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Phanny, v. 3, issue 4, Spring 1945

Page 12

12          PHANNY                12

in my present activities. -- Your division of humanity into those who have the qualities which seem to you to be characteristic of fans, and those who do not seem to have these characteristics, bespeaks a narrowness of outlook which probably isn't characteristic of you. It is something like dividing the entire vegetable kingdom into two groups; apples, for example, and non-apples. Yet such a classification would be of practically no value as a guide to the qualities of vegetable matter in general; and I think such a division as you suggest for humanity is no more adequate, the human animal being the complex organism it is. Need I point out that such a division is exactly comparable ot the division of the people of New York into "The Four Hundred" and the rest of the mob, or the division of a Nation's people into the Nobility and the Commoner classes? Such divisions are the basis of a whale of a lot of misunderstanding and misery, including much of the warfare of the world. Now, I know you didn't mean such a sharp division as I have outlined here; but it is worth mentioning that all such divisions are subject to sharp challenge. No? -- So astronomers have finally cooked up some hypotheses which fit all the observed phenomena? When did that happen? The last word I heard on the subject was to the effect that they have any idea which direction to turn next. Still, the dark star idea is worthy of consideration. -- I think I would like to read Dr. Scott's book. I doubt very seriously that it would affect me as it has you, but I'd like to try the experiment. As a religion, it cmes [sic, comes] close to the religion of the French Revolution; a worship of Reason. Only, of course, it goes farther than that, that Chan Davis would classify the man as an atheist. It is unclear how there could be anything of Christianity left in such a religion; there seems to be nothing to narrow it down to that; rather, it would seem to be a sort of universal religion. But perhaps that would be clarified by reading the entire book. -- I also have heard of a book by someone whose name I do not recall, on a subject I have forgotten, but I have not ordered the book, so you won't hear about it in the next issue. 
THE TIME-BINDER -- I honestly don't know whether this 'zine achieves it purpose or not. Probably I will never know. That doing favors for others results in a feeling of personal well-being, I am well aware, from my own experience. This seems to be a common emotional reaction, with, perhaps, considerably more "survival value" than the selfish outlook; at least, it would appear to be so, from a racial standpoint at least, and therefore, probably, from an individual standpoint. But I'm unwilling to accept much of anything on the basis of faith or belief; those qualities are too much subject to assault and battery by propaganda and pressure groups of all kinds. Clear thinking is a proper basis for determining aims and purposes, I am fairly convinced; but even that is not enough. Rather clear and close reasoning is possible from almost any sort of tenets; it is in the determination of these basic tenets that failure is most common. Some thorough-going, workable philosophies have been built up in the past, working from tenets of almost laughable falsity. There are such philosophies in existence today, and probably will be for a long time to come. More individual thought will undoubtedly do more to destroy theses philosophies than any other force, but leadership is required for the mass of the people; not so much because they are incapable of sustained, clear thought, as because they have never practiced this difficult art. Now, if you can develop a method of promoting the practice of thinking, you will probably solve all the worlds MAJOR ILLS. (Nope, I didn't do that on purpose, I just hit the shift lock instead of the shift key when I inserted that ') There are, by the way, at least a few radio news commentators who strive mightily to that desirable end; namely, that their listeners [underlined] think a little about the news, and thentry to do something about the mess we're in; Baukhage, for example, who comes on over the Blue at 1:00 P.M. EWT. -- This discussion of the "time-binding" method in teaching history is well done. But I think I had teachers, in the early 20's with this

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12 PHANNY 12 in my present activities. -- Your division of humanity into those who have the qualities which seem to you to be characteristic of fans, and those who do not seem to have these characteristics, bespeaks a narrowness of outlook which probably isn't characteristic of you. It is something like dividing the entire vegetable kingdom into two groups; apples, for example, and non-apples. Yet such a classification would be of practically no value as a guide to the qualities of vegetable matter in general; and I think such a division as you suggest for humanity is no more adequate, the human animal being the complex organism it is. Need I point out that such a division is exactly comparable ot the division of the people of New York into "The Four Hundred" and the rest of the mob, or the division of a Nation's people into the Nobility and the Commoner classes? Such divisions are the basis of a whale of a lot of misunderstanding and misery, including much of the warfare of the world. Now, I know you didn't mean such a sharp division as I have outlined here; but it is worth mentioning that all such divisions are subject to sharp challenge. No? -- So astronomers have finally cooked up some hypotheses which fit all the observed phenomena? When did that happen? The last word I heard on the subject was to the effect that they have any idea which direction to turn next. Still, the dark star idea is worthy of consideration. -- I think I would like to read Dr. Scott's book. I doubt very seriously that it would affect me as it has you, but I'd like to try the experiment. As a religion, it cmes [sic, comes] close to the religion of the French Revolution; a worship of Reason. Only, of course, it goes farther than that, that Chan Davis would classify the man as an atheist. It is unclear how there could be anything of Christianity left in such a religion; there seems to be nothing to narrow it down to that; rather, it would seem to be a sort of universal religion. But perhaps that would be clarified by reading the entire book. -- I also have heard of a book by someone whose name I do not recall, on a subject I have forgotten, but I have not ordered the book, so you won't hear about it in the next issue. THE TIME-BINDER -- I honestly don't know whether this 'zine achieves it purpose or not. Probably I will never know. That doing favors for others results in a feeling of personal well-being, I am well aware, from my own experience. This seems to be a common emotional reaction, with, perhaps, considerably more "survival value" than the selfish outlook; at least, it would appear to be so, from a racial standpoint at least, and therefore, probably, from an individual standpoint. But I'm unwilling to accept much of anything on the basis of faith or belief; those qualities are too much subject to assault and battery by propaganda and pressure groups of all kinds. Clear thinking is a proper basis for determining aims and purposes, I am fairly convinced; but even that is not enough. Rather clear and close reasoning is possible from almost any sort of tenets; it is in the determination of these basic tenets that failure is most common. Some thorough-going, workable philosophies have been built up in the past, working from tenets of almost laughable falsity. There are such philosophies in existence today, and probably will be for a long time to come. More individual thought will undoubtedly do more to destroy theses philosophies than any other force, but leadership is required for the mass of the people; not so much because they are incapable of sustained, clear thought, as because they have never practiced this difficult art. Now, if you can develop a method of promoting the practice of thinking, you will probably solve all the worlds MAJOR ILLS. (Nope, I didn't do that on purpose, I just hit the shift lock instead of the shift key when I inserted that ') There are, by the way, at least a few radio news commentators who strive mightily to that desirable end; namely, that their listeners [underlined] think a little about the news, and thentry to do something about the mess we're in; Baukhage, for example, who comes on over the Blue at 1:00 P.M. EWT. -- This discussion of the "time-binding" method in teaching history is well done. But I think I had teachers, in the early 20's with this