is gross and wet. You’ll change colors at least five times before anything starts falling off. The bloat is also vicious. All your blood pools down, your skin is one huge, angry bruise, if you’re 34 September 5, 2024 lucky enough to die on your back. You eventually soften, rigor mortis seems uncalled for, but I guess the energy needs to be burned off somehow. How much can you change before you no longer recognize yourself? Your body is so nourishing, the land thanks you in its own quiet way. A vulture is an angel in its own right. There is peace in lying on the grass, you are held in a way nothing else could ever bring itself to hold you. You physically become one with the dirt as you leak into the soil. Nasty, Cancer, nasty. LEOÊ(JulyÊ23–AugÊ22) Do you think it’s cold outside your body? There’s a long line in darkness. Bureaucracy is hell, but this doesn’t feel like it. You don’t know if you’re sure what hell would even feel like. The ticket ticker ticks. You get in line behind a deer, insides popped over the hood of a Toyota RAV4,limbs twisted into uncomfortable positions. You take a number. The sun has grown so very, very old watching over zigzagging security tape. Do you hear the lobby music, Leo? The ticket ticker ticks. The line moves slowly, the shuffling of ten thousand feet grate like sandpaper along the floor. Behind you is a swarm of wasps, smelling strongly of pesticides and struggling to see which one of them will get to hold the little paper deli ticket. There are hundreds more behind you now, you haven’t even been dead for five minutes. The ticket ticker ticks. The statistics are frightening. You don’t see many other people around you, maybe a few lines ahead? It’s hard to see, the sun gets in your eyes. You watch the inky blackness from the windows. You’re realizing you don’t really know where you are. The ticket ticker ticks. You look at your number, it’s going to be a long wait. The carpet smells heavily of dust and Ffabuloso. Lead paint flakes off into your eyes as you look up. The building swallows up the music it produces, it’s an aimless tune, maybe ‘Men at Work?’ The ticket ticker ticks. VIRGOÊ(AugÊ23–SeptÊ22) Due to a scheduling error, Virgo’s reading will be postponed till the next issue. �πόλις THE GADFLY LIBRAÊ(SeptÊ23–OctÊ22) September 5, 2024 Coming back to school we are greeted with not only a full moon, but also a blue moon AND a supermoon all on the same night. This is CRAZY! Your plans will be disrupted, and combined with the current Mercury retrograde, I suggest laying low at home for a while. This is the perfect time for some solid introspection! Do you think your parents were ever truly in love, Libra? Your father must have seemed charming at one point, and your mother pretty and captivating. They must have thought the other refreshing at some point. Something new, something different. Do you think they were afraid of the commitment that the other presented? Or were they just happy to have someone to claim as their own? Do you think people are ever really happy together? Or is it just some sort of relief at meeting an arbitrarytimeline laid out for their lives. Is it better to be punctual or completely seen? Do your parents see each other? Did they ever? And is it more upsetting to think that they never truly did, or that at one point they really were meant for each other? It’s weird to think that you can be made for someone- that you can understand and empathize with their whole being for a brief time before losing that sense of solidarity completely. Maybe they had you before they realized that they had outgrown the people they were when they fell in love. Maybe you were the catalyst. Maybe that is ok. It doesn’t feel ok, but what can you do? On second thought, maybe risk going outside, you were never meant for introspection. Maybe risking disrupted plans is ok if it means never having to think about this again. kitchen in Nevada became Mecca, hundreds made the pilgrimage across the wasteland to catch a glimpse of the last lightbulb still glowing In the Miller’s country -chic kitchen. Its sickly fluorescent glow was rumored to heal the sick, some said it was installed by angels. (Tthe family protested, claiming it was installed by Mike, their beer-bellied patriarch, who had died in the first days following the flare in a dirt bike related altercation.). The house on Bloom Street was the last Jerusalem standing. Fights broke out among pilgrims to see who could bask in the white light first, tacky porcelain chickens and novelty egg timers watched over the brawls. They worried what would happen if they were the last person to bathe in its light —- what is the punishment for he who witnesses its death? It was becoming increasingly obvious that the light bulb was dying. It was honestly impressive how long it had managed to hold on, other light bulbs would have died ten times over, yet this one held strong. Flies filled the glass covering protecting it, their little bodies piling up, casting abstract shadows over the faces of worshipers. They were worshiped as saints, their little buggy bodies made into reliquaries, sold to the highest bidders. What happens when the light finally goes out? Would the family finally shut off the generator? They stopped living in the house years ago, and the price of gas these days must be bleeding them dry, tabloids speculated. Some people became openly hostile when confronted with the reality of the lightbulb’s dying, “Heresy!” they’d cry, hands frantically waving and swatting at the people around them. Finality is hard, as is acknowledging inevitability. Invest in Phillips. SCORPIOÊ(OctÊ23–NovÊ21) SAGITTARIUSÊ(NovÊ22–DecÊ21) In one hundred years, in a valley far away, a kitchen light flickers and dims. The country is anguished. We lost the factories decades ago, when the grid went down there was really no reason to keep producing light bulbs —- we needed the water elsewhere. The Miller’s generator kept working after the second flare, their kitchen light bulb became a beacon of hope to the thousands of Americans left. A small Free spirited Sagittarius knows better than anyone that you’re born alone and you die alone. This is untrue. Checkmate, Sag. You’ve had a buddy built in since birth, literally attached at the hip. You’ve lived a long life together, you share everything. It’s been a good run. One day, you’ll wake up, but your left side won’t. Did you know that you only had a 7.5% chance of survival from birth? It’s beautiful that you’ve made it this long. But now, for the first time 35 �πόλις THE GADFLY in your life, you are alone. You lie in bed, breathing independently for the first time. Your left side feels heavy. It’s frightening, but oddly peaceful. You’re too hot and too cold. You’ll be dead soon. You can feel the sepsis eating into you. You reflect on your life as you lielay in the sun. You remember a lifetime of struggle and solidarity; , the emotions overwhelm you. You think about the caravan and the dancehall, the sketchy managers and producers and trunks full of ill- fitting, gaudy costumes. Why did you need a manager? You weren’t unruly children, you weren’t animals. Why did you need to be managed? You wonder if maybe it’s because of your natural inclination to teamwork frightens people. People in power loathe organization. You think about what you could have organized had you not been forced into dance lessons and taken up playing so many instruments. You think you could have been book smart if they’d let you. You’re tired of asking permission. Alone at last, you are finally free from asking. You can act as your own free agent — - sort of. Your eyelids feel heavy, and you feel lethargic. It’s too hot. You throw off the covers, trying to get comfortable as you go quietly into that goodnight, holding your sibling’s- — your own — - hand. At least this time it’s on your own terms. CAPRICORNÊ(DecÊ22–JanÊ19) Do you remember the first time you felt your emotions? Not as a monolith, but can you pinpoint the first time you felt specific things? Do you remember shame? How it warmed your ears and made you feel the biggest you’ve ever felt? What about guilt and the stone in your chest? Limerence? That one is a dull ache. Jealousy feels slimy, your stomach feels too tight, like you have a belly full of eels. Are you aware of when you feel these things now? There is a physicality behind emotions, it makes you feel too much like an animal. We would all love to run strictly on logic —- feelings are confusing and make one gassy. Don’t you wish you could turn it all off? Your body in stasis would be a lot more productive, you tell yourself. The first time you felt these more specific emotions, were you 36 September 5, 2024 alarmed? It feels natural, and that’s the worst part. The refined and polished metal exterior leaks oil onto the floor, a sign of function is awful —- you NEED to seem perfectly constructed and effortless. There’s doubt, it feels lumpy. Posturing seems exhausting. You’re sweating onto the paper, knock it off. AQUARIUSÊ(JanÊ20–FebÊ18) Do you fear your mother’s life, Aquarius? At what point did she decide that her fate wouldwas to be what it became? Does it frighten you to think of sacrificing your life to another being? A completely unknown one at that. Do you think while she was pregnant, she layid awake at night and thought to herself of all the things that could go wrong? Not even medically, but just in terms of bringing up a whole other person. What if the baby comes out wrong? Your father doesn’t know what she means by this, and honestly, he doesn’t care to figure it out. Is raising babies really a matter of pure nurture? What if it’s in its nature to be evil? What does that even mean? She wasn’t always this contemplative, but the thought keeps bubbling up. At best, the baby grows up to be thoroughly fine. Nothing special, but not bad. Mediocrity is all we can hope for. At what pointdid she decide that she was no longer herself and now going to be your mother? There is a sort of ego death that comes with birth. Everyone says it’s untrue, but she had dreams before she had you. The simple facts are that one day, she snubbed out her last cigarette, took one a last breath of the polluted air, and grew into who she is now. Maybe she always wanted to be a mother. Maybe this is exactly what she wanted, but there is no way you’ll know the answer to that. Part of you suspects that she doesn’t know either. We are all rather passive about bringing new children into this plane of existence, but there had to be a moment when reality hit. When you became real, when you became you. Do you think she mourns her old life? A life she never had, maybe? Is this your generational curse? The moon in Aquarius also dictates a strong wave of emotions. Consider yoga. �THE GADFLY πόλις PISCESÊ(FebÊ19––MarchÊ20) You yearn to be seen, Pisces. It’s a want so heavy you feel it slide around in the back of your throat like bile. Is it too much to ask to be completely dissected and understood yet appreciated at the same time? This feels like a simple demand, yet here we are. It must feel amazing —- like the first warm day of spring. This feeling has to exist, artists have prattled on about it for as long as humans have been making art, surely someone must have felt this at some point. The internet says you might be autistic. Bullshit. Every stupid philosopher you’ve had to read believes in speaking things into existence, even if the language is a lot more confusing. Human will is strong enough to invent the atom bomb, it’s strong enough to live through using them too, surely you can survive another Friday trapped inside. You feel trapped sometimes. Everyone does, probably, it’s just a matter of finding someone who can articulate it the same way you do. Someone someday will understand, autism be damned. You are painfully alive. Everything feels so much, and the sting reminds you that you’re not lucky enough to die. It’s a long, hard road but you’ve been told it will be worth it. No one really knows what that means, but then again, if you say something enough it will become true. September 5, 2024 Johnnies in Town By Helen Wagner Some swing-dancing Johnnies made an appearance at the city docks last Saturday night, where the Bayside Big Band was playing the last show of the Annapolis summer concert series. Rumors of swing music in town had spread to several students through word-ofmouth, and a group of 20 or so showed up to fill the dance floor. There was room for everyone, from novice freshmen to senior swing aficionados. Onlookers enjoyed the festive scene— the ten-piece jazz orchestra, the dancers showing off their moves, and the sun setting over the water behind it all. “It’s always nice to get some surprise dancing in!” says Peter Quinn (‘25), a Johnnie swing dance instructor. Quinn happened to be celebrating his 22nd birthday that night, and the band dedicated a song to him. They also thanked all of the dancers and gave a special shoutout to SJC. “If you wanna be a good dancer, I guess you should go to St. John’s,” said one of the singers before her last song. Students should be on the lookout for more events like this happening around town. “I didn’t even know about it until someone mentioned it to me,” said Peter. It will do us good to get out of our campus bubble, and Annapolis loves to see us dancing. Johnnies swing dancing on the dock. Photos by Helen Wagner 37 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 The Reluctant Optimist: Back to School Conversations By Tamar Pinsky There are two foolproof ways to start a conversation with someone at the beginning of the year: talk about summer happenings or about what is new on campus. The following are my reflections. trust my gut more, and not take every opportunity available just because it is there. Everyone Except You Had a Great One Not that I consider the internship a waste of time — this is the confusing bit! There were elements I loved, such as my coworkers, and the fact that I had the opportunity to expand my resume. The never-ending question of “how was your summer?!” echoes across campus, and with every additional familiar face I encounter, the happy-golucky goblin within me exclaims, “It was great!” Of course, I also learned about myself – but only as confirmation of what I already knew – that I enjoy editing others’ writing, storytelling, and the thought of being a lawyer. I can call my summer “busy,” “exciting,” “fun,” maybe even “perfect.” But that would be my inner optimist speaking, reframing every experience as good, and just because—because—because why? Though my summer was not a waste of time, did it bring me closer to finding what I want? Maybe, but maybe not. It could have even been a step backwards. But there is one piece of information from this summer that sticks with me, and I came across it because of another “good enough” experience: ConversationÊ#1:ÊSummer Why should I have to have had a good summer?! (Pop quiz real quick: tell me the tense of that question.) The agonizing, fretful side of me could very well tell you that my summer was “just awful!” and not “the right summer for me at all!” Maybe my issue lies with that word “right.” How am I, with my mere ten years of being an age with double-digits, supposed to know what is “right” for me? And yet, the next voice inside me says that I do know what is right for me. I took on a summer internship that I knew did not 100% align with my dreams. Why did I take it then? Because it seemed silly not to take an opportunity that presented itself to me, even if it was only “good enough.” I had started to go to folk dancing events on Sunday nights, for the sake of injecting myself into social environments (despite knowing this style of dance to be the bane of my feet’s existence.) My mother picked me up one night; the radio turned on to the middle of a discussion featuring Steven Pinker and David Deutsch. They spoke of a school in which students were analyzed for their natural talents, I knew from the get-go that fishery management is not my passion, and that office cubicles dishearten me. But I told myself the following, “What if it turns out that you love it?” and then purposely placed into classes that fostered the growth of everything but. Their gifts were neglected while their weaknesses were embraced. Over the course of several years, the following occurred: students excelled at what they were predisposed to struggle with, while their natural abilities failed to remain impressive. In fact, students lacking talent outranked the students with talent— because they had done the necessary work. Turns out, I did not love it; turns out, maybe I should Could this mean that an inherited disadvantage is an a 38 �πόλις THE GADFLY advantage in itself, in the sense that it might encourage one to work harder in recompense? If this is the case, then I think I have the solution to the problem of How Can Everyone’s Summer Have Been Perfect? First, there are the few people who may have had completely wonderful summers. (Congratulations, by the way.) Next, there are the people who had truly awful summers. With Pinker’s advice, these troublesome summers can be reframed as receiving the advantage of being more prepared to deal with future difficulties. Most common, however, are the summers that held some good parts and some bad. Maybe people sugarcoat these summers as they relay their summaries, because no one needs to know every harrowing detail. One can say that one’s summer was good, despite its holding bad experiences. But why not say it was good because it held bad experiences? ConversationÊ#2:ÊCampusÊRenovations How to Stop Hating on Them A surprisingly easy task is to give one’s opinion on a subject without knowing much about it. It is imperative, then, for me to divulge to you the information about the new renovations on campus, to help you avoid regarding them with the human proclivity for disliking change. Notable renovations: 1. What used to be Campbell is now Edensword (pronounced Eden’s Word, not Eden’s Sword, unfortunately.) The renovated building has a new electric system, new walls, an elevator, nice showers, etc. September 5, 2024 case, it will be closed once the new café opens, and construction work will not start at least before winter break. 