Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Current Events’ Category

Empathy Deficit/Auction Update

Posted in Current Events, Opinion, tagged , on March 18, 2011| 4 Comments »

EmpathySymbol.com

“I told you once that I was searching for the nature of evil. I think I’ve come close to defining it: a lack of empathy. It’s the one characteristic that connects all the defendants. A genuine incapacity to feel with their fellow man. Evil, I think, is the absence of empathy.”

 – Gustav M. Gilbert, prison psychologist at Spandau prison,  where Nazi war crimes defendants were held, 1945

********************************************

I know that the quote above sounds pretty dark for a character trait that most people would recognize as being positive but it has haunted me for some time.  Empathy is something I take for granted as being a large part of everyone’s psyche and to think that there are are large segments of the population without the ability or the willingness to put themselves in others’ shoes or to imagine how the world looks through others’ eyes was disturbing to my simplistic worldview. 

 Disturbing , yes.  Surprising, no.  There was always ample evidence of a lack of empathy in the world and we have often exhibited a large capacity for cruelty and selfishness.   Just glimpse through history or read the newspapers on any given day.  There are scores of examples.

So I am not surprised so much as I am disheartened, especially when I came across a report that was released last year concerning a study from the University of Michigan that  surveyed over 14,000 college students over a thirty year timespan, beginning in 1979.  They were examining the degrees of empathy and found that over this timeframe that empathy had decreased severely among students, with the most dramatic drop taking place in the last ten years.  Today’s college student is likely to be 40% less empathetic than  students from 20 or 30 years ago.  They are less likely to consider how they would feel in someone else’s situation, less likely to have concerns for others’ problems  and less likely to feel pity for those being treated unfairly.

I know that this is only a study and may have large flaws in it so I am taking this with a grain of salt.  But to contemplate those numbers and what it may mean for us as a society is a scary thing.  Perhaps we need some sort of emapthy training, something that shows the young how to walk in the shoes of others, that explains how the suffering of one is the suffering of all.  I don’t know.  I just know that if these numbers are vaguely representative of the true nature of our youth then we are in for some tough days ahead.

Sorry for being so downbeat especially at a time when the world needs positive reinforcement.  Maybe I’m using this as scare tactic.  Whatever the case, we need to close the empathy deficit.  You can take the U. of Mich’s Empathy Test and see how you stack up against the numbers.  There are also several good articles  online that go further on the results of this study.

For those of you with a bit of empathy here are the current totals on the ongoing auction:

#1 Full Silence-- Current High Bid $650

#2- Seems Like a New Sun - Current High Bid $800

Read Full Post »

Auction Update

Posted in Current Events, tagged on March 17, 2011| 2 Comments »

Painting #2- Seems Like a New Sun

Auction to Aid Japan Update

The current high bid on Painting #1 , Full Silence,shown below,  is at $650.00  (as of 10:45 March 20).  The high bid on the piece shown at the left, Seems Like a New Sun, stands at $800.00.  As fully outlined in yesterday’s post, I am holding an  auction to aid in the relief efforts for the Japanese disaster.  The winning bidders will receive the painting they are bidding on and a signed copy of my book.  In addition, I will be adding $500 to each winning bid to enhance the donation to the relief effort.  The bidding ends Monday, March 21, at 12 noon EST.

Good luck and many thanks to all bidders!

Painting #1- Full Silence

 

 

Read Full Post »

Auction For Japanese Aid

Posted in Current Events, tagged on March 16, 2011| 8 Comments »

Painting #1- Full Silence

I have been watching the continuing disaster in Japan and have been  disappointed by the American public’s somewhat tepid response to it.  Perhaps it is because it is a continuing disaster with a possible  nuclear catastrophe overshadowing the horrors that the earthquake and tsunami set loose upon the Japanese people.  Maybe we are viewing this like a car crash where the car is still careening out of control and we are simply waiting for the car to come to rest so that we can determine how we can help.  Or maybe we view the Japanese as a capable people who are prepared to persevere without as mmuch assistance.  I don’t know.

But I do know that we can do more.  In doing my small part,  I am auctioning two paintings off, as I did last year following the Haitian earthquake, with all proceeds to go to relief organizations.  Last year, I was able to donate $5000 dollars to 3 organizations.  Again, that is a small amount in the big picture of this disaster but it is a small step forward nonetheless.

