Answer ‘Afterlife Experiments’ No

*In ‘The Afterlife Experiments’ Gary Schwartz
surmises evidence that life and love is eternal
would change humankind – I have news for
him, knowing something does not change
anything, only deciding what to do with new
information determines what humans become

Humankind has reacted in the same way to
changing beliefs during all the ages, people’s
minds look for an opportunity to cash in on
any belief, make use of any ‘truth’ to make
money and enjoy life, seeking fun or feeling
better all the time – a belief in life after death

Based on experiments will only create more
opportunity for enterprising humans to part
gullible people from their money, politicians
will use new-fangled religions to govern
people like sheep; dabbling with anything
beyond the reach of the senses

Is a brilliant mechanism for misuse, if we
cannot use our senses to test it, personal
experience should remain subjective,
limited to the individual who was lucky
enough to experience epiphany, if not
the non-sensory becomes a yoke

People forced by threatening visions of
eternal life, yet unable to love – as most
of us are – to try and get along with others
will not love more, living in love is a per-
sonal choice, does not include trust; only
an idiot would trust humans en masse

With custody of valuable feelings, life is
a sensory experience to be engaged in
freely, allowing that 75% of what we see
will never appeal to us, but not worrying
about it as we enjoy the 25% that
appeals to us individually!

*
Gary Schwartz ‘The Afterlife Experiments’ Atria
Books, 2002, Preface p. XV – The answer to the
questions posed is an unequivocal NO. I enjoy
reading about the experiments, but belief in
them changes nothing.
*

Primitive Emotion, Irrational Devotion

*

A financial letter to translate, can’t concentrate, to
focus my wandering mind I looked at the account
of a savage young man faithful to his love

His wonderful girl at the third telegraph pole, waiting
as he instructed her to - she’s dead, died in a fire,
but he savagely said

She must wait for him when he left for the army
when he returned her spirit informed him she had
never been unfaithful, could not help dying

Asked for permission to leave; he replied ‘Wait
until I finished my life service’ - she would not
escape from him - and she smiled

He still greets her at the telegraph pole every evening
I cry every time I read it, beautiful pain and mystery
of irrational devotion to love

Such bravado, gallantry, integrity, loyalty to her
limpid eyes clear as water; such utter sadness,
such noble beauty in primitive emotion

What an introduction to The Little World of Don
Camillo, my heart is putty in the hands of
an author like Guareschi!

Giovanni Guareschi ‘The Little World of Don Camillo’
Reprint Society, Victor Gollancz, 1853
‘Third Story’ p. 32-41

*

Juxtaposition And Dualism

*
Pratchett’s Unseen Academicals was a
joy from beginning to end, the author is
a prince among men

Ridiculed fashion items like six-inch
stiletto heels and all kinds of bling,
empty-headed models

Remunerated exorbitantly for glittering
while toiling labourers doing necessary
things are paid next-to-nothing

Pratchett’s depiction of the Discworld
is bathed in a golden light of happiness
everybody joyously engaged

In activities normally depicted as unmitigated
misery, but Pratchett makes war, suffering
and sorrow seem so exciting

Some characters lead such deprived lives, the
Orc, the night-kitchen cook; yet no-one ever
shows signs of depression

Citizens of Ank-Morpork have amazing joie-de-
vivre, his main characters, Nutt the Orc and
Miss Sugarbean

Have fantastic work ethic and integrity, does
Pratchett realize how much the uplifting attitude
of his main characters

Contrast with his cynical omnipresent narrator
perspective, does he see the juxtaposition
between two aspects

His protagonists acting with integrity and his blasé
narrative voice, the dualism must cause a war
in his mind – verily, I suspect

That is happening at present – Orc and Miss Sugar-
bean represent the seven dolls of Capitaine Coq*
who got out of control

While Pratchett is telling a world-weary tale of human
nature, his characters are presenting a morality play
he cannot subdue them

Pratchett cannot impose decadence on his fictional
characters, they are whiter than snow – how much
does this irk him? I would love to know...

[Thank you Michelle Narayan for lending me this book,
a belated birthday present from your cousin in the UK,
you reread twice, I agree, once is not enough, I want to
make notes to remember his witticisms and criticism
as long as I can...]

Terry Pratchett ‘Unseen Academicals’ Doubleday 2009
* Capitaine Coq - One of the seven puppets in Paul
Gallico's book "For The Love Of Seven Dolls"

Never Sing In Public

*
Listening to my voice recordings,
kept to remind me never to sing
in public, sounds awful, to think
I inflict this on my family

It is a wonder they still tolerate me
now it makes sense why Tiaan al-
ways offer me pills to silence the
noise, my voice sounds terrible

I shall sing softly to myself, never
expose others to this; this dark day
of punishment has been saved by
Pratchett - Unseen Academicals

I love his irreverent definition of
poetry: get a girl kindly disposed
to make her take off her vest
comical humour at its best

I love his critique of society, beautiful
Juliet paid for causing dreams, no brain
required; soccer hooliganism, men with
whips creating fighting machines

When humanity does away with whips,
rules and regulations, replacing it with
respect for freedom -

A new civilization would come about for
the first time - life would become
worthwhile for people like me...
*

Sound Of His Voice

*
I gauge hubby’s state of mind by
the sound of his voice, watching
James Bond with the kids who
do not care about sound

Nici says Pierce Brosnan is the only
handsome James Bond - watching
‘Tomorrow Never Dies’ with them-
Brosnan does not do it for me

His voice is too thin, Nici loves him
because he has less body hair than
my hero, Sean Connery–Who cares?
Sean had the VOICE

And that is EVERYTHING!

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

Watching TV with the family, keeping my
hand on the pulse of current entertainment

While people seem to become less studious
when inebriated by alcoholic beverages

I become more conscientious and academic
though my field of study is popular movies

And folk songs -I see why civilization survives
by ignoring all intellectuals, their negative take

...on EVERYTHING!

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

The Three Musketeers

*

The Three Musketeers – Tiaan, who had
his arm in a sling, me who likes hunting
and hubby, always engaged in rational
thinking, sallied forth today to buy ear-
phones so I can play with music and
sounds

Now everyone must duck and dive to
escape the noise that I make as I sing
with myself, so glad Terry Pratchett only
objects to people singing with their mirror
images and Mr Robin-in-the-hand, but
approves

Of people singing in harmony with them-
selves like Agnes Nit did when she sang
and Perdita, living within, joined in, I think
the naughty Bond-girl joined me, she is
invisible until I have seen a Bond-
movie

Then her image pops into the mirror,
rejoicing in the life
I hate to live...

[Seems like I escaped the scourge of Mr Robin
and other woodfolk appearing, I am glad to
report]

Sing For Myself

*
New headphones, soft sponge covering
my ears, discovered how to make voice
recordings, sang Webber’s Phantom and
and crooned Whispering Hope, Abeheid-
schi Bumbeidschi and Dominique, strange
little voice vibrating alone in the air like a
disembodied spirit

I tried to anchor myself, bring the diaphragm
in play, to my infinite delight sang a duet with
myself, just as Pratchett said, NOT with my
mirror reflection, but with my voice on tape,
what fun, playing sing-a-long with myself,
I love recording devices of all kinds –
though I’m too shy to sing for others,
I can sing for myself!