Found This in Some Reading I Was Doing
Jul 26, 2020 17:30:33 #
What might CS Lewis say of our new COVID situation?
Here’s what he said in 1948 about the mental shift required by living with the threat of the atomic bomb (shared from my friend’s wall):
"We think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. “How are we to live in an atomic age?” I am tempted to reply: “Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.”
In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to die in unpleasant ways. We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors—anesthetics; but we have that still. It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty.
This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds."
— “On Living in an Atomic Age” (1948)
Here’s what he said in 1948 about the mental shift required by living with the threat of the atomic bomb (shared from my friend’s wall):
"We think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. “How are we to live in an atomic age?” I am tempted to reply: “Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.”
In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to die in unpleasant ways. We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors—anesthetics; but we have that still. It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty.
This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds."
— “On Living in an Atomic Age” (1948)
Jul 26, 2020 17:55:53 #
Jul 26, 2020 17:57:09 #
Would be nice if the mind was being used more these days. Thx for sharing that.
Jul 26, 2020 18:02:14 #
We discussed a bomb shelter, but lived six miles from a B-52 SAC base. What the hell, let's go fishing seemed the better answer. These days, it is definitely the better answer. Until there is a vaccine, we are living in the days of the black plague.
Just go fishing.
Just go fishing.
Jul 26, 2020 18:15:36 #
I currently live about 5 miles (as the crow flies) from Hill Air Force Base where they work on fighter jets for the Air Force. Had to quit thinking about what might happen one day - prime target.
Just go fishing.
Just go fishing.
Jul 26, 2020 18:53:25 #
teabag09
Loc: Chesapeake, Virginia
Huntm22 wrote:
I currently live about 5 miles (as the crow flies) from Hill Air Force Base where they work on fighter jets for the Air Force. Had to quit thinking about what might happen one day - prime target.
Just go fishing.
Just go fishing.
I live in Chesapeake, Va. A stones throw from the largest Naval Base in the world, surrounded on almost all sides by Army, Marine, Coast Guard and Seal Team facilities. Me worry? No way, I'll be a red mist before I'd hear a thing. Felt the same way when hauling munitions to Nam. If the ship was to go up with 80,000 tons of HE aboard, none of us would feel a thing. Mike
Jul 26, 2020 18:58:06 #
Thats why I quit thinking about - would be no time to ponder about it. Instantaneously zapped.
Jul 27, 2020 03:12:35 #
Smokypig wrote:
We discussed a bomb shelter, but lived six miles from a B-52 SAC base. What the hell, let's go fishing seemed the better answer. These days, it is definitely the better answer. Until there is a vaccine, we are living in the days of the black plague.
Just go fishing.
Just go fishing.
Kinda like these guys ! Can't do anything to prevent it or do much about it when it comes, so just enjoy yourself in the meantime !
No sense worrying or stressing
over something you can't
control !
Jul 27, 2020 07:29:00 #
Big dog
Loc: Bayshore, Long Island, New York
campbellclan wrote:
What might CS Lewis say of our new COVID situation... (show quote)
Words of wisdom !!
Aug 18, 2020 09:25:48 #
[quote=campbellclan]What might CS Lewis say of our new COVID situation?
Here’s what he said in 1948 about the mental shift required by living with the threat of the atomic bomb (shared from my friend’s wall):
"We think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. “How are we to live in an atomic age?” I am tempted to reply: “Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.”
In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to die in unpleasant ways. We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors—anesthetics; but we have that still. It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty.
This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds."
— “On Living in an Atomic Age” (1948)[/quote
Isn't it funny that when people are told to panic they, indeed, do as told?
Here’s what he said in 1948 about the mental shift required by living with the threat of the atomic bomb (shared from my friend’s wall):
"We think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. “How are we to live in an atomic age?” I am tempted to reply: “Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.”
In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to die in unpleasant ways. We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors—anesthetics; but we have that still. It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty.
This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds."
— “On Living in an Atomic Age” (1948)[/quote
Isn't it funny that when people are told to panic they, indeed, do as told?
Aug 18, 2020 09:29:23 #
Big dog
Loc: Bayshore, Long Island, New York
[quote=Catfish hunter][quote=campbellclan]What might CS Lewis say of our new COVID situation?
Here’s what he said in 1948 about the mental shift required by living with the threat of the atomic bomb (shared from my friend’s wall):
"We think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. “How are we to live in an atomic age?” I am tempted to reply: “Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.”
In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to die in unpleasant ways. We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors—anesthetics; but we have that still. It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty.
This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds."
— “On Living in an Atomic Age” (1948)[/quote
Isn't it funny that when people are told to panic they, indeed, do as told?[/quote]
I’m still amazed at how many people wear a mask while driving alone in their car with the windows up.!
Here’s what he said in 1948 about the mental shift required by living with the threat of the atomic bomb (shared from my friend’s wall):
"We think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. “How are we to live in an atomic age?” I am tempted to reply: “Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.”
In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to die in unpleasant ways. We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors—anesthetics; but we have that still. It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty.
This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds."
— “On Living in an Atomic Age” (1948)[/quote
Isn't it funny that when people are told to panic they, indeed, do as told?[/quote]
I’m still amazed at how many people wear a mask while driving alone in their car with the windows up.!
Aug 18, 2020 10:56:27 #
People are sure funny creatures aren’t they!?!? Mind over matter - if you loose your mind - it really doesn’t matter👌
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