Here are the auction details:

* The auction starts now and runs until Monday, March 21, at 12 noon EST. 

* Bids may made through the comments section or, if you prefer, you may send them to my e-mail at info@gcmyers.com .  Please specify your name and the painting you are bidding on.

* Winning  bidder will receive their chosen painting with a personal dedication on the reverse side  and an autographed copy of my book, In Quiet Places.  I will pay for shipping and insurance.

* I will add $500 to each winning bid’s amount for the donation.  For example, a winning bid of  $1000 actually has the effect of becoming a $1500 donation to the relief effort.

* Donations will be  specifically directed to the Red Cross’  Japanese Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami effort.  If you have a different charity of choice, please specify this and I will be glad to talk this over with you.

I have chosen two paintings that I feel pertain in some way to this effort.  The first, Full Silence, shown at the top, has a very Japanese/Zen feel.  It is on paper and the image is approximately 7″ by 16″ and is matted and framed to a size of 14″ by 24″.

Painting #2- Seems Like a New Sun

The second painting to be auctioned is Seems Like a New Sun.  This is a 12″ by 24″ painting on canvas.  I chose this because in the aftermath of painting this I always thought of this city as being Japanese, with a sort of Tokyo-like feel.  Even the title’s reference to the sun reminds me of Japan being called the Land of the Rising Sun.  And it definitely feels like a new sun that rises over Japan after it was hit by this three-headed monster of a disaster.

So, please consider placing a bid on either painting or at least sending something, even a very small amount, to one of the relief organizations that are heading into the disaster.  As I said, it is a small step but it is a step forward and that is what truly matters.

I will be posting updates over the next few days of the auction.

Read Full Post »

Earthquake!

Posted in Current Events, tagged , on March 11, 2011| 2 Comments »

Tsunami Sweeping Across Japan

I came into the studio this morning and sat down to write a post about painting when I flipped on the TV to catch up quickly on the headlines and caught sight of the devastation taking place in Japan.  They experienced a magnitude 8.9 earthquake off their coast several hours ago which caused widespread damage.  Then in the quake’s aftermath came the tsunami which hit the coastline with its full impact sweeping well inland, carrying everything in its path along in a thick wall of destruction.  The videos are amazing and terrifying, leaving one to wonder the extent of this catastrophe.

So, painting seems like a trifle today and my attention is on Japan.  There are tsunami warnings for the entire Pacific rim and hopefully they will be minor, to spare any more suffering from this disaster.  Cheri is keenly aware of news reports of earthquakes and has for the last week said that there was something big coming based on recent quakes.  She will not be surprised by this.

Anyway, I’ll hold off  on the blog until a better day and hope that the people of Japan come through today okay, ready to start the long clean-up ahead.  My thoughts are with them.

Read Full Post »

Look For the Union Label

Posted in Current Events, Opinion, tagged , , on February 24, 2011| 2 Comments »

The labor movement was the principal force that transformed misery and despair into hope and progress. Out of its bold struggles, economic and social reform gave birth to unemployment insurance, old-age pensions, government relief for the destitute and, above all, new wage levels that meant not mere survival but a tolerable life. The captains of industry did not lead this transformation; they resisted it until they were overcome. When in the thirties the wave of union organization crested over the nation, it carried to secure shores not only itself but the whole society.

—Martin Luther King, Jr.

**********************************

I had promised myself that I would stop interjecting political views into this forum but watching the events of the last week taking place in Wisconsin and across this country has forced me to break that promise.  Labor is, and has been for some time, under attack from the so-called captains of industry and their minions in government and that is truly a tragic event for the working class of this country, many of whom have no idea of the history behind the labor movement.  Most don’t realize that many of the things they take for granted  in the workplace , like a 40 hour workweek and minimum wages, are there because of workers from prior generations banding together to demand tolerable working conditions and a living wage.  They can’t see that unions have raised the boats of all workers, union and non-union. 

This nation has been seeing a decline in the middle class for some time now, with there now being the greatest disparity in wealth between the upper and lower classes since the years just before the Great Depression.  It has been shown historically that we prosper as a whole when the workers of this country prosper and the workers are under attack now.  We have been convinced in the great echo chamber of the media controlled by powerful corporations that taxcuts and bailouts for corporations (the faceless captains of industry) are acceptable and necessary, costing us countless billions of dollars.  It is forbidden to ask corporations making billions of dollars in profits to pay their true tax liabilities without concessions but to demand that the rights and benefits of those with the least power, the workers, be sacrificed is acceptable.  

