Hello, friends!
It’s 7 PM (CST)… let’s get to the seven!
1. Art often has a prophetic edge. Did Stephen King predict Donald Trump, and the Pandemic? His books, The Dead Zone (film), and The Stand (TV series) suggest as much.
From The Dead Zone:
"The man is a clown. He goes charging around the speaking platform, like that at every rally [...] He's a clown, so what? [...] So people want a giggle or two. Even more, they want to thumb their noses at a political establishment that doesn't seem able to solve anything."
2. Sports are magical. I’m not sure about the spell sports cast on people, but I tried to write about it. Author Terry Pratchett said it well: “The thing about football - the important thing about football - is that it is not just about football.”
3. Eye Candy: True Detective is an interesting premise for a show. Each season uses different actors, and each season has an original case. I’m a sucker for a mystery/detective show/film. Season four is brilliant. Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes) said this: “The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.” Sounds like The Art of Paying Attention.
4. Book Candy: I believe Jesus has the answers for the Good Life. Dr. Timothy Keller wrote a splendid book for answering these existential questions: Encounters with Jesus. A fascinating book for fiction writing using brain science: Story Genius.
5. Can we predict the future of human flourishing? No, but I like the ideas of The Honest Broker. It will involve smaller communities, inner work, less tech, art, and analog:
“Things like music, books, art, family, friends, the inner life, etc. will increasingly play a larger role in quality of life (and hence progress) than gadgets and devices. Over the next decade, the epicenter for meaningful progress will be the private lives of individuals and small communities. It will be driven by their wisdom, their core values, and the courage of their convictions—none of which will be supplied via virtual reality headsets or apps on their smartphones.”
6. Ear Candy: I watched an interesting documentary on the assassination of John Lennon. This inspired some intense listening of his music. This playlist is a good place to start.
7. I’m inspired by those who make art in various forms. I wrote a poem about it.
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Grace + Peace,
Ryan