4. The mail room has been moved to the package room in the basement of Humphrey’s. 5. The dock has had boards replaced. 6. The gym has improved equipment. Upon looking at this list, I wonder if my claim about people hating change is entirely accurate, as these appear to be beneficial changes. But “beneficial” is subjective, is it not? Perhaps you hate the change of the coffeeshop to a café, or the mail room having the limited hours of the package room. Or perhaps you hate that you know that these will not be the final changes to St. John’s; there will always be more to “fix,” and the school will never be a permanent representation of your college years. It could eventually change into place you cease to find beautiful. A reasonable concern. Who knows what this place will look like in twenty years? But that is exactly why it is pointless to worry! No one knows, so why waste time being concerned about a future problem that may or may not occur? Still, maybe you fear that the changes being made to campus are not “right.” Good news for you then -these changes are impermanent as well. St. John’s will be ever evolving, a combination of good choices and bad, and we can only hope that it ends up in the direction of complete goodness. 2. The basement of Edensword will (hopefully in late September) have the new bookstore and new café— lots more space! 3. It is undecided what will happen to the old coffeeshop; there are several possibilities. In any 39 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 Above, cartoons by Polina Vatralskaia. Le , cartoon by Tamar Pinsky 40 �πόλις THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 The Mysterious Doctor Sajoco, by Sean Stickle. First printed in the Gadfly January 24, 1995 41 �πόλις 42 THE GADFLY September 5, 2024 �πόλις THE GADFLY Your Campus this Week Friday, September 5 ¨ 7 pm, Great Hall: All College Seminar. Text TBA Saturday, September 6 ¨ 2 pm, Conversation Room: Poets in the Conversation Room: David Kiplinger September 5, 2024 Classiflieds ForÊSale: High grade, quality copper. Customer satisfaction guaranteed. 23 Alik Tilmun St. Ur, Mes. Baby shoes, lightly worn. Call 555-9320 Missing: 4 pm, Greenfield Library: Closing talk on “Two The form of the good. Please reach out to Socrates by Art Books”: Louise Bourgeois and Fischli Weiss messenger at his address: number three distances and four limits of the assimilating and the dissimilating, ¨ Time and place not announced at time of printing: whereof a basal four-thirds wedded to the pempad Reality’s Achilles Rager yields two harmonies at the third augmentation, the one the product of equal factors taken one hundred times, the other of equal length one way but oblong,Wednesday, September 11 one dimension of a hundred numbers determined by ¨ 2:30 pm, Mellon 124: Career Development Office the rational diameters of the pempad lacking one in Open House. each case, or of the irrational lacking two; the other dimension of a hundred cubes of the triad, Agora St. Athens, Greece. Seminar Readings: Great Hall Chandelier. Where did it go? Thursday, 9/5 Monday, 9/9 Several thousand pixels in the lab manual diagrams. If found, mail by carrier pigeon to St. John’s IT. Freshmen Homer: Odyssey, I Homer: Odyssey, IX –VIII –XVI ¨ Miscellaneous: Sophomores Bible Leviticus 11, Bible Samuel I, II; Wanted: whoever keeps leaving their things in the cof18-20; DeuteronoKings I, 1–4 fee shop on the floor between the sofas. Seriously, it my makes the space highly unconducive to study, and is not appreciated by those of us who actively use the Juniors Pascal: Pensées Pascal: Pensées spaces. If you have any leads to the whereabouts of (selections) (selections) said person, please contact H.P. Reubens as soon as Seniors Hegel: Phenome- Hegel: Phenomenolpossible, and I will finally do something about it. nology of Spirit, ogy of Spirit, StoiThe Truth of Self- cism and Skepti- Seeking layout editor. Must be willing to work long hours, no pay. Write gadfly.office@sjc.edu for info. Certainty (177 oncism (197-206) ly), Lordship and WantÊtoÊleaveÊaÊclassifliedÊad?ÊPleaseÊwriteÊusÊatÊ Bondage (178gadfly.office@sjc.eduÊorÊdropÊoffÊyourÊsubmissionÊ atÊourÊoffice. 196) 43 �THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE Founded in 1980, the Gadfly is the student newsmagazine distributed to many students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the Annapolis campus. Opinions expressed within are the The Gadfly and Collegian editors at the club fair. From le to right, El’ad Nichols-Kaufman, Helen Wagner and Jacob Sharpe. Photo by Dora Vecoli. We have two publications on campus: the Gadfly and Collegian. The Collegian features shorter, more immediate reporting and opinion, while the Gadfly in your hands should speak for itself. Some important upcoming deadlines and dates for those interested in submitting: Monday, September 9th: Collegian 01 Deadline Thursday, September 12th: Collegian 01 Published Monday, September 16th: Collegian 02 and Gadfly 02 Deadline Thursday, September 19th: Collegian 02 Published Thursday, September 26th: Gadfly 02 Published If you have any questions, please reach out to gadfly.office@sjc.edu, or drop by the Gadfly office in the BBC basement between 4 pm and 5:30 on Wednesdays or Fridays. responsibility of the author(s). The Gadfly reserves the right to accept, reject, and edit submissions in any way necessary to publish a professional, informative, and thought provoking newsmagazine. Submissions sent to the Gadfly should either be in Microsoft Word or JPEG format. The deadline for submissions is the Monday a week prior to publication. For more information, contact us via email at gadfly.office@sjc.edu. Photographs without a listed source are from the St. John's College Digital Archives. St. John's College owns the rights to these photographs. All illustrations and doodles without a listed source were drawn by Helen Felbek. 60 COLLEGE AVENUE ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND 21401 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>The Gadfly</em> Description An account of the resource Founded in 1980, <em>The </em><em>Gadfly</em> is a weekly student publication distributed to over 600 students, faculty, and staff of the Annapolis campus.<br /><br />Click on <strong><a title="The Gadfly" href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/browse?collection=16&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CDate&amp;sort_dir=d">Items in the <em>The Gadfly</em> Collection</a></strong> to view and sort all items in the collection. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Greenfield Library Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context thegadfly Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data pdf Page numeration Number of pages in the original item. 44 pages Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Gadfly, Vol. XLVI, Issue 1 Description An account of the resource Volume XLVI, Issue 1 of The Gadfly. Published September 5, 2024. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Nichols-Kaufman, El'ad (Editor-in-Chief) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024-09-05 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource St. John's College owns the rights to this publication. Type The nature or genre of the resource text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Subject The topic of the resource College students' writings--Periodicals College student newspapers and periodicals St. John's College--Periodicals Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Gadfly Vol XLVI Issue 1 Gadfly Student publication https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/7d455ee4c91b830bf9112df223e4e2f7.mp3 8d290a13adc37d62aadb11ea730b24b6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource St. John's College Lecture Recordings—Santa Fe Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Meem Library Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Santa Fe, NM Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data m4a Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 00:50:25 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Hegel's Rhythm: Speculative Thinking and the Relationship between Philosophy and Poetry Description An account of the resource Audio recording of a lecture given by Andy Davis on September 6, 2024 as part of the Dean's Lecture & Concert Series. The Dean's Office has provided this description of the event: "What can poetry teach us about the demands of writing and reading philosophy? In this talk I explore this question through the lens of a few paragraphs at the end of Hegel’s preface to the Phenomenology of Spirit, with some passing references to his account of poetry in the Aesthetics lectures. Hegel’s puzzling account of 'der spekulative Satz' [the speculative sentence/proposition] employs a comparison to poetic rhythm in paragraph sixty-one. Just as poetry plays formal meters off of natural accents, speculative expressions of philosophical content rely on a productive conflict between the form of the proposition (subject is predicate) and the unity of the Concept in which such differentiations between subjects, objects and qualities disappear. Poetry provides a model of unity in conflict that produces a 'floating center' of meaning. What might it mean for philosophical thinking to likewise embrace a 'floating center'?" Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Davis, Andrew Alexander Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Santa Fe, NM Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024-09-06 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Meem Library has been given permission to make this item available online. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource sound Subject The topic of the resource Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich, 1770-1831 Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context SF_DavisA_Hegel's_Rhythm_2024-09-06 Friday night lecture https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/f0b83b96e378c8d4486c33de2fe69149.jpg 8b31343922598c45c3a7f15a20e78a43 https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/9c241c195d1f8608cc370892f3661e1d.jpg f8e21fad80ae3d8a0c72589a809d8bc3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Image Collection—Annapolis Description An account of the resource <p>The Greenfield Library Image Collection houses over 5,000 photographs, postcards, drawings, and other graphic materials.  The images in the collection document the history, academic, and community life of St. John’s College. </p> To learn more about the Greenfield Library's archives use policy or to obtain high-resolution images, please see the <strong><a title="Image Collection Use Policy" href="http://www.sjc.edu/academic-programs/libraries/greenfield-library/policies/#photographicarchivepolicy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Library’s Image Collection Use Policy</a></strong>.<br /><br />Click on <strong><a title="Photographic Archives" href="http://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/browse?collection=7">Items in the Image Collection—Annapolis Collection</a></strong> to view and sort all items in the collection. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Greenfield Library Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context imagecollectionannapolis Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data black and white photograph Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image image 22.5 x 16.5 cm, mount 25.5 x 20.5 cm Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Dr. James L. Whiteside's class of 1878, St. John's College, Annapolis, Maryland Description An account of the resource Photograph of the St. John's College class of 1878, taken circa 1875 or 1876. An inscription on the back of the photograph's mount reads: "Dr. J. L. Whiteside's class of 1878, St. John's College, Annapolis, Md. Back row: Wright, Gontrum, Martin, ?, Sprigg, (Judge) Stump, Harter (Pres. Del. Univ., Dover), Reed, ?, 2nd row: Krebs, J. L. Whiteside (roommates), Weagley, Leason, Batson, Andrews, Billingslea, Dashiel (in Navy), 4 men sitting: Comegys, (Judge) Harlan (Baltimore), Washington, Gorter, (From 1921 Pa. Ave. N.W.)" Whiteside's address listed in the Register of the Graduates and Alumni of St. John's College at Annapolis, Maryland (1908) was 1921 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unidentified Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, Md. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1878 Type The nature or genre of the resource still image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Subject The topic of the resource Male college students Whiteside, James L. Andrew, Lewis C. Batson, John R. Billingslea, James Dashiell, Robert B. Gontrum, John F. Gorter, James P. (James Polk), 1858-1939 Harlan, Henry D. (Henry David), 1858-1943 Harter, George Abram Krebs, J. Harry Leason, James A. Martin, George Thomas Reid, Magnus Sprigg, Alden Mant Stump, Henry Arthur, 1857-1934 Washington, Ernest Weagley, Charles C. W. Wright, Abram W. Comegys, Cornelius, 1858-1938 Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context SJC-P-2841 Alumni https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/e8bfe27572c59e8d85b50c3c86a0ac1b.mp3 5507733f9f435be1199a1f16fcfb587b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource St. John's College Lecture Recordings—Santa Fe Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Meem Library Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Santa Fe, NM Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data m4a Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 00:58:56 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Reading the Silences of the Text: Space, Word, and Japanese Linked Poetry Description An account of the resource Audio recording of a lecture given by Esperanza Ramirez-Christensen on September 27, 2024 as part of the Dean's Lecture & Concert Series. The Dean's Office has provided this description of the event: "Renga is a hundred-verse sequence composed during a session by a group of 3 to 10 or more poets in the Japanese medieval period (12th-16th c.); it is the precursor of the kasen, the shorter 36-verse version popular among Basho and his group in the early modern period. This lecture examines the socio-historical and cultural conditions that made such a unique genre possible, including the rules of progression from verse 1 to 100, and casts light on the way of reading the poem in its own time. We will pay attention to the influence of Buddhist philosophy in the understanding of poetry's function and practice in premodern Japan while reading 'Broken Beneath Snow,' a renga composed by a group of samurai and monks under the guidance of the renowned poet-monk Shinkei in the winter of 1468 in Tokyo. We will also look at examples of US college student renga from my Great Books classes as one of the genre's possible translations into a Western social poetry practice using the Internet." Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ramirez-Christensen, Esperanza U. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Santa Fe, NM Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024-09-27 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Meem Library has been given permission to make this item available online. Type The nature or genre of the resource sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource mp3 Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context SF_Ramirez-ChristensenE_2024-09-27 Subject The topic of the resource Renga Friday night lecture Worrell lecture https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/ba14c6e6d86459b54a80f61a884bb60a.PDF 93354561ba51f8078d8657652e2939b5 PDF Text Text Studying Phlogiston in the 21st Century We usually think of science as a progressive activity, where “progressive” means that today’s science is not just different from yesterday’s science, but that it is better. According to this view, old science is generally wrong, and the older it is the more wrong it is. Why then at St. John’s do we learn science through so many “wrong” ideas? The answer is that our science is not better or worse according to the age of the texts we read, but it is better or worse according to how we learn to think. The conception that old science is irrelevant is rooted in misunderstandings of the word “science.” What is science? I think that there are three ascending levels of understanding science, but it is only at the third level that we would be doing science. The first two levels resemble science, and they are popularly understood to be science, but they are only its superficial manifestations. 1. Science as a collection of facts At the first of these levels of understanding, science is a collection of facts. For example: The combustion of methane with oxygen is an oxidation-reduction reaction which involves the breaking and forming of covalent bonds. The reaction occurs as CH4 + 2O2 → CO2 + 2H2O. The first of the reaction products, CO2, has a double bond between the carbon and each oxygen, and these are each one σ bond and one π bond. Two of the carbon’s p-orbital electrons are used for the two π bonds.... (etc.). Many high school students memorize something like this in 10th grade chemistry, and most students of college science face similar collections of facts in their studies. If science means knowing these kinds of facts, it seems strange to read Joseph Priestley’s 1775 paper “Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air.” In that paper Priestley describes combustion by means of “phlogiston.” Even more curiously, phlogiston may not be a thing but a “principle” and may be related to the alchemical element of fire. Phlogiston also seems to have negative weight. From a modern perspective, Priestley's terminology is alien, his ideas are strange, and his facts are certainly wrong. But what do we mean by facts? “Having the facts” passes for scientific understanding, and having the latest fact is the trump card (“But there’s a new study which shows…”). We belong to one category of people (perhaps called “rational”) if we believe the current set of facts, but we belong to another set of people (perhaps “tin-foil hat”) if we reject some of them. But what meaning can the word “fact” have if it only distinguishes orthodox opinions from heretical opinions? In 1775 Priestley’s work gave the world new facts, and the alchemical element of fire (old orthodoxy) was giving way to phlogiston (new orthodoxy). Are ‘facts’ what we find in today’s headlines and textbooks? They may 1 �be called facts, but we know that most of them will later be called ‘false.’ Science-related headlines are often interesting because they tell us that yesterday’s (or last year’s or lastdecade’s) headlines were wrong. Tomorrow, and next year, and one hundred years from now, there will be new headlines and new facts. 2. Science as unifying concepts and theories At the second level of understanding, science is a collection of unifying concepts and guiding theories. For example: Atoms are composed of a dense nucleus of protons and neutrons surrounded by a diffuse region of negatively charged electrons. The number of protons in the nucleus is the fundamental determinant of an atom’s chemical properties, while the electrons occupy specific orbitals and are responsible for the nature of chemical bonds (etc.). Broadly speaking, anything that is called a science has its own unifying theories and concepts. At this level we recognize that there isn’t such a thing as a mere fact. Facts aren’t simple or isolated things, but are actually understandings that are only meaningful in a complex expression of relations. Only when we understand those relations and unifying concepts does the “fact” have meaning. And yet, the theories to which our facts belong are not the heart of science, either. To understand this, consider what happens when we take existing theories as the framework within which we ‘do’ science. We would presume that those can account for what we see, and we may conclude that there is little science left to be done. In 1900 Lord Kelvin said “There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now. All that remains is more and more precise measurement.” Tremendous revolutions in physics (quantum mechanics and relativity) were looming in 1900, but as far as Kelvin could see, everything was accounted for within the existing frameworks. When we take existing theories as our guide, it’s like searching inside a box of our own construction and we can’t recognize its walls as self-imposed limitations. How can we understand the results of an experiment if we judge them according to what we think they ought to be? How can we see beyond a theory if the theory is the lens through which we look? 3. Science as a living inquiry Science is not a collection of facts, but it also isn’t the theories or the lenses through which we look. Science is a way of thinking, a way that is grounded in and contingent upon observation. Observation is the touchstone which allows us to challenge our own thinking. This is the third level for understanding science: as a living inquiry. To study 2 �science is not to study facts, nor is it to learn to think theoretically. Doing science means learning to observe and coming to understand how observations are the basis for creating, organizing, and possibly rejecting our own principles and theories. As Priestley did in 1775, we can marvel at a single burning candle, at its light, its heat, at the disappearance of its wax. We might even try burning a candle in a closed vessel and watch what happens, and perhaps measure or weigh it as well. From our own work we could experience the complex and seemingly disparate events of ‘combustion,’ and perhaps wonder how they might be related. Without this direct experience, criticizing Priestley on the basis of his errors, or his shortcomings, or his unwarranted assumptions, is being scientifically lazy. We are merely taking the authority of later geniuses to criticize the insights of an earlier one. Science really is inquiry. When we can see it this way, we see it not as arbitrary ideas but as an expanding enterprise that only makes progress by overcoming its own myopia, often in seemingly radical ways. It is too easy to be trapped by our own preconceptions. In 1971, Carl Sagan said “I think it is a kind of intellectual chauvinism to assume that all the laws of physics have been discovered by the year of our meeting. Had we held this meeting twenty or forty years ago, we would perhaps have erroneously drawn the same conclusion.” Albert Einstein, Lewis Thomas, and others have said similar things, and no one who believes otherwise is poised to discover. If we perform combustion “experiments” 1 while reading a Chemistry textbook we might feel that our work is correct only if its results agree with the book. An accident, a curious occurrence, a “wrong” answer would be considered distractions from the goal. Students in most chemistry labs are graded on the quality of their results because the aim of the class is to determine whether they can do careful work within predetermined bounds. This is an important skill, but science is more than having the skill of a technician. Science is learning how to inquire, and nothing undermines an inquiry more than supposing that the answer is already known. A belief that the question is fixed in advance and that someone already knows the ‘right’ answer might keep us from seeing the wonders that appear before our eyes. If they interfere with our ability to see and to inquire, today’s theories and facts are no less a tyrant than yesterday’s. At St. John’s we observe and experiment for ourselves with combustion while we read Priestley and Lavoisier. The questions come to us as open, not with pre-fabricated answers lurking behind them. We read Lavoisier along with Dalton, Gay-Lussac, and others, but we do not read them because they proved Priestley wrong. We read them because, like them, we too have wrestled with phlogiston, and we too have seen 1 The scare quotes are here because it’s not an experiment if the expected outcome is known in advance. It might be a demonstration, an illustration, training, a recipe, or a test, but its aim is not discovery. 3 �combustion, and we too have tried to observe and weigh, and we too have tried to seek better ways of understanding what we have seen. One further reason to read older works is that they better reveal scientific thinking, while papers from the early to mid-20th century onwards often contain only “results” and a narrow statement of hypothesis. Older papers, right or wrong, are a far better way to see and engage with the thinking that characterizes science. If we study only the facts, we will only ever know today’s news. If we study the best thinking and strive to do similarly ourselves, we will be better prepared to evaluate today’s news and perhaps even create tomorrow’s. Eric Poppele Tutor and Director of Laboratories December, 2016 (minor revisions in 2024) 4 � Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Word doc Page numeration Number of pages in the original item. 4 pages Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Studying Phlogiston in the 21st Century Description An account of the resource This essay by Tutor and Director of Laboratories Eric Poppele explores the meaning of science and how it is practiced at St. John's College. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Poppele, Eric Hunter Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Santa Fe, NM Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-12, revised 2024 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Meem Library has been given permission to make this item available online. Type The nature or genre of the resource text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context SF_PoppeleE_Studying_Phlogiston_in_the_21st_Century_2016-12,_revised_2024 Tutors https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/1c9f1744b49ca16735d6978e6266b6b6.mp4 f841c1639c0ffe4aea7da15167c18020 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Items in this collection are part of a series of lectures given every year at St. John's College. During the Fall and Spring semesters, lectures are given on Friday nights. Items include audio and video recordings and typescripts.<br /><br />For more information, and a schedule of upcoming lectures, please visit the <strong><a href="http://www.sjc.edu/programs-and-events/annapolis/formal-lecture-series/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St. John's College website</a></strong>.  <br /><br />Click on <strong><a title="Formal Lecture Series" href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/browse?collection=5&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CDate&amp;sort_dir=d">Items in the St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Collection</a></strong> to view and sort all items in the collection.<br /><br />A growing number of lecture recordings are also available on the St. John's College (Annapolis) Lectures podcast. Visit <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/st-johns-college-annapolis-lectures/id1695157772">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6GDsIRqC8SWZ28AY72BsYM?si=f2ecfa9e247a456f" title="Spotify">Spotify</a> to listen and subscribe. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Greenfield Library Title A name given to the resource St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context formallectureseriesannapolis Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data mov Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 00:50:35 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The One and the Many in Psalm 42: Sicut Cervus Description An account of the resource Video recording of a lecture delivered on August 23, 2024, by Suzy Paalman as part of the Formal Lecture Series. Ms. Paalman offers the following description: The motet by Palestrina based on Psalm 42:1 is beloved at St. John's College. If one reads further into the Psalm than the first verse, one can find a return of the motif of water which first appears as "fontes aquarum" in Palestrina's Latin. These "flowing streams" return as tears, as a pouring out of the soul, as cataracts, and more. The "cervus" (deer) of the first verse never appears again explicitly. Instead, we take in images of people: a crowd of mockers, a throng of joyful worshippers, and more. Whereas adding bits of water together doesn't change the character of the water, gathering different people together can have great consequences for the individuals so gathered. The Psalmist wrestles with division and community in himself, in his surroundings, and with his God. What does he long for? Can we learn something about the longing of our own hearts by paying close attention to this Psalm? Ms. Paalman's lecture is the first formal lecture of the academic year. Previously referred to as the Dean's Lecture, this lecture is now called the Christopher B. Nelson Lecture. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Paalman, Susan R. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024-08-23 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource A signed permission form has been received stating: "I hereby grant St. John's College permission to: make a recording of my lecture, and retain copies for circulation and archival preservation at the St. John’s College Greenfield Library; make a recording of my lecture available online; make typescript copies of my lecture available for circulation and archival preservation at the St. John’s College Greenfield Library; make a copy of my typescript available online." Type The nature or genre of the resource moving image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource mp4 Subject The topic of the resource Palestrina, Giovanni Pierluigi da, 1525?-1594. Motets (1584 : Voices (4)). Sicut cervus Bible. Psalms, XLII Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Lec Paalman Susan 2024-08-23_ac Deans Friday night lecture https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/f1483e8e62eb0076e8bb62c3d8ae3df4.mp4 7573930b275a0ee9d9bf5f317951061d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Items in this collection are part of a series of lectures given every year at St. John's College. During the Fall and Spring semesters, lectures are given on Friday nights. Items include audio and video recordings and typescripts.<br /><br />For more information, and a schedule of upcoming lectures, please visit the <strong><a href="http://www.sjc.edu/programs-and-events/annapolis/formal-lecture-series/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St. John's College website</a></strong>.  <br /><br />Click on <strong><a title="Formal Lecture Series" href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/browse?collection=5&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CDate&amp;sort_dir=d">Items in the St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Collection</a></strong> to view and sort all items in the collection.<br /><br />A growing number of lecture recordings are also available on the St. John's College (Annapolis) Lectures podcast. Visit <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/st-johns-college-annapolis-lectures/id1695157772">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6GDsIRqC8SWZ28AY72BsYM?si=f2ecfa9e247a456f" title="Spotify">Spotify</a> to listen and subscribe. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Greenfield Library Title A name given to the resource St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context formallectureseriesannapolis Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data mp4 Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 01:07:38 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Phenomenology of Nature Description An account of the resource Video recording of a lecture delivered on September 20, 2024, by Ryan Shea as part of the Formal Lecture Series. Ryan Shea taught at Providence College for eight years, including courses in philosophy of science, environmental philosophy, and nature writing. His research weaves together ancient philosophical biology (especially Aristotle), the scientific revolution, phenomenology, German idealism, and Goethean qualitative science. His main project is to learn what it might look like to read the “book of nature” in a participatory, contemplative, phenomenological, and poetic fashion.  Ryan Shea offers this description of his lecture: Edmund Husserl inaugurated the modern discipline of phenomenology with the rallying cry, "back to the 'things themselves'." And yet, when reading the works of phenomenologists, one might reasonably worry that we have bracketed the natural world, that we have left out precisely the "things themselves." This talk pursues two distinct, yet intertwined, questions. We begin with Socrates's central question (ti esti), "What is phenomenology?" This leads to our central concern, "How might we practice a phenomenology of nature?" The work of the poet, scientist, painter, and dramatist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe will serve as a guiding light. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Shea, Ryan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024-09-20 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource A signed permission form has been received stating: "I hereby grant St. John's College permission to: make a recording of my lecture, and retain copies for circulation and archival preservation at the St. John’s College Greenfield Library; make a recording of my lecture available online; make typescript copies of my lecture available for circulation and archival preservation at the St. John’s College Greenfield Library; make a copy of my typescript available online." Type The nature or genre of the resource moving image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource mp4 Subject The topic of the resource Phenomenology Nature Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context LEC_Shea_Ryan_2024-09-20_ac Friday night lecture https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/8b9c150192d6b7da8aad07234a5baa49.mp4 ea3433d8f3ad859a7d1646994230b977 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Items in this collection are part of a series of lectures given every year at St. John's College. During the Fall and Spring semesters, lectures are given on Friday nights. Items include audio and video recordings and typescripts.<br /><br />For more information, and a schedule of upcoming lectures, please visit the <strong><a href="http://www.sjc.edu/programs-and-events/annapolis/formal-lecture-series/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St. John's College website</a></strong>.  <br /><br />Click on <strong><a title="Formal Lecture Series" href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/browse?collection=5&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CDate&amp;sort_dir=d">Items in the St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Collection</a></strong> to view and sort all items in the collection.<br /><br />A growing number of lecture recordings are also available on the St. John's College (Annapolis) Lectures podcast. Visit <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/st-johns-college-annapolis-lectures/id1695157772">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6GDsIRqC8SWZ28AY72BsYM?si=f2ecfa9e247a456f" title="Spotify">Spotify</a> to listen and subscribe. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Greenfield Library Title A name given to the resource St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context formallectureseriesannapolis Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data mp4 Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 00:51:36 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Listen, Love, and Learn: The Formative Power of Singing without Paper Description An account of the resource Video recording of a lecture delivered on September 1, 2023, by Paul Vasile as part of the Formal Lecture Series. Mr. Vasile describes his lecture: "We'll explore practices of musicking rooted in the oral tradition and the ways they enrich and complexify how we interpret music from the page." Paul Vasile is a church musician, teacher, and composer who finds his greatest joy in collaborative and community-centered work. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Vasile, Paul Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2023-09-01 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource A signed permission form has been received stating, "I hereby grant St. John's College permission to: Make an audio recording of my lecture, and retain copies for circulation and archival preservation in the St. John's College Greenfield Library. Make an audio recording of my lecture available online." Type The nature or genre of the resource moving image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource mp4 Subject The topic of the resource Sight-singing Singing--Instruction and study Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context LEC_Vasile_Paul_2023-09-01_ac Friday night lecture https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/85496d1c24820397c03c46b8de9461e1.mp3 b63cb824cfbd08eee80904a9decd1b6c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Items in this collection are part of a series of lectures given every year at St. John's College. During the Fall and Spring semesters, lectures are given on Friday nights. Items include audio and video recordings and typescripts.<br /><br />For more information, and a schedule of upcoming lectures, please visit the <strong><a href="http://www.sjc.edu/programs-and-events/annapolis/formal-lecture-series/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St. John's College website</a></strong>.  <br /><br />Click on <strong><a title="Formal Lecture Series" href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/browse?collection=5&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CDate&amp;sort_dir=d">Items in the St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Collection</a></strong> to view and sort all items in the collection.<br /><br />A growing number of lecture recordings are also available on the St. John's College (Annapolis) Lectures podcast. Visit <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/st-johns-college-annapolis-lectures/id1695157772">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6GDsIRqC8SWZ28AY72BsYM?si=f2ecfa9e247a456f" title="Spotify">Spotify</a> to listen and subscribe. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Greenfield Library Title A name given to the resource St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context formallectureseriesannapolis Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data minidisc Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 01:07:58 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Political Foundations of Modernity Description An account of the resource Audio recording of a lecture delivered on January 24, 2003, by Henry Higuera as part of the Formal Lecture Series. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Higuera, Henry, 1954- Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2003-01-24 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource St. John's College has been given permission to make this item available online. Type The nature or genre of the resource sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource mp3 Subject The topic of the resource Machiavelli, Niccolò, 1469-1527 Galilei, Galileo, 1564-1642 Descartes, René, 1596-1650 Bacon, Francis, 1561-1626 Science--Philosophy Science--Moral and ethical aspects Political science--Philosophy Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context MD-0020 Friday night lecture Tutors https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/6b56bcb73dc481fa0f85f15efef59305.mp4 896474d537ae373a4f360aa7ff57a9ac Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Description An account of the resource Items in this collection are part of a series of lectures given every year at St. John's College. During the Fall and Spring semesters, lectures are given on Friday nights. Items include audio and video recordings and typescripts.<br /><br />For more information, and a schedule of upcoming lectures, please visit the <strong><a href="http://www.sjc.edu/programs-and-events/annapolis/formal-lecture-series/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St. John's College website</a></strong>.  <br /><br />Click on <strong><a title="Formal Lecture Series" href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/browse?collection=5&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CDate&amp;sort_dir=d">Items in the St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Collection</a></strong> to view and sort all items in the collection.<br /><br />A growing number of lecture recordings are also available on the St. John's College (Annapolis) Lectures podcast. Visit <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/st-johns-college-annapolis-lectures/id1695157772">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6GDsIRqC8SWZ28AY72BsYM?si=f2ecfa9e247a456f" title="Spotify">Spotify</a> to listen and subscribe. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Greenfield Library Title A name given to the resource St. John's College Formal Lecture Series—Annapolis Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context formallectureseriesannapolis Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data mp4 Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 01:15:20 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Footnotes to Aristotle Description An account of the resource Video recording of a lecture delivered on September 13, 2024, by Graham Harman as part of the Formal Lecture Series. Professor Harman is an alum of the Annapolis campus of St. John's. He is currently a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and the Liberal Arts Co-Ordinator at the Southern California Institute of Architecture, with teaching stops around the world focused on philosophical thinking, architecture, and art. He has repeatedly been included on ArtReview’s Power 100 list of the most influential figures in the contemporary art world. Dr. Harman gives the following description of his lecture: "The title of this lecture is a riff on Alfred North Whitehead's famous remark that Western philosophy can be considered as a series of footnotes to Plato. The lecture will interpret the difference between Aristotle's Physics and Metaphysics as a difference between the continuous and the discrete, and will seek to develop further Aristotle's notion of "contact" as how two things meet (thereby bridging the gap between the continuous and the discrete)." Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Harman, Graham, 1968- Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024-09-13 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource A signed permission form has been received stating, "I hereby grant St. John's College permission to: Make an audio recording of my lecture, and retain copies for circulation and archival preservation in the St. John's College Greenfield Library. Make an audio recording of my lecture available online. Make a typescript copy of my lecture available for circulation and archival preservation in the St. John's College Greenfield Library. Make a copy of my typescript available online." Type The nature or genre of the resource moving image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource mp4 Subject The topic of the resource Aristotle. Physics. Aristotle. Metaphysics. Philosophy Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context LEC_Harman_Graham_2024-09-13_ac Relation A related resource <a href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/show/8021">Typescript</a> Alumni Friday night lecture https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/8cb39d4520a732fff2ce16bcdd6b5c99.pdf aae20f45b0f652b7ebf7649fb1fc4277 PDF Text Text Thursday September 12, 2024 The St. John’s Collegian A Gadfly Publication From the polity Rendelman Rundown: Intramural Draft Hello, Readers! This year I will be keeping you up to date on all things intramurals. So, with summer over and the season opening, I’m here with a recap of the intramural draft. On Sunday, August 25th, the captains gathered in the conversation room to decide the fate of the current sophomore class. I won’t go into specifics about the order of individual drafts, but I’ll provide my impression of each team’s final draft class. With the first overall pick of each round, last season’s last-place team, the Hustlers, came in with a plan… sort of. The team managed to retain some of their major players with Amha Worku and Auggie Bellanca, and pulled off two incredible picks: 6’7” Reagan Carr, a basketball and Netball legend, and B-team phenom Josh Calonje-Quintero. What the Hustlers truly need is attendance, so only time will tell how their draft truly pans out. If I had to assign a letter grade, I’d give the Hustlers a B+. Next, the Spartans: their four fearless leaders managed to keep their standout Irish soccer star, Charlie Mahon, and filled some graduate-shaped holes in their volleyball team, picking up Hannah Winn, a former Hustler. They also grabbed Ella Jackey, another great soccer player, and had a pair of athletes returning from a year in Fe. All in all, the Spartans did a good job, earning them an A. The Guardians picked next and used their draft to supply a critical need: female athletes. After retaining standout basketball player Henry Strand, the Guardians made some key fixes, drafting Sofia Argones— a speedy B-team beast— and a handful of other stellar female athletes. The team’s two male captains did a great job evaluating and meeting the needs of the team. For self-awareness, they earn an A, but in general I give them a B. The Greenwaves had a strong draft, keeping a lot of their previous freshmen. There were very few notable moves, other than picking up Nate Burke from the Hustlers and Jackson Snyder from the Guardians. The Waves always have incredible energy, and I think that would have remained the case regardless of the draft, but I’d give the draft itself a B-. Continued on page 2 Vol. II Issue I Printed Thursdays in Annapolis LETTER FROM THE (NEW) EDITOR The Collegian Wants You If you read the final article of last year’s Collegian, you may wonder why you’re holding this issue in your hands: our previous editor, the illustrious El’ad Nichols-Kaufman, announced last spring that the Collegian would not continue, since he was taking over editorship of the Gadfly and would not have time for both. Nevertheless, here I am, writing a new front page article, and here you are, reading it. This blessed circumstance is due to the fact that I offered to take over the Collegian instead, alongside my co-editor Jacob Sharpe (‘27). Huzzah! Editing a student publication is a significant time commitment. Why would we volunteer to do this? We each have our reasons. Jacob has written his own letter for you on page 2—go read it. In this article, I’d like to tell you why I want to keep the Collegian alive—and, more importantly, why I need your help. Last year, I didn’t think I’d have time to write for school publications at all. The Gadfly didn’t get a peep from me, and I was a stranger to the Collegian for the whole first semester. I had too many other obligations to focus on extracurricular writing. But then something changed: I started having opinions—opinions on topics concerning the polity. And I wanted to express them. Suddenly, I found myself writing out of necessity. I had things to say, and I wanted them to be heard and considered by my peers. The Collegian provided the perfect platform. I wrote about bike paths, whooping cough, and Kirk Garner. Other students wrote about commencement speakers, Mellon art displays, and how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. I realized that we need the Collegian. We need it not only to keep up with school events, but to keep sane by— to share our weekly thoughts and questions and to hear what our friends are thinking about too. It fills an important niche by being the most up-to-date student publication. More notably, I believe it strengthens our community by providing a structured forum for respectful and well-thought-out discourse. I couldn’t let it slip into journalistic oblivion. But I can’t keep it alive without you. So, why should you write for the Collegian? I’ve got a few good reasons. First, the great thing about it is that it is short and speedy. (Not to be confused with “harsh and hasty.” We still expect high-quality journalism.) This Week in Seminar Freshmen: Thursday, September 12: Homer: Odyssey, XVII–XXIV Monday, September 16: Plato, Meno Sophomores: Thursday, September 12: Bible, Psalms (selections) Monday, September 16: Bible, Amos; Jonah; Isaiah 40-55 Juniors: Thursday, September 12: Milton: Paradise Lost, I–III Monday, September 16: Milton, Paradise Lost, IV; V; VI Argument only; VII Argument, 1–39; VIII Seniors: Thursday, September 12: Hegel: Phenomenology of Spirit, Unhappy Consciousness (207-230); Reason (231-232) Monday, September 16: Hegel, Phenomenology of Spirit, Conscience and The Beautiful Soul (632658) Friday Night Lecture: Professor Graham Harman, “Footnotes to Aristotle” Page 1 You don’t need to spend an afternoon crafting a threepage essay or conducting an in-depth interview— that sort of writing has its place in the Gadfly. The Collegian provides a different outlet: You can take a few short words to speak your mind, report on a recent event, or exhort your classmates to actually read the seminar reading (as Jackson Green did last year). Your thoughts and news will be published the same week that you submit them. The Collegian is yours: not just to read, but to write. Anything you want to say to the polity is publishable in the Collegian (barring slander, gossip, and misinformation, obviously). We will publish opposing opinion pieces in the same issue, if you send them. We will publish your thoughts on college traditions, Friday night lectures, and intramural politics. We will publish anyone from tenured tutors to first-year students to college maintenance staff. We will publish your reports on waltzes, SCI meetings, and reading groups, your complaints about the math manual, your questions about administration, your satire and your social commentaries— if you send them to us. You must send them. I took over the Collegian this year because the polity needs it. At the same time, it needs you to keep it thinking and breathing and holding us together. Will you help us bring it to life this year? Submit your articles to us (sjca.collegian@gmail.com) on Mondays before midnight (see page 2 for details). You’ll be in print by Thursday. We can’t wait to hear what you have to say. Love, Helen Wagner Nichols-Kaufman (left) with Wagner and Sharpe at the college activities fair. Photo on film by Dora Vecoli. Upcoming Events: Saturday, September 14: Art Exhibit Opening: “Theater of Turmoil,” 12:30pm, Mitchell Gallery Folk Life Contra Dance, 7-10pm, Great Hall Sunday, September 15: Pangea’s Chuseok: Korean Thanksgiving, 6pm, Boathouse Monday, September 16: Gadfly and Collegian II submission deadline Tuesday, September 17: Waltz Lessons, 8:30pm, Great Hall (weekly) Wednesday, September 18: Wellness Wednesday, 11am-1pm, Quad Professor Maxwell Stearns: Constitution Day Lecture, 7:30pm, Great Hall �Thursday September 12, 2024 St. John’s Collegian Vol. II. Issue I Letter from the (Other new) Editor Help! Hello, Polity! You are reading this second page of the Collegian, whether by happenstance through it being set down upon its face, through a literary ardor that demands you read this delightfully resurrected publication in its full, or per Helen Wagner’s request that you read my accompanying letter. Whatever your reason, I’m glad you’re here. That we now have a Collegian to read is a fortunate turn of events! Despite other parties’ evil efforts to consolidate the college’s news within the oppressive monthly confines of the Gadfly, Helen and I have wrested the paper from the maw of death and now the Collegian lives to die another day. Huzzah! But why did we choose to save campus journalism? Why did we deem the opinions of Johnnies worth saving? Furthermore, wherever will we find all the time that the press demands of us? Helen has her reasons for her endeavors on the front page (or on the back page, if this issue is face-down). Go read it, if you haven’t already. I, however, have my own little spiel of reasons, which begins with the story of how the Collegian was endeared to me. I spent most of last year’s first semester reading as I’ve never before, and Plato wore heavy on my soul. Seeking the perusal of reading material but fatigued with philosophy, I was led to the readily available and frequently updated Collegian, which always had something entertaining and clever to occupy my mind. However, my relationship with the Collegian remained as a reader, and I was not moved to write for it until I was baited with an absurd attack article that struck at the heart and soul of this campus (cigarette smoking in non-designated areas). Of course, I was forced to take up arms. Writing a creative piece for the first time in who knows how long was refreshing; in the sense that I could spend an hour or two crafting a relatively short article, and that there was a dedicated place for it to go! It made me understand such a place’s necessity. For people who have more extensive, and longerplanned articles, the Gadfly is a wonderful institution. For others with less, but just as valuable content to share, it is still requisite that this campus have a Collegian. To be without one would silence the many Johnnie voices that have a little to say here and there. This paper, as the only weekly one on campus, lends itself particularly well to short snippets of opinion, fact, and whatever lies in between. I’m fond of the bursts of whimsy and wit we get from the polity, as well as the more journalistic pieces that showcase the diverse interests and activities of this campus. That I can read a piece on desire paths on our campus, a Aphorism of the Week “Time is a game played beautifully by children.” -Heraclitus panegyric exulting the virtues of actually reading Huckleberry Finn, or a spirited debate over cycling infrastructure on a given Thursday—all studentcontributed and with unique impassioned voices, is miraculous. The articles I’ve read in the past year have confirmed that the Collegian is the home for anything and everything you, the reader, have to contribute. It builds community, gives a voice to all, and acts as an outlet in the midst of a busy and stressful life. All these joys of published glory are yours, if you choose to share in them. And you should choose to share in them! The only requirement is that you actually contribute it to us. Email works, fax machine, passenger pigeon (save their extinction). So, please, find it within yourself to contribute something unique and yours to our lovely paper. Unless I steal your annual essay out of the Dean’s Office, I won’t otherwise get this opportunity from many of you. In this coming year, I look forward to this Collegian being a blank slate for whatever you have to give us. It can be the means of recording the day-to-day happenings at this campus, a creative outlet for ye who tire of thine manuscripts pertaining only to the great books, et cetera. If you want to write about the Metaphysics, though, that’s okay too. Just make it pretty cool. Submit your articles to sjca.collegian@gmail.com, and you’ll see it in glorious Garamonded print on Thursday. Welcome back! Jacob Sharpe St. John’s on Tv During opening week, a South Korean film crew from EBS (the Korean version of PBS) shot different scenes around campus, including convocation. On Saturday morning, a group of students assembled in the Barr-Buchannan-Center to participate in mock discussions: a seminar on the Meno led by Mr. Haflidson and Ms. Langston and a math tutorial on Galileo’s Two New Sciences. Among the participants were Ms. Lee (’26) and Ms. Kim (’25). Ms. Lee dreams of becoming a documentary director herself, so she helped the crew with interviewing students and faculty. “The concept of reading books and then discussing them is very new to most of Korean education,” she shared. Ms. Kim added: “Ten years ago, there was another kind of documentary [about St. John’s]. But at this time, we are focusing more on how this education happens…: how we read books, how we talk about [them] and why it is important. And I think it is a really great opportunity not only for South Korea but also for whatever country that would watch.” One of the members of the film crew, Mr. Hong, explained: “The Korean government realized that there is a social issue in South Korea, which is people don't read. I think it's kind of a world worldwide problem. People don't read these days... Especially in South Korea, the country of Samsung, LG… So, the Korean Government has decided to make a documentary film to encourage people to read.” There will be five episodes about the benefits of reading, including the relationship between cognitive ability and reading and reading in the AI era. While in the US, they will also travel to New York to interview BVG member and alumna Carla Echevarria (‘96) at Google Gemini. Mr. Hong shared his impression that the program at St. John’s is very “tough,” but is “totally worth it.” Ms. Langston expressed her hope for more collaboration between Korean institutions and St. John’s. Much of this is driven by Dr. Yongwha Lee (AGI01), professor at Incheon National University and founder of the Great Books Center there. Ms. Langston’s hopes for the documentary are not limited to more visibility in Korea but extent to the US as well. A technologically advanced country embracing reading again is “an important story for people here to hear as well,… I'm really hopeful that this is going to be a fantastic way to let more people see who we are and see the value of [this kind of education].” The documentary will air in the fourth quarter of 2024. Helen Felbek Intramural Article, cont’d Finally, the reigning champs with the last pick of each round, the Druids. The Druids did a great job: they kept Ella Hedman, an incredibly talented athlete across the board, and picked up a few B-teamers, nabbing Henry Redfield and Celina Lee who are both key contributors. They had very little to be upset about—a solid draft, another B+. These grades are just based on my own impressions, and soon the season will be in full swing. Only time will tell regarding the impact of the draft. Lainey Rendelman Page 2 About the St. John’s Collegian The St. John’s Collegian is the weekly newspaper of St. John’s College Annapolis. We work to bring quick and timely coverage of important events going on, to help develop a more informed student body. If you’re searching for more in-depth investigations and reporting, as well as essays, art and culture, check out the Gadfly, our affiliated publication, which is published once every three weeks. Want to submit an article? We always need more writers, whether for opinion or reporting! Submissions for news articles should be between 400600 words, while opinion should be kept short at 350 words. Just email sjca.collegian@gmail.com with your article, and we will work to get it in print! Longer form articles and more in-depth exploration of ideas should go to the Gadfly, which accepts submissions at gadfly.office@sjc.edu. Contributors for this issue: Helen Wagner, writer and editor Jacob Sharpe, writer and editor Helen Felbek, writer Lainey Rendelman, writer Liza Love, cartoonist Dora Vecoli, photographer Your new editors, Helen and Jacob. Original cartoon by Liza Love (‘27). � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>The St. John's Collegian</em> Description An account of the resource A student newspaper of St. John's College. <em>The St. John's Collegian</em> began publication in 2023 and is affiliated with <a href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/collections/show/16"><em>The Gadfly</em></a>. <br /><br />Published weekly on Thursday, with the exception of weeks <em>The Gadfly </em>is published. <br /><br />Earlier publications with the title <em>The Collegian </em>and <em>The St. John's Collegian </em>are available in <a href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/collections/show/26"><em>The Collegian Collection</em></a>.<br /><br />Click on Items in <a href="https://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/browse?collection=69&amp;sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CDate&amp;sort_dir=d">The St. John's Collegian Collection</a> to view and sort all items in the collection. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource St. John's College Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, Md. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Greenfield Library Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context SJCCollegian Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data pdf Page numeration Number of pages in the original item. 2 pages Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource St. John's Collegian, September 12, 2024 Description An account of the resource Volume 2, issue 1 of the St. John's Collegian, published September 12, 2024. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource St. John's College (Annapolis, Md.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College (Annapolis, Md.) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024-09-12 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource St. John's College holds the rights to this publication. Type The nature or genre of the resource text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Subject The topic of the resource St. John's College (Annapolis, Md.)--Periodicals Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context SJCCollegian_vol2_issue1_2024-09-12 Student publication The Collegian The Gadfly https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/849630a611400afaf9a686e23e20b245.mp3 0e14364a6a22b913dfe4ae1fd2da9762 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource St. John's College Lecture Recordings—Santa Fe Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Meem Library Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Santa Fe, NM Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data m4a Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 00:48:56 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Family Resemblance: On Knowing and Not Knowing Description An account of the resource Audio recording of a lecture given by Dean Sarah Davis on August 30, 2024 as part of the Dean's Lecture & Concert Series. The Dean's Office has provided this description of the event: "What do a Greek tragedy and a 20th-century work of philosophy have in common? At first glance, Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus and Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations seem worlds apart. However, this lecture suggests that these authors are wrestling with a similar problem, though from different angles -- one we might characterize as tragic, the other, comic. Both texts ultimately call for a reorientation toward the pursuit of knowledge, challenging us to reconsider what it truly means to know anything, especially ourselves." Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Davis, Sarah Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Santa Fe, NM Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2024-08-30 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Meem Library has been given permission to make this item available online. Type The nature or genre of the resource sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource mp3 Subject The topic of the resource Sophocles. Oedipus Tyrannus. Wittgenstein, Ludwig. Philosophical Investigations. Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context SF_DavisS_Family_Resemblance_On_Knowing_And_Not_Knowing_2024-08-30 Deans Friday night lecture https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/sjcdigitalarchives/original/01ccfbcf93fc38dba62660dee2f78778.pdf a2e402be0093d82820d305d86470256f PDF Text Text niE COLLEGIAN THE STUDENT WEEKLY OF ST.JOHN’S COLLEGE ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND lA ORANA MARIA PAUL GAUGUIN 76 13 DEC. 1971 �PAGE TWO Tuesday, December 7 To the Editor: I read the article by Mr Matters, whom 1 unfortunately neither teach nor know, with that rising, irri­ table interest which is produced by aerious arguments seriously pro­ posed with which one finds onself in almost total disagreement. Mr Hattera must forgive ma in at least one respect: in order to do justice to his reasoning I should have written my answer during the Christmas vacation, |>ut by nest year the readers of Tia would have forgotten what his issues werea As it is, although what I have to say la not sufficiently weII-composed,, I feel myself entitled to refer to his article and to answer his arguments in the order in which they appear. I. Mr Hagfcara says, rightly, X think, that those who come here, students and tutors, accept a theory of learning, but he is, in ray experience, not right in saying that they accept it “In toto“ or do not question It, To accept a way of life “in principle”, that is, to live in consonance with it and faithfully to it, 18 far from swallowing it “as a whole” plthout asking questions about it. The fact that the program has Indeed changed little since its institution is not proof that It has not been thought about but that it has. In prin­ ciple, commended Itself to the participants. “To question”, it seems to me, ought to mean not to doubt, or to oppose, but to wish to understand--In full engagement. I do not think I can ask questions concerning what I do not accept as having worth, IX, Mr Mattera chooses, again rightly, 1 think, the absence of the study of history as the most telling negative characteris­ tic of the college. He claims, - explicitly or implicitly, that *Uihols Grains and Bssns *nacrQbiQtlc Foods Uagstsrisn Foods ♦Delicious Organic Fruits and Msgatables ♦Discount PricBB for Bulk Buying 1923 WEST ST M0N4HU-FRI: 10-9 ANNAPOLIS 26a6eG2 TUE-^ED’SATi 10-6 (I) history is a well-known and available subject matter teachj able in schools, (2) the study a of which forms a useful back­ ground to the study of texts, and (3) which yields a well kno^/n and obvious conclusion, namely that man is mutable, (4) the denial of which is Itself a part of history, namely Greek history, I answer: Cl) the discipline known as history is a near-lnfinita oneI a large part of its study consists in establishing what it 18 that ia to be studied; a competent judgnspait 1" this pre­ liminary matter alone can only be acquired over a life-time; the actual acquisition of historical knowledge, once defined, is a matter requiring enormous skill J in languages, archaeology, epl| graphy, palaeography, etc,; it | �PACE THREE In, in short* • subject natter far aeli-cultivation and advanced •t«dy, (2) Such neager and derivative "infometlon’' as can be conveyed to beginning learners is far from giving then a "background" for reflection on taxts-»lt is eseentially a way of surreptitiously inatilling the prejudice that esrtaln works are written for ulterior Motives, economic or Aristocratic, or some other. But supposing this "information" to ba conveyed in the most scrupulous way, it is still in crucial cases vacuous--for Instance tha "background" for the Homeric epics is found to be largely derived from Homer when traced down. Furthermore, the interesting vribcrs often have the property ’ of being stubbornly unconventional: whatever their historical situation say be—that precisely they are not. (3) That history teaches that san is mutable can not yet be safely concluded—it may be that history teaches that a small part of mankind thought itself infi­ nitely transformable and was proved—heaven for fend—catastro­ phically wrong. (4) Jbuong the Greeks there was not only Parmenides but also lUraclltus, not only Plato but Also Herodotus. Furthermore, the vary fact that at this present nooent it is possible to assent to or dissent from the proposi­ tion that humsui nature is fixed shows It to be not a "classical understanding" but simply an understanding. 1 do not think that studies like sociology and anthropology show otherwise— every such text I have ever read^ AStAblished, clearly or by im­ plication, an anthropologizing and sociologlzing animal, whose nature it was to be the fixed observer of the various and changing natures of the human aubjects of investigation. Ill, Mr Mattera says that "icisnee" , which he takes as a given pre-established object with well-known characteristics, is cumulative and that the program denies this. It is a curious thing to say of a course of learning sometimes accused of being "history of science", 1 think that Mr Mattera, who is, 1 understand, a sophomor^, has forgotten that the advancement from, or if you will, the defeat of,the ancient physicists conies, appropriately, largely in the junior year, in which the founders of modernity, whose point of departure is almost invariably a confutation of Aristotle, are studied. IV, Mt Mattera observes a "dis­ dain for contemporary Investi­ gations? « I think there is no such dlpdaln (though perhaps some avpr81on--the consequence of acquaintance rather than Ignoranpe) among the tutors, but rather great perplexity in the facp of an absolutely con­ founding proliferation of dis­ ciplines. I think we will eventually find a way to make a choice fnong them, perhaps with the help of graduates of the college. V, He also observes a con­ demnation of the ways of other collegeo. I think myself that we should t^^ead tactfully on that ground; nevertheless. If it is, as Mr Mattera himself thinks, possible to have good or bad plans of education, and if one thinks that the St John's programs Is both very good and—as he also thinks it is— essentially opposed to that of other schools, it is right and proper that we should walk about with a modest sense of exultation, especially if we have experience of the unhappiness of students in other schools. VI, Mr Mattera says that the program is not In fact a "revival of anything which has ever existed". It is, of course, of no essential consequence whether this is the case or not, 1 am uncertain of ray history here and do not believe �PAGE POUR anyone else's, nor do I much wish to engage In the lengthy inves­ tigation by which I could assure rayself of the truth of such a statement, the verification of a statement of historical non-existence being the weariest of all undertakings. I do know that the program Is a realization of certain essential features of liberal arts learning as set out in ancient and medieval treatises, for example the Dldascalion of Hugo St Victor. VII, Mr Matters objects to the all-required nature of the pro­ gram, chiefly on the grounds, as I understand him, that it stifles freedom and kills the zest for learning. To take the latter first, I too, find it to be, intermittently, the case. This has to do partly with the excessive magnitude and variety of the tasks we require of ourselves, but partly with something deeper and less likely to be curable, namely the essential perversity of the attempt to Institutionalize learning at all. Tet 1 offer myself this negative consolation: KITCHIN DRUGS 60 WEST STREET*ANNAPOLIS 268-22H that there is no feasible alter­ native— that my nature, at once Inert and distractable, needs the whip of public obligation to do what it most desires, that I do not really want to forego the conanunlty and purposefulness which comes from having a thought-out common plan of learning, and finally, that the sad experience of other schools shows that free­ dom of choice does not Induce exhilaration. Now, as far as freedom of learning is concerned, Mr Matters thinks that It is connected with this very freedom of choice, but I do not agree, for reasons the first of which is very familiar— that the freedom to plan one's own education cannot be exercised without a good deal of initial knowledge, more than a student ordinarily possesses at the mo­ ment of choice. But what is axire important, the alternative to a required program, namely a par­ tially or wholly elective plan, which must of necessity be car­ ried on in large and department­ alized unlversltlas, in fact robs the student of his freedom in one vital respect—it presents him with "fields” or "subjects” which are pre-established and pre-delimited so that the fundamental inquiry, which concerns nothing if not the nature and extent, the parts and their relations, of the "learnable”^ Is obviated and the student is obliged to begin under the hidden constraints of burled decisions. The perfectly open requirement to read certain books, on the other hand, is precisely Intended to leave the student intellectually free to formulate questions and answers; in a word, the books are pre-set so that the matter may not be pre-determined. Since most human beings need intellectual nourishment in order to flourish or to "realize themselves”, some material for study must be pro­ vided; books of the highest quality are that material which is least conducive to witting or unwitting censorship. �PAGE FIVE PAGE FIVE Mr Matters furtfeertnore. quarrels wl th the unified progras# as representing a dubious teaching, that of “the unity of knowledge**# I would rather say that the program only makes this doctrine a center of concern, and that the doctrine it does assume la that of the unity of the k-nose£. He furthermore asks why all the hocks have to be read by all the students| if each book is to stand by Itself, how can the program list form a leg­ it irvte whole? I answer that almost all the students should read the books to preserve the communal character of the conversation about them, and that almost all the books should be read because, while each book speaks best for itself, any one of the others may speak best against it or about it# Iflll, Mr Matters notices a “general distaste for contemporary affairs’*. This evidently true observation is a source of concern for many tutors, which I, however, do not share, and for this reason: it seems to ms that the immediately second object of an education in a republic is precisely what it is ccninonly ©aid to be, the making of citizens. But I prefer fal­ low citlsenft who have at some time had so lively an absorption in the good, or, at least, personal, things of life, that they know what a good, or, at least, human, life is. I do not wish for fellow citizens who, too early, conceived an avidity rather than a distaste for contcjRporary so­ cial evils — I do not trust them to know in what directions to look for a solution. I think political activ­ ity should follow education, not ac­ company it, and I Cannot blame students for lacking interest where they do not yet mean to influence, 12. In ft last section Mr Matters makes son« criticisms not of the pro­ gram but of the members of the col­ lege idiich amount to Imputing certain vices to them. 1 do not quite know what to say, but 1 am sorry that he should feel so, Berhaps the arguable point In this section is the question of the “inequality of status of tutors and students". Let me say in what 1 do not and do consider our equality to consist . I think that the students in my tutorials would not thank me If I relinquished ray responsibility as leader, mediator, adjudicator, pace­ maker, and chief learner and became Indistinguishable form them in function. Hence in respect to external role we ought to be unequal. Furthermore, since I have been engaged for fifteen years tn the enterprise of which this 18 their third year, it would be ybry peculiar if I were not, by cause of seniority, superior to thm. Hence in respect to accomplishment we are apt to be unequal , Thus equality within the school, that is, aside from our obvious civil equality, seems to me to consist solely in thist that we are all, together, very small before a very great matter, 1 can think of no consideration more conducive to good and essential equality, 1 feel obliged to end, as I began, with an apology to Mr Mattera, It is in the nature of this sort of a reply that it has the air of "dispos­ ing of" the other's argument. I am far from thinking that I have done that—I have only sketched out a first few counter-arguments, Hhafe is more, in a real conversation my main effort would be, on Che contrary, not to re­ fute him but to persuade hira to state his arguments more fundamentally, more radically, if you will; for whereas their strength lies in their decent seriousness, their real weakness seems to me to be that they are framed on a someid^at conventional level, I im­ agine that in the course of such a conversation Mr Mattera, whatever his views may finally be, would show him­ self to be in fact--and it must be -obvious that I^can think of no batter compliment—a very faithful member of our college, Eva Brann Tutor �PAGE SIX WEDNESDAY 11,10 BEETHOVENJ Plaao Concerto G #4, .Jlchnabel WOLF, Pra«astheac,i Hans Hofcter, Gerald Moore 1,40 SCRIABIN, Poeffl of Ecstasy, Stokowski 2,10 SCHUBERT, String Quartet #14, Iniadeus Quartet in Area FW station#$ For continuous listening tfCAO (102.7) & WGWS (103.5). fit your own risk (UaJC (91.9) & mt (97.9). Kll listings are for IBCAO unless otherwise noted. All ties# are approximate. For further inforaation, eisTiNCTive Qirrs consult Forecast FBI. African A Atian Imports Hand A Laath.r Crafts MONDAY 12.35 BRAHMS 8y». #4, Toscanini, NBC 1,35 BARTOK, Piano concerto #3, Katchan. Ansemtet 3 VERDI, Ai^a highs J,V«lry Ex.tid Clothing TUESDAY 11.10 BEETHOVEN, Piano concerto G ’^31 Artur Schnabel . 3 STRAVINSKY, Oedipus Rex 7.20 BEETHOVEN, Piano concerto #3, Wilhelm Backhaus 268-4711 54’/2 WEST ST. ANNAPOLIS PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST Last week in the caajnss mailboxes was a notification of a photography contest which is open to all mewbere of the St. John*8 Ccllsge community. However, the Admiseione end Public Information Officse naglectsd to liet the prizee to be awarded. They are herewith listedt Firet priza (each category) Second prize Third prize Honorable mention S50 S25 SIO Mo financial reward Judging will be dene by three looel profeeeional photographers» Serion Warren, Stu Whslsn, and Stanley Steerne. Mr. Ham end Wre. Felter will serve on the judging committee as ex officio members. Copise of the reguletione governing the first photogrephy contsst may ba obtained from the Admieeions or Public Information Offices. A reminder of deadlinest Phase I-Jenuary 30j Phase II-April 30. Photographs should be labeled and eubmitted to the Public Information Office. Wary Falter �PAGE SEVEN MOTiO ’ An Educated Audience: William Wellman b "WingB** and the Truffaut/Hitchcock book® This week’s column is a rather fonaleas one> written because I happened to be thinking about visual methods of storytelling after seeing the silent film “Wings" (being ghovjn at the Circle}. The film is being shown without even a musical score, creating an extraord­ inary involvement with the visual events. Sound film directors are protected by •the sound track, which distracts atten­ tion from their “cinematics", It may ba that it was the closer attention payed by audiences that produced achieve­ ments referred to by those who single out the silent era as the roost creative and imaginative in the history of Amer­ ican filas, "Wings" certainly makes this claim seem plausible, even granting the films of men like Hawks,. Ford, and especially Hitchcock, I have generally taken a spectator’s attitude toward movies, but there was a perlod--faralliar to every film lover— when I half-serlously considered making a film of ray own. At that time I read a half-dozen books on film technique, from camera operation and lighting meth­ ods, to editing and special effects. I watched the films I saw then through quite different eyes than I did before, or have since. It convinced me that a technical cinematic education can add immeasurably to the enjoyment of films. The issue hare is parallel to one involved with music, which comes up often during sophomore year at St John's, Music is meant to be heard, and may not even exist before it is heard, A listener’s concern should be with what he hears, and feels as he hears, and not with what the composer writes, the notes on the page. Even so crudely stated this would make a certain amount of sense, if it were not the case that people hear nuire and hear it better after studying musical theory. There would. Indeed, be no point in studying music at all other­ wise. As X said, my own experience indicates that film and music are alike in this respect, both being arts with very detailed and exact technical dimensions. As 1 watched "Wings" I found rayself being amazed at the visual skill of its direction (by William Wellman, re­ membered also for "Public Enemy", "Call of the Wild", "Beau Geste", and "The Ox Bow Incident"). The style was often quite startling and complica­ ted, very much at odds with the best recent camera methods, like those in "Sunday, Bloody Sunday", which almost subordinate themselves to the narrative, slowing the viewer to observe the char­ acters more as he might in actuality, surrounded by the details and furniture of their dally lives, I thought about this primarily in terms of what the introduction of sound, with its liter­ ary tendencies, had done to the pictor­ ial art of film construction. Shortly afterwards I began reading Francois Truffaut’s book of interviews with Alfred Hitchcock, I was struck at once by a comment of Hitchcock’s about the silent film: "The silent pictures were .the purest form of cinema.... In many of the filsia now being made there is very little cinema. When we tell a story on film we should resort to dialogue only when it’s impossible to do other­ wise. 1 always try . first to tell a story in a cinematic way, through a succession of shots...." Hitchcock's method, as it emerges in thei interviews, demonstrates a unique vis­ ual preoccupation. He conceives his projects always as a series, a rhythm of scenes and images. Usually a sequence of pencil sketches, drawings of frame compositions, are the first form his film projects will take. "Wfy mind is strictly visual," he says. His pictor­ ial goal with respect to the audience seems to be double: to make things clear and to make them exciting, to involve the audience and manipulate them emotionally. �PAGE EIGHT "If you stand close to a train as It is speeding through a station, you feel it; it almost knocks you down* But if you look at the same train from a distance you don’t feel anything. Tn the saa» way, if you’re going to show two men fighting with each other, you’re not going to get very much by simply photographing that fight. The photographic reality is not realistic. The only way to do it is to get into the fight and make the public feel it," It is well known that often (as in "Rope", "Lifeboat", and "Rear Window") he takes on a project largely as a technical challenge. He will Invent Bcenes first as visual excitements and then try to integrate them into the plot—the whole cornfield episode in "North by Northwest" is such an inven­ tion, But his concern is not with tricks as such but with tricks that work, that create a purely visual ex­ citement, In a scene conelaved not Visually but as a moment in the rhyttss ef the plot, ha will use his camera to expose the essential. His concern is net with the literary aspects of storytelling and drama, his plots are constructed visually. As Tpuffaut says, in his introduction? "Whatever is saj^ Instead of being shown is lost upon the viewer," He speaks of Hitchcock’s "unique ability to film the thoughts of his characters". What a character feels about something is mlrrared by the ways in which is Is photographed; the audience sees it as the character does. "Hitchcock is almost unique," he says, "in being able to film directly, that is, without resorting to explana­ tory dlalcgue," Actors, naturally, are not a large part of his concern. It seems clear that Hitchcock has preserved the pictorial achievements of the silent film, and has thus succeeded in making films that are exciting and interesting to watch. In "Wings", viewed in complete silence, the effect of visual absorption is extraordinary. The acting styles are somewhat exagger­ ated but even Clara Bow, who is most guilty of this, roaraages to create a believable character in spite of herself. A striking example of visual exposition is the changing manner in which Mary (the character she plays) is presented. as Jack (Buddy Rogers) gradually realises that he is in love with her. At first, parallel to his indifference, she appears a rather horsey, tomboyish, simpering type. She is costumed un­ becomingly and lit to emphasize the Imperfections of her face. As the film goes on, she begins to change, subtly but distinctly, until at the end we realize, just when Jack does, that she is really quite a beautiful girl. We have seen her through his eyes, our view of her raatwing with his. In the quiet acenes, in the battles, in the bombing of a small French village, in every major sequence, titles are scarce, presenting only essential facts. There Is a chilling sequence in which a large black Geimai bomber called the Gotha is loaded and wheeled out for takeoff. Seen from above as it taxis on the field it resembles a monstrous insect, seen from beneath are the white bombs clinging to its belly like eggs. A film as rich in striking images as "Wings" can reacquaint a speotator with the importance of "cine­ matics". The filmgoer is so used to seeing pictures without the slightest visual Interest that he almost forgets that they exist. It has gone so far that even a cheap blood-epic like "The Night of the Living Dead" can be hailed as a masterpiece because its director can use a camera with a little imagination. It soinetlraes seems that on large-scale Hollywood efforts the camera was just too heavy to move, the film-makers too bored to make the effort. The Industry has gotten fat. When a filragoer learns something about motion picture technique, and particularly if he thinks in terms of making his own films, he bacomea personally involved in the problems of visual narration, can begin to think in "cinematic" mays. There is a greater sympathy for the nature of a motion picture, a sense of co-oper­ ation, luith a director in the produc­ tion of his effects. Hitchcock claims to resent the increasing knouiledgability of his audience, because he thinks it makes his job more difficult. To ma �PAGE NINE this seems entirely the wrong attitude for a director to take. An educated audience is more fully behind him then any other, interested in the film in much the same way that ha is, enjoying his success and regretting his failures. Learning about !lJagne?s harmonics hardly makes "Parsifai** less thrilling to hear, and no mors does understanding the special effects and camera trick­ ery^,employed make the tower sequence in Vertigo" less unneruing. In both cases a new dimension is added, the experience cesses to be a passive one. In the future I may write about some specific cinematic methods and ths effects they can produce. For now I urge you to sea "lilings", and to watch it closely. You might learn something! A film of Hitchcock’s will serve as a good example, I know this active involvement works. In "Rear li/indow* James Stswart plays a photographer layed up in his apartment with a broken leg. For amusement he spies on his neighbors across the court, observing their lives and trying to figure them out. He begins to suspect that one of them has committed a murder, and things proceed rapidly thereafter. The astonishing thing about the film is that, except for one crucial scene, the camera shows us nothing escept the inside of Stewart’s apartment and the things visible from his window. It seems at once as if extraordinary skill would be necessary to save such a film from being dull. lUa want and expect a certain variety in what we see. But if we think about it we realize that in actuality, being in such a situation ourselves, boredom would be the least likely possible sensation. U/hat makes us expect to be bored is our prior experience with run-ofthe-mill film-making. Hitchcock has made "Rear lUindow" one of his most absorbing and exciting films, be­ cause he places the audience in an active, participating position. The action is photographed from within and not, as we have come to expect, from without. It is-a very simple principle in theory, but very dif­ ficult in practice. It is Hitchcock’s visual emphasis that is at the bottom of his success, and that same visual approach must be present in every powerful film. At the Playhouse "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" (G) I will say very little about this film, both because my space is lim­ ited and because it did not interest me very much. The novel, by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, has a large reputation, and if it’s justified this adaption is a very poor one. The idea is fine, to explore the daily lives of prisoners in a labor camp. But this is not actually what the film does. Thera is little intimacy, almost nothing to command sympathy for the charactersg A scene in which a group of prisoners construct a wail in the sub-zero winter was, for example, handled in a fashion that gave no sense of a group working together or even of the overall process of construction. The make up jobs are awful with black charcoal lines visible in ovary close­ up on the healthy, well-fed faces of the actors. There were a couple of scenes which could not, because of their context, fail to be moving, but these were more than balanced out by passages of complete] artificial dialogue, sounding auspiciously like badly translated word for word liftings from a mediocre novel,(not having read the book I cannot be certain about that). Anyone who can take a subject like this and fail to make a depressing movio, must be doing something wrong. At the Capitol ’’Shaft” (R) Held over; see last week's COLISGIAN Guest Review At the Flaza ’’Airport” (G) ’’Airport” as a motion picture never gets off the ground. It belongs to the ”Grand Hotel” genre of film, but falls miserably to breathe any life into the cliche»riddan formula, "^he usual horde of stars and subplots are there but to such an excess that ft is not better direction but an aiif traffic controller that is needed, There are many questions that arise while watching ’’Airport**, Is Helen Kayes really the cutest little-oldlady ever to be seen in films? Why �PAGE TEN does George Kennedy, the tough-*talking crew chief, smoke cigars while in bed with his wife? Is Dean Martin deliv­ ering an accurate portrayal o£ Dean Martin? Does Van Heflin, the mad bomber, wish to blow up the plane for hutnanltarlan reasons! It would seen that the acting, direction, and screenplay are what make the difference between a film like "Grand Hotel" (1932) and one like "Airport" (1970). Craig Freedman Coning to town soon will be the new Janes Bond film "Diamonds Are Forever", with Sean Connery again. It should be here when we get back from vacation. David Chute WINNERI k ftWIMBPS I 3acader*y JOSCPHC 1€V1N€ ANAVCOeMBASSYFilM P€T€R KATHARIN6 CTOOLe H€PBURN iUONIN WlNXeR Sally kutsky 617 Arch St #3 Ann Arbor* Mloh, A8104 313-66S-M2S Sean St John's College AeRspolls, )^ryls»d DeeenheF 7» ISH 21404 Deer Sir* I am a greduete nt St John's ('(8) end eurrently e seeend yeer student at the ORlvereity ef Miehlgen Lew Seheol. The Deen of Admissions has expressed en interest in St Jahn's end its pregrem eed esked s* to dlseuss it with him. He hex esked me te write you end inform you thet he will eonaider seriouely eny epplieetiens he reeeives frcw e St John's greduete* Lew sehools ere currently swamped with epplieitiens end I urge eny seniors who are interested to epply es soon es possible. Tou will heve the slight edventege of being e euriesity, end the diff|eulty wigh eeeeptence in eny lew sehool is te be sing­ led out of the erowd. Of eeurse* the Deen did not guarantee admissions* but I think it might be worth e try* Incidentally, 1 did net go te lew sehool for two years after graduation and am pleased with ny deeislon to go, I eneourage St John's graduates wihh no iwsediate plans for low sehool te keep it in mind as a future possibility. The problem of scsf dlseriminatien has been end is being discussed a great de*i ie the lew school admissions offices. 1 wee told to inform you that women and minorities will be eonsidered equally (I'm not lOOX sonvineed about equal), but I especially eneeursge woiuin to eonsIder the lew as a follow-up to a St John's education, I will he delighted to correspond, speak, »r arrange accomodations for St John's students interested in the University of Michigan Lew School, Sincerely, Sally Butnky STARTS OECEWBER 15 Submitted by the Dean’s office �PAGE ELEVEN Until by chance we Meet again, my friend, I love you true as If I’d never gone. No passing time can our sweet bond unmend. No friendship new obscure you in its dawn, THE COLLEGIAN I can no more forget your warming smile. Or careless laugh, or wisely mirthful eyes. Than I could give your least request denial — The time my memory nocks, my love defies. But In this an I constant more than you? Have you In time your former self outgrown? Will you, at meeting, emblem someone new. And rend our love, being not the love I’d known? Until, by chance, we meet again , , , no more — X think X fear the thing X hope most for. David Chute Peter Fairbanks Francis Harkins Tom Horvath Bryce Jacobsen Laura Jenkins Arthur Kungle Jack Lincoln Tom Poiuell Connie Rubino Lane Russell Steven Sadlis Jeffrey Sinks, Editor Paul Szabo Jane Young Tom Robinson To The Carolers, Kt Al. X would like to thank all those who came caroling with us Thursday night«^-eapecial ly Maria Coughlin, who made the original sign inviting’ every­ one, Christel Stevens, our concert-mistress, and Kathy Austin, who helped to map out the route, I would also like to thank all the tutors whom we serenaded, for their hospitality —especially the Goldwlns and the Kieffers, who received us very graciously. Public expressions of Joy and good-will are a sign of a healthy community, I am proud of those who came with us for their spirit of friendship. Merry Christmas, Jim Tourtelott PS Praise is also due to Doug Anthony, and the Syndicate of Bacchus, who provided the money for candles, and Mrs Myatt, who supplied the song sheets. '’Just because you are seeing divine light, experiencing waves of bliss, or conversing with gods and goddesses is no reason to not know your sip code,” —Baba Ram Dass submitted by BalrJ Donabedlan JMerrp (SOrisstmas FROM LAURA NCE LTD 48 MARYLAND AVENUE Low-Comedy Seduction Let us go then, you and X, down to debasement. —Roger Greene �PAGE TWELVE To Whom It Way Concern Every so often a community-minded individual attempts to focus concern on a possible correction which merits consideration by all members of the St John’s community. This is rare} a statesman here can hardly count on any reward for his effort other than a lury smile, an askance look, or a terse statement implying agreembnt or disagreement. Thursday evening a large number of the students on food service dressed in compliance with a rule they felt to be erroneous. The sentiment pre­ vailing was "It’s too much trouble to argue", "This won’t last long", or "I’m hungry". This is a sad display of community spirit. Why anyone who does not dine in the dining hall desires to put dress re­ strictions on those who do, perplexes ma. Yet, more alarming is the "every man for himself" student apathy which indicates an unwillingness to do any­ thing for the sake of the community as a whole. This self-centerednoss is extremely discouraging for those who might be motivated to share with others here. Caring is the axiom for change. We all (the students) have at one time or another thought of possible innovations which might make St John’s a better place to learn at, and a more pleasant place to live. How few have made use of the various channels available in an attempt to implement change! I feel strongly that this would not be so if there weren't usually the tendency to "rally to the defense" of the old, but a sincere attempt to consider alternatives. The students are often by far the most guilty. Thursday night was a demonstration of this. Donna Demac News of the World IRIDAT, DECEMBER 3RD Foreign Pakistan declared war on India as heavy fighting broke out on both the East and West Pakistan borders. Reports fvots the front said that Indian ground forces penetrated Into Pakistani territory, while Pakistani planes bombed Indian airports. Foreign Ministers Mahoud Ried of Egypt, speaking in the General Assembly, called on the UN to force Israel out of Arab territories, Poraestlc White House Press Secretary Ronald Zeigler an­ nounced that ths budget for the fiscal year 1973 starting in July would be about $250 billion and would aim at full employment. Unemployment in November rose .2X to SATURIiAY, DECEMBER 4TH Foreign The UN Security Council met to discuss the widening Indian-Pakistani war. Meanwhile the United States State Depart­ ment blamed India for the hosti­ lities, A US govennent survey revealed that since the United States started to bomb Cambodia in 1970 2 million refugees were forced to leave home as a direct result. In a speech before the Spanish parliament. General Franco announced that there will be no reforms or liberalization of his regime. This ends a theory prevailing for the last ten years that Franco would start to pave the way for a more liberal successor, SUNDAY, DECEfiBER 5TH Foreign Indian troops reported great success in East Pakistan. They claimed to have freedom of the skies and to have surrounded the Pakistani troops. In the UN Rus­ sia vetoed a security council cease-fire order. �PACE THIRTEEN President Anwar Sadat of Egypt agreed to hold talks with Israel In New York, Ponestlc A billion dollar bequest to the Johnsc.i foundation turned it from one of the nation's smallest to the second biggest In the country. Only the Ford founda> tion is bigger. General A team of scientists at the University of Southern Cali­ fornia discovered a virus causing cancer in humans. This Is a tre­ mendous step forward in understanding and curing the disease, MONDAY, DECEMBER 6TH Foreign President Nixon vowed that the United States would remain completely neutral In the IndianPakistani war, and the State De­ partment cut off all aid to India. The United States will sell Skyhawk jets to Israel, but the acquisition of Phantom fighter­ bombers still remains Israel's first priority. Domestic The Senate voted 89 to 1 to confirm the nomination of Lewis Powell to the Supreme Court. Senator Harris of Oklahoma cast the lone dissenting-vote, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7TH Foreign India captured the town of Jessore, giving them effective control over half of East Pakistan. The UN General Assembly voted 104-11 to call for a cease-fire. This action, how­ ever, is not binding on member states. Ten European members of NATO, replying to US criticism, announced that they would raise their joint de­ fense budget by $1 billion in 1972. Domestic The House voted 210 to 186 to extend the anti-poverty program. The measure included controversial day care legislation. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER STH Foreign India refused to accept a UW cease-fire resolution as her forces advanced further into Bast Pakistan. Chile nationalized all food supplies following a political and economic crisis caused by food shortages. Domestic President Nixon presented a pension reform plan to Congress, The measure called for tax exemptions on savings and investments for retirement, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9TH Foreign Indian troops surrounded Dacca, the capital of East Pakistan. A bcanbing raid on the city destroyed an orphanage, killing 300 children. Former Vice President Aly Sabry of Egypt and former Minister of War Mohammed Fawzy, both leading figures in Gamel Nasser's government, were among those sentenced to hard labor for a plot against President Anwar Saoat, Sadat reduced Sabry's original sentence from death to life ImprisCnment. Ralph Bunche, former UN SecretaryGeneral, died. Domestic President Nixon vetoed an extension of the anti-poverty program because of its child-care programs which he denounced as weakening the family and fiscally irresponsible. The House passed a $26 billion tax cut, including a plan to finance election campaigns after 1976 by income tax check-offs, Steven Sedlis TO WIN” with SAVINGS LIFE INSURANCE 110,000 policy —— age 21 Total Premiums to Aga 65 - $6,463 Total Cash & Dividends Value Profit $14,175 - ----- $ 7,712 MANY ADDITIONAL FEATURES RICHARD F. 8LAUL Richard F. Blaul & Associates Phones: 268-5401 268-1348 54 Maryland Avenue ST. JOHN'S ALUMNUS �PAGE FOURTEEN THE SYNDICATE OF BACCHUS THE DSV and ACTION ONE invite tVe entire coimnunity to the annual Christmas Party to be held in FSK Lobby Tuesday, December 14th at 7:00 pm« We will begin the festivities with a buffet supper to which all are wslcome. Then the DSV will provide mixed drinks, and you will provide the con­ versation and singing. Please bring your husbands and wives, and help us celebrate. tides will benefit all. The last meeting of the food com­ mittee on Wednesday, December Sth, determined these items of informa­ tion, Paul fJJeller is the new manager re­ placing Bob Ullrich, who has been promoted to another position. Neither ’’shrimp creole” nor ’’chick en hawaiian” will ewer be served again. Replenishment of certain commod­ ities is in progress. Another brand of white loaf bread will replace "lUonder bread”. Other delightful things. Thee Smith DELEGATE COUNCIL FOOD SERVICE To the student community, oncampus and offs As expected, it is the duty of the food committee not simply to forward student complaints and sug­ gestions to Action One, but also to direct similar remarks from Action One to the student community. It is our hope that mutual concern be achieved; that improvement of attitude and action by one party be accompan­ ied with improvements by the other party. Please lend your attention to problems too easily regarded as trivial, A box has been placed in the lobby of Randall, to be properly used as a receptacle for gratuitously returned dining hall articles (glasses, ash­ trays, plates, silverware, cups, pitchers, etc,). The continual return of infrequently borrowed ar- DELEGATE COUNCIL ifllNUTES 7 December 1971 (Pearl Harbor Day) 1837 hours (No delegate from Randall, Paca, and half of Campbell) Old Business i'y"Miss Unger brought the revised charter for the DIS division of CESC The Council voted 10-0-0 to approve the sub-charter. Then the Council voted 0-0-2 to allocate 150 to CESC to pay bills, 2) Mr Main then asked for a con­ stituency report concerning academic gowns. The following dorms came out 50-50 for the gowns: lUest Pinkney, Campbell, Chase Stone, Humphreys. Paca was simply in favor, so said Mr Brown. East Pinkney was overwhelm­ ingly in favor and the off-campus independents, showing their normal iconoclastic streak, voted 25 for, 17 against. Randall’s opinion was not present. In view of this response especially since no dorms seemed against gowns, the Council voted 10-0-0 to ask President Ulaigle to �purchase 350 goiuns for the student body, 3) ffiiss Spear (F-C) luanted to knot# the status of the Randall Lobby renovation plans. No one seemed to know tuhether the plan was still extant. New Business 4) miss Jenkins requested J5Q for the expenses of Rob Wermin, the Wime. The Council approved the al­ location 8-0-2, 5) (Tir Lincoln, in his other capa­ city, i.e, Headwaiter, said that the number of missing glasses, plates, cups, salt shakers, spoons, saucers, khivBS, pepper shakers, forks, bowls, pitchers, etc., from the Dining Hall had reached proportions such that the efficiency of the Dining Hall is seriously Impaired, This is especially true at the noon meal. He asked if Delegates would please try to recover these items and return them to the Dinery, 6) Rlr Main statBd~that the Dress Reg- ' ulations at Evening Meal would be en­ forced beginning ll/sdnesday evening. The Council agreed that it would be extraordinarily appropriate of the Council Members if they complied. 4M3 MARYlAh® AVE. ANNAPOLIS • MARYLAND PAGE PIPTEEN 7) Christel abdicated and left Doug Anthony as Head SOB on campus. Any­ one wanting funding for small parties should see Doug, He’s always up for it. 8) At 1907 hrs the meeting adjourned. Meeting lUith the Administrators 9 December 1971 1405 hours (Discouraging attendance,) 1) Mr Main told the Dean that the council had voted to ask President Weigle to buy gowns. The ensuing dis­ cussion showed there are a great num­ ber of confusions and difficulties involved (such as style of gown, decor­ ative nature vs formal nature) that it would be wise if the, purchase step were slowly taken. Mr Morrill (M-CS) said that he thought the students of the collage would rather see the rather considerable amount of money involved spent on something useful. The matter is under consideration. 2) Mr Main said that the vandalism to the Dean’s house and the college would be taken care of by those responsible, 3) Mr Lincoln invited faculty members and their families to eat as guests of students at the eveiiing meal, par­ ticularly Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings. This invitation brought about a discussion of the dress code enforcement. The resulting clarification is that the Council urges that the student body comply. The headwaiter and his assistants have the authority to refuse admission to students failing to dress properly. This authority comes from the Dean, 4) Mr Comber again brought up the case of the missing lamp in the Baldwin Room. The chair has been returned. Miss Spear said her investigation is continuing. 5) Mr Finch said that there are opening; for volunteers at the Germantown Primary School on Cedarpark Road. A Miss Fisher will be here on January 13 at 3 PM(l500)to speak about this program. Anyone interested should see Mr Finch, 6) The meeting adjourned at 1503 hrs, □.Lincoln Sec. �PAGE SIXTEEN Fseturing Soafood—Aged Beef—Raw Bar Stsamad Clams Cocktails Open 7 Days 11 A.W.—11 P.RI. 22 fflarkat Space Annapolis, (Baryland 268-2576 On Saturday, January 8, 1972, and Sunday, January 9» the R.A.M. Film Society will present Jean -Luc Godard's "A Bout de Souffls” ("Breathless"). Based on an originaVstory by Francois Truffaut, this brilliant film was made in.1959 and stars Jean Seberg, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Lilians David, Daniel Boulanger, Jean-Paul Melville, HenriJacques Huet, Claud Mansart, Van Doude, andJean-Luc Godard, The film takes place in Paris. Paris where a young American girl, Pat, who hawks HeraldTribunes on the streets, falls in love with a Humphrey Bogart parody named Michel who steals cars, "borrows" money, and kills-policemen. The two of them (Seberg and Belmondo) go nowhere with determination. With no plot, nor real motive, and only the slimmest pretexts for action, this film moves with such a frantic pace and such, a high pitch of tension, that the viewer is sure that all this madness is going somewhere. ."La Chinoise" and "Made in U.S.A." have recently brought Godard into the notice of the American public, though they do not have the solidity of "A Bout de Souffle". Godard is a rare and remarkable director-for he is unafraid to mix Hollywood with Kant and Hegel, Eisensteinian montage with Rossellinian Realism, words with images, professional actors with historical people, or the documentary with the iconographic. More than anybody else, Godard has realised the fantastic possibilities of Cinema as a medium of communication and expression. In his hands the cinema has become an almost equal amalgam of the symbolic, the iconic and the indexical. His films have conceptual meaning, pictorial beauty and documentary truth. Though Godard often defies the conventional logic, he does so with a deliberate and precise purpose—under­ standing that logical convention can be simulta­ neously unconventional and real. The short is to be t announced. Peter Fairbanks SPORTS Basketball; Hustlers - 47, Guardians - 50. After the first quarter, there were some raised eyebrows, the score being 9-6, Hustlers leading. People were wondering if, even without Mr. Frame, the Guardians could humble the highly touted Hustlers ... those Hustlers who came resplendent with a pair of flashy freshmen, plus some old standbys like Messrs. D'Addario, Morrill and Mollin. But reality asserted itself in the second quarter. By halftime, it was21-8. In the second half there was only a slight edge to the Hustlers, mostly because of some timely shooting by Mr, LeVan, No telling what might have happened if Mr. Frame had been playing. Are you really �interested, in knowing who scored the most points? If so, read the next sentence, Mr. Bell scored the most pointe, eighteen altogether. Spartana-40, Druids-24. After a slow start, the Druids picked up steam and outscored the Spartans in the second quarter. They were only trailing by two points at halftime. But Mr. Maiatrellis, et aX, (broke it open in the third quarter, and the Spartans coasted in to their first victory, Mr, Maiatrellis contributed sixteen points, as did the Harris Brothers, The Spartans, it will be recalled, were quite inept last year in basketball. But the September Draft brought them Mr, Maiatrellis and Mr, Harris, who, all by themselves, constitute a respectable team. Then add Mr. Spirer, who was refereeing last year. Now add Mr. Harris the Younger, and it begins to look like a formidable group. Mr. Gasner, a Johnny-comelately on our basketball scene, completes their starting five. Clearly, they will be tough to beat. Badminton: Druid8-9O» Spartan8-16, TLSTB. Volleyball:Druids-55» Guardian8-50. This was an exciting game to watch, replete with long rallies and great "saves". The lead kept fluctuating, as now one team, and now the other, would develop a hot hand. But the steady Druids were hot when it counted at the end, when the Guardians went cold for some reason. So, the Druids are now 2-0, quickly taking the lead in our volleyball league. But who knows what surprizes the new year will bring? Hu8tler8-55» Greenwaves-41« The revamped Hustlers squared PAGE SEVENTEEN up accounts today. They now have one win and one loss. They definitely looked better than they did a week ago. But can they win the big ones? These things will work them­ selves out in time. The Creenwaves, who are still experimenting with their lineup have not hit on the right combination yet, A little change here . , , a little there , , , and some other team is going to be "shocked" by them. Wait and see. M.U.S.H, After prolonged soul-searching, hand-wringing, hair-pulling and foot-dragging, we have finally come up with winners for these annual awards. They go, of course, to the Most Un Sung Hero in each sport. The competition and interest in past years, as in this one, has been keen. The qualifications are simple: substantial, positive contri­ butions to the team, coupled with absolutely no mention in any of these columns, and no selection on any All-Star team. In short, the Awardee Is a Legitimate Un Sung Hero. (Readers who are addicted to acronyms may make of this what they will.) In soccer, our MUSH winner is Mr, Asclk, who is well known to all. The improvement in his soccer skills over the years has been considerable. Honourable Mention goes to Mr, Larsen of the Greenwaves and Mr, Green of the Hustlers, In football, we were inundated with strong candi­ dates. We finally settled on a pair of joint winners ... Mr. Jarvis and Mr. Ellis, Honourable Mention goes to the Guardian entry of Mr, Diggory and Mr. Elkins. So, there you have them, Dear Readers, heroes all. These people, from now until the Winter Solstice, are hereby granted Genuine Hero �PAGE EIGHTEEN Status. They will be un­ abashedly praised, shamefully deferred to, and obsequiously fawned on. Lusty young damsels will pursue them relentlessly. They will do brave things. They will be above the Law. They will be like Gods ... but only until the Winter Solstice. Fitness Test: Remember to pass four of the tests by Christmas Vacation. Basketball Hustlers Spartans Guardians Druids Greenwaves W L 10 1'0 01 01 00 Pts. 3 3 1 1 0 This Week’s Schedule: Tuesday, 4:15(Badminton) HuBtlers-Guardians Bryce Jacobsen League Standings: Volleyball Druids Hustlers Spartans Greenwaves Guardians W L Pts. 206 11 4 10 3 02 2 01 1 Tills week’s Chef’s Choice Iflerry Christmas to everybody from your fflother (Emma) ! TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS: We are experimenting with different forms of mailing, and any suggestions will be welcomed (however, we cannot afford envelopes) THE COLLEGIAN St John’s College Annapolis, Maryland 21404 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Collegian Description An account of the resource The Collegian began as a student newspaper; became a college community literary publication in 1952 and continued until 1969; became a student newspaper again in 1969; discontinued publication from 1980 until 1989 when it again became a student literary publication.<br /><br />Click on <a title="The Collegian" href="http://digitalarchives.sjc.edu/items/browse?collection=26">Items in The Collegian Collection</a> to view and sort all items in the collection. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource St. John's College Greenfield Library Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data paper Page numeration Number of pages in the original item. 18 pages Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Collegian, December 13, 1971 Description An account of the resource Number 76 of The Collegian. Published on December 13, 1971. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sinks, Jeffrey (Editor) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available St. John's College Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Annapolis, MD Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1971-12-13 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource St. John's College owns the rights to this publication. Type The nature or genre of the resource text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Subject The topic of the resource College students' writings--Periodicals College student newspapers and periodicals St. John's College--Periodicals Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Collegian 13 December 1971 Student publication