Those in power, and those who kowtow to them, will always seek more and more from those they hold power over and will use all the means within their reach to hold on to this staus quo.  As King said, the prosperity of the middle class was not given freely by the captains of industry.  They were forced in to it and the nation as a whole, the powerful included, benefitted.

There’s so much to say on this subject, so many words to spew out about the value of the working class and how we must lift it back to its feet if we ever hope to once again see widespread prosperity in this country.  Too many for this simple blog.  This is not a small fight in Wisconsin.  It affects all America and should not be taken lightly.  Unions have long been demonized and, admittedly, have had some problems.   But we need the unions if only as a firewall against the ever increasing greed of the powerful and to give many small voices a larger voice. 

As the great Union leader John L. Lewis said: Let the workers organize. Let the toilers assemble. Let their crystallized voice proclaim their injustices and demand their privileges. Let all thoughtful citizens sustain them, for the future of Labor is the future of America.

Stand strong, Wisconsin.

——————————————–

After I posted this I came across an interesting article by Constitutional scholar Linda Monk titled How Unions Saved the Constitution that states:

Make no mistake: What is at risk in Wisconsin, and every state in America, is the quality of life that American workers have fought — and died — for during the past century. When plutocrats like the Koch brothers tell the governor of an American state to roll back the clock on public employees, they are seeking to end protections for all workers. The Kochs are part of an ideological movement that hopes to end all legislation controlling wages, hours, and workplace safety — returning America to a “Social Darwinism” that ensures survival of the fittest (read: richest). This is the constitutional theory that prevailed before the New Deal. To these extremists, Ayn Rand is on par with James Madison.

If you can, plesase check out this article.

Read Full Post »

The New John Henrys

Posted in Current Events, Opinion, Video, tagged , , , , on February 16, 2011| Leave a Comment »

 Man versus machine.  John Henry and his hammer versus the steam drill. Now Jeopardy.

I’ve watched with interest the first two nights of the exhibition on Jeopardy pitting the two top players in its long run, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter against Watson, the IBM supercomputer that contains something like 15 trillion pieces of data.  It’s been a pretty impressive display in these first two days for Watson as it racked up over $36,000 in winnings versus Jennings’ $4,800 and Rutter’s $10,400.  In the Double Jeopardy round, Jennings and Rutter only managed 5 correct answers.

Maybe I’m rooting too much for the human mind to defeat a machine that takes a room of servers and a huge team of techs to operate but I found this whole thing pretty frustrating.  It wasn’t that the machine defeated these two players in knowledge but that it seemed to have a definite mechanical advantage in ringing in first to answer.  Outside of a couple of questions, which all the contestants, including Watson, missed, this was not an extremely difficult game.  You could see that the two champions knew the answers but were simply defeated mechanically.  It was irritating to watch and there seemed to be a bit of frustration on the two humans’ faces at the end. 

When the machine missed, it missed wildly.  For instance, the Final Jeopardy question was in the category U.S. Cities and asked which city had an airport named after a World War II hero and one named for a WW II battle.  The answer, of course, was Chicago.  Watson answered Toronto, which doesn’t even fall under the final category.  With the thirty seconds given to answer, it seems there was breakdown in its comprehension.

I have some question as to how the machine is given the questions.  I believe that Alex Trebek stated that the computer was digitally  fed the questions simultaneously.  So this was not voice recognition technology.  It was, instead, just a very large computer pulling up data at a fast pace then beating its opponents to the buzzer with superior mechanical timing.  Timing is vital in ringing in on Jeopardy so a tuned mechanical device would have a definite advantage against even the most adept human.

I sound like I’m a bit technophobic here.  I do appreciate the advances of technology and am constantly amazed at how quickly our world changes with each new breakthrough.  It’s mind-boggling  how different our world is today when compared to even a mere thirty years back due to the changes in technology.  And I’m sure that there are applications where Watson’s power and speed will greatly benefit us as a species in the future.  But for now I find this whole thing a bit frustrating and secretly wish for a John Henry moment where Brad Rutter pulls out a sledge hammer and takes it to this irritating machine.

