Direction

In The Perennial Philosophy, Aldous Huxley discusses temperament and makes reference to William Sheldon's work on somatotypes. Much of Sheldon's work is now discredited. However, we should remember that whilst all knowledge is subject to the frames we use to make our forms (taxonomy always carries the risk of making the items fit the allotted holes) we do need to make some sense of the world in which we find ourselves. So it might be worth considering if there is any thing of interest in what Huxley was saying. I think so. Today muscular religion is of particular concern, the somatotonic revolution of which Huxley wrote in 1944 seems all too evident and developing toughness generally is seen as a good thing. Whilst self reliance is clearly of great value we might be well advised to consider unpacking some of this.

Would it be possible to move to a position in which we all learned to try softer? I was pleasantly surprised today to hear on the radio that we might consider the economic down turn as opportunity to tackle environmental problems. But I fear this will not be a path taken; politics is too muscular.

And what has all this to do with my day? Well, I just can't seem to work out how to get on with it. And I don't know if it's wisdom or ego. Softness or laziness.