Saturday, February 25, 2012

21 Questions Minus 11

1. Is it possible that you might be wrong about something you believe in more deeply than anything in the world?

2. Will we see cloned humans in the next generation's lifespans? (And if so, dammit, why can't I have mine now?)
A very smart twelve-year-old offers why he thinks it will be a very bad day when this occurs: "Because then we will have infinite armies."

3. What is the loveliest flower?

4. Can one write beautifully, but not truthfully or logically?

5. What is the real purpose of pro sports?

6. Does school teach what we think it does (or would like to think)?

7. Are some art forms of the past--painting, film, poetry--now superannuated, and if so, what has replaced them?

8. What is the most joyful aspect of being human?

9. Will entirely new religions be created if we manage to last another few thousand years--ones with new gods, worldviews, and moral codes?

10. What is the more fruitful in life: Questioning? Or answering?

Jes' asking.




9 comments:

Anonymous said...

In order of difficulty - easiest to hardest;

5, Entertainment.
9 Science is a new religion and I think it will go on at least several thousand years. Motorcycling might be a religion to some. Money is a religion that seems to be on the rise as well.
2. I suspect my clone would be a pain in the ass if I had to teach him everything I already learned. Cloned dogs interest me a lot more.
4.If it’s beautiful, it certainly contains truth but not necessarily logic.
6. School teaches conformity.
3. I get a special feeling from lilacs, and dogwood blossoms. They mean spring!
1. Probably. I’m pretty dumb but the alternative is to be cynical.
7. I don’t think so.
8. Sharing a good joke.



Sal

Shybiker said...

I love these. There are so many lists of questions flowing around the blogosphere that lack the deep thinking these questions have. They practically invite unorthodox views. And since the thinking that I value most is unorthodox, I applaud your implicit encouragment of it.

Anonymous said...

10. Questioning, of course. I had to think about this all day and reversed my answer. I mean, if Fox News is an example of answering 24 hours a day, then that is pretty useless. But the right question can lead you. Hardest question.
Sal

Anonymous said...

1. Not only possible, likely a couple times in your life time.
2. How about this generation. The research usually happens quitely behind the scenes before we know about it. The reason you can't have yours is your unique present self is enough for this world. (Polite way of saying the world couldn't handle another one of you Melissa.)
3. Dandelion
4. Political speeches are written before they are spoken.
5. Competition without death (usually) And oh yeah, the money.
6. At 64 years old, I have know idea what schools teach.
7. The artistry of video games is a high paying profession.
8. Knowing sex is more than just making babies.
9.Why not, they have been created in the past 100 years.
10. Twenty-five years ago, I planted two grapefruit seeds. One each in Dixie cups. They grew into mature trees and have produced more than 15,000 grapefruits since then. My 7 year old daughter started this whole process by asking "Dad, what would happen if you planted a grapefruit seed?" The question came first and the answer was 15,000 fold.
11. Ride all you can. Manage the risk as best as possible. Live life now!
Dale F. Gruver

Melissa Holbrook Pierson said...

I had to think hard about all of these as I wrote them, perhaps the first time in too long that I made myself think without the hope of arriving at answers: questions are the answer.

Living a questioning life is the best life for me. (Second choice would be taking to a raft down the Mississippi.)

The proof that the answer to 10. is that questions are more fruitful are all the answers here--blow-me-away smart, compassionate, and (naturally) humorous. Then there's Dale's answer. LITERALLY fruitful. Damn. Thank you for that.

And yeah. Thank the state of science today that there's only one of me. You're welcome!

Kevin G. said...

1. Pass
2. Hope not - what a perfect example for the sentiment "just because you think you can do something, doesn't make it a good idea".
3. Pass
4. Absolutely.The message of Kipling's "IF" flies in the face of logic challenging people to find their own truths. Beautiful.
5. Please.....it's just too soon to speak of football.
6. I seriously doubt it.
7. What an obscure and business-like word is, superannuated.But in this case, maybe very appropriate if that's what's happening.
8. Pass
9. Pass
10. Question everything. As they say, "Believe half of what you hear and even less of what you see".

cstatman said...

i have this half-gelled idea that we collect knowledge and wisdom as we age. Then, the MOMENT we 'get it'? The flash when we understand life?

We are struck dead so we cannot pass it on to anyone who has not lived long enough to build up the knowledge.

Sure, people will try to shoot holes it this, What about James Dean? What about the ones who die young?

Well, sometimes the amount of knowledge they need? is not as much as the rest of us old farts...

I could be wrong.

Anonymous said...

Charles,

If you were right you'd be dead right now! In fact you wouldn't have even been able to push the button on your post. What does THAT tell you about your theory?

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

Sal Cuciti
Highland New York

Melissa Holbrook Pierson said...

Oh, I dunno, Charles--I keep trying to pass on my immeasurable wisdom to the younger generation, only they seem to think they don't need it! (What was that I heard about having to make your own mistakes?)

So that's it. I'm keeping it to myself now. And maybe trying to get some new wisdom, because the old stuff doesn't always work the way it should.

(Sal, you troublemaker . . . )