Here’s my favorite version of that great folk song, John Henry, sung by Johnny Cash:

Read Full Post »

Power to the People

Posted in Current Events, Video, tagged , on February 12, 2011| 3 Comments »

I spent most of my time in the studio yesterday watching the situation in Egypt, watching Mubarak’s regime finally fall before the will of organized, unarmed protest.  Even with the ever present cynicism concerning what the next step for that nation will be, I have to admit I was moved by the Egyptian people and their steadfast unity through these last few weeks.  I was certain that Mubarak’s address Thursday evening would result in violent confrontations, his words goading the protesters into a frenzy that would be enough for him to send in his police squads or the military.  But, to their credit, the pro-democracy protesters did not take the bait and instead came out in larger, louder numbers yesterday, all united by a theme of peaceful power. 

At that point, it must have become obvious to the regime that these people were not simply going away.  They had endured.  They had withstood attacks from the regime’s goon squads, losing nearly 300 lives in the process, and had not retreated (oddly enough, there have been no reports of counter-protests since those obviously staged by the regime a week or so back).  They had ignored veiled threats from the vice-president that they must go home.  They held fast.

A report said that after Mubarak’s address on Thursday, the Army turned on him and that marked the beginning of the end for his regime.

Again, I have no idea what the next step for these folks will be.  I don’t know if this is absolutely the best thing for them, that their lives will be appreciably better in the years to come.  Whether they will continue down this road to a pure democracy or if they will fall prey to radical ideologues vying for control, I don’t think anyone knows for sure.  That’s one of the qualities of freedom– uncertainty.  But they at least have a chance now and to see them have their voices heard and to feel that their will is stronger than the usurped power of the corrupt ex-regime is a wonder to behold.  It is a moment to cherish, a moment to inspire other oppressed peoples.  There are few sweet moments like this in most people’s lives and though it is not my moment, I revel in it.  Good for you, Egypt.

Power to the people.

In the coverage I heard an Egyptian reciting this phrase so here’s a little tune with that message to hum along to this morning:

Read Full Post »

H.R. Pufnstuf

Posted in Current Events, Favorite Things, Painting, tagged , , , on February 3, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I’m kind of wired from watching the conflict in Egypt on the tube in real time as though it were some sort of twisted sporting event,  the momentum of each side surging back and forth under a rainstorm of rocks and Molotov cocktails.  The term I heard several times yesterday was medieval and it certainly brings to mind the stories of the siege battles of that era.  Fire falling from rooftops on to the crowd below.  Men with whips racing through the throngs on horses and camel, flailing away as they rode.  Sheets of steel used as shields behind which the advancing forces marched forward.  Men carrying machetes and clubs.  I’m still waiting for someone to drag out a catapult or trebuchet.

Crazy stuff.  I need some sort of relief from the tension of merely watching this horror show.

How about this painting of  H.R. Pufnstuf from my friend  and great painter Dave Higgins?  It’s a tiny piece, about 3″ square, of the title character from the old Saturday morning kids show.  From Sid and Marty Krofft, it ran for a couple of years back around 1970 and featured life-sized puppet-like characters in a storyline about a young boy who is lost and trapped on this enchanted island where everything is alive.  For instance, the houses talk.  The island is ruled by its mayor H.R. Pufnstuf who protects the young boy from the evil Witchiepoo and her minions who constantly try to steal the boy’s companion talking flute.

Actually, it was pretty awful and I remember thinking that as a kid even as I kept watching .  But the awfulness has transformed into a certain  kitschiness over the years and it has achieved a sort of iconic quality.  It’s still pretty hard to watch (you can see episodes on hulu.com) but it has a catchy theme song that uses Paul Simon’s 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy) as its melody.

This little painting is part of the West End Gallery’s Little Gems show which I’ve written about here before and opens tomorrow night.  I took a walk through the show late last week and when I saw this piece, it stopped me dead in my tracks.  It was such a lovely little piece, mixing the pop quality of Pufnstuf with Dave’s ability to paint beautiful landscapes with the feel of the early Luminist school.  He’s known for this juxtaposition, most notably for his Pimp in the Woods series, shown here.

Long story short, I bought this little gem.  It makes me smile and that’s so much better than what I’ve been seeing on the news.

Read Full Post »

Is It Time?

Posted in Current Events, Opinion, tagged , , on February 2, 2011| 3 Comments »

Watching Egyptian President Mubarak last night address his nation and the world brought the quote I used the other day in this blog from Wendell Phillips more clearly into focus.  He was defiant as a pharoah who believed his authority was the word of God and gave no hint of leaving office until every last card he had was played.  His taste for power was still strong.  It’s as though he has no sense of the reality of the situation and, as several analysts have pointed out, he has lived for 30 years in a world surrounded by sycophants who never point out shortcomings.  The idea that his absolute power is being challenged is a concept that hasn’t yet cracked his nut.

It’s been interesting watching this evolve over the last two weeks, to see how it has grown in scope to include a representative swath of the Egyptian people.  It is no longer a protest of students or the political opposition.  It is shopkeepers and cab drivers.  Lawyers and clerks.  Young and old.  The poor and not so poor.   It is Egypt.

I have been impressed by the bravery to come forward and maintain this protest against such an imbedded regime.  Also impressive is the love of their country that is expressed in their restraint as a mob.  They are steadfast yet don’t seem willing to destroy the country they are not fighting to take back.  There’s something noble in that.  I’m hoping Mubarak has that same type of respect for his land and his citizens and doesn’t try to destroy Egypt in his fight to stay in control.

I heard an interesting analogy from Congressman Gary Ackerman of NY yesterday.  He said Mubarak is like a neighbor you’ve lived next to for 30 years.  He keeps an eye on your house when you’re not around.  He’s always there to lend a hand.   He lets you park in front of his house and shovels your walk when the snow has fallen.  He’s a great neighbor.

  But he beats his kids.

And, no matter how great a neighbor, your allegiance has got to come down on the side of the kids.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.  Revolutions, as a rule, don’t go backwards and the genie is out of the bottle now.  Let’s hope the will of the people is honored and a peaceful and quick transition is soon underway.

UPDATE: 8:00 AM.  Well, perhaps I hoped for a peaceful transition too soon.  The TV is now showing clashes between the crowd and pro-Mubarak forces, many on horseback.  It looks pretty ugly.  Obviously Mubarak loves his power more than the people of Egypt.

Read Full Post »

Revolution

Posted in Current Events, Opinion, tagged , , on January 30, 2011| 4 Comments »

Wendell Phillips Monument, Boston Commons

Revolution is the only thing, the only power, that ever worked out freedom for any people.  The powers that have ruled long and learned to love ruling, will never give up that prerogative until they must, til they see the certainty of overthrow and destruction
 if they do not.
 
—-Wendell Phillips
 
 
 
************************
I wanted to say a few words about the current political unrest spreading through the Middle East and these words from Wendell Phillips, the American abolitionist and advocate of Native Americans of the 19th century, came to mind.  These words seem to echo the root of the problem in Egypt  and in other areas where revolution is in the air.  Maybe in the US in times to come.
                                                                                                                .
            In Egypt and other countries, there has been an ever expanding chasm between the haves and have-nots, with the haves possessing all the political power,  bending it to serve their wills.  They control the government and shape the laws and policies in a way that only benefits them, usually at the expense of the have-nots.  Injustice and inequality become the norm and an aristocracy is formed to lord over a growing class of the poor and oppressed.  The government which always speaks of serving the people is now only serving a select few and an anger begins to simmer at the unfairness of the situation.  A tipping point begins to materialize and nears and is finally reached.  The streets fill with the angry populace.
                                                                                                                  .
      Maybe this is very, very much oversimplified but it is the spine of any revolution.  I worry for the US , not for what is happening in Egypt, but for what is happening here, with a government and judiciary more and more attuned to serving the interests of the wealthiest citizens at the expense of those less affluent citizens who need the protection of our government.  We have evolved into a corporate  aristocracy, even giving the benefits (without the responsibility) of citizenship to corporations in the Citizens United ruling from the Supreme Court.  The chasm between the haves and have-nots is nearing historic proportions and in a nation of over 300 million people that was formed from revolution, those in the have camp should take heed from what is happening in the Middle East.
                                                                                                             .
As Phillips also said: 
  Governments exist to protect the rights of minorities. The loved and the rich need no protection: they have many friends and few enemies.
 

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »